As youth group leaders it is so important for us to be immersed in the word of God and to allow ourselves to be changed by God's goodness. There is no perk other than a better understanding and deeper love for God's word, but I do strongly encourage you each week to dive into our lessons and study together. My hope is to blitz through all of Paul's letters, to answer questions, and to have his passion for spreading the gospel be an encouragement to you. Let's dive in to Romans 1.
Paul wrote this letter to some of the most persecuted Christians during his time. They were right under the nose of the Roman emperor and many lived fearing they would be arrested or killed on a daily basis. Paul's letter to them helped outline basic theological truths, answered many questions about being a Gentile (non-Jewish person) and a Christian, as well as offered guidance to live out their faith. Dive into the word, be changed by it, pray that the spirit would illumine truth in the word, and don't be afraid to ask tough questions of the word.
Let these verses challenge you:)
Romans 1:12- "That yours and my faith might mutually encourage each other," What an incredible idea! This is our goal for youth ministry in ten words. Our faith should be encouraging to teens and vice versa. If we live this out and pray this would be a reality in our youth ministry there is no telling all the amazing work God can and will do through us.
Romans 1:16-17- Needless, to say there is A LOT of great stuff here. First, is that we should not be afraid of the gospel. Since, it is the power of God for salvation and to change our lives and our world. Proclaim the gospel and let people know, Christianity was never meant to be a private aspect of your life. Second, is that the righteous will live by faith. Paul is referencing a quote from the prophet Habakkuk, and the truth is fairly clear you won't always know where God is leading you or how every situation will turn out, but be assured that God loves, is in control, and is good.
The close of the chapter is Paul warning the Roman Christians of the dangers of sexual sin and immorality. I'd be very interested to have a discussion here or on Facebook about that:).
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
on Proverbs 1
My goal first and foremost is that you really fall in love with the word of God above all else. I pray that God's voice becomes the voice that you earnestly and genuinely desire throughout all areas of your life. This will be supplemental to normal youth group lessons and devotions:)
Proverbs 1 is a great way for Solomon to start out the book. Shortly after he prays for wisdom in 1 Kings 3 he is confronted with two women who state the baby is there (1 Kings 3:24). Solomon's wisdom is unmatched in his day and maybe in any day. But, as many of us know Solomon was not without faults. There is a big lesson to learn that all of us are human and temptation finds all of us.
I don't want to make these long but meaningful. Feel free to dialogue in the comment section. A few verses I want to highlight in chapter one are below definitely read the whole chapter because it's a good one.
1:7- "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. . ." if this is the desire of your heart and you live life into this truth then you've arrived near the state that John Wesley would describe as Christian perfection. Learn how to listen for God, have moments of silence in your life, and understand that wisdom (knowledge applied) originates in God.
1:10- "If sinners entice you do not give into them. . ." The enticement is really, so I think the if is better understood as when. Verse yourself in the word and be very aware of what sin is and the effects it has all of which are very damaging. Also surround yourself with great people who have the courage to speak the truth to you in love.
1:32- "For the waywardness of the simple will kill them. . ." This verse I admit is fairly terrifying, but it's implications are fairly simple. It's time for those who follow God to grow up. I still have growing to do and so do you, and I think this verse really hits home and sets the stage for the rest of the book.
For every comment you make either here at Blogger or in the Facebook page we will take off 50 cents for next summer's trip.
Proverbs 1 is a great way for Solomon to start out the book. Shortly after he prays for wisdom in 1 Kings 3 he is confronted with two women who state the baby is there (1 Kings 3:24). Solomon's wisdom is unmatched in his day and maybe in any day. But, as many of us know Solomon was not without faults. There is a big lesson to learn that all of us are human and temptation finds all of us.
I don't want to make these long but meaningful. Feel free to dialogue in the comment section. A few verses I want to highlight in chapter one are below definitely read the whole chapter because it's a good one.
1:7- "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. . ." if this is the desire of your heart and you live life into this truth then you've arrived near the state that John Wesley would describe as Christian perfection. Learn how to listen for God, have moments of silence in your life, and understand that wisdom (knowledge applied) originates in God.
1:10- "If sinners entice you do not give into them. . ." The enticement is really, so I think the if is better understood as when. Verse yourself in the word and be very aware of what sin is and the effects it has all of which are very damaging. Also surround yourself with great people who have the courage to speak the truth to you in love.
