Lifeline - 10.22.06

Corey gave me the opportunity to speak at Lifeline last night. It was great fun and I got great feedback. Two young ladies came up to me afterwards, one with tears in her eyes, and talked about broken relationships that needed repaired. I encouraged them to go make it right and told a couple more stories about the mistakes I've made. These young ladies were amazing! I was so proud of them. For those interested, the message is below.

Lifeline – 10.22.06
Entourage - Trust

FACING THE GIANTS – Live on Purpose Clip – sermonspice.com

God cares about our faith, the spiritual condition of our heart. He wants us to honor him on the football fields, in the classrooms and, perhaps more importantly, in our relationships with our family and friends…our Entourage. Jesus said the most important thing you can do with your life is love God with everything you are and love others as yourself. Sometimes I wonder what would it mean to live in such a way that people talk in this town about our youth ministry like they talk about Notre Dame football.

NOTRE DAME TAILGATE/GAME – Friendship stories being written and told

Yesterday I was at the Notre Dame game. My sister works for Marriott and wanted to do some NETWORKING. She’s had some guests who have been staying at the Marriott for years and every week they invite her out to their tailgate party and, a lot of times, to the actual game. Usually she doesn’t take them up on it, but yesterday she did. She didn’t want to go alone, so who did she call? Her little sister, oh yeah!

The MARRIOTT VAN drove us down and there were a couple sitting in front of us. The guy got on his cell phone and was telling whoever he was talking to, “Yeah, we made it, I can’t believe it, we’re getting dropped off right in front of the Gold Dome! It’s amazing! I’ll call you from inside!” My thought, “yeah, so what…dude must of watched Rudy one too many times.” He then proceeds to get out of the van, accidentally drop his tickets on the sidewalk and walk away. I picked them up, scalped them for $400 and went home a happy girl. Just kidding, we gave them back. He was grateful for our honesty.

Now, I’ve had the chance to go to games a number of times, but actually ONLY WENT ONCE when I was about 12. At the game, I remember missing the slow motion replays and being able to see gorgeous guys like Brady Quinn on the big screen. Not to mention, they all look like little one inch midgets on the field from way up in the stands. The funny thing about it, I’ve lived in the South Bend area for a whole lot of years and really had no idea what went on home game days at Notre Dame. I wasn’t stupid, I knew there was tailgating kind of fun stuff and had seen it from the “driving down Juniper road perspective”, but I was never in the midst of it. I never felt it to the full extent…that was until yesterday.

We came onto the campus from the west side, a side I’d never scene. Oh my gosh, there were people everywhere! I could have people watched all day long. It was amazing. While I was enjoying my time just walking and tailgating, my mind kept drifting back to you and the series we’re in…Entourage – who are you surrounding yourself with? As I was in the stadium, I wondered what kind of friendship stories were being WRITTEN, what kind were being TOLD amongst the bazillion people there. No doubt, some great ones – ones of encouragement, love, laughter and hope. No doubt, ones not so great – ones of betrayal, deceit and defeat. As you looked in peoples eyes walking down tailgate row, as you overheard conversations in the stands here and there, you knew there were some interesting relational dynamics going on. Friends, who you surround yourself with can make you or break you. They can catapult you forward in your relationship with Christ or drag you under.

TRUSTWORTHY – DARLA STORY

When Corey asked me what the #1 one thing I looked for when it comes to friends, I quickly blurted out “ONES THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY”.

What does it mean you to be TRUSTWORTHY? Go to whiteboard.

This has been a big deal to me since I was young. I remember when I was in fourth grade when I had MRS. WENDELL AT MARY FRANK. She was the most amazing teacher…ever. You could earn fake money by doing your homework, having perfect attendance and other stuff like that. At the end of the year, you could spend it on all sorts of fun stuff. And since I was this incredibly shy, obedient, angelic child up until I was about 13 and did everything I was supposed to, I had mad cash. In fact, I was one of the first to get a $1,000 bill. I think I stared at that $1,000 bill for hours. Unfortunately, one day my $1,000 bill got ripped off. I was devastated. It was just gone, poof.

A few days later I was at my friend Darla’s house and guess what was sitting right there, on top of her dresser. $1,000 bill. I knew it was mine by the creases and dirt marks. While I didn’t accuse her of taking it, I made mention of the fact that she had a $1,000 bill on top of her dresser. She made up some lame excuse, like it was her brothers from last year and that “I could have it if I wanted it.” I said “no, that’s ok” even though I knew it was mine. That day, my devastation over losing the $1,000 was overshadowed by the fact that one of my good friends had taken it. Darla broke my trust that day and it was never to be regained.

So since I was young, before I knew the line “LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN”, if someone were to ask me Judy what kind of people do you hate, I’d be quick with my response. “Liars, cheaters and thieves.” Darla was all three. She was a thief, she stole from me. She cheated at the money game by not earning it. She lied to me when I saw the money on the dresser.

Now a days I wouldn’t say it’s the people I hate the most, because we’re supposed to love everyone; however, I would still say that lying, cheating and stealing are the behaviors I hate the most. Boil it down, the primary reason is that in all three situations TRUST IS ERODED AND IN MANY CASE FLAT OUT BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.
I’ve further defined “to be trustworthy” since then. I want friends who are trustworthy not only that they wouldn’t lie, cheat or steal from me (or even for me), but I could trust them to have my back. Even if we are fighting like cats and dogs in the moment, with others they would…
Defend me, not deny me.
Lift me up, not let me down.
Help me, not hurt me.

TRUSTWORTHY AND THE BIBLE

Being trustworthy is a big deal to me and evidently it’s a big deal to Jesus and in the Bible. One of the books I became very fascinated by three years ago was the book of Hosea. Any idea what it’s about? A guy was instructed by the Lord to marry an adulterer, that’s enough to leave you scratching your head. Some of you right now are thinking, “Ewwww. Judy you’re weird.” Well, yes I am. Others are like “really…go on.” Some of you are like, “I’m not married, what does that have to do with me?” Good questions. A lot. Because adultery happens long before it hits the bedroom. Often times, it’s practiced much earlier in our relationships with our friends. We practice things that lead to adultery in the big game – unfaithfulness, dishonesty – we flat out practice being untrustworthy. Once again, not always, but often times if we’re untrustworthy in our friendships, ultimately we’ll be untrustworthy in our marriage.

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who teaches out of the book of Hosea. Adultery is NOT A PRETTY PICTURE to paint. In fact, it’s probably the worst picture you could paint when it comes to defining what it means to be trustworthy. In book of Hosea, the Lord instructs Hosea to marry a wife that is and will be an adulterer…a liar, cheater and thief in more ways than one. So in chapter 1, he marries Gomer, not the ideal girl name, but hey maybe back in the day, who knows. They have three kids. In chapter 2, the Lord tells the kids to drive their unfaithful mom out of the house, not to get rid of her but to wake her up. For she was ripping their heart out. Hosea was ordered to continue loving her and, in chapter 3, to eventually take her back. When you read the story, you’re left wondering what in the world?

But the story is pretty much a bunch of SYMBOLISM. Hosea is the Lord and the Israelites, God’s people, are the adulterous wife, Gomer. You see God’s people had walked away from Him. They got tied up in all sorts of worship to Baal and the gods of the Canaanite people. In essence, they committed adultery. In fact, that very word is used in Hosea 4:1-2,

Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.
There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery...
Hosea 4:1-2

As a result, God allowed them to be taken captive and exiled. They were ripping His heart out. He didn’t want to harm them, He wanted to help them. They were off course, headed in the wrong direction, toward destruction and needed to wake up. Despite their disloyalty to Him, His commitment and love for them did not change. It remained steadfast.

He tells Hosea,
"Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods…”
Hosea 3:1

He longed for them to turn their hearts back toward him.

The Lord longs for people who are trustworthy, who will…
Defend Him, not deny Him.
Lift Him up, not let Him down.
Help Him, not hurt Him.

He words it this way in Hosea 6:6

For I desire loyalty, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6

WHEN YOU MESS UP - Fine China vs. Paper Plates

God pleads with Israel to turn back, to confess their sin and seek forgiveness. In return, He promises to heal them and love them…to restore their relationship. GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US. In Facing the Giants, one of the players Matt, is kind of a jerk to his dad in one scene. As Mark Beeson would say, he treated him like a throw away paper plate when he should have treated him like fine china. But, God is pursuing Matt. Here’s the outcome.

FACING THE GIANTS – Pray for Revival – sermonspice.com

Matt got right with his heavenly father and his earthly father. He went on to walk into his fathers office where his father and his partner were looking over some business plans and said “Dad, I’m sorry for the way I treated you.” As his dad sits there in stunned silence, Matt walks away. The partner says to Matt’s father, “I’d give anything to hear my son say that.”

