Contagious Last Night

For a change of pace we tried something different last night.  Students gathered briefly together before going right into their family groups (sand pods) for their Bible study time.  Tonight the bulk of the lesson was accomplished in the family group.  Change is good and this was a test flight for the Sundays that I'll be gone on vacation.

We looked at the parable of the soil and broke that down by looking at some case studies for each type of soil.  Students were challenged to think about which soil type they are.   We continue to use the One Minute Bible as the basis for our lessons each weekend so student's reading from the week ties in with the lesson on the weekend.

The One Minute Bible is a great tool for parents to use with their teens.  The student can read the daily reading in a matter of minutes and then there is some more scripture to go deeper.  Parents could use the "related texts" as a family devotional time in discipling their teen.  To get a copy from Simply Youth Ministry you can click the "ad" on the sidebar.  Their is a sale that wraps up today on these Bibles, $9.99.

Turn out wasn't as strong due to a holiday weekend but we still had a large group.  Students from a local group home joined us.  This group home helps at risk kids and they bring their students to youth group and Sunday worship whenever they have kids in the home.  We had a few guests last night which seems to be the norm as of late which is super cool.

The students seemed to make it through their first week of school okay and I'm sure are sleeping in and enjoying their holiday today.

40 Days of Prayer

Tonight at midnight our church kicks off 40 days of prayer.  Our church has committed to praying around the clock, 24 hours a day, for the next 40 days.  Someone from NHC will be praying every minute of everyday lifting our church to God in prayer.  I believe we are going to see God move in our church during this 40 day period.  Perhaps God is moving every week but we just aren't aware because we aren't tuned in.  During the next 40 days we will be tuned in.  I'm already pretty much stoked about our worship gatherings next Sunday morning and our Lord's Supper gathering next Sunday night because I believe this prayer will draw us closer as a church to God and closer to one another.

One of our students approached me and asked if she could lead a prayer time with the youth group.  So before Contagious each Sunday night students will get together ten minutes before Contagious begins students will gather together and pray for their youth group.  Sweet!!

Parents can download a prayer sheet and prayer journal to use with their children.  Hopefully some parents will use this as an opportunity to teach their children how to pray.  What will be super cool is that some parents will begin now a habit that will impact and change their families as they begin the habit of praying together daily.  Part of discipling your children and teens is teaching them the importance of prayer and how to pray.

Tomorrow morning at 12:00 am the 40 days launches.  I get my first turn on the prayer calendar at 6:15 am.    I think there are going to be some awesome testimonies spring out of this focused prayer time.  What would happen in your own life if you really spent time daily in prayer?

Football Team Devo

This season I have the privilege of sharing a pre-game devotion with the Manteo Redskins football team before home games.  Last night was the first home game so the first crack at the devos with the guys.  I was impressed how quiet the team was during the pre-game meal, I thought they were in trouble but  it is their way at focusing on what they need to get done on the field.  The meal was great, grilled chicken, mac and cheese, green beans, bread and fruit.  ( I only mention the meal because I know that theADD readers love to comment on posts that include food).

We met under the goal post for the devotional and most of the team came over for it and the guys were very respectful and quiet (quite different from youth group).  I shared with them a little bit about me and my life so they could sort of get to know me a little.  My devotional thought for them is that everything we do in life as believers should be an act of worship.  In 

I Corinthians 10:31 we are told that everything we do in life, even the "small" things we do in life on a daily basis, should be done to the glory of God.   That's worship!  

"When you step on to the field tonight don't play for your own glory.  You are a team and this game isn't about one individual.  When you step on the field play to please your coaches and do your best but it's not for your coaches glory.  When you step onto the field play your hardest and your best to bring glory to God.  This game won't matter in 20 years but what will matter is that in life, even the common every day things,  you lived to bring glory to God."

What is your church's vision?

I recently heard of a church that hired a youth pastor for 5-month period.  Now I’m not sure of the details as to why only 5 months but I have also heard of churches hiring youth pastors for a year at a time.  I’m not sure of the thinking or reasoning behinds such decisions.  What I do know is that it screams “No vision!”  What is the vision of a church if it is only looking months ahead and not thinking long range?  What would you do as a parent of a teen in this situation?

