You've been asking for it! Here is the video of the Scripture that our youth made! It was used last Sunday at youth Sunday worship! Enjoy ...
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Initiative
This coming Sunday is youth Sunday at Zion! The youth will be leading all aspects of the worship services that day and have been planning and preparing for the opportunity to do so. At the beginning of the school year, our student leadership team picked a theme of “Gone Fishin’!” So all school year, at youth group, we’ve been studying stories of the Bible that have to do with fishing, fishermen, boats, or fish. Even our yellow youth group t-shirt for this year reflects our theme with a Guy Harvey print of the “Old Man.”
The primary piece of Scripture that the youth will be using for youth Sunday is the story of Peter walking on the water from Matthew 14. The theme for the worship service is “Initiative: Peter Got Out of the Boat.” Kara Kleckley, our youth group president is preaching at both worship services. So, I’ve been digging through the Scripture trying to look at it from all angles and help her prepare her sermon. In most everything I’ve read online and in my commentaries, I’ve noticed something! Peter sure does get a bad rap. Poor guy!
Almost everything I read commented that if only Peter would have kept his eye on Jesus, imagine what could have happened! But I say kudos to Peter for even stepping out of the boat in the first place! I can only imagine how scary putting the first leg over must have been for Peter. Can’t you? It was the middle of the night and there was a storm raging around the boat. Hello … who in their right mind would do that?
Who would do that … I think that is the whole point of the story. Through this story, Jesus calls you and I to step out of the boat, too. But many times, we are like the 11 other disciples who you notice didn’t step out of the boat. We stay seated on our comfortable little “boats” and never step into the “stormy” waters and have faith enough that Jesus will keep us from “drowning.”
This is a huge challenge for leaders (paid and volunteer) in youth ministry! On a regular basis, we should be encouraging today’s youth to step out of their comfort zones. But, we first have to set the example of stepping out of ours. How can we expect someone else to do something that we are not willing to try ourselves?
This is why I think things like youth mission trips and projects (in and out of our own communities) are important. This is why allowing youth to serve in leadership roles in the church and at school (and at home) is important. This is why volunteering to teach Sunday school or chaperone a youth lock-in all night even though we don’t want to get up early on Sunday or think we are too old to stay up all night, are important!
Notice, Jesus never said it would be easy to step out of the boat and walk on the water. But, he did say “Come!” So … Come!
The primary piece of Scripture that the youth will be using for youth Sunday is the story of Peter walking on the water from Matthew 14. The theme for the worship service is “Initiative: Peter Got Out of the Boat.” Kara Kleckley, our youth group president is preaching at both worship services. So, I’ve been digging through the Scripture trying to look at it from all angles and help her prepare her sermon. In most everything I’ve read online and in my commentaries, I’ve noticed something! Peter sure does get a bad rap. Poor guy!
Almost everything I read commented that if only Peter would have kept his eye on Jesus, imagine what could have happened! But I say kudos to Peter for even stepping out of the boat in the first place! I can only imagine how scary putting the first leg over must have been for Peter. Can’t you? It was the middle of the night and there was a storm raging around the boat. Hello … who in their right mind would do that?
Who would do that … I think that is the whole point of the story. Through this story, Jesus calls you and I to step out of the boat, too. But many times, we are like the 11 other disciples who you notice didn’t step out of the boat. We stay seated on our comfortable little “boats” and never step into the “stormy” waters and have faith enough that Jesus will keep us from “drowning.”
This is a huge challenge for leaders (paid and volunteer) in youth ministry! On a regular basis, we should be encouraging today’s youth to step out of their comfort zones. But, we first have to set the example of stepping out of ours. How can we expect someone else to do something that we are not willing to try ourselves?
This is why I think things like youth mission trips and projects (in and out of our own communities) are important. This is why allowing youth to serve in leadership roles in the church and at school (and at home) is important. This is why volunteering to teach Sunday school or chaperone a youth lock-in all night even though we don’t want to get up early on Sunday or think we are too old to stay up all night, are important!
Notice, Jesus never said it would be easy to step out of the boat and walk on the water. But, he did say “Come!” So … Come!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Youth Questions Video: How To handle Stress
It's official ... I'm a youtube advice giver! :)
Seriously, I am honored to be able to share some words about stress in this video put together by Tim Schmoyer of Youth Questions! Basically, youth submit these questions and Tim compiles "advice" from adults who work with youth into one wonderful video!
You can check them out by going to any of these sites:
http://www.facebook.com/youthquestions
http://www.youtube.com/youthquestions
http://twitter.com/youthquestions
http://www.formspring.me/youthquestions
Here is the video on stress that I got to be a part of!!