1:32- "For the waywardness of the simple will kill them. . ." This verse I admit is fairly terrifying, but it's implications are fairly simple. It's time for those who follow God to grow up. I still have growing to do and so do you, and I think this verse really hits home and sets the stage for the rest of the book.
For every comment you make either here at Blogger or in the Facebook page we will take off 50 cents for next summer's trip.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Thankfulness
Let's face it the church needs to be held to a higher standard. Period. While we as the body of Christ have been and are able to accomplish much by the power of the Holy Spirit in these days, there is so much more that needs to be accomplished. When the average person is asked to describe the church or even their church the words often used are frustrating, boring, irrelevant, and the list could go on and on.
But, if we're really called to be the light of the world shouldn't we expect more, live greater, risk more, and pray prayers that are larger in scope. Part of the issue is that Christians at all stages in maturity get called to live lives more closely aligned with Jesus all the time but many of them often don't know where to begin. The good news is there isn't one starting point but many for a person to choose from. My hope as this year is about 2/3 over is that the church would develop a serious attitude of thankfulness as we lead up to Thanksgiving.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul urges the church of Thessalonica to give thanks in all circumstances. Good or bad, times of wealth or times of want, and no matter what we as the church are called to give thanks. As a follower of Jesus Christ learn how to be thankful and grateful for your life, your circumstances, your family, and your possessions. Start with one a thing or area of your life a day and verbalize what your thankful for. Post it on Facebook. Text a friend. Bring it up at a coffee shop. But, let people know that you are thankful for many areas of your life. A thankful church is an effective church. A grumbling church is a dieing one. Let's strive to be effective in these days.
But, if we're really called to be the light of the world shouldn't we expect more, live greater, risk more, and pray prayers that are larger in scope. Part of the issue is that Christians at all stages in maturity get called to live lives more closely aligned with Jesus all the time but many of them often don't know where to begin. The good news is there isn't one starting point but many for a person to choose from. My hope as this year is about 2/3 over is that the church would develop a serious attitude of thankfulness as we lead up to Thanksgiving.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul urges the church of Thessalonica to give thanks in all circumstances. Good or bad, times of wealth or times of want, and no matter what we as the church are called to give thanks. As a follower of Jesus Christ learn how to be thankful and grateful for your life, your circumstances, your family, and your possessions. Start with one a thing or area of your life a day and verbalize what your thankful for. Post it on Facebook. Text a friend. Bring it up at a coffee shop. But, let people know that you are thankful for many areas of your life. A thankful church is an effective church. A grumbling church is a dieing one. Let's strive to be effective in these days.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
on the Amtrak crash
As I'm writing this post the dust is settling on the horrific Amtrak crash that sadly killed seven near Philadelphia last week. Lives being claimed by, families torn apart, and futures cut short all embodied the horrific accident on the Amtrak just last night. As we dive into these ideas and thoughts I want to make one thing extremely clear. Horrible, gruesome accidents wherever they and whatever they involve have one thing in common: all of them affect human beings in major ways. Let's dive into some ideas and thoughts about the horrific Amtrak crash.
1) The Amtrak crash shows us in real, profound ways that life isn't fair.
Fairness is often the yard stick that we use to measure a lot in our life. It starts when we're young, "No, Brian you cannot have a cookie before dinner." My response would often be, "That's not fair." My response was often subtly cloaked with the inference behind my tone, I want it! Whether it be a cookie, A on a test, raise at work, invitation to an important event, and the list can go on and on we often pull out our fair card when we don't receive the things we want. I do find it funny and this is just a thought for you to chew on, but we hardly ever claim, "That's not fair," when we receive something unexpected that we didn't deserve. As I'm writing this I can't recall one Christmas that I handed any of my presents to my parents or grandparents and said, "It's not fair that I got this beautiful new toy take it back."
In looking at the horrific situation that took place last night, the only conclusion that one can draw is that it is not fair why normal, ordinary people who boarded an Amtrak last week and now people are crowding churches and funeral homes to say good-bye. Answers aren't always forth coming in these tough situations. Maybe it was poor driving? Maybe it was a failure to execute in the construction of the track or vehicle? I don't know. But, one thing I do know is that few answers will bring peace. Life isn't fair in many ways, Jesus promised that he was going to prepare a place for us in his father's house (John 14:2), but we have no idea of knowing when we finally arrive at this beautiful mansion. Be thankful every minute that you're on this earth, but know your future is in God's hands alone.
2) Learn how to have a presence in life's uncomfortable moments.