How does a youth minister function in that setting?  I know, because I’m a family man, I wouldn’t take on a position in a church with no vision.  I need to know I have a job longer than 5 months or a year.  I also want to be part of a church with vision, huge vision.

Some steps a youth pastor in this type of situation can take:

1. Find out the leadership’s expectations for that small time period.
2. Pray for God’s vision for both the youth ministry and the church.
3. Plan out a year’s calendar even if you won’t be there when some of those events or activities are scheduled to happen.  Don’t just fill the calendar for the sake of activities but plan on purpose with the goal of building a healthy youth ministry.
4. Map out Bible studies for youth worship gatherings.
5. Keep church leadership informed on what is going on in the youth ministry.
6. Build and equip a youth ministry team because one person can’t effectively minister to all the students.  This will also equip a team to carry on the ministry should your position truly only last 5 months or a year. 

Youth Ministry Team Meeting

Last night our youth ministry team got together for a meeting.  With the start of the school year and a few changes coming we thought it would be a good time for a team meeting.  To sweeten the deal we had pizza.  Now I know everyone in youth ministry groans at the sound of the word "pizza" but last night we had, in the words of one or our team members, "adult pizza".  We broke away from the usual cheese and pepperoni and had the good stuff from Slice, meat and veggie, triple meat, white pizza with spinach and tomatoes and ricotta, and of course pepperoni.  Point is this - take care of your team.

Our agenda from the meeting:

1.  Are we ready?

It seems we plateau every now and then in our growth.  Several factors play into this.  The one we focused on was answering the question of are we ready?

Someone recently shared with me that the church in South Korea is praying that God opens up the borders to North Korea so they can go in and share the gospel.  The church isn't just praying for it they are actually preparing believers to get ready to go in when the borders do open.

We pray that our youth ministry will grow, not for the sake of numbers, but because there   are thousands of students here on the Outer Banks that need to be reached.  But are we prepared?  If we are asking God to grow us shouldn't we be preparing our team for growth and actually have the team in place to handle the growth?  So we are going to start promoting the ministry team among our partners at NHC and getting more adults on board with reaching students.

2.  Contagious Youth Ministry Team Handbook

In planning for growing out team and to help everyone on the team understand their role and expectations on the team I put together a "handbook" for the team.  We passed it out last night, it is the rough draft, to get the team's input and thoughts as well as help with editing.

3.  SHAPE and Personality Profiles

To be a better team leader I need to know our team better.  So I will be giving the team members links to online spiritual gift and personality inventories to help me better understand how God has shaped the team.

4.  Be the best youth ministers:

Our team should be leading the way in youth ministry in our area and setting an

example or model for other churches to follow. I am not the youth minister, I am one of the

youth ministers. Everyone on our team is a minister. To be the best youth ministers we can be

this fall we need to :

>watch our attitudes

>have Holy Spirit controlled emotions

>invest in students lives

>keep contact with our students

>look for conversation opportunities

5. Family groups for the new school year

each student is part of a "family group" and that is where they have prayer and discussion

at out youth worship gatherings

I shared with the team a quote that Nate shared with me from that great show John and Kate Plus 8:

"Don't do what is easiest but do what is best for the kids"

We closed with some prayer time.

That's a look into a NHC youth ministry team meeting. Bet you wish you were there, at least for the pizza.

Blue 42! Blue 42! Hut Hut!

I'm pretty stoked about Friday evening.  High school football kicks off for the season.  (I'm so punny) What has me so stoked is not the game, the fans, the hot dogs, the hot chocolate, I'm stoked about the team.  This year I have been asked to do the pre-game (volunteer) devotion for the Manteo Redskins.

I have done ministry in the schools in the past but never in this sort of capacity.  I'm excited that God has given me this opportunity.  This Friday night, following the team pre-game meal, I get to share for the first time with the team.  I've been thinking about what to say.  These guys don't know me so I think I'm going to drop in a practice this week and just hang out.  I'm also going to share Friday night a little bit of my story so they can get to know me.  Everything I do in life, as a believer, should be an act of worship to God.  I think this Friday night I'm going to share with the team that as they take the field to play not just for the coaches, not just for their school or parents, but to take the field and play to the glory of God.  

