Sleepless-Scoremore

The warning to our students is: Failure to stay up may result in a serious loss of action. There's a website - Sleepless-Scoremore.

Spring is coming. Spring break is coming. WARNING! May the Spirit of God give our students the wisdom to heed the warning of Jesus over the warning of TAG.

"28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

Adding the word friend

Today I attended a memorial service at our church and God spoke to my heart. A wonderful man of God in our church passed away due to brain cancer and his son said something today that I will never forget...I am summarizing his words,

"My dad was my dad, but he was also my friend."

Yes! My heart jumped. I can't wait for the day I get to add the word friend to my relationship with my children. I can't wait for this to happen!

Do as I say, not as I do

Thanks to Kristen for pointing me to this article, "Madonna Tells 10-Year-Old Daughter Lourdes to Wear Less Sexy Clothes."

Do as I say - Madonna to her daughter,

"'Can't you wear something else? ...And please wear a belt because I don't want to see your butt crack when you bend over."

Not as I do

I want to criticize her, but I've done the same thing (not wear the above outfit) and will do it again (tell my kids one thing and then do what I told them not to do). It's true for Madonna and for me, our kids reveal who we really are.

Bly & Bailey - Oh Yeah!

Simply put, the Denver Broncos will have the most feared corners in the league with their acquistion of Bly from Detroit yesterday. Oh yeah!

He's going to look so much better in the orange and blue!

Now we need a running back and a d lineman. My picks are Adrain Peterson and Adam Karricker in the draft.

I like to dream!

Blomberg on the Bones

Dr. Craig Blomberg has an excellent article on the Denver Seminary website about the recent news of the Savior's bones having been discovered, "Did They Really Find Jesus’ Bones?"

This is an awesome read and it's something our students should be reading so they have information as they interact with their friends at school. Thanks Dr. B!

Icy conditions...whatever!

A couple of weeks ago I challenged our students to think hard about Hebrews 10:24-25,

"24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

It snowed yesterday. The roads were extremely icy. Icy conditions DID exist. A lot of our students chose not to let those conditions stand in the way of our meeting. They showed up. For some, the trek was too difficult as there were accidents EVERYWHERE. We missed them and understand their frustration. One of our leaders, Julie, spent over 30 minutes in her car traveling less than a mile before she turned around! As I was hanging out in our cafe' before we started I heard a student proclaim, "Hey, I had to get here tonight! I am not giving up meeting together!"

We only have seven weeks left before we take our summer break in our small group ministry with these students. It's a privilege to be a part of a community students that wants to be together for the purpose of spiritual formation!

Senior study & Planting in my kids

I just ushered out 6 seniors from my house who stayed 2 hours after our official "ending time." We are in our 2nd week of our 8 week Senior Study which is at my house. My heart is so full of joy. Doing this study has reminded me about why I am in student ministry, discipling students. I love studying theology with them. I love having half of them stay around for 2 hours extra hours in my family room talking about worship, their families, college, and "whatever else comes up." Tonight we spent a ton of time dealing with Christology. We read from of The Imitation of Christ, we talked about the Hypostatic Union and the Kenosis, laughed and ate together. It was awesome to see them wrestling with how their Christology is going to affect the way they choose to live in College.

The best part about this study is that it is at my house. Julie and my kids get to be here. I love serving with my wife. I love having my kids around. We broke open the Bible tonight and immediately the boys wanted their new Bibles they got for Christmas. It was so cool to see them WANTING to participate. I looked down and they were thumbing through the pages as we were pouring over the passages dealing with the Hypostatic Union. At one point, while Hannah was speaking, Noah put his Bible down and leaned forward and was listening to her. My kids are watching. I'm glad they are. It's overwhelming for me tonight to think that in some small way the Class of 2007 is going to be part of my son's spiritual heritage. Sure they are young, but I'll never pass up an opportunity to have a seed planted in the hearts of my children.

Happy Birthday Adah

One year ago today I went from the burial of a friend's mom to the hospital and God blessed us with our beautiful addition! Your are amazing girl! We love you! Your smile, happiness and beautiful eyes captured us during your first year. We can wait to see who you will become!

May the students COME

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David."

These words from the heart of Isaiah have been part of my prayer this week as we move our students focus to the last words of Jesus from the Cross.