Seriously, I am honored to be able to share some words about stress in this video put together by Tim Schmoyer of Youth Questions! Basically, youth submit these questions and Tim compiles "advice" from adults who work with youth into one wonderful video!
You can check them out by going to any of these sites:
http://www.facebook.com/youthquestions
http://www.youtube.com/youthquestions
http://twitter.com/youthquestions
http://www.formspring.me/youthquestions
Here is the video on stress that I got to be a part of!!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Virus Attack
So, last week, my computer finally crashed. Actually, I knew it was happening … but for a little over a week, I tried to pretend like it wasn’t and just kept using it. For example, I couldn’t send email right away … I had to create and send the email, log out of outlook, re-start the computer, re-open outlook and then it might go through! And in the midst of that, most days, the screen would go black and I’d have to turn the computer off for a while before I could use it again. It was most frustrating and very non-productive!
According to the Geek Squad, I had 87 viruses and a display driver issue which kept causing my screen to go black. And what’s worse - I have Norton Anti-Virus on my computer, too! I thought it was set up to run regular scans and so I never tried to open it and double check periodically to see that all was well! Come to find out, I guess the viruses were causing it not to update or prevent others from attacking! Not cool.
With all this extra forced “down” time last week, I got to thinking! I was catching up on some reading about postmodernism and the millennial generation as I realized, this computer infestation and breakdown was comparable to a teen’s (or anyone for that matter but for this post, I will focus on teens) relationship with God!
Like the computer, an infestation (i.e. sin, guilt, stress, broken relationships, peer pressure, etc.) can happen in a youth’s life and they may not even realize the damage going on “behind the scenes” because of it until the breakdown happens. This easily happens when the youth of today don’t deal with the infestation or have a mentor or a parent around who might help!
There’s no denying that today’s teens are the busiest generation ever with the most influences ever (i.e. media). And, I think pretty much all postmodern and millennial experts would agree that the world has changed, teens have changed, and their responses to our (the church) past programs have even changed on a broad scale. I read something that said teens today just don’t have the time to and won’t be a part of programs that don’t meet their needs. And, there are hundreds of articles about how often times, we (the church at large) aren’t do much to adapt to this generation.
In addition to business, one characteristic of postmodernism is that morality is personal. One post-modern philosopher thinks: “morality is seen as each person’s private code of ethics without the need to follow traditional values and rules.” I say, who better than the church to step in and mentor (youth AND their parents) and have an influence on this personal ethic development!
I, for one, don’t want to become irrelevant in having a potential impact on teenager’s personal ethics! I hope that someday, someone will do that for my son! But to me, it’s sort of like the resistance that a virus can develop to an anti-biotic. Over time, the medicine just won’t make a difference in fighting against the infestation if we don’t adapt and renew the medicine.
Now, I’m not saying that I think we ought to run out and make a bazillion changes to our programs or create new ones without thinking and visioning and praying this through. But I am saying, that I don’t want us to become irrelevant in the lives of teens either. I think churches and youth leaders must work together to find a happy medium for the sake of the youth of our world.
According to the Geek Squad, I had 87 viruses and a display driver issue which kept causing my screen to go black. And what’s worse - I have Norton Anti-Virus on my computer, too! I thought it was set up to run regular scans and so I never tried to open it and double check periodically to see that all was well! Come to find out, I guess the viruses were causing it not to update or prevent others from attacking! Not cool.
With all this extra forced “down” time last week, I got to thinking! I was catching up on some reading about postmodernism and the millennial generation as I realized, this computer infestation and breakdown was comparable to a teen’s (or anyone for that matter but for this post, I will focus on teens) relationship with God!
Like the computer, an infestation (i.e. sin, guilt, stress, broken relationships, peer pressure, etc.) can happen in a youth’s life and they may not even realize the damage going on “behind the scenes” because of it until the breakdown happens. This easily happens when the youth of today don’t deal with the infestation or have a mentor or a parent around who might help!
There’s no denying that today’s teens are the busiest generation ever with the most influences ever (i.e. media). And, I think pretty much all postmodern and millennial experts would agree that the world has changed, teens have changed, and their responses to our (the church) past programs have even changed on a broad scale. I read something that said teens today just don’t have the time to and won’t be a part of programs that don’t meet their needs. And, there are hundreds of articles about how often times, we (the church at large) aren’t do much to adapt to this generation.