Friends, there will be times you screw up, hopefully not, but probably will…you will have treated a friend like a throw away paper plate when you should have treated them like china.
You didn’t defend, instead you denied.
You didn’t lift up, instead you let down.
You didn’t help, instead you hurt.

When that happens, the way we respond will be dependent on the condition of our heart. Will we minimize or justify away our behavior and cast some of the blame on them…or will we come face to face with our mistake, take the consequences and seek forgiveness. Sin has consequences. Breaking trust is like BREAKING SOMETHING, sometimes you can put it back together, sometimes you can’t.

BREAK PICTURE FRAME ILLUSTRATION

Whether a person chooses to forgive you and, better yet, go the extra step and restore the relationship will be up to them. You are only responsible for your own behavior.

But I think coming face to face with it makes all the difference in the world. I think that made all the difference in the world with Jesus’ disciples. Both Judas and Peter betrayed Jesus. Judas sold out Jesus to those wanting him dead for thirty silver coins. Meanwhile, even after Jesus predicted it, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus three times before the roster crowed. But in the end, Judas ran from Jesus and Peter ran to Him.

Give God your best in your relationship with Him and each other. Honor Him. Do it right the first time, but just in case you don’t, come face to face with your sin and seek forgiveness. Give your all, no regrets. Check out this last clip.

FACING THE GIANTS – Attempt the Impossible – sermonspice.com

When you get to the end of your life may Jesus be able to look you in the eye and say, “I love you and I’m proud of you” (words in the movie clip). The one – love – is a given, as it was with the Israelites, God’s love does not ebb and flow, it does not come and go. The other – I’m proud of you – now, that’s got to be earned. Fight the Giants. I’m not talking a football team. I’m talking about the giant situations that you’ll face in life that want to destroy your relationships, the temptations that should you succumb to, will not allow you to be trusted. My prayer is that you will stand up against them like a stone wall. Give your best to God. Set the pace for those around you. Show yourself trustworthy. Jesus and the people around us are asking us to…
Defend them, not deny them.
Lift them up, not let them down.
Help them, not hurt them.

Free ND Tickets are Sweeeeeeeet

Did a little tailgating with my sis today. She knows people. I know people too, but she knows people with a lot of more money. Wow, the stories she can tell. Anyway, her friends were very cool and gave us free tickets to the Notre Dame vs. UCLA game. At half time, I said "no worries, they'll pull it out, they just need some time." As predicted, they waited until the last minute...literally. It's almost like ND comes on the field feeling a little underchallenged when it comes to game days like today. It's like they don't put their game face on until the last few minutes. UCLA came out unified and strong all day long, along with their fans. Good times, good times.

John Maxwell on Myspace

John Maxwell has a myspace here. I totally love his work, but for some reason that makes me giggle.

Then I realized that Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and David Yonggi Cho have myspaces as well. To top it off Charles Stanley has a myspace and was "on-line" when I went to it. Can that be possible?

The icing on the cake was when I saw that Smith Wigglesworth had a myspace. That must be quite the wireless system they got going on in heaven.

Ozzy Osbourne and Mike Tyson in One Night with the King

Just kidding. However, I did just about bust out laughing when Hegai spoke. It took me a second to get over the fact that he sounded like Mike Tyson. And, at certain angles, Prince Admantha could double as Ozzy Osbourne. That was really funny.

One Night with the King is the story of Esther in the Bible. As far as the movie goes, I know there are mixed reviews. I think it boils down to the fact that it's a chick flick for females who are somewhat into the stories of the Bible (not that you have to be, but I think it helps to pull you in). The main problem was that the characters were underdeveloped (it didn't help that some of them looked alike), as well as the storyline. If they could have cleared some of that confusion up at the onset, I think it would have helped. There was one guy, Prince Admantha (Ozzy), for the life of me I couldn't figure out if he existed in the actual Bible story. However, once I figured out who was who and got over the fact that I couldn't figure out who Ozzy was, it was a good, very clean flick with a few lines to use for movie clips at a later date. I went with Jeanna, Jerica, Ruby, Susanna and Rachel, so that made it even better. All in all I give it a thumbs up, but would encourage people to read the story in the Bible first.

Discussion Guide, Cue Sheet and Message from 10-11-06

Oasis – Eagle’s Nest Discussion Guide
GameDay – Go Practice - 10.11.06

Sub-Divide Your Eagle’s Nest into Smaller Groups and Take Attendance

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.

Have each student fill out a small card with their FIRST and LAST name on it. 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).


Discussion Questions
20 minutes

1. Have your group lean in, pick a scribe. Turn to SIDE ONE of your GREEN CARD (card is in Eagle’s Nest box). Brainstorm as many different areas people need to serve in for the weekend service and Oasis to be successful. As a student gives you an idea (have them shout them out or go around the circle; however, if you go around the circle, quickly help out anyone who gets stuck), have the team figure out which category it best falls into based on the four outlined. There are a few examples on your green card, below are a few more.

Center Stage (teacher, drama, band, small group leader, video producer, etc.)
First Impressions (as you walk in the door stuff – café, check-in, bookstore, greeter, etc.)
Tech Team (lights, sound, media, etc.)
Support Staff (grounds upkeep, cleaning, set-up, take-down, mailings, etc.)

There are other areas as well (ex. financial contributor, architect, construction worker), these are just four of many.

2. Flip over to the SIDE TWO of your GREEN CARD and brainstorm how we can serve various people in our community to make it a better place.
Children
Elderly
Poor, homeless, jobless, etc.
Miscellaneous people

3. After you’re done brainstorming, pass the GREEN CARD around the circle and ask each person, “If you had to pick one or two things, what makes your heart beat fast, what do you think you’d like to do the most?”

4. Very briefly…
a. Talk about ways to get involved – 2nd Saturday, Son City, MC3, Weekend Service, Oasis, Mission Trips, Etc. Some of what we are called to do we will love and is exactly what God wired us for, other stuff we need to do just because it needs to get done (like picking up trash).
b. Talk about taking initiative. Don’t expect people to come and knock on your door, go and knock on theirs. Talk with your parents, if it’s ok by them, talk with whoever is in charge of the ministry.
c. Talk about responsibility. It’s ok if you find out that something isn’t a fit for you. For example, maybe you quickly realize babies and poopy diapers aren’t your thing. If it’s not a good fit, DON’T just stop showing up, make the phone call or send an email to the ministry leader.
Otherwise, show up when you’re supposed to show up, call or email when you can’t make it. People are counting on you. You can do itJ


Close in prayer and hand out 2nd Saturday and Guy’s Retreat postcard
5 Minutes




Oasis – Cue Sheet
GameDay – Go Practice - 10.11.06

6:25 Walk-In Video: NFL Greatest Moments, end with GameDay graphic up

6:30 Welcome, Series Intro and Game (students get name tags if they didn’t check in) – John
GameDay Series Slide Up for Welcome and Intro, then
Johnny’s Game PowerPoint Slide(s) Up for Game
At end, Eagle’s Nest Dismissal Slide Up #1 – Relentless, Engage, WS, EO, SC, 180

6:45 Judy’s Message – Red
Message Seating Arrangement Slide Up #1
Total Recall Slides Up for Total Recall
GameDay Series Slide Up for Message (before and after video clip)
Brian’s Song Video Clip of Knee Injury (Judy will call for it)
Scripture PowerPoint (Judy will call for it)
Eagle’s Nest Dismissal Slide Up #2 – Crossfire, RS, TF, Elevate, Testify, HV

Eagle’s Nest- Blue

7:20 Transition Time
Outgoing students out the Auditorium by Wal-Mart Doors (except Crossfire and Rock Solid go out Café Doors)

All incoming students in the Auditorium by Atrium Doors

7:25 Eagle’s Nest - Red

Judy’s Message - Blue
Message Seating Arrangement Slide Up #2
Total Recall Slides Up for Total Recall
GameDay Series Slide Up for Message (before and after video clip)
Brian’s Song Video Clip of Knee Injury (Judy will call for it)
Scripture PowerPoint (Judy will call for it)

8:00 Transition Time – Eagle’s Nest Students In, Announcements and Giveaways
Guy’s Retreat, Skateboarding, 2nd Saturday, Ministry Sign Ups

8:10 Wrap-Up with Glue Boys Video – Judy

8:15 Worship

EN FIRST - BLUE (EN SECOND) - RED
Relentless Atrium Skylight (Crossfire)
Engage Atrium Stage (Rock Solid)
Wildside Great Room (The Force)
Eagle One Penguin Room (Elevate)
Soul Candy In Front of the Wal-Mart Doors by New Entrance (Testify)
180 Bottom of Stairs by Wal-Mart Doors by New Entrance (High Voltage)



Oasis – Message
GameDay – Go Practice - 10.11.06

Eagle’s Nest Dismissal Slide Up #1


Message Seating Arrangement Slide Up #1


Total Recall Slides Up for Total Recall


GameDay Series Slide Up for Message (Video and Scripture PP when called for)


Recap / drive last weeks message home again

Any football fans in here? I love football! I love to watch it, I love to play it, I love movies about it! I’ve seen Remember the Titans, Invincible, Friday Night Lights, you name it. I know it’s odd because I’m a girl, but I dig football.