I'll update the blog here and let everyone know how this goes.  

Deal or No Deal

I just heard Kashka on Deal or No Deal say, "I believe that if you say it and believe it then it will happen."  She has obviously been watching some televangelists.  She was down to two cases, a $5000.00 case and the million dollar case.  She believed for four years now that she would be the first million dollar winner.  She was offered over $500,000.00 and said, "No deal!"  She knew that amount of money would set her up and take care of all her bills.  But she believed she was going to be the millionaire!

Lesson in life:  If what you believe is not true then what you believe is false no matter how hard you believe.  If what you believe is false then what you believe doesn't really matter.  Apply that to eternity.  If you believe all good people go to heaven but what you believe isn't true then what you believe is false.  If you believe religion will save you but what you believe isn't true than what you believe is false.  I don't know about you but I'm not willing to risk my eternity on a false belief system.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father but through me."

Kashka should have taken the $500,000.  But she believed!

Contagious Tonight

Contagious tonight was cancelled, well sort of.  Tonight we gathered at NHC with 7 other youth groups from area churches.  We had a great turn out from the students.  

The Line Up:

• Cookout of burgers and dogs.
  
• Impromptu game of ultimate Frisbee on the parking lot
  
• Lots of little clusters of students and volunteers sitting around chillin
  
• Trivia Game
  
• Milepost 13 Band
  
• See You At The Pole Video
  
• FCA interview with a student
  
• Prayer for teachers and faculty
  
• Message - Reaching the hurting.  What will you do this school year?  Luke 10:25-37
  
• Commissioning prayer for students committing to reaching their school campus
  
• Prayer time with students in prayer groups
  
• Ice Cream compliments of Cold Stone Creamery in KDH
• Thunder on the Ridge - sliding down Jockey's Ridge.  It was sick! (video on Youtube tomorrow)
  

It was a great night and the end to a great and long day.  Pray for our students as they go back to school tomorrow as they enter the hallways once again.  I fully expect this to be an awesome school year for our students. 

This whole evening was put together and sponsored by the Outer Banks Youth Ministry Network.  

Food

Two topics that draw comments from the blogging world almost guaranteed:  Food and Politics.

I posted on politics and got some comments.  Now lets see what this stirs up (plus I'm hungry).

I created a squash recipe (sorry no cool pics like the pioneer lady or other world famous cooking blogs).  (notice I use ( ) a lot, it's because thats what I'm thinking but not what I'm really writing)

Ladies and Gentleman, The Fetasan Squash:

Take the beautiful yellow squash, at least 3 big ones or several small ones.

Slice them about 3/4 of an inch thick to 1 inch thick.

Slice some red (actually purple) onions in thin slices.

Melt a couple of Tablespoons of butter into a sizzling hot pan.

Dump the squash and onion into the pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Stir often and allow the squash to get a light brown crunchy crust on them.

Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.

Then top with a healthy helping of crumbled feta cheese.

Pull it off the heat and place under the broiler to melt the cheese real good.

Put a heaping helping on a plate.

Place plate on top of your head.

Watch your tongue try to slap your brains out trying to get to it.

If it doesn't taste good to you then you didn't cook it like me.

Great served with any meat grilled, fried or baked. (spam doesn't count as meat it is it's own food group)

Politics

I'm tired of politics.  I can't wait for the election to be over with so we can move on to whatever and whoever is next.  I think I'm closing in on deciding who I'm gonna vote for.  

Wouldn't it be great if we had a normal regular person run for president and the nation got behind him or her?  Imagine having a president that could relate to making a mortgage payment every month on a $40k a year income?  Wait better yet what if we cleaned out the house and senate and put all "normal" people in there.  Then something would probably happen for the good of the nation and not a political party or party agenda.

There, I feel much better now.  I'm going to go wash cars for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation now.

Washing Cars for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Tomorrow Team Contagious Youth will be washing cars at Atlantic Financial Services in Kill Devil Hills to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  CFF is key in helping those with CF and also in researching new medications and treatments.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

• clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and
• obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

If you are out and about in our area stop by and let me and our team wash your car for a donation.  All proceeds will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Don't forget, if in our area to stop by Wendy's for lunch and mention CF when you order and 20% will go to CFF.  