In addition to business, one characteristic of postmodernism is that morality is personal. One post-modern philosopher thinks: “morality is seen as each person’s private code of ethics without the need to follow traditional values and rules.” I say, who better than the church to step in and mentor (youth AND their parents) and have an influence on this personal ethic development!
I, for one, don’t want to become irrelevant in having a potential impact on teenager’s personal ethics! I hope that someday, someone will do that for my son! But to me, it’s sort of like the resistance that a virus can develop to an anti-biotic. Over time, the medicine just won’t make a difference in fighting against the infestation if we don’t adapt and renew the medicine.
Now, I’m not saying that I think we ought to run out and make a bazillion changes to our programs or create new ones without thinking and visioning and praying this through. But I am saying, that I don’t want us to become irrelevant in the lives of teens either. I think churches and youth leaders must work together to find a happy medium for the sake of the youth of our world.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Lenten Prayer Friend Project
Each year, our youth participate in a special Lenten project that anonymously pairs them with an adult in our congregation! For the 40 (ish) days of Lent, that adult prays for the youth and then they meet close to the end of Lent to get to know one another a little better!
At the luncheon last week, we showed this video! It is a compilation of quotes and "interviews" from participants in the project. Thanks to all who were a part of the project!
At the luncheon last week, we showed this video! It is a compilation of quotes and "interviews" from participants in the project. Thanks to all who were a part of the project!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Good Friday
"They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered
in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to
carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right
way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you
were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the
Shepherd of your souls."
This piece of Scripture comes from 1 Peter 2 (The Message version) and I love it. It reminds me that Good Friday was not a "good" day for Jesus but became a "great" day for me. But, it also makes me think!
I so do not deserve what Jesus did for me.
Jesus = so innocent, so humble, so loving.
Me = so selfish, so greedy, so imperfect.
Thinking along these lines this Good Friday, I came across a sermon that Martin Luther published in 1519. It was called "A Good Friday Sermon on How to Contemplate Christ's Holy Sufferings." I know it seems difficult to relate to something written over 500 years ago, but it actually makes a lot of sense if you dig through it!
There is one part of the sermon that I find extremely compelling! Martin Luther basically says that where one thorn in the crown of thorns pierces Christ, more than a thousand thorns should pierce me (and even more painfully at that). Luther says that where one nail is driven through Christ's hands and feet, I should eternally suffer the same (and even more painfully). That is what I deserve becuase I allow a seperation between myself and my relationship with God. That's what sin is, afterall, anything that seperates me from God. But, thankfully, I don't have to suffer this as Christ already endured it on my behalf! So, why don't I celebrate and give thanks for this fact more?
And then there is this verse from Romans 8:38-39. It says "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
So in the end and because of Good Friday, there is nothing that I can do (EVER) to make Christ not love me, nor God turn from me. There is no thought I could have, no action I could do, no statement I could make, no punch I could throw that would make me any less loveable in God's eyes! And that truly is GOOD news because (let's face it) I am not perfect and I am going to mess up! Could I do a better job at many things in my life like my attitudes, generosity, praise and thanksgiving? Absolutely. But even when I don't do life well and screw things up, God remains by my side, sometimes carrying me through it, and there is nothing I can do to make God ever be willing to leave my side. I might turn away from God, but God NEVER turns away from me. Again, that is GOOOOOOOD news!
This Good Friday, I am challenged to be more thankful for the suffering that Christ endured on my behalf and his never-ending faithfulness to me.
in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to
carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right
way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you
were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the
Shepherd of your souls."
This piece of Scripture comes from 1 Peter 2 (The Message version) and I love it. It reminds me that Good Friday was not a "good" day for Jesus but became a "great" day for me. But, it also makes me think!
I so do not deserve what Jesus did for me.
Jesus = so innocent, so humble, so loving.
Me = so selfish, so greedy, so imperfect.
Thinking along these lines this Good Friday, I came across a sermon that Martin Luther published in 1519. It was called "A Good Friday Sermon on How to Contemplate Christ's Holy Sufferings." I know it seems difficult to relate to something written over 500 years ago, but it actually makes a lot of sense if you dig through it!
There is one part of the sermon that I find extremely compelling! Martin Luther basically says that where one thorn in the crown of thorns pierces Christ, more than a thousand thorns should pierce me (and even more painfully at that). Luther says that where one nail is driven through Christ's hands and feet, I should eternally suffer the same (and even more painfully). That is what I deserve becuase I allow a seperation between myself and my relationship with God. That's what sin is, afterall, anything that seperates me from God. But, thankfully, I don't have to suffer this as Christ already endured it on my behalf! So, why don't I celebrate and give thanks for this fact more?