My Greatest Play. I played girls flag football in college where they had the weirdest rules…anyone could catch the ball. Is that crazy or what? So, here I am, on the offensive line, I’m playing center, we’re down to the final seconds of the game and no one has scored. They tell me to cut between the defensive line and turn around in the end zone. We’re about 15 yards out. We run the play, I dodge left then right, turn around, defenders all around me, I never expected the play to work in a million years, but here’s the ball coming straight at me. The next five seconds were a total blur; all I know is that I came down with the ball. It was the only touchdown we ever scored.

I think I love football in part because I love to do life as a team, as a family. I’ve got a team of friends around me who celebrate with me when it is an end zone kind of day, they pick me up when I feel thrown to the ground or cast aside, they cover me when I’m tired, off balanced or have people coming at me from all sides. If I need someone, whenever or wherever, they’re there. If they need me, I’m there. I’ve been careful who I linked arms with, who I’ve allowed in my huddle, my inner circle.

A Favorite Football Movie. One of the first football movies I ever saw was a movie entitled Brian’s Song. It’s a tear jerker about two football players, one black – Gayle Sayers – and one white – Brian Piccolo. They began as teammates, then became roommates (which was unheard of back then) and quickly became best friends. They saw each other through thick and thin – the good, the bad, the ugly…and it got ugly, Gayle blew out his knee and ultimately Brian losses his battle with cancer.

I want you to see a clip from this movie, so tonight we’re goin’ old skool. Let’s take a peek at the scene where Gayle messes up his knee and Brian’s there to greet him when he gets home. Check this out.

Brian’s Song Video Clip of Knee Injury

Gayle linked arms with the right person when he picked Brian to be his best friend or when Brian picked him. I’m not sure if he chose Brian or Brian chose him, I just know it was a good choice.

After Gayle got hurt, Brian was there before he even walked in the door. The leg lift machine was already set up. I love the speech, there was no way he was going to let his friend lay down and die, there was no way he was going to let him give up or give in.

“I’m number two all over again. Well, ol’ buddy, I’m number one guy now for all the wrong reasons. Unless you come back 100%, people are going to say Piccolo got in on a pass, a lucky break. See I don’t want it like that. I’m going to whip you Sayers, but you got to be at your best or it won’t mean a thing. You’re not going to be one second slower, not one degree weaker. I’m going to work your tail off to get that leg back in shape…for my sake. You got that.”

Brain calls Dr. Fox and asks, “How he’s he doing? Pretty well, I think. It’s pretty boring going through all the exercises. A lot of people just give up when their alone in that situation.”

He didn’t give up because he wasn’t alone! Brian was on his team, he had his back.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17,

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 (Message)

If you surround yourself with the right people, they will make you better. Brian not only helped Gayle get back on his feet, but in the process they made each other better. Brian went from playing second string to Gayle, to being in the starting line up with him. They were the dynamic duo. Who sharpens you like that when it comes to your relationship with Christ? Who do you sharpen? (Pause for a moment)

Once again, you want people who have their feet pointed in the same direction as you - toward Christ. People who have the same desires, goals, hunger to win. For Brady Quinn, it’s talented football players. For you and me, it should be those who want to find out more about and grow closer to Jesus. Those who don’t want an average life. They want God to put his extra on their ordinary. His super on their natural. Those who want to go wide – bring as many people along on the ride as possible. Those who want to go deep – really know Jesus, what makes His heart beat fast, what puts a smile on his face. People who want to win, not just in football but in life.

Let’s move out of the huddle
How do we sharpen each other? There are many ways. But tonight we are going to talk about just one, you sharpen each other by practicing together “BEING” the church. In order to do that, it takes a lot more people than just those in your huddle, your inner circle. Your huddle or inner circle is good as long as you don’t just exist there and there alone; otherwise it becomes a holy huddle (the dark side of doing life with a close knit group) and you’re not good for much. My world can’t just be my four and no more. I can’t just skate with my eight or stay in the pen with my ten (ok, that was corny). At some point we’ve got to break and turn outward and begin to practice what we know, we need to live out the playbook.

Let me illustrate it this way (talk about the part that I didn't get to last week). 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? If Brady didn’t have those in his huddle or if that huddle would have never broke, they’d of never won. In church, if it’s successful, who do they attribute the win to? The pastor. Should it be that way? The quarterback and pastor give direction, yes and it’s absolutely necessary - pivotal, but it takes the team to succeed, to pull off the win.

WHITE BOARD – Divide into four sections, as students shout out roles/positions, put them into the best fit column (Center Stage, First Impressions, Tech Team, Support Staff)

LET’S TALK FOOTBALL. WHO LIVES OUT THE PLAYBOOK? WHO DOES IT TAKE TO SUCCEED? THERE ARE THOSE YOU KNOW AND THOSE YOU DON’T KNOW. WE TEND TO FOCUS ONLY ON CENTER STAGE (CHANCES ARE STUDENTS ONLY TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT POSITIONS OF PLAYERS AND WILL HAVE TO BE GUIDED TO THINK BEYOND THOSE ON THE FIELD.

Center Stage – players, coaches, referees, fans

First Impressions – ticket takers, concession people, merchandise salespeople, waterboy

Tech Team – Camera team, sound guys, media team, research analysis, lighting dude

Support Staff – Someone needs to coordinate clean-up, put TP in the restroom, grounds keeper, facilities manager, someone put the game books together, pay the bills, process the payroll.

Where are these positions played out in the church? Talk about four areas (ex. players are like the band and teaching pastor, concessions and merchandise people are like the café and bookstore workers, tech is like tech (someone has the camera on me, the sound going out and the video about ready to play right now), our facility, housekeeping and administrative people have similar roles as well - they cut the grass, put TP in the restroom and pay the bills).

They’re virtually identical and are all important. What role or position will you take? Because there is a role and position for you to play. You have a role, you have a position, step into it. We cannot be who we are called to be without you. We’re something less than 100%.

Why was Notre Dame able to succeed, to accomplish their goal? Because they showed up, everyone played their part and they practiced the playbook.

The church will succeed, we will accomplish what God has called us to if we show up, play our part and practice the playbook – the Bible. Not just know it, live it!

Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. Faith without works is dead.
James 2:26

Eagle’s Nest Dismissal Slide Up #2
Message Seating Arrangement Slide Up #2


WRAP UP (When all students are back in the Auditorium)

We can’t play your best game if not everyone is playing.

You know who Jesus can’t use?
The only one Jesus couldn’t work with – the only He couldn’t put his super on their natural, His extra in their ordinary – is the one who refused to get up off the bench and the one who insisted on remaining in their holy huddle.

No Excuses:
Moses (I studder)
David (I’m small)
Matthew (I’m a tax collector)
Luke (I’m a doctor)
Peter (I’m just an unschooled fisherman).

Jesus knows it’s kind of scary to step into the game and up to the line. When he sent his disciples out, he sent them in teams of two. Don’t do life alone, do it together, link arms with someone as you step onto the field and up to the line.

Going Global:
I just want to close tonight by going global…going outside the four walls of the church. You talked about it a little bit tonight in your Eagle’s Nests when you talk about what we can do in our community to make it a better place… but it goes beyond that, to the ends of the earth. There was a day when we probably couldn’t be held responsible because we just didn’t know what was going on half way across the world. But not today. There are people doing what God wired them to do, capturing footage and creating videos of things like the Tsunami in India and the HIV/AIDS epidemic or pandemic in Africa.

Let me show you a piece of one young man’s video.

Glue Boys Video

Is there not a cause to get up off the bench, to move beyond our holy huddle? There are little boys and girls with hunger in their belly, who are cold at night, and find their hope in a bottle of glue. It’s the only way to subdue the pain. As Dr. Fox said, “A lot of people just give up when their alone in that situation.” No one is called to be alone. We’re called to BE the church.

Some of you are or will be called to go to the ends of the earth, to India and Africa, no doubt. You don’t have to fear it, if it is God’s will it will become the desire of your heart. But, more than likely, you’re not heading there tomorrow. God’s called you to take your first step that way, by being faithful right where you’re planted. Begin by BEING the church, here and now.

What I want them to know: There is a position for them to play within and outside the four walls of the church.

