Reflections, Pain and Enlightenment . . .

You may think this is a strange title for a post, but bear with me for a few minutes and I think that you will understand. I was reflecting on this past weekend. It was a really good weekend in a lot of ways. I had a blast watching our teenagers at sliding rock and then we moved on to one of our favorite past times – ice cream. Then Sunday came and it was great. The praise band did an awesome job. They get better every time they lead us in worship. Their focus on what matters – worship - is incredible. Pastor Chad is preaching the best sermons that I have ever heard him preach and God is at work in our church. Then Sunday evening Barry Ledford brought us a word from God about friendship. I said it that night and I will say it again – I am the luckiest youth pastor around to have men and women who want to work with our students and can step up and share from their hearts about things that God shows them in His word.

I am also reflecting on pain. I have some back problems that I am dealing with right now. I went to the doctor and he sent me to physical therapy. I have never had to deal with this before, but as I sit and think about what God is trying to teach me I am thankful for the doctor that God has placed in my life and people that are willing to be trained to help people that are dealing with physical problems. It has also slowed me down to the point that I am now more receptive to God’s voice and His teachings. Maybe this is my time to be still and know that God is still in control of everything.

Let me just take a minute and say that Ms. Mary Roach is that bomb. She bought Pastor Chad, Robbie and I a book by the lead singer of “Casting Crowns”. Along with that we will get the new “Casting Crowns” CD when it comes out at the end of August. As I sit and read, I find a kindred spirit in the author of this book. I did not know that the lead singer and author of their music is actually a student pastor in the Atlanta area. One thing I know from reading about him and his music is that he gets it. He understands what God wants us to do as followers of Christ. This group’s music paints some of the greatest pictures I have ever seen in print. This book has also given me the idea for a great sermon series for this fall. As much as I love the listen to Eric, Barry and David speak and appreciate their willingness to step in and do what God has called them to do – I can’t wait to get back to preaching on Sunday nights again.

But until that time comes, keep your eyes on Jesus and hang on, business is fixing to pick up.

Am I the only one that gets surprised . . .

After a week of what seemed to be absolute silence form God, am I the only one that was surprised when God showed up and spoke? You may think that is a strange question, but let me recap yesterday. Yesterday morning was great. When it seems like God has been quite and you have a great worship service like we did yesterday it changes your whole perspective. To all who had a hand in yesterday morning’s service, it was awesome. The music was over the top as always, but Pastor Chad’s sermon was the bomb (I’ll write about it later in the week when I have my journal.)

After church Irene and I went out to eat with some friends. That is something that I really needed. One of our friends that we ate with is a counselor. We were able to talk over our meal and she was able to pose questions that helped me verbalize some things that I have been struggling with in my own head. Now I understand why time with a counselor can be so important.

Then last night’s youth service time finally came. I don’t know if everyone misses those services when they don’t happen, but that was what had been missing in my life over the last couple of weeks. When I first got there we got off to a stumbling start. The music wasn’t ready and we seemed a lot scattered. Now, granted we have not had youth services for two weeks. We finally made it out to the field for a game of “Soft Base Tennis Ball”. During the game a visitor came walking up about the time we were finishing up. When we headed in, Thomas stepped up and did a song from Family Force Five that was great to get us started. Then Willie and Crystal got up and did a song each to set up the service. Mr. David then brought a message from God. I am really blessed to have guys like David, Barry, and Eric that can bring such powerful messages from God. David’s message was about Drug abuse and what God’s word says about it. It was incredible what happened after the message. The youth group headed over to a home to have some food and fellowship when I notice David sitting with the visitor talking. I asked David if they were going to follow us over and he said yes, so we left. David shows up about 30 minutes later and tells me that he had the honor of leading this young man to the Lord. WOW!!! God showed up and a life was changed forever. Why is it we are surprised when God shows up? Why don’t we expect Him to show up and change lives when He does?

You know, I should know better and yet I get surprised. My faith is still under construction. I should realize that God is still active and working. After last week, this week sure does look different. A little brighter, hope a little greater, attitude a lot better. Let us all be on watch to see where God is a work. Until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus and watch for the surprises.

Things to think about from a great day . . .

I always enjoy Sundays. I get to do the things that I love best – study God’s word, fellowship with His people, and get to talk about the awesome God that I serve. Yesterday was all that and more. Yesterday morning was great – if you missed it, I’m sorry – go listen on the internet. The praise band did a great job. Pastor Chad was over the top like always and we had people join our fellowship.

Yesterday afternoon, I spent time with one of my favorite people in the world – David Roach. I can not tell you how much he means to me and our student ministry. We spent a couple of hours going over the summer calendar of events for our student ministry. There are still a few things that we need to tie down, but we are going to get them finalized this week – hopefully. That way we can get them out to our students and mail them out to the parents. There are so many great opportunities that we have this summer.