If you are not in our area and would like to help you can go to my home page and donate to CFF online and help our team reach our goal of $1500.00.

If you live in the OBX area and would like to participate in the Great Strides walk we have plenty of room on our team, you don't have to be a teen or parent of team to be on Team Contagious Youth.

To find out how CF has impacted our family and church go to http://www.cfhusband.blogspot.com

Watermelon Boy

Another high quality video for our youth group.

I'm an A+ Student

Just got my grade for my most recent class in seminary.  100 out of 100 possible points in Leading and Supervising Volunteers.  Last time I checked that would be an A+.  I knew my glasses made me smarter!

A Refresher Course

Sometimes we just need a reminder.  
This video interviews two of the coolest people I have had the privilege of knowing.

Guest Friendly Youth Ministry

I'm always impressed by students who come to youth group for the first time by themselves.  We often get guests that come with their friends, and that is fantastic, but to be a teenager and walk into a large group of other students knowing no one would be very scary for me.  So I tip my hat to the student who takes that risk.

How does your youth group treat the "newbie"?  Is the "newbie" made to feel welcomed by other students?

This is something we have been working on with our youth group.  We don't always pass the test but more and more I see students making the effort to reach out to the "newbie."  Several of our students have caught on to welcoming guests.  Some are still wrapped up in their own little world and group of friends that they aren't even aware when there are guests but that comes with the turf.

How do we create a welcoming youth group?

1.  Look for opportunities to teach about welcoming guests and truly loving others

2.  Look for a match.  Find a student that has something in common with the newbie, same grade, gender, school, sport, etc. and introduce the two.

3.  Set the example by welcoming the newbie yourself and take a student or two along with you when you do.

4.  Create some hang out time into your youth group gathering so students have time to get to know each other.

5.  Acknowledge students when you see they are welcoming.  "Hey, I saw you talking to the new kid.  Thanks for caring enough to reach out to him.  You are awesome!"

There are some newbies who don't want to be reached and could careless if someone talks to them or not.  I recently witnessed at our youth group.  A young lady obviously didn't want to be at youth group and when another girl went and talked with her the newbie was very cold towards her.  Sometimes parents don't think the youth group was welcoming when in fact their own child was cold as ice and hard as a rock.  Encourage students to not give up on reaching out when they encounter an unfriendly newbie.

Thunder Reminder

Contagious Tonight

Great night at the beach tonight. 

• Awesome group of students tonight
• Several guests and newbies
• Students reaching out to the newbies (a few of our students are catching on)
• Parent Pod was down a bit in attendance but was still a good time of fellowship
• Ocean temp was very nice
• 90 All beef Oscar Mayers were grilled
• Bible study was about trading in guilt for grace

Outline:

Psalm 51:1-17

Dealing with Guilt

1. Never ignore guilt
2. Seek forgiveness immediately
3. Explore the depth of your sin
4. Repent
5. Know that God's faithfulnes is bigger than your failure

Next Sunday:  Thunder on the Ridge . 5:00 to 8:30 at NHC

Hukilau Surf Camp

Pastor Steve combined his passion for surfing and his passion for Jesus Christ several years ago and Hukilau Surf Camp was born.  Today we finished up our surf camp season for 2008.

August 16th's Camp in a nut shell:

• 28 Surf Campers
• We went international with one from Russia and one from England
• Surf wasn't great today but campers learned how to withstand a pounding from the waves and boards, paddling and how to stand up on the board.
• Mickey McCarthy shared with the campers about surf photography and took some shots out in the water
• Nags Head lifeguard, Emily, shared about beach and water safety
• Steve shared how waves are generated
• I shared that God the creator of the surf desires a relationship with us and has a purpose for our lives
• More than 30 volunteers from the church served as coaches and support staff
• I forgot to rub sunblock on my noggin, Ouch!
• The lad from England won a gift certificate to SOS, a local surf shop at milepost 16ish
• Couple of other kids won fudge (not sure how that ties into surfing) from the Culinary Duck in Duck, NC
• All campers got a sweet Hukilau shirt, goodie bag, Noah's Arc DVD.

What is your passion and how can you use that passion to spread the love of Jesus Christ?