What I want them to do: (1) Reflect on how God has wired them. (2) Join us for Second Saturday over the weekend (outside our walls). (3) Sign up to serve somewhere in the church (within our walls).

Oasis and Lifeline Rocked Second Saturday

We worked hard and had a blast at Feed the Children this weekend. I took pics, then handed Kelly and Amy a whole lot of thin spagetti. Jeanna and Kelsey were rockin' the curly noodles in one line with Jerica, Natalie and Jessica in another. The boys were jammin' with the cereal. Boatloads of other Oasis students could be found up and down all three lines.

We ended with a bunch of us going to CiCi's for pizza. I think we started a new tradition. Second Saturdays and CiCi's, gotta nice ring to it.

Seven Steps to Jeanne Mayo

Just got done jotting a few encouragement notes to a couple of worshop attendees last month. As Disney would say, it's a small world after all. Jeremy from Iowa is seeing Jeanne Mayo this month (his wife was in her Master's Commission at Rockford). Patrick from Wisconsin knows Jon Brown who is in Jeanne Mayo's Cadre with me. Last month at Saddleback, I met a guy who looked incredibly familiar but couldn't place him becasue he was in the wrong state. Turns out Jeffery from Georgia is part of the Gathering and part of the Cadre as well. Very cool.

SEVEN CHECKPOINTS - CHECKPOINT #1: AUTHENTIC FAITH

My notes, mostly from the book, some of it from my brains interpretation.

SEVEN CHECKPOINTS - CHECKPOINT #1: AUTHENTIC FAITH

Checkpoint #1: Authentic Faith
PRINCIPLE: God can be trusted. He is who he says He is and will do everything He has promised to do.
KEY PASSAGE: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Conference after conference, meeting after meeting, camp after camp, they raise their hand AGAIN to indicate that they are receiving Christ as their Savior. They’re not sure it “took” the last time.

Two factors more than anything else are responsible for shattering the faith of young people.
1. Poor choices. When “believing” students veer off course morally, relationally, or ethically, they are immediately confronted with a tidal wave of guilt. And there are only two ways they can get rid of guilt: ask forgiveness and change their behavior OR change their belief system. If students can convince themselves that there is nothing wrong with what they are doing, their guilt is greatly diminished. Changing how they believe is often easier than changing how they behave.

Many “used-to-believe” students decided at some point to trade in their faith for a more convenient lifestyle. Their faith is based on convenience rather than conviction. Their faith can be summarized this way: What’s happening now, what I’m feeling now, determines what I belief FOR now.

2. Unexplainable tragedy. Painful or adverse circumstances that don’t “fit” with the students’ understanding of the character of God or the Christian faith. When students are confronted with tragedy, the ask, “How could a good God allow this to happen? Why didn’t He stop it?”

As long as our students’ faith is grounded in what they see and experience, their faith will always be fragile—totally dependent upon their ability (or inability) to interpret the events and circumstance around them.

BIBLE:
Jesus, Joseph (slavery), Moses (wilderness), Book of Hebrews
Noah (God’s promise...of rain), Abraham (…of land), Gideon (…of victory), Joshua (…of success).
Apostles deaths (understood that the foundation of their faith was not always getting the answer they wanted)

NEED TO KNOW: Why they can have faith in who Jesus is, who the Father is, the gifts He wants to give us, the promises He made (mercy & grace) and hasn’t made, and salvation. Reveal pitfalls and lies.

The foundation of Christian faith is a person (Jesus) not a circumstance.
Faith based on the identity of Christ – Jesus walked on this earth, claimed to be God, gave evidence supporting His claim, died for our sin, rose from the dead, and went back to heaven in plain view of hundreds of witnesses. He is who he says He is. As a result, don’t worry about bad things, he understands. He died for our sins, so there is no reason to doubt his love. He promised to come back for them, so don’t fear what happens next in life.

Faith is not a way for them to get what they want from God. It’s not a force or a power. Nor is it mere confidence that God will act or wishful thinking.

The bridge from wishful thinking to faith is the revelation of God—the wonderful promises He gives to us in His Word. Faith is confidence that God is who He says He is and that He will do all He has promised to do.

Why we resist: We all want to be in the driver’s seat. Authentic faith puts God firmly in control of our lives and leaves Him with the option to say no. As long as they are trying to get something FROM God, they will have a difficult time surrendering their lives TO God.

Present God as the perfect father.
“God is not a REFLECTION of our earthly fathers; He is the PERFECTION of our earthly fathers.” Louie Giglio. God loves to give good gifts to His children who ask (Matthew 7:11). However, as a perfect Father, God would not dare give His children everything they ask for. He knows that many things teenagers think they want so badly are simply not good for them—in fact, some are downright dangerous to their spiritual lives. They can trust Him.

Distinguish between what God has and has not promised. Students struggle with “unmet expectations” of God. We must help our students learn to distinguish between God’s promises and their own expectations. There are many things God has not promised that they might wish He had. God has NOT promised to keep bad things from happening to them (ex. Apostles). He has NOT promised to heal every illness. He has NOT promised to reverse the consequences of sin. Yet, while He has not promised these things, there are occasions when He intervenes and does all of these things.

Can count on mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Mercy is the assurance that God will never allow the pressures or heartbreaks of life to be more than they can bear. He knows what they are experiencing (temptations, rejection, failure, fear, abandonment)
Grace is the strength to endure, the ability to carry on. He has not promised to deliver them FROM their circumstances; He has promised to deliver then THROUGH them.

Saving Faith
I talk to students all the time who have “prayed the prayer” over and over and still aren’t sure if they are “saved”. This confusion stems from a general misunderstanding about the nature of faith. Many students have the notion that the quality of their faith is an issue with God.

God has promised to forgive our sins once and for all if we put our trust in Christ’s death as the payment for those sins. That’s it. That’s the gospel.

When students come to me doubting their salvation, I don’t ask them if they have prayed to receive Christ. I ask them what they are trusting in to get them to heaven. Nearly every time they answer, “I am trusting in Jesus.” To which I respond, “Then you are in!”

Faith must have an object (belief in a person/product) and content (belief in something about person/produce)
The object of saving faith is Jesus—not just God. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” But what specifically do students need to believe about Jesus?

The content of saving faith is like a pair of concrete stakes that must be driven deep into their teenage hearts:
(1) Jesus is the Son of God, and (2) His death on the cross paid the penalty for all of their sins—apart from
anything they do or intend to do to try to “earn” their salvation.

Salvation is a gift from God. It is not a reward gift. God does not offer it because we deserve it. God offers every person salvation because that is His desire. Students can rest in the fact that God saved them by grace through faith—just because He wanted to.

“We receive enlightenment only in proportion as we give ourselves more and more completely to God by humble submission and love. We do not first see, and then act: we act, then see…and that is why the man who waits to see clearly before he will believe, never starts on the journey.” Thomas Merton

Series ideas:
Can you hear me now? (Seeing the big picture, judging current events in context of a lifetime, ex. shots)
Choices or Walk the Line or Ouch, that hurt (When you walk the fence something has got to give)
Series of Unfortunate Events (Why do bad things happen?)
Identity Theft (Things and people who steal your identity)
I AM and I WILL (God is who He says He is and He will do all He has promised to do)
NASCAR – Who’s in the driver’s seat? (Give God control and our desire to take it)
Out of Control. (God knows best)
Pinky Swear (God’s promises)
Been there, done that and wrote the book

SEVEN CHECKPOINTS - CHAPTER: WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

THE SEVEN CHECKPOINTS BY ANDY STANLEY.

CHAPTER: WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

My notes straight from the book...

While we have been consumed by context, the content of what we invest in students has taken a backseat. Most of us have spent little time determining what our students need to know before they graduate from high school. Our days are spent planning activities and designing camp T-shirts. Often the core of what we want students to learn gets lost in the shuffle.

Think for a moment about the class of students you just graduated from your ministry. What are the four or five key concepts, principles, or lessons you believe they walked away with as a result of their time under your leadership?

Just about every morsel of relevant or irrelevant information they pick up is being served to them on a platter designed to stimulate the senses. If it doesn’t entertain them, they aren’t interested. This is why so many of us have rushed to create high energy, entertainment-driven contexts for our ministries. And so we should—as long as the content doesn’t suffer. But it is hard to stay content-focused when the “show” takes up so much time and energy.

We need a SYSTEMATIC plan that lays out for us ahead of time the “irreducible minimum” around which to plan our teaching and curriculum choices.

These seven student-specific principles are the irreducible minimum—the must-know, can’t be without principles. They are not all that is important. But they are what is most important for students. I am convinced that these are the seven basic principles every student should understand, commit to memory, and embrace before they leave the safety of their homes and youth ministries.