God, hear our prayer for the students in our community, state and all who encompass this generation. They are so thirsty. They want us to listen. May the soul of this generation delight in the richest fare that you have to offer. May they see that what you offer is good. May their souls feel alive in you. May they words they study from your lips on the cross cause them to thirst for your passion. May they see that their commitment to you has a history connected to David. May the students in our community give their ears to you and come. Amen.

The Sexualization of Girls

This report is a MUST read. Download it and give it away. It's a great resource. There are good reminders in here about what in our culture is contributing to the sexualization of our girls:

Television
Music Videos
Music Lyrics
Movies
Cartoons & Animation
Magazines
Sports Media
Video/Computer Games
Internet
Advertising
Products
Clothing
Cosmetics

My heart aches for the high school girls in our group. It aches for the single women in our church. May our girls and women first start with the Bible's contribution of what makes a woman. May our girls and women then be able to effectively live in this world and bear witness to the truth from Proverbs 31:30, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

Pastoral Retreat W/ Wives

We are at the Hideaway Retreat Center as a staff with our wives. We got here last night and will be leaving on tomorrow at noon. Last night we had a great time watching "Beyond The Pale" by Jim Gaffigan. This morning Dr. Jim Means, from Denver Seminary and the first senior pastor of our church, shared with us his 12 Commandments of a Serious Disciple. I first heard this in 1998 while I was a student in the MDiv program at Den Sem. Good stuff!

It's been fun to connect relationally over the meals and we laughed a ton last night while we were watching Gaffigan!

Everyone is on their own right now. Julie's napping. I am looking out at Pikes Peak and staring at a hot tub that is calling for Trevor and I to take a dip.

I've never been to church before

I've heard this phrase a lot in the last three months in our student ministry. Our students are bringing their friends who have never been to church! What's more, they are bringing them on Sunday mornings and everyone of them has showed up a second and a third time. Today, two more students joined us upstairs and had not, before today, ever dawned the door of a church in their lives! My heart is deeply encouraged that our students aren't just desiring that their friends encounter Christ following students when they come, but they also desire that their friends encounter God through His Word. The Word of God is revealing the glory of God. I am so humbled to have the privilege to stand before our community of students and make known His promises that will stand forever. My heart has been focusing on these words from the heart of Isaiah in his 40th chapter,

"And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." - Isa 40:5-8 (NIV) Amen!

Serving in student ministry

Our students have been serving this school year and it's blown me away. On Wednesday night this week they opened up the church and invited families from our church to drop their kids off for a few hours so they could go out and have a date night with free babysitting. Now that's a GREAT way to show love! It was an awesome night! We had 30 little ankle biters running around the building. Snacks. It was encouraging not just to see our students serving the church, but hearing them talk about the priority of marriage and looking forward to being part of a church someday where the high school students in their church might choose to do something like this.

Service is one of our priorities. It was awesome to see our students grab a hold of this opportunity to raise up the priority of marriage and do a little babysitting. I am excited for what lies ahead as our students seek to SHOW the love of Christ to others.

My 2 sweethearts

I luv U both! Happy Valentine's Day!

Christian discipline...

This is awesome! I want our students to grab a hold of this during there four years in our community of students.

One man wrote, “Christian discipline means…a progressive weakening of man’s instinctive self-confidence, and of the self-despair to which this leads, and the growth of radical confidence in God.”

(C.K. Barrett in David Prior, The Suffering and the Glory, 31)

Village 7 Jr. High Retreat

I had a great time with the students and leaders from Village 7 Church in Colorado Springs at Snow Mountain Ranch this weekend.

"God is Love" - 1 John 4:16

"God Loves You" - Luke 19:1-10

"God's Love is Touching Your Nose" - Psalm 26:2-5

I loved teaching these messages! They did more in my life than the students...I am convinced!They grabbed my heart! It was great to do ministry with an old friend, Mike Masino, who used to be an intern at our church in 1994 when I volunteered in the Jr. High ministry! Back to the grind this week getting ready for part II with our high school students on developing REAL Spiritual Community!

Overcoming the 5 dysfunctions of a TEAM

I am pumped for round 2 (02.12) of our pastoral staff meeting to work through these principles. Two weeks ago we met for the first time to discuss:

What is a team?
Are we a team?
Will we commit to the team?
Overview of the 5 dysfunctions.
Were assigned to take the Myers-Briggs for our meeting tomorrow.

