As far as this week goes...
What I wanted students to know:
1. Oasis' Traditions and Expectations
2. They need Jesus first and foremost, but they also need to link arms with people whose feet are pointed in the same direction as theirs. Eagle's Nests (breakout groups) will help them do that.
What I want students to do:
1. Live up to the traditions and expectations out of love and respect. If they don't live up to the traditions and expectations, the consequences should not be a surprise.
2. I want students to link arms, make friends with, those whose feet are pointed in the same direction.
Props to Andy Stanley. I used some of his friendship stuff found in Seven Check Points. And of course, Mark Beeson, who continually challenges us to consider which direction our feet and life are pointed. One of the most simple, but not easy, visual illustrations to remember and try to live out.
Oasis - Cue Sheet
GameDay – Go Team
10.04.06
6:25 Walk-In Guy’s Paintball Video
6:30 Welcomes and Intro’s Worship – Judy
6:32 Worship
6:45 Teach Time (Group 1) / Eagle’s Nest
(I’ll call for them as I need them)
PowerPoint GAME DAY Slide Up
TRADITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS PowerPoint Slides
REMEMBER THE TITANS Clip
PowerPoint GAME DAY Slide Back Up
3 PowerPoint VERSES
7:25 Announcements PowerPoint Slides and Giveaways - John
Guy’s Retreat
Skateboarding Trip
7:35 Teach Time (Group 2) / Eagle’s Nest
(I’ll call for them as I need them)
PowerPoint GAME DAY Slide Up
TRADITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS PowerPoint Slides
REMEMBER THE TITANS Clip
PowerPoint GAME DAY Slide Back Up
3 PowerPoint VERSES
8:15 Game (Doors open for Eagle’s Nest 2 at 8:10) – John and the gang
If we don’t have enough time, we’ll make throw out a couple of Total Recall Questions instead
EAGLE’S NEST, THEN MESSAGE
Relentless – Atrium Skylight
Engage – Atrium Stage
Wildside – Great Room
Eagle One – Penguin Room
Soul Candy – In Front of the Wal-Mart Doors (New Entrance)
180 – Bottom of Stairs by Wal-Mart Doors (New Entrance)
MESSAGE, THEN EAGLE’S NEST
Crossfire – Atrium Skylight
Rock Solid – Atrium Stage
The Force – Great Room
Elevate – Penguin Room
Testify – In Front of the Wal-Mart Doors (New Entrance)
High Voltage – Bottom of Stairs by Wal-Mart Doors (New Entrance)
Oasis – Eagle’s Nest Discussion Guide
GameDay – Go Team
10.04.06
Note to Leaders: You are amazing…as I said in my email to you yesterday. Don’t ever doubt that! The future population of heaven will be increased because of what Jesus does in you and through you this year. I’m totally, totally serious. When students (and adults) choose Jesus, future generations of families are changed forever. It begins here and now. Thank you for showing up to love not on “my” students, not on “their” students, but “our” students. As Jeremy Post would say, “Good Work!”
Sub-Divide Your Eagle’s Nest into Smaller Groups – 5 minutes
Sub-divide into as many small groups as your leadership base can handle. Chris will be coming around to check on you. If you need an additional leader, we’ll figure out how to get you one. Remember it will be a little chaotic tonight, so breathe deep. If you remain calm, cool and collected, so will the students.
Take Attendance – 5 minutes (Coaches, please assign one person to pick up your box each week)
This is huge, not so much for this week, but in subsequent weeks. Begin by practicing today. Have each student fill out a small card with their FIRST and LAST name on it. They think it’s for the drawing and they are correct, in part. It’s for us to know who showed up too, everyone doesn’t always check in. The little cards help us to monitor attendance, so that we can send them a note if they stop coming. Check the cards as you collect them, our students have a sense of humor sometimes.
If someone is new, ask them if they filled out a big card at the registration table (if not, give them one of the big cards in your box). How do you know if they are new? Just ask out loud, “Is this the first week for anyone to be at Oasis?” Whether they get birthday cards, newcomer cards, notes of encouragement, flyers, etc., rises and falls on you…no pressureJ You’ll do just fine.
Discussion Questions – 25 minutes
1. Go around the circle and have them tell their name and 2-3 things they absolutely love to do.
Do names around the circle a couple of times…fast, slow, go around the circles backwards, forwards, etc. Ask for a volunteer or two and see if they can remember the names of all the people in the circle. Give candy to the first person that can say all the names correct (candy is in your box). If all of your students know each other, see if they can say all the names (for your sake, not theirs) and at least one thing each of the people in the group loved.
2. Talk about what Eagle’s Nests (break out groups) are about. (Ex. It’s a safe place to get to know each other. It’s a place where you can come and learn, grow and talk about what’s going on in your life. It’s a place where someone will pray for and encourage you.)
3. Dream the dream. Ask them what they would like the Eagle’s Nest time to look like. How do you want it to feel? What will it take to make this the best year ever in Eagle’s Nest?