Unexpected is one of the toughest moments people have to endure during their earthly journey. Heart attacks, car accidents, brain aneurysms, strokes, accidents at work, and so on all sadly claim people way too soon. Unbearable sadness almost always grips those who experience the loss, and for us who aren't family or extremely close friends to the deceased we can't fathom the pain they're in. Since we can't relate we often find it difficult to muster up the words to say, and for many of us that means we stay away. Because we don't offend or hurt the person(s) dealing with loss more than they already are hurt.
I will admit our intentions are often noble, but what people really need is someone that will listen to them, cry with them, and let them know they have a good friend in the midst of some very dark days. Learn how to be comfortable in the midst of situations that have few answers. But, most importantly learn how to point people to the God who has ALL the answers.
1) The Amtrak crash shows us in real, profound ways that life isn't fair.
Fairness is often the yard stick that we use to measure a lot in our life. It starts when we're young, "No, Brian you cannot have a cookie before dinner." My response would often be, "That's not fair." My response was often subtly cloaked with the inference behind my tone, I want it! Whether it be a cookie, A on a test, raise at work, invitation to an important event, and the list can go on and on we often pull out our fair card when we don't receive the things we want. I do find it funny and this is just a thought for you to chew on, but we hardly ever claim, "That's not fair," when we receive something unexpected that we didn't deserve. As I'm writing this I can't recall one Christmas that I handed any of my presents to my parents or grandparents and said, "It's not fair that I got this beautiful new toy take it back."
In looking at the horrific situation that took place last night, the only conclusion that one can draw is that it is not fair why normal, ordinary people who boarded an Amtrak last week and now people are crowding churches and funeral homes to say good-bye. Answers aren't always forth coming in these tough situations. Maybe it was poor driving? Maybe it was a failure to execute in the construction of the track or vehicle? I don't know. But, one thing I do know is that few answers will bring peace. Life isn't fair in many ways, Jesus promised that he was going to prepare a place for us in his father's house (John 14:2), but we have no idea of knowing when we finally arrive at this beautiful mansion. Be thankful every minute that you're on this earth, but know your future is in God's hands alone.
2) Learn how to have a presence in life's uncomfortable moments.
Unexpected is one of the toughest moments people have to endure during their earthly journey. Heart attacks, car accidents, brain aneurysms, strokes, accidents at work, and so on all sadly claim people way too soon. Unbearable sadness almost always grips those who experience the loss, and for us who aren't family or extremely close friends to the deceased we can't fathom the pain they're in. Since we can't relate we often find it difficult to muster up the words to say, and for many of us that means we stay away. Because we don't offend or hurt the person(s) dealing with loss more than they already are hurt.
I will admit our intentions are often noble, but what people really need is someone that will listen to them, cry with them, and let them know they have a good friend in the midst of some very dark days. Learn how to be comfortable in the midst of situations that have few answers. But, most importantly learn how to point people to the God who has ALL the answers.
Friday, May 8, 2015
on Poverty
As the chaos of the Baltimore riots settles down and as William and Kate and the rest of the world continue to gush over Baby Charlotte we are reminded once again that this world is not fair. Some are born into a life of servants and trust funds while others into poverty. Some young people are given every opportunity while others it seems are just victims of a never ending cycle of poverty. Here are a few thoughts on poverty as well as a challenge to give and give generously.
1) The poor matter a whole to Jesus.
As I write this I sincerely hope that this can be a renewed mindset for you going forward. My prayer is that your heart wouldn't become calloused but rather become broken by those who don't have enough. Jesus proclaimed in Luke 4:18 that he was anointed to proclaim Good News to the poor. In Luke 14:13 he encourages that those who are throwing a banquet to invite the poor and oppressed. In Luke 11:21 he reminds the disciples and his followers, "To be generous to the poor and all will be made clean for you." Jesus' kindness even inspired Zaccheus to give generously back to the poor!
In my opinion this is the heart of the gospel, lifting up those who are struggling. The struggles can range from physical, to emotional, to social, and for many people they are financial. Jesus' desire is that everyone would be a lifted up from their struggles, from their pain, and from not having enough. The craziest part of all is that he almost always uses human beings to do it. Christ's example inspired the early church to share everything and give to those who were in need (Acts 2:45). Peter and John were inspired to heal a blind beggar near the the temple gates (Acts 3:1-9). The list can go on and on, but one thing is clear if the poor mattered to Jesus they should matter to us as well, because Jesus did promise to us that he would be going away, but the poor would always be with us.
