Last Night at Contagious

So we have started something new. Last night for the second week in a row we did both Hang Time and our Bible study time all in the auditorium. We moved the chairs out. Set up the cornhole and ping pong as well as many tables with games for Hang Time. It is fun all being in the same room together for Hang Time instead of spread out through the lobby and balcony. (hopefully a taste of what our new youth room will be like)

Our lesson was all about not being fake with God. Makes no sense. God knows us better than anyone. It's time to be honest with God and strive to keep that connection with him strong so we are producing good fruit.

We had a couple of guests last night. One was a return guest from the week before and the other was the result of a conversation a certain hot dog caterer had with him at lacrosse.

Our youth worship band, Contagious, led worship last night up the road in Kitty Hawk at their youth night for their spring revival services. John Cash from WAVY 10 was the guest preacher. I hear the band did a great job. It was their first outing away from our youth group and church.

Spiritual Formation

Ultimately God will hold me, as my kids' daddy, responsible for their spiritual formation. The spiritual instruction they receive has to come from me. It is not their kids' church teachers responsibility or their youth leaders responsibility. God will not hold me accountable as a youth pastor for the spiritual formation of other believer's children. He will hold me accountable as a pastor and my role and duties (equipping the saints for ministry).

The trap that many Christian parents have fallen into is the idea of "I'll take my kid to church and they can learn about God there." The other side of the spectrum is the "I don't want to force this on my kids." Both are unhealthy approaches. So as a parent what is my responsibility? Deuteronomy 6

• Love God with everything I've got
• Know God's Word (be a student of the Bible)
• Be a positive example of God's Word
• Impress God's Word on my kids' hearts (the idea of sealing their hearts)
• Talk about God and His Word in our everyday life
• Center our home on God

The earlier we start this in our children's life the easier it is to carry through life, even into their teen years. At NHC each week our kids go home with a map book that they can work together with their parents on. The wise parent takes advantage of this fantastic tool.

For parents of teens who have not been doing this it will take extra effort to get this going at home. Each week I e-mail parents some scripture and discussion questions for them to read and talk about with their kids during the week. This discipleship devotion ties in with our lesson on Sunday nights at Contagious. If parents do this with their teen they are laying a foundation that gets reinforced at Contagious.

So how are you doing in the spiritual formation in your child's life?

My Annual St. Patrick's Day Post

Good Article for Youth Leaders

pleasing pushy parents

The phone in my office has a little red light. It’s small and not really an important feature of the phone. Actually the phone works just ...

No Turf Wars

Today I met with young Rich at lunch. Rich used to be a youth in our youth group and now Rich and his wife, Lauren (also formerly an NHC youth and Rich married way out of his league), and now both serve on our YM Team at NHC. Rich and I met to discuss some youth ministry as well as just to eat. We went to The Pit for lunch, tuesdays are dollar tacos all day, and they are well worth the money.

Across the room was another youth pastor and a friend. We stopped and said "Hi". Later the waitress brought us our receipt, not bill. There was a note on the back:
"Jesus paid the price for us!
Jamie and I paid for your lunch . . .
Just trying to be like Jesus!"

A great blessing to young Rich and I. It's cool to be blessed by other Christians, especially some from another church.

Too often in youth ministries there are "turf wars" between churches. Churches who get to wrapped up in the numbers game rather than being concerned about expanding the kingdom. It's nice to be able to be in a community where we most churches don't have that attitude or are in the business of sheep stealing. What these two gentlemen did for me at lunch was more than just feeding me a great lunch. They showed me their philosophy of ministry and mission. Super cool!

What Happens in The Green Room May Not Stay in The Green Room

Student Life Camp

Happy to Suffer

and they called the apostles back in. They had them beaten with a whip and warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go. The apostles left the council and were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus. (Acts 5:41-42)

How happy would you be if you suffered for Christ. Here in America we aren't beaten for our faith in Christ, we aren't tortured for what we believe. At times we run into some who are hostile towards Christianity, so in turn they can be hostile towards us. Our response can be either to have a pity party for ourselves or to be like the apostles and be happy.

If we suffer anything for our faith it's a good thing. At least someone is taking notice.

Stereotypes

Let me start off by saying I was convicted and cleaned my desk.
I had a goatee before youth pastors began to grow facial hair.
I don't play video games because I stink at video games.
I'm not cool nor do I dress cool.
I have never lost the church van, but I did lose a kid once. (we found him chasing the van as we were leaving the parking lot)

Great Youth Ministry Tips

Killer Youth Ministry Tips from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

Where Do I Belong?

Last night we kicked off a new series, "All of my belongings".

Ever been part of an organization, a team, a club, a group and still feel all alone?

That's what we tackled last night. We looked at the World's view of this. All the world can offer is cravings. Those cravings leave us wanting more but never finding true satisfaction. Basically all the world leaves us with is this fear of loneliness.

The Bible's response is the fact that we belong, as followers of Christ, to God. We are to love God and to love others. We love others as we love ourselves. Perhaps the reason that some youth groups and churches struggle with truly loving others as Christ did is because we have youth groups and churches filled with folks who don't love themselves.

This year, 2010, Contagious Youth will be really working on loving others and showing mercy as Christ did. I strongly believe that if we do this successfully our church will be packed with students because there are a lot of students out there searching to find where they belong.

Next week: I belong to God