The Equipping Ministry

There are some who churches rely on the pastor to do everything.  Along the way some believers have been taught, more than likely not verbally but by example, that ministry is for the pastor or paid staff to do.  So the poor pastor works himself to the bone and burns out.  I’ve heard some pastors gripe about this whole situation.  Who is at fault?

I remember, when I arrived at NHC, we weren’t here very long before Rick read the famous “resignation letter”.  He didn’t resign from the church but Rick resigned from changing light bulbs, fixing doors, from doing things that others could easily do.  What was cool was that people from the congregation stepped forward and made sure those things Rick resigned from were taken care of.  What was that?  That was ministry.

Imagine the sermon quality the church would get if the pastor had more time to prepare for sermons and didn’t have to do “all” the ministry in the church?  Pastors need to learn to let go of ministry.  Church members need to realize that all believers are ministers; you don’t have to be a “professional” to be a minister.  Got Christ?  You are a minister.  Some churches don’t grow because they aren’t prepared for the growth.  It takes every member, all hands on deck, serving in a growing church.

I sometimes find myself doing ministry that someone else in the church could be doing which ends up robbing from the ministry that I am supposed to be doing.  Not only do I rob the ministry that I’m supposed to be doing but also I rob the other members of the blessing of doing ministry.  I’m getting better at it though, I’m retraining my mind.

Pastors, church staff let the church do the ministry.  How?

Equip – That’s our job, we are to equip the church to do ministry.  Help believers learn how God has shaped them to serve.  Ephesians 4:11-13

Entrust – Give the believers in the church the ministry.  Hand it off and then trust them to get it done.  Resist the temptation to micro manage.

Enjoy – Enjoy watching the believers in your church grow closer to God as they serve Jesus Christ and the church with the gifts God has given them.  Enjoy watching the church reach her ministry potential.  (Enjoy more time to do the ministry God has called you to)

Pastors are we equipping our churches to serve and giving them the opportunity to minister?  Believers are we fulfilling our duty to Christ by ministering?  Youth pastors are you trying to do youth ministry all on your own?

When Someone Throws Up On You

If you have been in ministry for any length of time you have had the moment or moments when someone comes up to and just throws up on you.  What do I mean by throw up?  Throw up is when a person who is ticked off, mad, misunderstood, cranky, ignorant (lacking knowledge) or just plain mean comes up and proceeds to spew forth words intending to cause damage to you or to someone else.  When the damaging words are directed towards someone else this is plainly and simply gossip.  When it is aimed right at you it’s mean and hurtful.  Amazingly enough these throw up moments in ministry come from our fellow believers. 

What is the deal with that?  It should not be!  I have never had a person who is not a follower of Christ approach me and throw up all over me about something happening in the church.

How do you respond when someone throws up on you?  What is your reaction?  What do you do when damaging words spew forth intended to hurt you?

If your church or ministry is going through any sort of transition be prepared because someone will more than likely throw up on you or on others in your church.  People just don’t handle change well.  We like things to stay the same; we want to be in our comfort zone rather than challenged to move forward. 

Spew moments happen.  How would you handle this?  How do I react?

• I could choose to spew right back at the person and be just like them.
• I could talk down to this person and use hurtful words just to hurt them right back.
• I could stop them from throwing up when the launch is aimed at someone else by telling the person I don’t participate in gossip.
• I could vent on someone else rather than bite the person’s head off.
• I could stop and realize that this person obviously doesn’t get it.
• I could stop and realize that this person is afraid of change and insecure.
• I could consider that this person may be having a bad day and I just happen to be the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.
• I could consider that this person may be struggling with some sort of emotional issues.
• I could consider that the individual doesn’t understand the big picture and is truly focused on their own life and no one else’s.  “It’s not about me” is not their slogan in life.
• I could consider that this person has never been taught how to allow the Holy Spirit to control their emotions and feelings.
• I could consider whether or not their beef is legit.
• I could stop and pray for the person or even pray with the person.
• I could choose to let it roll off my back and forget about it.
• I could attempt to talk with the individual about what they are so upset about.
• I could tell them that next time they need to throw up to throw up on someone else.  Ever notice that some people seem to have a target on them for others to throw up on?
• I could just turn and walk away (I’ve done this one and perhaps it is my reaction of choice since I fear what I might say in the heat of the moment)

There are a whole slew of options when someone chooses to spew on me.  I just hope and pray I handle it the right way when it does happen.