Then last night was interesting, fun, good, hard – lots of mixed up emotions. The sermon during the youth worship time was on worship. Not the easiest topic to speak on but it was interesting to get feedback from our students on what they believe it will take to make our youth worship time better. I’ll talk about those things in a post later in the week. At the very end of our time together I asked to students to give me topics that they would like to hear in messages this summer – the following are those topics:

• Relationships
• Music
• School
• Dating
• Tribulation
• Peer Pressure
• Drinking – alcohol
• Trust
• Friendship
• Gossip
• Drugs
• 1st John – Are You Real?
• Stress
• Witnessing
• Sin
• 10 Commandments

We’ll begin to look at dividing these topics up between several speakers and putting them on the calendar for this summer. I am blessed to have guys that are willing to share to responsibility to speaking with me. This summer is really going to be incredible.

Until next time – keep your eyes on Jesus and prepare to yourselves for what God has in store for you in the days to come.

What God is teaching me . . .

Let me start out by saying that I am sorry that I have not posted in a while. Things at the office are really crazy right now, until I can make it past the next submittal that should go out sometime this week.

Yesterday was wonderful. As much as I enjoyed being in Charleston last weekend, yesterday was better. I told Ms. Irene, that I know that I am where I am supposed to be (New Hope) because I miss it so much when I am away. Yesterday morning was great. The message that Pastor Chad brought was wonderful. The music was over the top. But to me, last nights singing was what made the day. First of all – Youth Praise Band – you guys and gals are da bomb. Last night was the best you have ever done. Brandon – keep working on the bass – you did a great job; Thomas – you always surprise me with how good to play the drums; Ashley and Crystal – keep singing out of Jesus – your praise will lead others to raise the roof; Mitchell – you may be the best young musician I have ever seen; Willy and Ms. Terry – we could not do it without you; and Mr. Robbie – thanks for all your time – great leadership shows in those that they lead. I loved all the music last night. I may have the most eclectic taste in music of anyone around – all my favorites showed up last night. Mr. Mark – I loved you sitting in and singing during the jam session. Now I can’t wait for “Godstock” in August (that’s a post all on it’s on).

With all that said and done, back to what God is teaching me. I have been reading in Ezra lately. This is a great book. This is the book where the temple is being rebuilt after the Hebrews had been scattered. What God is revealing to me is the importance of worship and different kinds of worship. All of us worship in different ways – some clap and get excited, while some weep and cry out to God. All are acceptable to God as long as they are offered from the heart to show our love to God. I don’t believe that worship should ever be boring (our fault – not the worship leaders) nor is it a time to come to church sit in a pew with our hands in our laps and act more Holy than we really are. True worship involves participation. If we leave a worship service and have not been touched by God or have not had the opportunity to touch God through our worship it is probably our own fault.

God also has me reading for the second time “Fresh Wind Fresh Fire” by Jim Cymballa. This book is about the Brooklyn Tabernacle and its growth from its very beginnings. What God is showing me in this book, something that I knew but for some reason had not been registering – prayer is one of the most important things that we do as Christians. Prayer is our power. It should be the air that we breathe as a Christian. Pastor Cymballa speaks of crying out to God. This literally means to cry out, to have an urgency – to pray with power. Maybe the reason that the harvest that we have been seeking hasn’t come about yet is because we haven’t cry out for God’s help. God is placing several things on my heart concerning our prayer and our worship. I can’t wait to get back together with the best students in the world and share with them what God is teaching me. All I will say for now is – WOW!

Until next time – keep your eyes on Jesus and not just pray but cry out to God.

Worship is not a spectator sport . . .

As I study for the next sermon in our purpose series I am beginning to realize how much I have to learn about worship. I have been a part of some really bad worship services in my time and I have been a part of some really incredible worship experiences also. I was reading in Ezra this morning in one of my study bibles and there was a note that stated that worship is not to be a static experience. Now, the writer was not talking about the clingy static that you get from the dryer; he was talking about static as in no movement, no emotion, stillness – Dead. Worship of a living God should never be dead. As I read in Ezra about the foundation of the temple being laid – people sang and praised the Lord, some cried, some shouted for joy – none sat quietly with their hands in the laps. I understand that we all worship differently, and that is not a bad thing since God Himself made us all different, but we do not worship a God in a grave. Our God still makes a difference in the world around us.

I am blessed to worship in a church where our services are not dead. We have a great time of worship on Sunday’s in both of our morning services and the youth services are great. All those that spend countless hours preparing our worship services so that we can worship as a group do a phenomenal job. What I have come to understand is that the services don’t control my worship – my relationship with God determines my worship. If my time daily with God is a time of worship – then my time at my church will be a time of worship. The sermon, music, prayer, fellowship, offering are all important parts of worship – but if I have not spent time preparing my heart and mind for worship – I will not worship.

As I look forward to a time where we can talk about worship, begin to think on these things:
Am I a hindrance to worship?
Do I prepare for worship or do I just show up?
How can we make our youth worship better?
What can I do to make our youth worship better?
When visitors come to our youth worship services, what do they see? What are they looking for? How can we meet their needs?
Think outside the box!!! Let God stretch you!!!

Until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus and prepare to worship our living God.

Why we do what we do . . .

