Contagious Reboot

My part time summer job with Tubbs Hot Dogs has come to an end. This job now becomes more of a part time part time job. I enjoyed serving up dogs to the folks who shopped at Tanger Outlet this summer but now I get to focus a little more on my passion.

Today I really enjoyed my time thinking and writing down my thoughts on the future of the youth ministry at NHC. I'm calling it Contagious Reboot. As I get more thoughts ironed out I look forward to sharing them on the blog.

In the past year we have had several students move away and graduate. It feels almost like starting fresh again. That is exciting to me! This fall Contagious is really going to focus on encouraging our students to reach out to their friends and neighbors at school, to show them the contagious love of Jesus Christ.

This Sunday our youth ministry team will be getting together for about an hour or so for me to throw some thoughts and ideas at them and then let those thoughts and ideas bounce around and see what happens. In October I will be meeting with some student leaders to get some input and ideas from them. I also plan on popping in on the Parent POD and sharing some of these thoughts with them as well. I see great opportunities for the parents to reach other parents of teens by using the Parent POD.

I'm excited about what is to come this fall in youth ministry on the OBX.

Last Night At Contagious

This morning I heard the song over and over in my head, Friends are Friends Forever...

The summer has come to an end. One of the glorious parts of what I do as youth pastor is load up the Big Blue Van of Happiness each Sunday with the food and gear we need for Contagious on the Beach. This morning I unloaded for the last time this year. I washed the table, cleaned the grill and coolers, vacuumed the sand out of the back of Big Blue. I took the volleyball, that often doubled as a beach soccer ball, and rinsed off the sand. Goodbye my friend. I'll miss youth group on the beach!

Last night we saw the return of some students who went MIA this summer. It's always nice when kids return after a long absence. We also had a couple of guests and we always enjoy having guests at Contagious. Hot dogs were consumed, large sloppy surf was observed and I showed off my volleyball skills. Red flags were flying so we couldn't go swimming. Parent Pod is still going and will continue to do so through the school year. They will be starting a series of lessons on managing anger in a couple of weeks. I'm glad we have parents who recognize the benefit of building relationships with other parents and investing in each others lives.

We have a great team of volunteer youth workers on the YM Team at NHC. I'm glad God is allowing me to work with them ministering to students. This coming Sunday they get a night off as we have our church picnic. Love picnics!!

Here is last night's lesson in a nutshell:
Colossians 3:15-17
1. Real Peace - the source of real peace and peace with each other.
2. Christ's Word Living in You - as you teach each other (students should be teaching each other and not depending on us old toots to do all the teaching) and worship together.
3. Living out your faith - whatever you say and do. Are the things you say and do done in the name of Jesus?

POD Discussion:

1. What do your friends do to try to find peace in their lives?

2. Why is it important for us as Christians to get along with each other and have peace with each other?

3. What would your life look like if you lived out this verse?

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Phil 2:3

4. What steps can you take in your life to let God’s Word dwell (live) in you?

5. How can you teach others about Christ and His Word?

6. How would living out this verse affect your life?

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus
Col 3:17

7. Am I living out my faith, by living a life where everything I say and do is done in the name of Jesus?

Last Night At Contagious

Last night we had yet another great evening of doing youth group together on the beach. Summer is coming to a close and starting the middle of next month we move Contagious back to the church building and will say "so long" to the beach till next summer.

We are spending out summer traveling through the book of Colossians. Last night we were in Colossians 3:12-14. We looked last week of the sin stuff we need to get rid of in our lives and so last night we took a look at the replacements. The virtues we should be practicing in our lives.

We all have to replace things in our lives. Every couple of years it's time for a new cell phone so we replace it. Every couple of years, unless you own a Mac, you are replacing your PC or hard drive because it got a virus or you are tired of pressing "control, Alt, delete" all the time. So we are used to replacing things in our lives. Replacing the bad stuff with the good stuff is something we should always be looking to do.