The church is people, and as we all know from personal experience, people aren't perfect.

Oh, one more, I could walk around in a poncho to protect myself.  Perhaps the poncho is the shield of faith?

Operation Backpack

It is so awesome to be a part of the church that gets it!  I was gone all week speaking at Cale Retreat and Conference Center and I returned last night.  This morning I rolled into the church to participate in Operation Backpack.  Our Operation Backpack team, made up of members from the church, met earlier in the week and set the auditorium up as a distribution center for school supplies.  

This morning we had multiple stations in the lobby for coloring, face painting, games, painting, balloons.  We also had refreshments available.   The whole event went off without a hitch and was well organized.  Many local families were helped with free school supplies and backpacks for the new school year.

A huge thanks to the team and the leaders that put this event together.  I look forward to future Operation Backpacks.  I think what was most awesome to me is to see members in a church realize that they are ministers.

Last Night at Cale

Last night was "campfire" night at Cale.  Everyone that has ever gone to camp knows that usually Thursday nights are special because it is the last night of camp.  Steve started a fire and the campers all gathered around the fire on benches and the camp counselors shared their testimonies.  In between the testimonies we sang a songs.  It was a great night at the fire.  It was good for the campers to hear from some college age young people instead from an old man like me.

Last night I taught about allowing the Holy Spirit to control your life especially your emotions and feelings.  One boy pulled me aside and asked me if his counselor had talked to me about his temper.  I told him know and showed him my notes that I printed off last week.  He said that was the message he needed to hear.  It's cool how God works.

Final day today at Camp Cale.  I have one more message to deliver and then I address the parents this afternoon.  Should be a great day!  It's not hot out this morning!!!!!!!!

Bubble Invaders

What is with people that invade my bubble?  You know them, you may even be one.  The people that feel the need to get within 8 inches of you to talk to you.  I don't even get that close to my wife unless I'm going in for the smooch.  

Do they close in on you to make sure they have your attention?  It doesn't get my attention but it makes me rather uncomfortable and a bit nervous.

Is their hearing not the best and need me to talk louder?  If so please tell me and I would be happy to raise the volume.

Did they forget their glasses and can't see me?  If so they really don't need to see me to hear me or carry on a conversation, the telephone pretty much proves that point.

I don't get that close to people because not only does it make me uncomfortable but what if my breath is stinking?  Have they considered the same for themselves.

Please, for those of us that appreciate our bubble of space in conversation, take two steps back.  Thanks!  Comfort bubble people of the world unite!

Camp Cale Today

Did I mention it is hot?  It was great having my family here with me a couple of days.  Now I'm back in the camper all by myself, just me and the Mac.  Gonna pop in some old Andy Griffith videos and watch them.  I figured out how to pipe the audio from the Mac through the speakers in the camper, it's pretty much the coolest camper on the campground this week.

Today was a great day for the campers.  We talked this morning about Bible Study and the importance of that discipline in Endurance.  Tonight we talked about protecting ourselves with the spiritual armor (Ephesians 6).  The talks went well but I had to talk fast to get the message in before the kids fell asleep because of the heat.  It is 9:17 at night as I type this and it is still over 90 degrees in the room where we hold the worship gatherings.  Cale's new building will help incredibly.

Keep praying, God's working on camper's hearts.

Cale Day 3

Cale was hot today!  Campers were having a great time though.  

This morning we talked about My Mission and how sharing Christ is a tool in the discipline tool bag in building a life of endurance.  Last night's talk went well.  I talked with a young lady today and God is obviously working in her heart and life and that's what it is all about.

This afternoon they played "poo" games.  Yes, POO!  Since there are horses close by their were some team competitions that involved fertilizer.  Game one the team had other teams dump buckets of manure on their tarp and that that team had to run the tarp through an obstacle course.  Game #2 was much fun to watch.  One team member stood in a circle with a bucket on their head while the rest of the team launched manure off a tarp and the player in the circle tried to catch as much manure as possible in the bucket that was on their head.  Yes, it was messy. (no pun intended)  Camp Cale is the home of the "Poo Games 2008".

