Archive for Youth Ministry
The Gauntlet February 23, 2010
One of THE MOST EXCITING events of the year EVERY YEAR is what our student ministry has called, “The Gauntlet,” our summer camp experience for our 6th through 12th graders.
If you are a parent reading this…I cannot begin to emphasize all that God does in and through our students during this particular week of incredible fun, great games, awesome worship and intense study of God’s Word!
We opened sign ups a few weeks ago and spots are filling up FAST! We’ve NEVER had this many people sign up for our summer trip THIS EARLY!
Here are the details…it will be held the week of July 26th through July 30th in Daytona Beach, FL and cost $250 per student. (That cost includes transportation, room and all but two meals!) I could go on and on about this event…but you can just go here to read more about it.
I get pumped up every year because I get to spend a lot of time with the students who attend this event…and our beach baptism that we do every year is one of my favorite things that our church does–period!
So..parents, just wanted to get the word out so you can get your kid signed up ASAP. Seating for this trip is NOT unlimited…and once we’ve reached capacity we will have to put students on a waiting list. SO…my advice would be to get on this early…trust me, you do NOT want your kids to miss out!
I can’t wait!
Three Things I Hope I Will Do…And A Slight Rant! August 12, 2009
Lucretia and I are meeting with a group of 11th and 12th graders over the course of this next school year…and we are so pumped about being able to share our lives with this group. As I’ve met with them a few times I have began to process how I am going to react when their generation begins to take over the ministry world…I hope I will…
#1 – Do My Best To Fund Their Movement & Not Fight It.
They WILL do ministry in ways that haven’t been thought of yet. They will do things that make me uncomfortable. They will take the things we are doing now and calling innovative and refer to them as traditional…and I can either face the truth or get buried by it. My job as a leader is to fund them and set them up for success…not fight them. (Phrase borrowed from Andy Stanley)
#2 – Do My Best To Learn From Them.
I SOOOO hope I am not “Yoda-like” and pretend that I have all of the answers and need no input from them. I want to pour into the generation that is coming behind me…but there is a LOT I am going to be able to learn and apply from them. Only arrogance and pride will make me think that I need to have all of the answers and can’t ask any of the questions!
#3 – Do My Best To Encourage Them.
I don’t want to be the old guy who tells them they can’t do what God has clearly told them they can AND SHOULD do! I want to be the guy who tells them to pursue what Jesus has placed in their hearts!
I am SO positive that God has amazing things in store for this next generation…I am seeing things in them that I’ve never seen…the way they respond to Jesus pursuing them is amazing…and I really do believe that God is going to use them to bring about a Reformation in America and across the world that is going to be the greatest in the history of the world. God is preparing them…and is going to use them to make a difference!
BTW–that is why I BELIEVE SOOOOO much in youth and children’s ministry! It is NOT a glorified baby sitting service…these children and youth matter NOW! One of the reasons 18 year olds move off to college and leave the church is because the church treats them like second class citizens for years…and then expects them to jump in to the political free for all that dominates most churches…you know, pick a side and just shut up! This generation will not stand for that–they are desperate for Jesus and not church politics!
There is no greater mission field than the youth and children who attend our churches every week…and yet I know for a fact that there are churches all across America that have more money in their graveyard fund than in their youth budget! THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE if we want to see a difference made!
God has called us to empower and release this next generation…not hold them back! I pray that I will one day get to see just a glimpse of all I believe He is going to do through them!!! Like I said…a Reformation…and the world will NEVER be the same!
Baptism Video From Gauntlet/Big Stuff July 24, 2009
THIS is why we do what we do!
Warning…get some Kleenex!!!
Can’t WAIT for Sunday!
I Don’t Have Words! July 24, 2009
This has been an amazing week!
God has moved in an incredible way in the lives of our teenagers here at NewSpring Church…their worship of Jesus was both powerful and authentic…and I have a feeling their passion is going to be evident in our services this Sunday!
We baptized 115 people in the ocean yesterday morning…seeing and hearing that many people say, “Jesus Christ is Lord” NEVER gets old!
It was AWESOME to get to see and talk to teens from the Florence and Greenville campus as well…those guys are FIRED UP!
Please keep all of us in your prayers today as we head back home…
Can’t wait for Sunday!!!
Panama City Update, Week Two, Day Four July 24, 2008
I have seen the future of NewSpring Church over the past two weeks…and it is amazing!
Tonight I saw teenagers encourage one another, pray for one another and challenge one another. I told them that in order for them to make the fire go higher that they were going to have to refuse to try to walk with Jesus alone…that they needed the help of one another!
AND they took this seriously! WOW!
I am sick and tired of hearing people my age (and older) talk about how “pitiful and pathetic” the teenagers of today are.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
Honestly, I have seen more passion and excitement in the past two weeks than I’ve EVER seen in teenagers–ever.
I know someone is out there saying right now, “Well, we had awesome youth camps when I was in the youth group and…”
Let me be very clear…what has happened down here over the past two weeks…honestly, I’ve NEVER seen this type of stuff take place in over 18 years of ministry! These kids are on FIRE! And it’s different than when I used to have kids stand around and tell others what they were going to do when they got home…these students got together tonight to pray for each other and encourage one another…and it was one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever witnessed!
I believe that the next great revival and/or reformation is going to be led by these students…the ones in middle school and high school right now! AND…I think churches who refuse to invest in teens are making a very stupid decision! If over 85% of all decisions for Christ come before the age of 18…tell me, where in the world is there more potential to see a harvest?
After a service tonight I had an adult worker tell me, “Dude, you brought it harder to these kids than you bring it on Sunday’s at NewSpring!” And you know what…they handled it so much better than many adults would have!