One of the things that most of us, that are in some level of student ministry, struggle with is - why do we do the things that we do? We plan events that we want our students to either come to or go to, but what is the purpose of these events? In the upcoming weeks “the purpose” is what we are going to be discussing during our Sunday evening worship times. According to what I understand about Jesus’ teaching – almost everything we do is to be balanced on two pieces of scripture: Matthew 22: 37-39 and Matthew 28: 19-20. Within these two pieces of scripture are the five major purposes of the church (or student ministry):

1. Evangelism
2. Worship
3. Discipleship
4. Fellowship
5. Ministry

On five Sunday evenings we are going to discuss each of these purposes and how we as a group of students and adults can best carry out these purposes. This is the part that I find exciting – each and every person attending on those nights will have a say in what we do and how we do it in HeirBorn Student Ministries at New Hope Baptist Church in Mauldin. Following the lesson on each of those Sunday’s we will break into small groups and brain storm about events that will accomplish that night’s purpose.
The first purpose that we will discuss will be “Evangelism”. What do you think evangelism is? I can remember the first time I ever asked a group of teenagers that question. I’m not sure I will ever forget the answer – “when a group of people meet in a tent to listen to a preacher from out of town, who preaches really loud and you take up the offering in KFC buckets.” Funny, I’ve been in that tent. This statement, by the teenagers, does fall somewhere in the concept of evangelism but it is not a good definition. What is your definition of evangelism? Look it up in the dictionary or on line, make notes and struggle with the concept and bring them with you on April the 8th. The doors will open at 4:45 pm that night for fellowship before the games that evening. See you there.
Just a quick shout to some friends in Charleston, SC – we are excited about coming down in a few of weeks. S – You are doing a great job of raising your dad and mom. Our colorful friends say hello and are looking forward to coming to Charleston.
Until next time – listen for a word from our Lord in heaven. He may not speak loud now, but one day He will.

Summer Sermon Series . . .

You all may think I'm crazy talking about sermons for this summer already, but I was looking at the calendar for youth events that I carry with me and all but one Sunday is planned until June. What I want to do is a series of sermons that deal with topics that are impacting your lives and your friend's lives. Please give me feed back so that we can plan for this now. I am really kind of excited about this concept. I want to get David, Barry and others involved in bringing this series. Topics can come from students or the adults. You should be able to feed off of each other as you see responces from your friends here on this sight.

WOW

I am so excited about yesterday. Pastor Chad brought a great message about the vision that God has given him for our church. It is really going to get exciting as we get on board with this vision and begin to see God do God sized things.
Let me stop right here and thank God for what He did in yesterday mornings services and in the youth service last night. God you are truly awesome. Thank you for all that you have done, that you are doing and that you are going to do. Also, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your plan.
Last night was great!! I started a sermon on prayer and God took over. I challenged the youth and adults there to give up their music for one week; turn off the radios, ipods, etc. and give that time to God in prayer. The youth and adults responded beyond what I could have hoped for or believed. We had roughly 18 youth and adults at the altar making commitments to God. You know,I didn't think much about that commitment (God told me to do that) and what it meant until I got in my truck to come to work this morning. It really was a quiet ride - just me and God. But what a great way to start the day. I'll talk about this as the week goes on.
Just a quick shout before I have to get to work - To Thomas and Tyler; it was great to meet you and start to get to know you. Get with Aaron and Zack and get them to join you in your commitment. Candace - thank you for inviting your friends from the lacrosse team at school. Amber and Courtney - you were missed this week. If I missed someone. I'm sorry, it was just a quick shout.
For now, keep your eyes on Jesus and fight the good fight.

Name for our Youth Worship Service . . .

Can you tell that I am excited about a new tool. I just wanted to drop a short note to try and generate some new interest in a good thing we have going. I am going to open up the lines for suggestions for a name for our Youth Worship on Sunday nights. The name of our student ministry is HeirBorn Student Ministries, but we really need a great name for the great worship we have on Sunday nights. If you have any ideas, please reply and I will be watching in the days to come. There are only three rules for participating:

1. You must come to our Sunday night worship services that start at 5:00 pm on Sunday nights in the gym at New Hope Baptist Church in Mauldin, SC.
2. The name needs to tie in with the name of our student ministry - "HeirBorn Student Ministries".
3. You need to have a scripture to go along with the name.

Anyone, young or not so young, can participate. There will be a prize for the winner and recognition on the big screen. So, give it some thought and let me know your ideas.

Also, we will finish our study in the book of James in the next couple of weeks. After that I will be bringing a series on the purpose of our student ministry. During that series, each and every person attending will be empowered to be on our student leadership team on those Sunday nights. You will have an impact on the events and programing that is brought in the coming months. You do not want to miss a single Sunday Night during this series of sermons.

One last thing before I stop to go work out; David Roach and Barry Ledford will each have an opportunity to preach on a Sunday night soon (one this month and one next month.) I will post the dates for the Sundays that they will be preaching next week.

For now; keep your eyes on Jesus, resist the devil, and allow God to work.