2) Learn to give generously.
We aren't going to to have a long post today, because poverty is a complex issue. I will be the first to admit, I don't understand nearly many of the facets about poverty. But, I do know that God is good, and one day God will make all things right.
Many of you reading this post might say, I don't have nearly enough money to pay all of my bills, my family has five mouths to feed, or we have extensive debt how can I/we give to help those who are poor? That is a great question, and I do want to assure you that in no way should you give to the point where your family suffers and has serious consequences. But, I do want you to ask yourselves do we as a family/individual need to visit Starbucks twice a week? Do we need four televisions in the house when we honestly can only really watch one at a time? Does every single person in our family need an Iphone? I think when we start to address poverty in our society by looking at our abundance and excess that clarifies things very clearly where our priorities.
The poor will always be here. They are in need of things other than money. This summer weed out clothes you don't wear anymore and donate to a local shelter. Clean out your storage garage with furniture that you haven't sat on for years and donate it to your local salvation army. Offer to become a part of a local tutoring group that helps underprivileged students raise test scores. The list can go on and on. The poor matter to Jesus greatly, and likewise they should matter to us as well.
1) The poor matter a whole to Jesus.
As I write this I sincerely hope that this can be a renewed mindset for you going forward. My prayer is that your heart wouldn't become calloused but rather become broken by those who don't have enough. Jesus proclaimed in Luke 4:18 that he was anointed to proclaim Good News to the poor. In Luke 14:13 he encourages that those who are throwing a banquet to invite the poor and oppressed. In Luke 11:21 he reminds the disciples and his followers, "To be generous to the poor and all will be made clean for you." Jesus' kindness even inspired Zaccheus to give generously back to the poor!
In my opinion this is the heart of the gospel, lifting up those who are struggling. The struggles can range from physical, to emotional, to social, and for many people they are financial. Jesus' desire is that everyone would be a lifted up from their struggles, from their pain, and from not having enough. The craziest part of all is that he almost always uses human beings to do it. Christ's example inspired the early church to share everything and give to those who were in need (Acts 2:45). Peter and John were inspired to heal a blind beggar near the the temple gates (Acts 3:1-9). The list can go on and on, but one thing is clear if the poor mattered to Jesus they should matter to us as well, because Jesus did promise to us that he would be going away, but the poor would always be with us.
2) Learn to give generously.
We aren't going to to have a long post today, because poverty is a complex issue. I will be the first to admit, I don't understand nearly many of the facets about poverty. But, I do know that God is good, and one day God will make all things right.
Many of you reading this post might say, I don't have nearly enough money to pay all of my bills, my family has five mouths to feed, or we have extensive debt how can I/we give to help those who are poor? That is a great question, and I do want to assure you that in no way should you give to the point where your family suffers and has serious consequences. But, I do want you to ask yourselves do we as a family/individual need to visit Starbucks twice a week? Do we need four televisions in the house when we honestly can only really watch one at a time? Does every single person in our family need an Iphone? I think when we start to address poverty in our society by looking at our abundance and excess that clarifies things very clearly where our priorities.
The poor will always be here. They are in need of things other than money. This summer weed out clothes you don't wear anymore and donate to a local shelter. Clean out your storage garage with furniture that you haven't sat on for years and donate it to your local salvation army. Offer to become a part of a local tutoring group that helps underprivileged students raise test scores. The list can go on and on. The poor matter to Jesus greatly, and likewise they should matter to us as well.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
on The Theory of Everything
This inspiring yet heartbreaking movie chronicles the early career of Professor Stephen Hawking. The movie begins with Hawking as a young Phd student at Cambridge and it allows the viewer a rare glimpse into his struggle with MLS. Tears were shed when at the age of 21 Hawking was diagnosed with the awful disease, but one could not help feel a sense of personal triumph as he did not let the disease ruin his spirit or limit his academic work.
Throughout the movie we watch as Jane struggles to provide Stephen with quality care while maintaining the rigors of having three children. A sign of a great movie is that it triggers some sort of emotional response in the viewer, and I couldn't help but feel sad that the disease was slowly paralyzing him, but I also felt overjoyed that Stephen was able to do so much despite being so physically limited.
His goal in the movie is to come up with a unified theory/equation of the entire universe, a lofty goal I must say so myself. I'll let you watch the movie as you come to the conclusion whether or not he accomplishes this goal or not. But, I do challenge you to ask yourself, "Could his equation be complete if he put God in it?"