I know some of you can’t wait to talk to people who were down here to hear what they are going to say about this trip…but what took place can’t really be explained. My advice…if you are not serving anywhere, GET INVOLVED in youth ministry! I’m telling you–THIS generation is going to be leading the country in the next 20-30 years! AND…they WILL lead the next great move of God…I am sure of it!
OK…I’m going to bed!
Five Reasons I Am In Panama City July 24, 2008
Over the past few years I’ve had a couple of pastors scratch their heads when they find out I come down to the beach with the youth group every year and hang with our teens. They say something along the lines like, “Where do you find the time to do that?” My answer is, “I make the time!”
This is the third year I’ve done this…and I hope that I will continue to do it. Here’s why…
#1 – God Wants Me To!
Yep, played the God card! But…it’s not a canned answer…it’s the truth. I really have felt the past few years that God has said “go” every time I am asked, “Do you want to do the beach camp this year?”
#2 – I Believe In Our Teenagers!
I opened up middle school and high school week the same way! I told them…
First of all, let me clearly explain to you why I am here. I love you! Seriously, I love you guys much more than you could ever imagine. I don’t believe you are the future of our church – you ARE our church!
Second of all, I honestly believe that the next senior pastor of NewSpring Church could be in this room! I am not going to do this forever. One day I will either die or pass the leadership reigns over to someone else…and it could be one of you! I believe the next Billy Graham could be here. Or the next Lee McDerment! I believe that one of the greatest missionaries to ever live could be here…and so I want to spend as much time with you as I can!
#3 – Teens Are An Incredible Predictor Of The Future!
Pastors, if you think your church is going to look the exact same way it looks right now in ten years and still grow…you are STUPID!
I remember when I was in youth ministry the way we did it…we had bands, screens, used videos, met kids where they were and taught them Scripture using every method we could think of.
Uh…sort of looks like the way church is being done today!
The question I am constantly wrestling with is, “What’s next?” Seriously, something is coming! Something is on the way that is going to revolutionize ministry! Something is going to happen to radically transform thousands of lives in the future. AND…I believe student ministry is going to unlock that “SOMETHING” that will impact the next generation.
#4 – It Allows Me A Chance To Form Relationships
Sunday’s are game time for me. I am a focused maniac! I don’t have a ton of conversations that day because I am trying my best to make sure that I have all my i’s dotted and t’s crossed. BUT…when I get away in this environment I am able to focus and spend time with these kids…here their stories, their struggles, answer their questions, pray for them, encourage them…and so on. I love it!
And…when I see them throughout the year there’s a bond there that is absolutely priceless!
#5 – I Love Our Youth Staff And Volunteers!
I love our youth staff…they are amazing!
And, our volunteers are TROOPERS! Seeing them serve Jesus challenges and inspires me!
The other night I nearly lost it right before I got up to speak!
Rob Miller, one of the volunteers on this trip, and I were standing at the back of the auditorium watching the kids worship and he said to me, “Hey man, what if you had said ‘no!’”
I looked him and asked what in the heck he was talking about.
He said, “What if you would have told God ‘no’ when He asked you to start NewSpring Church? Forget everything else that is going on – you would have never gotten to see this.”
When he said that he pointed to over 200 high schoolers worshiping Jesus…and I nearly lost it. I had to walk away and gather my thoughts before getting up! These kids are worth every single dime and every ounce of time we can give them…and I am so glad that God has allowed me to be a part of this.
Pastors, my advice…you CAN’T INVEST enough in student and children’s ministry!!! You’ve heard me say it before–but GIVE TO THEM before any other group in the church! Stop sticking them out in front of Wal Mart on Saturday’s with donuts and brownies…challenge your church to step up and give to them. And…when cuts need to be made in the budget…ALWAYS take away from the adults before you take away from the kids…and if they get mad–let them LEAVE and go another church that will organize their trips to pick apples and visit museums where they can view the worlds largest ball of twine!!!
NewSpring…I can’t wait to see what happens in our student ministry this next year…and next ten years…and beyond. We have some amazing kids who love Jesus and are going to accomplish far more for HIS Kingdom that we’ve ever dreamed.
Panama City Update, Week Two, Day Three July 23, 2008
I seriously can’t think of words to describe what happened this evening!
Last night (Tuesday) I challenged the students to ask God all day today (Wednesday) to rock their worlds this evening. AND…there was a sense of expectancy among them like I’ve rarely seen or experienced!
(I’ve always said that one of the things missing in our churches is a sense of anticipation! Too many people act surprised when God does something amazing when we should be begging Him to work and then anticipating what He’s going to do. OK…enough of that!)
Last week when I was down here with the middle school group I felt like God was directing me to lead our high schoolers through the Lord’s Supper. And so…tonight we took communion together…and it was one of the most POWERFUL times of worship, brokenness, repentance and celebration that I have been a part of in my 18 years of ministry!!!
The Scripture passages that we covered are Matthew 22:36-40, Ephesians 4:25-32 and I Corinthians 11:23-29. I gave the students five questions to wrestle through that basically challenged them to look at their relationship with Jesus and their relationship with others.
I am still blown away. Yes, we did take a lot of video…but it just won’t do what happened tonight justice! Thank You Jesus!
Please keep us in your prayers…we have one more night and God is still working on a few guys & girls! Seriously, pray that there would be even more fruit on our last night (Thursday) that the entire week combined. In fact, if you would just stop what you are doing and pray for our services on Thursday night that would be awesome!
One more thing…we have baptism on the beach in the morning. Can’t wait! AND…one of our volunteers was telling a family here at the place we are staying about our service on the beach in the morning. One of the young ladies told her that she had received Christ but had never been baptized…and then asked would we do it! We told her heck yes!!! WOW!
OK…I’m trying to calm down. I really need to go to bed! WOO – HOO! This has been an amazing week! One more night to go!