I am all read up of the first dysfunction - "Lack of trust" and I've got my Myers-Briggs results back - ESTJ (Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging).

I'm ready!

The Fray @ the Grammy's

It's not everyday that a bunch of kids who went to church together in Colorado get nominated for two Grammy's! I can't wait to see how they do tomorrow.

Nominated for:

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

"Over My Head (Cable Car)

and

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

"How to Save a Life"

PRD

I am finally doing it! I've been encouraged for over 10 years to start taking a PRD - Personal Retreat Day. Hey, it's never to late to start doing what is right. I will be heading up to my dad's condo in Winter Park and spending at least 7 hours alone before I head up to Snow Mountain Ranch tonight where I get the privilege to speak to a group of jr. high students from Coloraodo Springs!

Here's what I am thinking is going to make for a great 1st personal retreat day.

1. The drive to Winter Park! The sun. The snow on the mountains. Listening to Daughtry.

2. Evaluating January.

3. Looking at February.

4. Finalizing Farch/April/May Calendar.

5. Read parts of - Presence Centered Youth Ministry, and War of Words.

6. Read the Word.

7. Pray for my leaders.

8. Look over my DDS - Description of a Discipled Student - Are we accomplishing anything?

9. Read Kenda Creasy Dean's article, "Somebody Save Me: Passion, Salvation and the Smallville Effect. I'll blog on this next week!

10. Praying through the messages I will be speaking this weekend!

I can't wait!

Sticky notes

Last night was our quarterly leaders meeting with all of the adults who faithfully serve the students in our spiritual community. Everyone got a hunk of sticky notes and was asked to write down all of the things (one per sticky note) that came to mind when asked this question, "What's God been doing since September in our high school community of students?" We wheeled up our white board and each leader stood in front of us and shared how they have seen God working and put their sticky notes on the board. After we were done, we just sat there and looked at all that God has done and knew that it was only a small piece of the puzzle. It would of taken days to talk about all that God's done!

It's a privilege to serve Christ who is building His Church! I couldn't help but think this verse.

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

It was awesome to see what's happened, but I can't wait for what's been prepared.

Lost - oh my!

Tonight 16 weeks begin....oh my!

I went here and go fired up!

We are already planning our party for the final two hours in May!

Hurting students

Today I had coffee with Rich Van Pelt. What a guy. He's been such a blessing in my life over the past 11 years of working in student ministry at my church. He reminded me today that I don't have to go looking in our community to find hurting students to make disciples. They show up every Sunday and Wednesday. They're already a part of our church. They're cutting, suicidal and whole host of other things.

The question our student ministry must wrestle with is how are we doing caring for every student that attends our church? Do we have all their names? The ones that are part of our core and the ones that are on the fringes? Rich is speaking at all of the youth specialties CORE events on this topic. He also refreshed his book, Helping Teenagers in Crisis, which is a must own! I am hoping he'll be at our Southwest Connection Network meeting of youth workers.

Applying the teaching

I had the privilege of speaking to our community of high school students on the subject of spiritual community this past Sunday. We started in Psalm 133 and then went through a bunch Scriptures to stir them up! I had a new experience this Sunday! Apparently some of our students are fired up about our community connecting! Tracie & Tonia stood up and announced to the group that their home would be open on Friday night for everyone to come and hang out.

Talk about applying the teaching on the spot! It was awesome!

Raising Prosti-TOTS?

Newsweek asks if we are raising these in this article, "Girls Gone Bad
Paris, Britney, Lindsay & Nicole: They seem to be everywhere and they may not be wearing underwear. Tweens adore them and teens envy them. But are we raising a generation of 'prosti-tots'?"

Great question.

Quote that captured me, "Twelve- to 14-year-olds are probably the most vulnerable to stars' influence." Yep!

If Newsweek is admitting it, why do so many churches who start student ministries, or have student ministries in existence, make middle school ministry the part-time or volunteer led ministry? I am blessed to work with Matt, who is doing a GREAT job of leading our middle school ministry. He's part-time. He needs to be full-time. One of the things our leadership is wrestling with is how can they pay a full-time salary to a guy who oversees four grades (9-12)and then pay a full-time salary to a guy who oversees two grades (7-8)? My answer - it isn't number of grades, it's scope of ministry and the simple fact that they are the most vulnerable to influence! We have two full-time middle school pastors in our area.