And then there is this verse from Romans 8:38-39. It says "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
So in the end and because of Good Friday, there is nothing that I can do (EVER) to make Christ not love me, nor God turn from me. There is no thought I could have, no action I could do, no statement I could make, no punch I could throw that would make me any less loveable in God's eyes! And that truly is GOOD news because (let's face it) I am not perfect and I am going to mess up! Could I do a better job at many things in my life like my attitudes, generosity, praise and thanksgiving? Absolutely. But even when I don't do life well and screw things up, God remains by my side, sometimes carrying me through it, and there is nothing I can do to make God ever be willing to leave my side. I might turn away from God, but God NEVER turns away from me. Again, that is GOOOOOOOD news!
This Good Friday, I am challenged to be more thankful for the suffering that Christ endured on my behalf and his never-ending faithfulness to me.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Simple, simple, focus!
This morning while I was reading a journal article on post-modern youth ministry, I read this statement:
“It is not unusual to have inspiration come from a rather mundane moment in life.”
How, true. How true! I’m constantly trying to see / hear / experience God in the everyday. I can’t imagine how many times I must miss God! But, this week-end was one such example for me of being challenged by the everyday! About 6 months ago, my husband’s children moved with their mom to Ohio from South Carolina. This week-end, I traveled with my hubby to Smithville, Ohio to pick up his children and bring them back to South Carolina for their spring break! We left Thursday night around 8:00pm and traveled about half of the 9 and ½ hour trip! On Friday, we made our way through Ohio …. the heart of Amish country, actually. Out of the 11.5 million residents of Ohio, about 58,500 of them are Amish (according to one website I saw). And, we were traveling through the heart of Amish country (the almost triangle shaped area between I-77, I-70, and I-71). Check out this google map of the area:
I was enamored by several things from the experience of making our way down Route 250through Wilmot and Mt. Eaton and over to Wooster. First of all, it was snowing (not sticking) for some of the trip which was exciting because I LOVE snow! Second, the amount of horse poop on the side of the road caught me off guard. I’m not being flip, it really did! The reason it was overwhelming was because, at first, I couldn’t figure out what it was. We were in the middle of now where …. literally – farm houses from time to time but no businesses or people! Then, out of nowhere, we passed a horse pulling a cart with a sweet Amish man inside. He was heading in the direction of the town we had just passed through. It turns out that on either side of the road, in this area, there is a special lane just for the horse and buggies. Hence the copious amounts of horse poop. I even read an article online that said there are more horses than people who live in Amish country … stunning!
And then we began to see these signs … you know like the deer crossing or warning signs we see here in South Carolina?! It seemed comical at the time. But looking on it now, I am impressed with how inclusive the local government is of the Amish people.
The deeper into Amish country we got, the more I was caught off guard. The next thing I knew there were tourist attraction signs … they looked similar to like a rest stop or Interstate exit kinds of signs. The sign would say at the top: “Tourist Attraction” and then below would list the miles and direction to everything Amish in the area - restaurant, gifts shops, cheese stores, or furniture businesses. I struggled with # 1 - why these people and their businesses are a tourist attraction and # 2 - with wondering how much money the Amish make from attracting tourists.
Finally, I feel like I was nudged by God at the simplicity of the Amish life in today’s society. Until I did some further reading online, I guess I didn’t realize their rich history. I do think that the boundaries they draw are a lesson for us all! Of course, most of us know the Amish for their simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. I’ve, naturally, been thinking more about simplicity in my life because of the practice of silence I’ve included for my Lenten practices! So to learn the prohibitions or limitations on the use of power-line electricity, telephones and automobiles, as well as regulations on clothing of the Amish intrigues me! How less complicated this way of life seems!
As I think through this topic of simplicity, I think about Paul and his writing in 2 Corinthians 11:3 about the simplicity of our love for God … and how easily we are lured away from it (just as the serpent did with Eve). And, I challenge you to think about the Old Testament King – Jotham. In one sermon I heard, he was portrayed as the king of simplicity. In fact, in 2 Chronicles 27 - we read that his one, constant, uncomplicated focus was to please his God. It’s a VERY short chapter; I would encourage you to read it here.
Notice .... everything written about King Jotham in that 27th chapter is positive. The challenge from this Biblical example and from my example of the simplicity of Amish people becomes to consider our focus! Especially, this becomes important, I think, when we feel bogged down by life or stressed. Of course, the temptations of life lure us away, including stress and busy-ness!