LAST WEEK'S CUE SHEET, DISCUSSION GUIDE AND MESSAGE - GAMEDAY: GO TEAM

Ok, here's last weeks cue sheet, discussion guide and message - typo's and all. I have no idea if it's helpful because I have no idea who's reading this blog. Since I got a couple of emails and comments asking how I break students out, someone is reading it. I'm sure there is something I can attach that would help me to know; however, I spend too much time reading blog stuff as it is. So if you dig this, send me an email at jgregory@gccwired.com or post a comment. If I get enough response, then I'll try and post a few more in the future.

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.

THE PROCESS

I've had acouple people ask me about my process of putting students in groups. Since I forgot a thing or two the first time I responded, I thought I'd just post it for all to read.

The first three weeks of Oasis we do not go into breakout groups. Instead, we are having them fill out registration cards with the usual info on them, plus answer the question "If you could be in a breakout group with two friends who go to Oasis, who would they be?" Then we go into a lengthy process.

a. Enter the cards into our database.

b. Pull pertinent info from a report and print on a 2" x 4" cards...
NAME
GRADE
CHURCH (we get a few)
INVITED BY (we ask this also)
SCHOOL
FRIEND 1
FRIEND 2

c. Begin linking the cards together by friends they requested. We try to give them both of their friends, but only guarantee them one.

d. Once everyone is linked, we put the 6th and 6/7th groups on one table and the 7th, 7/8th, 8th on another table.

e. Then we begin arranging them by school and affinity (skaters, athletes, etc.). We try to make sure there are a core group of students in each group.

f. The last thing we do is put the "best fit leaders" with the group.

g. Last week there were about 35-45 kids in each of the 12 groups. Each of the 12 groups is assigned a name and location in the church. We put 5-8 leaders in each group and let them subdivide themselves once they get to their location when it comes to discussion time. That way, if one leader is gone, they can figure out how to redistribute and don't depend on me.

h. Each of the 12 breakout groups has a coach or two to help facilitate the group.

i. After the first week of breakout groups, we will tweak where we need to. If we did it right, like this year, it's not time consuming.

The students breakout group name is printed on their label when they check in. When we didn't have a check-in system, we printed labels just like you would for a mailing except it just had their name and breakout group on it. They would then just get their sticker as they came in.

The first 4 or 5 years I did this, I did it alone. That wasn't too bright. This year, six volunteers did the majority of the work. From beginning to end, my guestimate is that they put in about 80 hours total, I put in 20 and my amazing AA put in 40. We got the whole thing done over a five day period. Had I done it alone, it would have taken FOREVER!

IT WORKED!

I'm going to talk numbers just for illustration...we have a big church, so we should have big numbers in our youth ministry. Remember, numbers in youth ministry do not always equate to health. While I think we're pretty healthy, we can do better...and have some ideas for 2007/2008 I'm pretty excited about and think will work incredibly well.

We are currently bumping 500 in our middle school program. That means we have students sitting over a dozen rows back. Every year as we've grown, focus has become more and more of an issue. In my mind, that's totally understandable. Personally, I can't sit more than four or five rows back; otherwise, my eyes and focus start to drift even though the messages are absolutely amazing, new and fresh. So, I shouldn't be surprised, when it happens to students. (Note to parents: maximize the time and impact of church - sit your family as close to the front as possible).

So, what's the solution you might ask? Well, here is one that I think is going to work for us. We have limited building space. It's being used by many. Adding another day of youth ministry to the weekly schedule by subdividing the ministry further is just not an option at this moment. Therefore, we tried a new thing this past Wednesday. After worship, we sent half of the group out of the main auditorium into breakout groups, while I taught the half that stayed. Then, about half way through the evening we switched, those that heard the message went into breakout groups and the other half came in for the message. It went shockingly smooth the first night. We still have a timing and transition issue to get master, but I think this is going to seriously work for us. Nearly three dozen of our leaders have reported back that they absolutely loved it. Can you tell I'm excited about the whole thing?

The other thing I'm excited about is the breakout groups (aka Eagle's Nests). We worked really, really, really, really hard getting them just right, hooking the right students to the right leaders. Never before in the history of Oasis did I hear so many leaders afterwards say, "Judy, I love my Eagle's Nests." That's the power of team. I had numerous leaders do the preliminary work so that I could pour over the final connection stage. I think if I had done all the initial linking of students with friends, I would have been just about ready to puke when it came time to for the final connection stage. Actually, I've been to that point in previous years. By the time I reached the final stage, I wasn't as careful making the connections as I was this time around. It was quite the process putting 700 students in breakout groups. To hear the words I heard the other night, it was worth every second. Don't get me wrong, we still have some tweaking to do. One group in particular had too many guys and one had two few. We'll adjust a few things this week and keep tweaking as we go.

TRADITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS

For veteran Oasis students out there, this is old skool. If you're new, below are Oasis' traditions and expectations. Why do we have them? Becasue you're too important not too! We want Oasis to be the greatest place ever! A place to run to, not to run from. A place of refuge. A place to breathe deep, hang out with a friend and get to know Jesus...together is better!

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.
2. STAY ON CAMPUS. Once you are dropped off here, here is where you'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.
7. IF YOUR PARENTS ARE PICKING YOU UP EARLY, THEY MUST COME IN AND GET YOU.
8. CHAIRS FOR EVERYONE. Everyone has their own to sit in.
9. R-E-S-P-E-C-T YOUR LEADERS…AND EACH OTHER. 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.

Kay Warren - Oh my goodness

"A seriously disturbed, gloriously ruined woman" are the words Kay Warren used to describe herself today as she talked to the Gathering. I don't know how those kinds of words could be an understatement, but they are. She rocked like no female presenter I've ever heard...ever (although Jeanne Mayo and Lori Salierno are right up there)! I was deeply, incredibly, wonderfully moved by her presentation about HIV aids and how God changed her heart. She's deep, she is real and she has chosen to be in the trenches, refusing to give up. Wow! I just need to go off somewhere and weep...seriously.

Early today we heard from a guy named Bill Daily on how to market your ministry. He was awesome as well. His words rang true; however, the thoughts he provoked were pushed to the side when Kay talked. I'll have to go find and reflect on them later.

I LOVED IT

Here are my last three days

Tuesday
In for staff meeting at 10 a.m., then the race was on...big time! Dancing with Fellowship One, putting leaders in Eagle's Nests, getting all the right info on little cards so Karen, Evan, Hilary, Zach, Dave and Loretta could start putting the Eagle's Nest together, a mass mailing to leaders reminding of the meeting the next day, updating PowerPoint slides and thinking/writing some new stuff for workshop the next day, answering phone calls/email...and the list goes on. Time I left the building 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Wednesday
Slept from 6-7 a.m. (that's right, one hour), then showered and off to workshop. Arrived at the workshop at 7:50 for 8:30 start. Taught two of the sessions (wow, 3 hours...that's a lot of talking). It went great! Corey is hilarious and creative so his stuff kept me smiling. Finished at 4:30 p.m., questions until 5:15 p.m. Went upstairs and typed the discussion questions for the Oasis leaders meeting at 6:30 p.m. Left and grabbed some pizza and pop for the leaders group at Dave's house. Met there from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Left Dave's and came back to work to do a little bit of email stuff. Home by 10:30 and crashed hard at 11.

Thursday
Up at 6:30 a.m. for 7:30 arrival at church to clap for ICC conference attendees as they came in (we had the whole red carpet thing and all). Easily could identify the extroverts who loved it and the introverts who hated it...clapped regardless. Sat through the majority of the conference in between getting a few things here and there for youth pastors (they're awesome). Mark, Tim and Rob did an amazing job. Corey and I did a breakout session. It went great...but more talking. I don't know if you can talk so much that your stomach lungs hurt, but mine do. Left the church at 5:30, got Applebees Carside To Go, took a 15 minute nap, back to church for Shane and Shane, along with the Film Festival. Now I'm off to help housekeeping set up for tomorrow because my heart says to despite my body wanting sleep.

It was a lot, but I loved every minute of it.

STUDENT MINISTRY 101

WOO HOO! Today is the day over 50 youth pastors and leaders from CA to FL will pour into the Penguin Room to hear Corey and I tell them pretty much everything we know about youth ministry. It should be a blast. Pray for us...and them. The workshop is from 8:30a.m. - 4:30p.m....it's so jammed packed, it's like drinking from a fire hose.

LEADERS MEETING

If you didn't get the email or voice shot, here are the details for Wednesday, September 20 leader's meeting.


GROUPS 1-4 MEET AT DAVE PAYUMO’S
ADDRESS: 5719 Knobel Court, Granger, IN 46530
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CHURCH:
Right (west) out of church parking lot onto University Drive
Left (south) at light onto Main Street
Left (east) at light onto Douglas
Left (north) into Main Street Villas onto Cottage Parkway
Left (west) onto Knobel Court (fourth street)
Dave’s house is the first one on the right
TIME: Arrive between 6:30-7:00 for pizza, meeting is 7:00-8:00 p.m.