Here's a snapshot of our lesson from last night:
Colossians 3:12-14

1. Put on your clothes!

Each day we get up and get dressed. We need to do the same with the virtues listed in verse 12. It is a daily decision to be compassionate, kind, humble (not a door mat but putting others first), gentle and patient. I don't have time to keep typing about patience let's hurrty to point #2.

2. Offer forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not telling someone that what they did to hurt you is okay. Forgiveness is not holding that against them any longer and allowing bitterness to take root in your own life. Forgive as Christ forgave.

3. Get the Glue.
Love binds all these virtues together along with the forgiveness. Without the love of Christ in your life you don't have "the glue".

Contagious Youth are Going

I Think It Is 17

This will be my 17th summer of attending camp with students. Back in the old days I was pumped and excited about going to a week of camp. The lack of sleep didn't bother me back then. The waking up at 6am and going till 1 or 2 didn't phase me. Now I'm old! I don't look forward to camp like I used to. What?! Did a youth pastor just say that?

I don't like:
>the 4 or 5 hours a night of sleep
> the van ride home while everyone sleeps in the van and I must stay awake.
> camp food. Institutional food lacks at most universities.
>walking in the heat and humidity
>sleeping on a plastic coated mattress.
>telling a teenage boy or girl, who should know by this point, that they need to take a shower (there is enough oil in your hair to lube my truck)
>explaining over and over again how their cell phone will distract them during the week of camp with the endless texts they will receive, read, and respond to.
>when students who knew for months that they could go to camp but procrastinated till the last minute and as a result missed the deadline.
>most of all being away from my family for the week. As my children are growing this weighs even more on me and probably soon they too will be traveling to camp and staying at a hotel nearby or something. Last year my 6 month old daughter was taken by ambulance to the ER while I was at camp, that was very hard on us. (I would much rather share a room with my wife than with the assistant to the youth pastor, Rich Coleman)

I do like:
>watching students bond with each other and build friendships
>hanging with students
>the awesome worship times
>watching them compete in the recreation
>taking them to the Texas Inn to eat
>observing them connecting with God
>when that one life is radically changed and the "camp commitment" is for real.
>thinking that next year we are going to change it up big time for camp.

You can follow our camp adventure at our camp blog site. There you can connect with your teen through e-mail and listen in on our evening worship sessions.

It's Obvious

Often in ministry it is obvious when someone doesn't "get it".

Our youth band led worship last Sunday and did an outstanding job. These students love using the SHAPE God has given them to worship and serve Him and His church. I heard several great compliments and encouragement given to the Contagious band. I might be a little biased but these kids are the best student worship band I have heard.

I don't read anonymous notes or comments from folks because if someone doesn't have the courage and character to say something to my face then whatever they are upset about, or their opinions, don't hold any weight with me.

It was brought to my attention that someone left a comment card basically written in caps and real big. The comment was, "the drums are too loud". This person obviously didn't "get it". Was it loud? Possibly, depends on where you sit and your ear's definition of loud. I thought it was great. Not because of the volume but because I "get it".

Praise the Lord for students who love to worship him. The card would have accomplished more for the kingdom if it read, "It's obvious those students love worshipping God with the talents and skills He has given them."

In a time in the church where students are walking away from the church upon graduation it is great to see students connecting to the church through ministry, serving. Students who sit on the sideline are more likely to fade away after graduation or even when they get their drivers license. Ministry, serving God, is like a glue. A glue that Christian parents need to teach their kids by example.

So when we want to comment perhaps we should step back and look at the bigger picture make a comment that will further the kingdom rather than criticize it.

Life is Busy

It feels like I have been on a fast rocket ride for the past few weeks. My "part time" job with Tubbs has taken off. The staff at NHC decided, with the elders approval, to take on part time jobs to help with the budget during this recession.

Along with Tubbs is my real job. We have recently moved Contagious to the beach for the summer. We love having youth group at the largest church swimming pool in the world. This summer we have Jacob, our summer intern from LU, on the teaming helping us minister to students. Jacob and I will be sharing the Contagious Bible study writing and teaching this summer. I hope this is a great learning experience for him.