4. If you knew that whoever you invited to Oasis could be in your breakout group, who would you invite?
5. Go around the circle and talk about ONE of your best friends. I know you have SEVEN of them, but just choose one. Tell us a little bit about them and how you met. Who made the first move toward friendship – did you choose them or did they choose you? (i.e. who made the first step toward friendship)
6. Close in prayer; however, before you do talk about it. What prayer is (a conversation with Jesus), why you pray, etc. As you get deeper in the year, you can do popcorn prayer. Tonight, just close in prayer as the leader.
Oasis – Message
GameDay – Go Team
10.04.06
This is our fourth week of Oasis together. I missed you so much last week when I was in California, it just about killed me not to be here. I kept looking at my cell phone time. I wanted to call and check in how your night was. 4 p.m (7 p.m. your time)…no, 4:30 p.m…no, 5:00 p.m…no, 5:30 p.m…no, ugh finally 5:45 p.m. rolled around (8:45 p.m. your time) and I was dialing. I love you guys. And now that we are four weeks in, we’re hitting our stride. The people around you are who we’re going to do life with for the rest of the year. This is your family, this is your team. There’s nothing better than family, there’s nothing better than team. There’s nothing better than doing life…together.
Tonight we’re going to lay the foundation for the next 8 or 9 months. We’ll begin by talking about the traditions and expectations of Oasis. The traditions and expectations not that you have for me or I have for you, but we have for each other – out of love and respect.
I remember one student last year who literally made my day, actually made my month when he made this comment when asked who was one of his heroes and he said “Judy, you are”. I asked “really, why”. His answer, “because you respect me.” I want you all to be able to say that, not only of me and your leaders, but those in this room as well.
Knowing the traditions and expectations help us to do life well. It will help Oasis to be the best it can possible be. It puts us all on the same page…no surprises. So let’s hit the big 10 out of the gate.
TRADITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS POWERPOINT SLIDES
1. APPROPRIATE PHYSICAL CONTACT. No hand holding, kissing or stuff like that. We'll leave that stuff for the married people to do...at home. High fives are great.
2. STAY ON CAMPUS. Once you are dropped off here, here is where we’ll stay.
3. RESOLVE CONFLICT THE RIGHT WAY. No fist fights or anything like it.
4. ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE. NO CUT DOWNS OR INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE. We want Oasis to be different than a lot of other places in the world. We want it to be a safe place, a place of encouragement, a place of hope.
5. GUARD THE EYES OF THE GUYS (AND GIRLS). Wear appropriate clothing. If we see a girl or guy that has inappropriate clothing, we have t-shirts they can wear. We won’t embarrass you in front of your friends, but will pull you aside and help you out.
6. KNOW THE PLACES YOU CAN HANG AND WHEN YOU CAN HANG THERE. There are plenty of places you can be – atrium, café area, grassy area outside main doors, sidewalk, coned-off blacktop area. Just a couple places you can’t be – lower level outside and inside (except pre-Oasis prayer time and Eagle’s Nest). After Oasis, you can be on the sidewalk in front of the building or the Atrium only.
7. IF YOUR PARENTS ARE PICKING YOU UP EARLY, THEY MUST COME IN AND GET YOU. No big deal.
8. CHAIRS FOR EVERYONE. I know six of you can fit on one chair, but we’re not going there. We have enormous amounts of chairs, everyone gets one of their own to sit in.
9. R-E-S-P-E-C-T YOUR LEADERS…AND EACH OTHER. Nearly 100 leaders come here each week for one reason and one reason only…you! Talk when it’s appropriate. If a leader asks you to do something (like move over, quiet down, or sit up), do it as if it were Jesus himself asking.
10. BATHROOM BREAKS…PLAN AHEAD. You can use the bathroom before or after Oasis or make a quick restroom stop between going in and out of the Auditorium for breakout groups. That’s it. Now if you are going to bust a gut, we will let you out one at a time.
We’re in this together friends. We’re apart of the same family, we’re apart of the same team. And when the team is on the same page, they’re virtually nothing you can’t accomplish.
What does team look like? SHOW REMEMBER THE TITANS MOVIE CLIP
I love that movie. It’s full of great lines, “You want him to take your spot, you go give it to him.” How much guts did it take for him to give up his spot…that’s huge…to realize he was the better man for the job. It’s full of passion for the team, the coach “he’s lining up off sides!”
WHO'S ON YOUR TEAM? WHO'S IN YOUR HUDDLE, YOUR INNER CIRCLE?
Who won the Notre Dame game last weekend? Notre Dame did, but when it comes to football who do they typically attribute the win to, what player? Should it be that? Who helped Brady Quinn to look good on the field last week (or at least in the fourth quarter)? Coach, offensive line, defensive line, his mother. It took the entire team to succeed on the field.
It takes an entire team to succeed in life too. When it comes to life, Jesus is a given, it takes him to succeed in life…really…He’s the coach. If you don’t have Him, you will run around pursuing this, that and the other, money, power and fame, but you will never experience true love, joy, peace, eternal life. You’ll come up empty because we all have this spiritual hole inside of us that only He can truly fill.