1. CROSSFIRE
Jeremy Law – Coach
David Payumo
Matthew Rendall - HS
Jeanna Tripp - Coach
Naomi Seifert

2. ENGAGE
Dave Anglemyer
Kerry Beasley
Brent Yoder
James Stogdill – HS
Jerica Trip - Coach
Gail Anglemyer
Kasie Kyle – HS Coach

3. THE FORCE
Bob McFarland – Coach
Dan Clark
Levi Riggenbach – HS
Craig Eanes – HS
Karen McFarland - Coach
Tammy Lausman
Deb Born
Shelby Renes – HS

4. ROCK SOLID
David Jacobs
Trevor Young
Zach McFarland – HS
Ruby Moyer – Coach
Susanna Martino
Michelle Brown
Courtney Anderson – HS Coach



GROUPS 5-7 MEET AT CHRIS INFALT’S
ADDRESS: 52882 Camellia Drive, South Bend, IN 46637
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CHURCH:
Right (west) out of church parking lot onto University Drive
Right (north) at light onto Main Street
Left (west) at light onto 23 (stay straight at Mall), which turns into Cleveland
Right (north) onto Camellia Drive (past Castle Point Apartments)
Chris’ house is the last house on the right with the split rail fence)
TIME: Arrive between 6:30-7:00 for pizza, meeting is 7:00-8:00 p.m.

5. SOUL CANDY
James Kytta – Coach
Jason Law (Starting December)
Scott Infalt (Starting December)
Patrick Hester – HS – Coach
Lisa Garritano
Erin Harlow
Kara Weaver – HS – Coach
Stephanie Park – HS

6. TESTIFY
Jeremy Post – Coach
Corey Mann
August Garritano – HS Coach
Loretta Crespo – Coach
Chantelle Casey
Sherri Stewart

7. EAGLE ONE
Jeff Banicki - Coach
Michael Infalt
Evan Bronkema - HS
Adam Bujulski
Wendy Seifert
Joy Bohlmann
Hilary McFarland – HS Coach
Shelby Trusty – HS




GROUPS 8-11 MEET AT THE VINCENT’S
Kelly and Laura Vincent
ADDRESS: 11186 Mayapple Trail, Osceola, IN 46561
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CORNER OF DAY AND BITTERSWEET
East on Day Road
Right (south) onto Birch Road (Birch is between Day and County Line/Ash Rd.)
Go over railroad tracks and turn Left (east) into Birchwood Farms Subdivision
Right at dead end onto Mayapple Trail
Vincent’s house is the gray two story on the right after the bend in the road
TIME: Arrive between 6:30-7:00 for pizza, meeting is 7:00-8:00 p.m.

8. ELEVATE
Kelly Vincent
Adam Weaver – HS
Chris Cartwright – HS
Richie Mead - HS
Laura Vincent – Coach
Candace Shea – HS
Gwen Fleming – HS

9. HIGH VOLTAGE
Phil Whybrew – Coach
John Olashuk
Adam Wack - HS
Georgia Fawcett
Cheri Huntington
Brenda Balbo
Alison SilverRaven

10. 180
Jason Simnick
Mike Rairdon
Patrick Guibert - HS
Carole Marzke – Coach
Bridget Harlow
Debbi Walters – HS
Shawna Byrd - HS

11. RELENTLESS
John Keim - Coach
Rich Landgraf
Kyle DeWitt – HS Coach
Derek Cameron – HS
Tara Willis
Amy Beringer
Danielle Tomchak – HS

GROUP 12 – MEETS AT MAUST’S
Seth and Sarah Maust
ADDRESS: 1522 Rockne Drive, South Bend, IN 46617
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CORNER OF IRONWOOD AND EDISON:
South on Ironwood
Right (west) at the first light (a 5 point intersection), the right is more like a 45 degree angle
Go down about ½ mile. Seth’s house is on the left side (brick with cream’ish yellow siding)
TIME: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

12. WILDSIDE
Seth Maust - Coach
Tony Morgan
Evan McFarland – HS Coach
Steven McClean – HS
Sarah Maust
Rosalind Ruiz
Kathryn Marchand

I Did Not Do This Book Justice

I read Andy's book while on a mini-retreat at Manowe. The time at Manowe was AMAZING and this book is AMAZING. I thought I had already read this book, but I think it was one of those times I read the titles of the chapters and just chalked it up to "I know what he's going to say". Boy was I wrong. If you're a youth pastor or a parent, this book on what every student must know by the time they graduate from your youth ministry is a must read (parents, I think it could be translated to what every student must know by the time they leave your home).

Shawn Harper at Oasis

Shawn Harper with Champions for Today will be at Oasis tomorrow night! Shawn is a fromer linebacker for the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (yes, that is correct the winner of the Manning vs. Manning showdown this weekend). He loves football and, more importantly, he loves Jesus. I'm grateful that we have him and guys like him who "get it" when it comes to reaching the next generation for Christ. They "get" that if you want to reach our kids for Christ, you need to get in "proximity" with them. Which reminds me of one of our middle school guys at the baptism this weekend...when asked whether he wanted to wait to be baptized until his family could be here (he had written permission, but they didn't show), he said "you are my family."





















Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

A Picture Worth a 1,000 Words

I like this pic. I'm not going to get into why, but if you know our history, a picture really is worth a 1,000 words. This one speaks.

Word from Tim's blog is that it was 59 degrees. Word from Tony's blog is that there were over 380 people baptized. You know you're ready to go public when you'll wait in the rain in a ginormous line to step into the water when the air temperature is 59 degrees. I can't even begin to explain the flood of emotions I get thinking about that. I'm proud of them. I'm proud of the people standing on the shore cheering them on. I'm proud of the dozens and dozens of volunteers who helped with smiles on their faces...seriously I was looking and they were smiling. You had an incredible crew Mark Waltz and Shelley A. You did an amazing job Ginny Lawley. How about the same time, same place next year? 59 or 95 degrees...I'm in!

Baptism...The Rain Couldn't Stop Us

Yesterday was cold and rainy, but that didn't, shouldn't and couldn't stop hundreds from publicly declaring their faith in Christ at Life Action Ranch. It was incredible! Corey, John and I got the pleasure of baptising scores of people. It was awesome to have the team assembled and dunking...together.

As far as the cold, it was the oddest thing. Normally, I'm the first to turn on the heater...just ask those in the youth loft when I create a mini sauna in my office. However, for some reason, no matter how cold it is, I'm fine in the water when it comes to baptising people. Yesterday, I was grateful for that.

My most memorable dunks were some Oasis students and my friend, Kira. September 10, 2006 was their day...a day not soon forgotten.

And the survey says...657

I'm over the my database blues.The numbers from the 2006-07 Oasis Kick Off Bash are in...

Total number of middle school students ... 553
Total number of adult and high school leaders ... 104
Grand total ... 657

For those non-middle school types that think that's scary, consider this...at the kick off bash three years from now we will be over 1,000. Now that my friend, even makes me suck air.

You Can't Convince Me

I've been fighting databases for the last three years. Everyone keeps trying to convince me, this one is better, better than the last two, just wait and see Judy... just wait and see. We'll...waiting...waiting...still waiting. Each time, I stand disappointed. A stack of 600+ cards are starring me in the face. Because of what we're trying to accomplish in a record amount of time, we need to get the info on these students entered and processed. I've been trying to do a simple search for the last 15 minutes on one student...one student. I get the same answer. "This page has encountered an unexpected error..."

Oh, my ACCESS database, why did we ever abandon you?

The Kick Off

The inflatables have long been deflated and loaded back on the truck, the skittles picked up and the overflowing trash emptied, the toliets flushed and the lights turned off. It was a great, great kick off. The official total is not in, but we know the count was over 625. Over 625 lives Jesus entrusted to us tonight. I hope...no, I believe...we honored Him in it.

The line up...
1. Inflatables, cafe, video games from 4:45 - 6:45 p.m. Wow, there were a lot of inflatables. We even got a few extra thrown in there for free. Too long of story and too late to tell why, just know I'm grateful to Kevin over at Metro Inflatables. Thank you Jesus for sunshine...I'm grateful for that too.

2. We started the programmed part of the night with one of Johnny's most incredible video creations to date. It was a great summer recap.

3. The minute it was over Trace, Jeff, Adam and Brenden struck their first cord. Can you say AMAZING! They played Stars, Forever and Ever, I am Free and Undignified.

4. Johnny welcomed the crowd and had them take a quick time out to fill out a registration card...got to do the registration cards...Eagle's nests (breakout groups) are right around the corner and in order for them to work you've got to break them out just so. As an incentive to get them done quickly, a few Ring Pops tossed here and there motivated them.