Tonight we talked about how God's Word is the support to what we believe and why it is important to know what we believe and to own our faith.

Let's just say that the guys on the tract on beachpreach's blog would not have appreciated today's camp.  They wouldn't get it.  On top of that there were drums and electric guitars in our worship time.  That's right, Cale is rockin it for Jesus!

Cale Day 2

Today we start constructing the building of Endurance.

This morning I will be talking about spending time alone with God (I had my Hang Time with God in the air conditioned peaceful camper this morning and it was good).  I will share with them the "Why and Hows" of Hang Time.

Please pray for our worship gathering tonight.  This will probably be my favorite message to deliver all week.  Most camp experiences Thursday night is the "big" night.  I'm going to skip right to the "big" night tonight.  This evening we lay the foundation and I will be giving the campers the good news of Christ tonight.  Please be in prayer today for students who don't know Jesus Christ.  My prayer is that tonight we see several come to Christ.

Thanks for praying.  I'll update Day 2 after worship tonight and let you know how today went.

Cale Retreat is Hot!

Really, it's hot here.  This afternoon it was a scorcher but as the sun sets and the breeze picks up off the river it is starting to cool down.  What is Cale?  Glad you asked.

Cale Retreat and Conference Center is a camp that is owned and operated by our association of churches.  This week is teen week.  There are 75 campers this week.  They actually had to turn away some campers because all the beds are full.  They will be building  new conference center soon for year round use.  Steve, the camp's director, has done an incredible job turning this camp around and making something out of an old run down camp.

I'm here this week as their camp pastor.  I'll be speaking to the students 3 times a day.  That's a lot of speaking but for them that will be a lot of listening but I promised to go fast and short.  They will keep up with the ADD I think.

The theme this week is Endurance.  We know what Endurance is but how do we endure as believers?  How do we fight the good fight?  How do we finish well?

I just got to meet the campers in the orientation and layed out the week and the direction we re going in our worship times.  I'm approaching Endurance as a building: (pm messages)

1.  Foundation - Salvation

2.  Support - God's Word

3.  Interior - Life controlled by the Holy Spirit

4.  Exterior - spiritual armor

To building we are using the tools of discipline: (am messages)

1. My time with God

2.  My mission

3.  My service

4.  My possessions

5.  My Bible study

Cale is a beautiful place.  No air conditioning in the cabins but I'm sitting here on a picnic table by the river on wireless internet.  What a great place!  Here's a pic from my table spot.

Thoughts on Tourists

I'm glad we have tourists here on the OBX.  If we did not have tourist I probably would not be living here.  

Now a few observations on tourists from this past week:

1.  Tourist will park their car in the parking lot but not in a parking space.  I know, I hit one this morning.

2.  Tourist drive 35 mph in the fast lane all week on vacation.  They are in no hurry to go anywhere, they are on vacation.  BUT they will run you over trying to hurry and get their donut and coffee at 7-Eleven in their race to leave the beach on Saturday morning and finally drive at least 50mph since arriving here.

3.  They are using us for our beach.  

Impact Outer Banks

I don't know of a time in the history of the Outer Banks when 10 church youth groups got together to work together in sharing the love of Jesus Christ in a practical way to our community.    The week was fantastic!  I'll nutshell why I think it was fantastic:

• Ten teams doing some great mission projects in our local community
• Teams were made up of students from different groups, my team had 9 students, each student from a different church.
• Churches working together
• No turf or territory wars between the youth pastors (check out www.obxymn.com)
• Hundreds of people in our community were touched.  
• Great lunches.
• Great music
• Community Collision was great
• Students lives were impacted

I wonder what the ripple affect through the community from this event will be?  I also wonder how many churches who chose not to get involved will wish they had and hopefully will join in next year?  I hope more of NHC's students will get involved next year.  My prayer is that this attitude of servanthood will be carried by these students into their school halls in a few weeks.

I have already heard comments from people outside of Impact about the event and we have had groups from out of the area interested in either coming next year or putting an Impact together in their town.  Impact was a great experience and I look forward to our youth group getting involved again next year.