However, a close second to Jesus, to succeed in life you have to be careful to choose the team you surround yourself with, who you line yourself up with, who’s in the inner circle – your huddle. You’ve got to be careful because often times you don’t choose your friends and I don’t choose my friends, but they choose me. Anybody have a clue what I mean by that? Let me illustrate.
I had this fascinating conversation with a guy a couple of weeks ago. I’m serious, for me, it was as if God spoke straight to my heart through this guy. He used to be deep, deep, deep into a homosexual lifestyle, drugs, alcohol, you name it…as a teenager. It occurred for a number of reasons, he was sexually and physically abused, he felt rejected and alone in his messed up dysfunctional family…all the classic reasons. He started over here in the middle – good friends, good influence over here (point to the right), but instead of walking that way, he turn toward others who felt just like him - rejected, confused, alone (point to the left). These guys over here (left), intentionally or not intentionally, pulled him into the drugs, alcohol and other stuff – pulled him right in. Why? Because they knew exactly what he needed – acceptance, a place to belong, a place where he felt like he fit in. Yes, he walked that way, but it was almost like there was a super magnetic draw that pulled him that way as well. It was as much as his friends chose him, as he chose his friends.
I’m telling you my friends, most of you in this room are the friends over here (point to the right). The right kind of friends, who will not only accept people, but will love them as well. However, you struggle with what I do sometimes, we don’t make ourselves known. We don’t pull people our way. Honestly, what this young man needed, was a stronger pull from these guys over here (point to right). As he walked this way (point to the left), he needed someone to step in between him and the group that would soon lead him further down the path of alcohol, drugs and whatnot.
Some of you might be thinking like, Judy, those people (point to left) need the right kind of friends, the right kind of love, the right kind of influence too and you’re exactly right. Jesus loves them just as much as he loves you. It’s true. They needed and still do need people to intercept on their behalf. And you just might be the one called to do that. However, this group over here (on the left) should never be your inner circle of friends. Why? Their feet aren’t headed in the same direction. You should surround yourself with people whose feet are headed in the same direction as yours. Because as surely as this guy got off on the wrong path, so can you if you’re not careful.
What do you think this verse means.
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)
Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.Proverbs 13:20 (Message)
A wise person is someone who knows the difference between right and wrong and chooses to do what’s right – even when it’s hard.
A fool is someone who knows the difference between right and wrong but chooses to do what is wrong.
So you have to link arms with people who are like-minded, want to love and honor God with their lives. This is the place to do just that, this is the place it’s happening. Check this out.
BRING THE GROUP UP. I pulled these guys up because when we put you in groups this week, they were all interconnected when it came to who they requested to be with. They’re linked. (Hold up 2 x 4 cards taped together).
Tell your name and your school. How did you meet each other? How have they helped you to stay on course?
GROUP 1 – ROCK SOLID – 5 Schools
Nikki - Schmucker
Becky – Discovery
Peyton – Schmucker
Valerie – Schmucker
Olivia – John Young
Skylar – John Young
Brianna – John Young
Kelsey – Jimtown
Megan – John Young
Felisha – John Young
Chelsea – John Young
GROUP 2 – 10 Schools
Neil – Home Schooled
Andrew – New Prairie
Cory – Elkhart Christian Academy
Grant – LaSalle Academy
Austin – LaSalle Academy
Brendon – LaSalle Academy
Dalton – Schmucker Middle School
Patrick – New Creation Academy
Josh – Home Schooled
Kennedy – Holy Cross
Wesley – John Young
Zeke – SB Junior Academy
Levi – Veritas Academy
Wesley – Home Schooled
We need to link up and do life with friends with their feet pointed in the same direction. The Bible is loaded with examples of friendship like this. One in particular, is David. We’re in a series on the weekend, you should come and hear more about him. In a nutshell…
David and Jonathan – Jonathan protected David from his own father.
David had these guys – known as his mighty men – who had his back. Crossed enemy lines to get him water.
David and Nathan – Nathan was a true friend who didn’t just accept David, but loved him enough to confront him when he messed up with a girl.
In a friendship where acceptance is the only glue holding people together, there will be little confrontation. No one will be willing to risk upsetting the other person. No one will say the things that need to be said. But true friends are more committed to their friend than to the friendship – more concerned about what’s best for their friend than about being accepted by that person. Andy Stanley
I have friends that do that for me –
Chris, Karen, Loretta, Wendy, Roxanne
Naomi, Jeanna, Jerica and Ruby
There would be a dozen or so connected to me. How about you? You might not be there yet, but you can be.
Do your friends encourage or hinder your walk with Christ?
Linked arms with the right people. Your friendship will help to determine the quality of your life. I have a friend who says, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”
Close in prayer.
3 comments:
Hey Judy,
Know that there's not a day that I don't check your blog to see if you have something new to post. I actually even read the posts that you deleted last week.
God Bless!
Dave P
Judy -
Thx for putting some of your wisdom on your blog. Useful tools for middle school ministry is hard to find.
Two comments, four emails and three phone calls. I'll post one or two more and see how it goes.
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