5. Then it was off to the races...the pony races. Section 1 won the tasty, but ever so cheap, Air Heads. Hey, when you're looking at giving away candy to over 250 students in one of four sections, you gotta go cheap. We'll save the Reeses for next time. Johnny closed with an ever so kind intro for me. I felt blessed.

6. I prayed and gave the message God put on my heart...Click Moments.

Here it is in a nutshell...
Began by taking pictures of kids, talking about click or Kodak moments and how Jesus has me take pictures every once in a while...not necessarily physical pictures, but mental ones for me to remember with all of my heart, mind and soul when he's shown up in a big way or wants me to learn something. Ex. camp, mission trip and veterans meeting.
...Showed Tyler's blob clip (thanks Corey) and talk about the nudge I had not to let Corey do it.
...Showed Ricky's picture and talked about fingernail clippers and sleeping bag.
...Talk about veterans meeting and how I felt Jesus saying "Judy this is how Oasis is supposed to be" after walking in and feeling so loved by those around me. It was like walking into a reunion.

Which led to the vision for Oasis.
...Illustrated with Lord of the Rings video clip of army outside of the Black Gate and Frodo and Sam tired and dehydrated nearing Mount Doom (thanks Johnny). Challenged students to find the three "click" friendship moments.

Gimli: I never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf. Legolas: What about side by side with a friend?
Vision for Oasis to be a place of acceptance. Doesn't matter size, shape or color of your skin (or how pointed your ears are).

Sam: C'mon Mr. Frodo, I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.
Vision for Oasis to be a place where we'll walk through life...together...carrying each other when necessary. Ex. Caleb walking with the Israelites the 40 years in the desert, carrying their burden, lending his leadership. It wasn't his mess...he could of bailed, thrown in the towel on his relationships, but he didn't. The dude was old...85 years old to be exact...when it came time to take what he knew the Lord was capable of giving them 45 years earlier.

Aragorn: My brothers, I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bounds of fellowship, but it is not this day. This day we fight for all that you hold dear.
Vision for Oasis to be a place where we fight for what we hold dear...Our King...to know Him and make Him know. Ex. Story in Brennan Manning's book of Tim Casey and Jack Robinson. Tim falling on a grenade for Jack. Tim's mom to Jack: "What more could he have done to show his love for you Jack." Similar to Jesus when we wonder whether He truly loves us, think "What more could he have done for you."

7. Had them reflect on that as they watched the SPLAT EXPERIENCE. Very cool. The students loved it! You should have seen how many were taking pictures with their cell phones. Evidently, it was a "click" moment:)

8. Closed in prayer...then announcements and giveaways.

It was an awesome night. It's 3:45 in the morning now, I think I'll go home. After all, haircut at 10:30 and Bible study at noon.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you John, Chris, Corey, Trace, Jeff M., Adam T., Brendan, Jeff G., Adam C., Zach, Hilary, Patrick and the COUNTLESS leaders (seriously, there were like 100 of them) who made it happen! Words cannot express how truly grateful I am. Couldn't and wouldn't have wanted to do it without you.

I love Oasis...I love our team...I love Jesus...enough said.

September 6 - Inflatable City

Our KICK OFF is right around the corner. It's going to be amazing. The MESSAGE is in my head, the contracts for the INFLATABLES (seven to be exact) have been signed, we sealed the deal on the SPLAT EXPERIENCE, Trace is putting a rockin' BAND together and the GIVEAWAYS are in the closet. Even better, I don't know who is more excited...the leaders or the students. We had a great time at the ADULT AND HS LEADERS MEETING on Tuesday. A lot of new faces...which is very cool. Then, seeing the scores of students at the VETERAN STUDENT MEETING on Wednesday put a smile on my face. It was like hanging out with 110 of your closest friends and family. This years theme is ENGAGE. Be praying that our students find this an easy invite for their friends.

T.D. Jakes - Excellence at Every Level - Priceless

When I have leaders meetings, I like to discuss some, teach some and play all or a portion of a killer leadership video. My pick tonight was T.D. Jakes at the 2004 Willow Creek Leadership Summit. Below are the notes I typed up for my leaders beforehand. There are some nuggets in there that are priceless, that truly change my life. The line-up for my next leaders meeting is Tim Sanders at the Catalyst conference when he taught on an abundance vs. scarcity mindset. I wish I could remember the year. That might help in locating it.

In the society that we live in today, excitement is infectious and contagious and we are never going to be able to draw the people that God would have us draw if we look bored, defeated and sorry to be in the house of God.

T.D. Jakes, “My leadership book is the Bible. I believe it’s the best leadership book in the world.”

The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." Exodus 17:5-9

Every leader must have a personal encounter with God. You cannot take people where you have not been.

We miss who we can be by emulating other people. Are you going to be an original or a cheap copy of a great original?

You have to have a personal encounter of God – develop your own flavor, your own style of delivery and be comfortable in your own skin.

Are you willing to take the risk to be different? Nobody is attracted to ordinary and average. And if you are willing to be different, I want to warn you leaders are always controversial. Followers fit in. Leaders are controversial. Don’t be different for the sake of being different. The goal is to function independently of what others think or say about you to the point that you earn the right to be a leader…and to be comfortable in your own skin enough to know that you have seen something face to face with God that is important enough that you do not allow face to face with people to intimidate what God has placed inside of you.

Moses is fully persuaded of the power of God being with him and on his side. You need to be fully persuaded that what God gave you works. You have to have confidence in your own giftings. You have to know that God has given you what it takes to accomplish what he has sent you to do. Until you have confidence in your own giftings, you’re not ready to face Pharaoh. Do not despise the day of small beginnings. Sometimes God puts you in a small setting so you can practice your gifts. Bloom where you are planted and learn what you’re supposed to learn in the season that you’re in.

When block layers go to build a wall, they don’t set out to build a wall, but lay a course. Whether you are to lay one course or ten courses, you only can do it one course at a time.

If your leadership style doesn’t change as God sends more people into your congregation you will asphyxiate the growth of your church. You will stop it. It will be your fault.

When God got ready to change Israel, he didn’t talk to a nation, he talked to one person. The change begins with you in ever leadership situation. Until you assume the responsibility that God sent you into that situation to change it rather than to complain about it, you don’t earn the right to be a leader. Leaders don’t whimper, they don’t cry, they don’t complain…leaders make changes. Develop a list of the top ten changes that you are going to do in your area of ministry.


Three different moves that Moses makes in the exodus text

1. Moses starts out with the people in the trenches.
It’s where you inspire with your influence using a hands-on style of leadership – a family style of pasturing where you can’t commission people to go for you, you must go yourself. It’s at this point you are branding a church. Branding: What is it about your ministry that is distinctively and uniquely different? No one can determine or do that for you, Jesus did that himself. He infected, inspired and trained twelve men.

There are no bad people, just misplaced people. Putting people in wrong places is an injustice to them and an injustice to you. Be watchful of criticizing people who are at another stage or on another course than you

God wouldn’t give me a chair if he didn’t have a person to sit in it. No more empty seats.

Learning to lay the next course requires a paradigm shift in my leadership style in order to take it to the next level. Moses knew to make the shift when the people started bickering, murmuring and complaining. Moses walked with them and then he walked in front of them.

2. Moses moves in front of the people instead of walking with them.
The stage of separation. I’m no longer involved with the murmuring and complaining that are going on in the congregation. You don’t allow the bickering to become the focus of your ministry. Instead keep on doing what God told you to do.

You must wean the congregation from being totally dependent upon you for everything. It cannot be where they have to have you for everything. Weaning them from their dependency on you makes them eligible to have a personal experience with God so that they can reproduce. This place of weaning is as hard on the leader as the people. Most leaders need to be needed and draw validation and affirmation from it. This co-dependency will cut off your growth until you wean yourself off your need to have your hands on everything.

Good leadership anticipates problems. Good leadership develops solutions for those problems. That’s how you got saved, God anticipated problems. What plan do you have for the problems you will face? Any problem that you don’t conquer, will conquer you.

3. Moses goes above the people to a place of elevation.
You cannot fight today’s problem with yesterday’s weapon. New levels bring new devils, but greater is He who that is in you than he who is in the world. There is a reason they call you the watchman on the wall. If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always be where you’ve always been. Delegate the responsibility to someone else. If you are still doing what you used to do, you are stunting your own growth. The more Moses raises his hands, the more the enemy is defeated in the valley…and Moses isn’t fighting in the valley, Joshua is. Find the Joshua’s in the church. To him who much is given, much is required. You are a limited resource. You need some Joshua’s who can run things in your absence.

