#1 – The next generation will see one of the greatest awakenings the world has ever seen…I really do believe the Lord is setting them up for it.  (Which is why I believe the greatest investment in “missions” that the church can make today is the one to have a dynamic youth and children’s ministry!)

#2 – The way the next generation will view and do church will be different than the way we do it today.  They will fully know and comprehend how to reach out to themselves…and our role as a church should be to fund it and not fight it (that line is borrowed from Andy Stanley)!

#3 – The next generation seems to be way more serious about their walk with Jesus than my generation has ever been.

#4 – I believe those of us who are “more mature” (OLDER) should seek out those who are in their teens and listen to their questions and frustrations about life and church without coming down on them.  If we will listen and patiently explain things there could be way less tension between generations in the church.  Might does not make right.  And…the “mature” people should always be the first to step into a relationship with the next generation!

#5 – I fully believe that the next generation has no earthly idea what God wants to do in them and through them…and if we will teach them to be fully surrendered on a daily basis that our children and grandchildren will see God do things we didn’t even think were possible.

#6 – I believe the next generation is not content with borrowing the faith of their parents, they are asking questions and seeking to understand WHAT they believe and WHY they believe it…and them doing that is going to equip them to take the church to the next level (I Peter 3:15).

#7 – I believe the next generation is going to refuse to settle for the way things are…and that as their view of WHO God is begins to increase so will their expectation in regards to what He can do.

You guys are growing like crazy, I’ve NEVER seen THIS MUCH EXCITEMENT in the student ministry in the history of NewSpring Church!

You guys have had almost had 1,500 (total for all campuses) for a few weeks now…so…

I’m challenging you to SHATTER that barrier THIS WEEK!!!

You KNOW FUSE is going to be incredible this week (isn’t it always?)  So…let’s do WHATEVER it takes to get your friends to Fuse this week!  (Found people find people!)

AND…if you break 1,500…then as I promised in the service tonight I will lead worship for one of the sessions this summer at the Gauntlet.

I’m serious!  I’m ready to dust off my guitar and put in the practice…now…let’s see what you’ve got!!!  :-)

#1 – I’ve heard that student ministry is a thing of the past, that it may have been effective in days gone by but it just isn’t going to work in today’s church…uh, if that is true then someone forgot to inform our student ministry staff because our youth ministry is ON FIRE at every campus right now…and this past week all of those “fires” from every campus were able to get together…and it was AMAZING!

#2 – Getting to spend the week with the students every year is one of the things I really do enjoy and look forward to…it was so awesome to get to talk with so many of our students from all of our campuses.

#3 – I will NEVER forget getting to lead a young lady from the Greenville campus to Christ outside the hotel on Wednesday night.  God has amazing plans for her life!

#4 – Being a part of baptizing 245 students was absolutely amazing…seriously, I don’t have words to describe it.

#5 – Usually at a youth camp the goal is to work up to the last night and let it be amazing…uh…it didn’t quite go that way because EVERY SINGLE DAY/NIGHT was unbelievable!  It was literally one of the most powerful things I’ve ever been a part of!

#6 – Thanks to everyone who gives regularly here at NewSpring Church…because our church is so generous we were able to invest heavily in this event…and we will see the return on this investment for eternity as over 100 students surrendered their lives to Christ!!!

#7 – I am SO PROUD of our student ministry team…they have built a ministry on God’s Word and not games.  God is raising up LEADERS in our student ministry…it is amazing to see the hunger and depth of our students!

#8 – I am OLD!  :-)  Trying to keep up with these students literally wore me out!!

If you want to see some videos our team did then check them out on Brad’s blog here!

For those who went as volunteers…THANK YOU…God used you to make a HUGE difference!

And for the students who went…pray for God to continue fan the flame that He began in you down there, continue to meet together (Hebrews 10:23-25) remembering that DEVOTION is not based on EMOTION…and get ready for HIM to use you to absolutely change your entire school this year.  BE THAT CATALYST that Brad spoke about…God is going to do GREAT THINGS through you guys!

Anytime people hear about what is going on in our student ministry they always ask me, “So, what did you do?”  It’s pretty simple…

#1 – I hired a leader, someone I could trust, someone I would not have to stand beside and make decisions for.  (Some pastors won’t do this because they need to be needed!)  AND…I made sure he was able to assemble the team he wanted around him…I did not hire for him!

#2 – I made sure he was resourced.  We don’t do car washes or bake sales…and we never have.  I’ve read that over 85% of the decisions to follow Christ happen before the age of 18…if THAT ISN’T a ripe mission field then I don’t know what is.  Churches don’t make the senior adults do a bake sale if they want to go somewhere…why in the heck do they make the students do it?  (By the way…it’s ALWAYS been this way, so please don’t email me with, “What did you guys do when you were small?”  We took care of our students…period!)

#3 – I make sure he understands the vision of our church.  I spend time with him…we go to lunch, he sends me texts that encourage the heck out of me.  If he ever has a question about vision…he asks me.

#4 – I spend time with the students.  Every year I am our “camp speaker” for The Gauntlet…and it is SO refreshing for me to get to spend that time with the students…it is literally one of my favorite weeks EVERY YEAR!

#5 – I don’t try to do youth ministry!  When I did youth ministry it was SO cool to play DC Talk, Carman and Degarmo & Key…for those that may not have figured this out yet…those days are GONE!  I am NOT the expert in youth ministry…and I don’t try to be!!!

#6 – I ask our student ministry staff lots of questions!  BECAUSE, like it or not…what they are doing right now is going to be what the church is doing in the next 10 to 15 years!

#7 – I give him permission to fail…as long as he fails by trying great things then I don’t have a problem with it!

Those are just a few things that “I’ve” done…which hopefully you see isn’t much!!!  Hope that helps!

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!

#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!

Seriously…take about three or four minutes to sit down and watch this video of our beach baptism yesterday (Thursday) morning…

Warning…get some Kleenex!!!

Can’t WAIT for Sunday!

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!!!

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!

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.