So, just what is your focus? Only you can answer that! As teenagers, I’m guessing our youth would answer that their focus is school, friends, family. And I pray that God and serving others would fit in there somewhere for the teens I encounter in youth ministry weekly (after all, that is what I am trying to teach)! So the challenge then becomes our focus on God …. is it constant, like Jotham? If not, can it be? Your focus on your friends, your popularity status/struggles, your self-image, your athletic ability, your study habits, what others think of you – those are all constants in our lives! Remember, our lives bear the evidence of our focus!
“It is not unusual to have inspiration come from a rather mundane moment in life.”
How, true. How true! I’m constantly trying to see / hear / experience God in the everyday. I can’t imagine how many times I must miss God! But, this week-end was one such example for me of being challenged by the everyday! About 6 months ago, my husband’s children moved with their mom to Ohio from South Carolina. This week-end, I traveled with my hubby to Smithville, Ohio to pick up his children and bring them back to South Carolina for their spring break! We left Thursday night around 8:00pm and traveled about half of the 9 and ½ hour trip! On Friday, we made our way through Ohio …. the heart of Amish country, actually. Out of the 11.5 million residents of Ohio, about 58,500 of them are Amish (according to one website I saw). And, we were traveling through the heart of Amish country (the almost triangle shaped area between I-77, I-70, and I-71). Check out this google map of the area:
I was enamored by several things from the experience of making our way down Route 250through Wilmot and Mt. Eaton and over to Wooster. First of all, it was snowing (not sticking) for some of the trip which was exciting because I LOVE snow! Second, the amount of horse poop on the side of the road caught me off guard. I’m not being flip, it really did! The reason it was overwhelming was because, at first, I couldn’t figure out what it was. We were in the middle of now where …. literally – farm houses from time to time but no businesses or people! Then, out of nowhere, we passed a horse pulling a cart with a sweet Amish man inside. He was heading in the direction of the town we had just passed through. It turns out that on either side of the road, in this area, there is a special lane just for the horse and buggies. Hence the copious amounts of horse poop. I even read an article online that said there are more horses than people who live in Amish country … stunning!
And then we began to see these signs … you know like the deer crossing or warning signs we see here in South Carolina?! It seemed comical at the time. But looking on it now, I am impressed with how inclusive the local government is of the Amish people.
The deeper into Amish country we got, the more I was caught off guard. The next thing I knew there were tourist attraction signs … they looked similar to like a rest stop or Interstate exit kinds of signs. The sign would say at the top: “Tourist Attraction” and then below would list the miles and direction to everything Amish in the area - restaurant, gifts shops, cheese stores, or furniture businesses. I struggled with # 1 - why these people and their businesses are a tourist attraction and # 2 - with wondering how much money the Amish make from attracting tourists.
Finally, I feel like I was nudged by God at the simplicity of the Amish life in today’s society. Until I did some further reading online, I guess I didn’t realize their rich history. I do think that the boundaries they draw are a lesson for us all! Of course, most of us know the Amish for their simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. I’ve, naturally, been thinking more about simplicity in my life because of the practice of silence I’ve included for my Lenten practices! So to learn the prohibitions or limitations on the use of power-line electricity, telephones and automobiles, as well as regulations on clothing of the Amish intrigues me! How less complicated this way of life seems!
As I think through this topic of simplicity, I think about Paul and his writing in 2 Corinthians 11:3 about the simplicity of our love for God … and how easily we are lured away from it (just as the serpent did with Eve). And, I challenge you to think about the Old Testament King – Jotham. In one sermon I heard, he was portrayed as the king of simplicity. In fact, in 2 Chronicles 27 - we read that his one, constant, uncomplicated focus was to please his God. It’s a VERY short chapter; I would encourage you to read it here.
Notice .... everything written about King Jotham in that 27th chapter is positive. The challenge from this Biblical example and from my example of the simplicity of Amish people becomes to consider our focus! Especially, this becomes important, I think, when we feel bogged down by life or stressed. Of course, the temptations of life lure us away, including stress and busy-ness!
So, just what is your focus? Only you can answer that! As teenagers, I’m guessing our youth would answer that their focus is school, friends, family. And I pray that God and serving others would fit in there somewhere for the teens I encounter in youth ministry weekly (after all, that is what I am trying to teach)! So the challenge then becomes our focus on God …. is it constant, like Jotham? If not, can it be? Your focus on your friends, your popularity status/struggles, your self-image, your athletic ability, your study habits, what others think of you – those are all constants in our lives! Remember, our lives bear the evidence of our focus!
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