You need to have some support ministries who go up on the hill with you and lift your hands up. Definition of weariness: to have your sense of pleasure exhausted. Moses hands got tired, but Aaron and Hur were called to stand up under him. Moses had his hands up, Joshua had his hands on, Aaron and Hur had their hands under. Jesus had Peter, James and John. When Moses lowered his hands, Joshua was starting to lose the battle.

You will understand what you are called to do by what you can’t stand. And until you take that complaining, frustrating and agonizing feeling and turn it to something productive, your church will not be what it ought to be.

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh

I've taken five bags of trash out of my office and it still doesn't look good...better...but not good. What are you supposed to do with all the "stuff" anyway? Oh well, I tried. In honor of my attempt I went out and bought three pair of Nikes to replace the ones that reek from getting wet and nasty one too many times at the two weeks of camp and a mission trip this summer. Youth ministry jobs should come with a summer shoe allowance.

...And suddenly I felt very old

I looked at what it would take to get my Masters degree at Bethel on Thursday. I think I could handle the course work, but felt really old amongst the 20 somethings walking around campus. It kind of felt like going into a middle school lunch room for the first time as an adult.

Back to Reality

It's been a GREAT summer...a long summer, but a GREAT summer. I officially closed the door on summer after our mission trip picture party on Monday night and then proceeded to take Wednesday through Saturday off. I didn't do a whole lot of anything except rest, which was good and hard at the same time. I think I slept more in those four days than I did the entire summer.

While I closed the door on summer, there are a memories I won't soon forget. Gulfport ones are below in no particular order.

Shopping for clothes with Andrew, Becky and Garrett for Rickey, the homeless man, we met in Gulfport. In particular, the finger nail clippers and the sleeping bag decisions.

Watching Dalton be out of his comfort zone, but choosing to continually pushing through it to help people in need.

Talking with Kelsey outside the church one night in Gulfport.

Becky talking about how people shouldn't have so much fun painting as she, Peyton, Craig and Kelsey had that day.

Jerrod as he bounced through the food line to help the next person carry their stuff.

Hilary leading the trim painting team out underneath the tent.

Evan doing one of the many things he does best...helping out wherever he is needed most. Up until the last day when his eyes looked a little glazed over from fatigue, you would have no clue that he spent the previous week working in blazing hot Mexico.

Meeting Pastor Harper and his wife.

The upstairs of the church after we painted the dark paneling and laid new carpet. It looked sweet.

The two quiet times we spent at the beach just talking with Jesus.

Looking for an adapter all night long to get the trailer lights to work that was connected to the 15 passenger van.

Austin Brooks when he got to cook.

Austin Patterson when he helped load the trailer.

Watching Chris do the trip with two of her sons.

Grocery shopping with students each day. Pushing four carts through the store at Wal-Mart with them. Trying to find taco shells (especially given that I hate tacos).

Trista making sno-cones (or as they call it Gulfport...sno-balls).

Kaela handing out hotdogs with a huge grin on her face.

Gabby asking if she could clean the bathrooms.

Jeremy showing one of the students how to use a power tool.

Andrew and Dave singing in the sanctuary.

Walking along the beach one morning with a handful of students. It wasn't even 7 a.m. yet and it was already blazing hot by the Gulf. Seeing strung out VHS tapes and other family memorabilia near the edge of the water. Seeing chicken bone after chicken bone on the beach as well (evidently railroad cars of chickens were at the docks when the storm hit).

The snapshots we have of...
Craig at the church.
Neil and Grant.
Austin at the airport.
Jeremy and the guys exhausted on their air mattresses,

Just Chillin'

The last three days have been nice...real nice. Spent Tuesday up at the lake with Chantellle. Today at Manowe with Roxanne. It feels good to stop and just breathe deep.

Leadership Summit

Once again the leadership summit was amazing. My favorite session, probably because I once was a business geek, was the harvard professor and Jim Collins. That was until Wayne Corderio took the stage. Here are my notes, typos and all.

Illustration:
Wayne: Praying and praying for no rain for his outdoor service. It rains and he talks to God about his frustration that he didn’t hold it back.
God: “Wayne, you want the absence of rain, more than you want the presence of God.”
Judy: Ouch…been there, done that.

We don’t forget that we are pastors, but sometimes forget that we are human. Don’t fry your circuits. The road to success and the road to a nervous breakdown are sometimes the very same road.

Sometimes the only way radical change happens is through radical pain. Sometimes when you are on the gurney going in, your heart is open and you’re willing to learn life long lessons. Don’t forget the lessons you learned when your belly was scraping the ground.
Illustration: Plane dropping from 32,000 feet and you’re trying to pull up. You’re paying real close attention.
Parameters, navigation beacons, price tags and set points need to change.
Illustration: Dismantled motorcycle engine. When he put it back together, looked the same but insides were totally different. I see what I have ahead for you and I need you to have more horse power.

1. You have to know what drains and fills your tank. Write it down. If drain becomes greater than input, alarms will go off – anxiety attack, then emotional breakdown, then nervous breakdown. It’s suicide when you have an increased drain and shut off your input.

What fills my tank – what am doing, who am I doing it with and where am I doing these things that when I do them I fill the most alive and I fill the fullest - might save your ministry and marriage.

2. Understand balance in life.
You can take the Holy Spirit out of half of the churches in the US and they will keep on going. Your family is your ministry. If an elder goes south, we keep going. If my spouse goes south, we DON’T keep going.

Principle of the folcrum. Move your heart toward where God is putting His finger on your life.

3. Learn to lead out of rest. Don’t violate the Sabbath rest, you’ll fry your circuits. We don’t mess up because we are evil, but because we are frail. Schedule my rest points. Birth activities out of rest. Genesis: evening then morning. Your day does not begin when you get up, but when you go to sleep. Learn to sleep in on the front side of the clock, not on the back side of the clock (11 a.m. to 3 a.m. – REM). Cooperate with the design of God. Otherwise, soul is gone, dead leader running.

4. Find a lighting rod. You need someone to talk to. You can vomit on and they ground it.

5. Discipline your daily devotions. Self-feeding program. Lifejournal.cc - journal starter kit. Deuteronomy 17 – God required of the King to write and read the law daily.
SOAP
Scripture (write the one that the Holy Spirit highlights (maybe a promise – Jeremiah 17)
(don’t make permanent decisions on temporary setbacks).
Observation
Application
Prayer. Only one book God has promised to inspire. You don’t have the wisdom necessary when you begin – might have zeal, call, but don’t have the wisdom. His promises and instruction will save you a lifetime. Daily devotions will heal you from the inside and fill your tank, so that you can minister to others.

When the Olympics were in Atlanta they started a 119 day run with the torch. Run without the fire – comes in with extinguished wick – I don’t know but I made good time – the goal was not to get their in breakneck speed, but to protect the flame. Some running with an extinguished wick, but you are running fast. How do we reunite the torch, you have to reignite the flame. Come to me those who are weary.

DAY 4 - GULFPORT

AMAZING! Today was absolutely amazing! The entire team hit a new level today and pushed hard through the end of the last work day.
Here's a little recap on what we've accomplished:
-Painted 6 of the 7 rooms on the second floor at the church here.
-Carpeted 6 of those 7 rooms, tiled one, carpeted the entire hallway and tiled the top landing before the hallway.
-Applied transitions in all the doorways to prevent the seams of the carpet from threading.
-Cleaned this building top to bottom, inside and out.
-Installed baseboard trim through all 7 of the rooms and the hallway. Trim that was all painted by our crew too.
-Cleared the entire basement of another church.
-Primed and painted that entire basement.
-Baked hundreds of cupcakes for VBS.
-Served over 200 hot dogs, around 30 lbs. of sloppy joes and countless chips, cookies and pop.
-Distributed over 4,000 pounds of food, canned goods and personal care items.
-Planned and led two VBS programs for kids that included worship, skits, crafts, games, memory verses and testimonies.

This has been an incredible trip and the kids finished well today! Pastor Tim here lined things up for us to actually get a chance to go swimming at a local Holiday Inn which was a great afternoon treat. Then later this evening we all enjoyed some Dairy Queen and a moonlit stop at the beach together.

Your kids have represented the church well, they've represented your families well and ultimately they've represented Jesus well! You should be proud of them! The pastors of the churches we've been working with could not stop saying great things about this team.

Tomorrow we will pack things up and do one last clean up of the church before hitting Gulfport's waterpark on the way out of town. We will spend the evening in Birmingham and then catch our flight home on Saturday.

Thank you for your prayers! Thank you for your encouragement and comments! We really could not have done this without your help! Your prayers, your finances, your words are what have helped this team become what it is and we count it a blessing that you've been a part of this team alongside us!

This will likely be the last post until we get home, so be praying for our travel and we'll see you all soon!