We have Impact Outer Banks, a week long mission project, with several churches involved in a little more than a week from now. A few weeks after Impact is Student Life Camp. So lots of planning and work in a part time setting. I'm getting a taste of what the bi-vocational youth pastor goes through.

Time is flying! This summer my oldest turns 6!! Our twins are growing and are fully mobile which keeps momma and I hoppin. They are such a blast and love their big brother.

Learning to balance and prioritize all this is good for me. I look forward to the learning experience this summer. Have you noticed lately that life is busy?

Sticking Around

There is the old statistic that youth pastors don't stick around for longer than 18 months. I think that statistic is pretty much shot and not sure of the new one but I know it is much longer. Some youth pastors still don't stick around for very long at one church. Sometimes due to the church, some churches like to chew up and spit out their staff, often that's due to a very small (around 7) amount of disgruntled and power hungry members. Sometimes youth pastors don't stick around because they jumped in with both feet without first checking the water. Probably should have asked the question, "Is this church a fit for me and God's will for me?" I have heard some quit because of the finances, not getting paid enough, yet they knew the pay package before signing on. (I have heard of a few who took the job without even asking about the pay. Crazy! You have to know what it takes to support your family). Some churches go through youth pastors like a kid goes through candy in a Pez dispenser. Some youth pastors go through churches like a kids goes through candy in a Pez dispenser.

One youth pastor friend told me "I think my calling is to start youth ministry and then leave to start another one." Problem was he didn't stay long enough to build a healthy structure for the ministry to keep ticking along after he left. It's easy to get addicted to the honeymoon period.

It's hard as a youth pastor to follow a youth pastor who only stuck it out for a couple of years. Just about the time the students start to click and open up and build that relationship the bond is cut off.

How long should a youth pastor stay at a church? As long as God wants him to stay.

This weekend I get to watch another batch of seniors graduate. For some of them I have been there only youth pastor, some have even had the same youth ministry team members serving them their entire middle and high school career.

While I know that God does move us sometimes to where he wants us I'm not sure that it is God's will for us to move every 18 months, 2 years, 4 or even 5 years. I know it's different in each case but I think there is something to be said for consistency and familiarity. I'm not the best youth pastor, I still have much to learn in working with students and their parents. But I feel like sticking around and watching kids go through middle then high school and then watch them graduate is a great thing in youth ministry. They won't remember the Bible studies but will remember the relationships with their youth ministry team.

How long will I be at Nags Head Church? I hope and pray until I retire. How long will I be a youth pastor? As long as I'm effective and can lead. I hope I get to see next fall's batch of 6th graders walk across the platform on their graduation day from high school. I'll be 50!! That's stinking old.

When a Leader Falls

Over the past several years the marriages of several couples who I looked up to and respected have come to an end. I know of only two who saved their marriages by offering forgiveness, grace and mercy. I have also experienced some of the leaders I looked up to, some I knew personally, make huge mistakes (sins), big enough to pull them out of their leadership roles.

Today I have a heavy heart and am burdened. I'm tired of watching my friends drop like flies. I'm sick of the enemies victory in their marriages and their lives. I needed some good reminders so I dug up an article I wrote a few years ago. If you have a heavy heart perhaps you will find some good reminders here:

When a Leader Falls

It seems more and more we here of spiritual leaders falling morally. In the time we live in news travels fast. Maybe there aren’t more leaders falling, maybe we hear about it because we live in the “information age”.

Devastation, heart break, disappointment, sorrow, grieving, disillusioned, faith shaking, these are some of the emotions and feelings we may experience when someone we look up to as a spiritual leader falls morally. How do we respond to these situations? What do we do? How do we treat the leader who has fallen? What do we do with what he or she has taught us? How do we filter through the feelings and emotions?

The first thing we must do is go to God’s Word. The Bible has to be the foundation for every situation we face in life. His Word is where our roots should run deep. What does the Bible have to say?