Overall in terms of quality I give the movie 5 out of 5 stars, the story moves along nicely, the acting is brilliant, and while it won't keep you on the edge of your seat in terms of suspense I don't think you'll be disappointed. Some of the humor and themes are above young viewers' heads, but overall the movie had very little language or sexual material. I will give it a 3.5 stars out of 5 in terms of family friendliness.
Throughout the movie we watch as Jane struggles to provide Stephen with quality care while maintaining the rigors of having three children. A sign of a great movie is that it triggers some sort of emotional response in the viewer, and I couldn't help but feel sad that the disease was slowly paralyzing him, but I also felt overjoyed that Stephen was able to do so much despite being so physically limited.
His goal in the movie is to come up with a unified theory/equation of the entire universe, a lofty goal I must say so myself. I'll let you watch the movie as you come to the conclusion whether or not he accomplishes this goal or not. But, I do challenge you to ask yourself, "Could his equation be complete if he put God in it?"
Overall in terms of quality I give the movie 5 out of 5 stars, the story moves along nicely, the acting is brilliant, and while it won't keep you on the edge of your seat in terms of suspense I don't think you'll be disappointed. Some of the humor and themes are above young viewers' heads, but overall the movie had very little language or sexual material. I will give it a 3.5 stars out of 5 in terms of family friendliness.
Monday, March 23, 2015
on the Frustrations We Endure
One very common complaint amongst many folks is that there are too many big problems in our world today. The sides are too divided, people are too entrenched in their own mindset, political ideology, or the goals they may have for the future of their church, family, or even country. All the mire where it appears no progress is being made to solve issues of poverty, hunger, racial injustice, violence, war, heartache, and pain can leave a heart that is heavy and a mind that is confused. So the question remains: how do we as the body speak into the brokenness, address the pain, and are we able to do anything?? Well, let's dive into some ideas and see where that takes us. This may be a few different blog posts, but here goes nothing. . .
1) Place your anger in the right place
If you watch the news or read the latest headlines you are bombarded by tales of brokenness, pain, and loss. Frustrations mount, discouragement sets in, and hands are often thrown out and our hearts shout out, "WHY!?" I've been there, even during my years of studying
theology, church history, and scripture my mind often reflects back to the TOUGH question. Why doesn't God do something about all the brokenness and evil in the world??
I've always been brought back to the purpose of the Cross. As Jesus hung on the Cross, and the sin of the world was poured on him, he had every opportunity to stop the Cross, but he finished the mission. Jesus endured the Cross to save you from your sin. Jesus saved all humans from their sin. The Cross is enough to satisfy sin's demands on human beings. The Cross is the ULTIMATE game changer, and the Cross is Jesus' loudest message that human beings are free from sin, can conqueror their struggles and temptations, and that all human beings are saved by Jesus' alone.
Remember that God created all, redeems all, and desperately desires to be reunited with all human beings in glory, but we need to remember that all human beings are broken and in need of forgiveness. I hope this year we can remember that all human beings are in need of God's grace, love, and forgiveness and remember to love human beings and be motivated enough to rid our lives of sin that holds us back from living the life we were always intended to.
1) Place your anger in the right place
If you watch the news or read the latest headlines you are bombarded by tales of brokenness, pain, and loss. Frustrations mount, discouragement sets in, and hands are often thrown out and our hearts shout out, "WHY!?" I've been there, even during my years of studying
theology, church history, and scripture my mind often reflects back to the TOUGH question. Why doesn't God do something about all the brokenness and evil in the world??I've always been brought back to the purpose of the Cross. As Jesus hung on the Cross, and the sin of the world was poured on him, he had every opportunity to stop the Cross, but he finished the mission. Jesus endured the Cross to save you from your sin. Jesus saved all humans from their sin. The Cross is enough to satisfy sin's demands on human beings. The Cross is the ULTIMATE game changer, and the Cross is Jesus' loudest message that human beings are free from sin, can conqueror their struggles and temptations, and that all human beings are saved by Jesus' alone.
Remember that God created all, redeems all, and desperately desires to be reunited with all human beings in glory, but we need to remember that all human beings are broken and in need of forgiveness. I hope this year we can remember that all human beings are in need of God's grace, love, and forgiveness and remember to love human beings and be motivated enough to rid our lives of sin that holds us back from living the life we were always intended to.
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