• Everyone sins
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
As believers we must remember that every one of us has sinned. Not only have we sinned in the past we will also sin again. There was only one who lived a perfect life and He was the Son of God. The danger we fall into as Christians is that we often put spiritual leaders we look up to on a pedestal; we almost take their humanness away from them. Spiritual leaders, no matter how “great” they may be, still sin. So the fact that a leader sins shouldn’t shock us, it should grieve us just as we should be grieved when we sin.

• Sin traps and destroys
Ephesians 4:27
and do not give the devil a foothold.

Being tempted is not a sin but giving into the temptation is. When a believer gives into temptation he has opened the door for Satan to get a grip on an area in his life. No Christian is above this taking place in his life. That is why it is so important that we guard our hearts, minds and lives. Believers are human and humans are tempted and sadly, humans sin. Sin can trap a believer; certain sins can easily become habitual sins in the life of a believer.

I Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour

The devil isn’t prowling around looking to destroy the lives of unbelievers; he already has them in his grip. Satan’s goal is to destroy our lives. In doing so he destroys our testimonies and the impact we can have on others. Public sin has a far ranging impact and affect on those around us.

As we put spiritual leaders up on a pedestal, we forget that they are human just like us. We forget that Satan is out to get a foothold in their lives and destroy them as well. They are not super heroes that are not influenced by the devil’s tempting. They can be trapped and destroyed just as easily as any believer. If the devil tempted Jesus Christ, the Son of God, why wouldn’t he tempt spiritual leaders today?

Psalms 7:15
He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made.

• Confession and Repentance are vital to restoration
I John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Our prayer should be that when a spiritual leader sins that the leader would go to God first and confess his sin and repent. To confess is to agree with God that sin committed is indeed a sin. To repent is to turn away from the sin. If the sin was one that is made public or becomes known publicly he should also confess to his brothers and sisters in the Lord, to openly confess. This open confession is evidence that indeed the leader has come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and can help heal any wounds caused by the sin. No Christian can be in a right relationship with God unless there has been confession and repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:9
yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.

• God’s Word is still God’s Word

“If this spiritual leader that I looked up to falls morally how can I believe anything that the leader has taught me?”
It boils down to this: Even though the leader may have messed up, God’s Word is still God’s Word. God’s Word is unchanging. The leader’s message is validated by whether or not it comes from the Bible. If the message is from God’s Word then truth is taught. If God can speak through a donkey He can certainly deliver His message through an imperfect leader.

Isaiah 55:11
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Numbers 22:29
Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

Psalms 33:4
For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

• Focus on Christ not on Man
As Christians we are disciples, followers of Christ. As children we played the game “follow the leader”. In this game you needed to keep your focus on the leader and not on the person in front of you. Your goal was to copy the leader. As followers of Christ, He is our leader, the one on whom we should put our focus. Jesus Christ will never let us down. It is impossible for Jesus to fail. When we focus on man we will be constantly let down because man is imperfect. We look up to spiritual leaders but ultimately we need to focus more on Christ than the spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders who are following Christ would tell you to not focus on them but to focus on Christ.

Most Christians have had a spiritual leader who has made a significant impact or influence on their life. This impact or influence is the result of God’s work - God’s Word, using the leader. When a leader falls it doesn’t negate or cancel out the commitment or decision made in the Christian’s life. The commitment was made with God and not with the leader.

Challenging Ideas Part 1

Last Friday I attended the Whiteboards with the staff from NHC. The whole purpose was to get some fresh and challenging ideas from church leaders. Here are some of the things that I wrote down from the different speakers:

How to make sure that what we do matters - Jonathon Falwell
I Peter 5 - Pride and Grace
>Be Who You Are. Don't be busy trying to wear someone else's armor (reference to David an Goliath) Know who you are and accept who you are and be who you are.
>Be What You Are. As a minister of grace you cannot fail. God never calls you to do something that he doesn't equip you to be successful.
>Pride and grace can never co-exist.
>Pride and organizational ministry will stifle your ministry.
> I Peter 5:10. It's going to be tough.

Impact Outer Banks

Registration deadline is June 1st.