A community of students

I am so grateful to be able to apply theses verses from 1 Peter 5:2-4 to this community of students,

“2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Thanks Brett

This morning I am pumped! Favre is coming back for another year. What does that mean? I get to see him play the Broncos this fall at Invesco Field at Mile High!

I am looking forward to seeing him on his back!

The coldest day ever

That's right. This morning it was the coldest it's ever been. Minus 18 degrees. That's without windchill. I was shoveling the driveway at 6:00 a.m. and I will vouch for the COLD.

This cold weather, snow for 7 straight weeks, has been awesome for one reason in particular, I've been able to spend a lot of time with my boys shoveling! We've created so many memories, but one will stick out to me forever that has happened every time we grabbed our shovels.

After we've finished our driveway and sidewalk Noah asks, "Now who can we help?" Sure he wants to keep shoveling and stay outside, but there is something inside this kid and it moves me. It's absolutely wonderful! Hearing this again last night made me think about our students. They've all got a part of them that looks like this, they want to help. The food drive, Monday Missions, working in the Compa Food warehouse, ushering in church, planning events, reaching out to those in our group who are on the fringe, cleaning and elderly woman's home, spending time in a nursing home and feeding the homeless at Jesus to the World.

It may be the coldest day ever, but it can't freeze the heart.

How do you spell dumb?

The other night we were eating dinner and Julie asked Noah, "How do you spell dumb?" Don't ask why! Noah's learning to spell and it's so fun to watch him learn new words.

Noah paused for a minute, looked up in the air and then back at Julie and spelled it out, "D-----A-----D." Julie laughed.

I withered in the chair and may never recover from this horrific moment.

Using Power Point in Student Ministry

Seth Godin had a great post recently about how to use Power Point in your presentation. I love what he says and think his suggestions should be practiced by those of us in student ministry.

Really Bad PowerPoint

Here are four suggestions for a great presentation.

First, make yourself cue cards. Don’t put them on the screen.

Second, make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them.

Third, create a written document. A leave-behind.

Fourth, create a feedback cycle.

I've quit putting all of the Bible Verses I use on the screen when I teach. The only verse that goes on the screen is the Bible memory verse for the week!

Seth's comments run in line with our training we received in the Essential Presentation Skills class from Mike out of the Zig Ziglar Corporation. He suggested that PowerPoint presentation isn't the presenter, you are!

Be Real Highlights

I thank God for the times we have in our student ministry to get away from our daily routines. Here are the highlights.

- Our leaders. I am so blessed to serve alongside these people! It was awesome watching them do ministry.
- The theme of Be Real really struck a cord in the hearts of our students.
- The facility. It's simply amazing. Crooked Creek Ranch. Young Life knows how to build a camp.
- Networking with other youth workers in our district.
- Participating in and leading a session on Real Family "Divorce"- It was a powerful time of listening to the stories of students and drawing out the realities of what it's like to live in a home where your parents are divorced.
- The senior dinner at Smokin Joe's BBQ. Great time! Downside - the key to the van wouldn't open the door. No clue. AAA opened us up on Sunday before so we could get the van home.
- Seeing our students interact with the parable of the soils.
- Great food.
- Sunshine all weekend.
- One of our SGC teams took 2nd in the dodgeball tourney.

Finally, knowing that this weekend will be a spiritual marker for several of our students as they reflect back on their lives in our high school ministry.

Be Real Winter Retreat

Today we leave for our Winter Retreat! Our theme is Be Real. I can't wait to connect with the 13 other churches that are attending. I can't wait to eat Doritos at 1:00 a.m. I can't wait to hear Dave Runyon speak and be led into the presence of God by 519. Most importantly, I can't wait to see spiritual movement in the lives of our students. I can't wait for them to take off their masks! I can't wait to see some students come out of hiding. I can't wait to follow up this retreat in February in our small groups and Sunday mornings. This is my 12th retreat since I started working at Southern Gables Church and I am more fired up than I have ever been to care for our students! This is just one small step we are taking as we help our students become faithful followers of Jesus Christ!

Teaching students to HATE

Scot McKnight dealt with a verse that I love to use in student ministry today HERE in his reflections on Psalm 119. The verse is Psalm 119:104,

"I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path."

It's not just about making sure our students get on the right path - behavior modification. Part of getting on the right path is having the Word of God so saturated into their day that it causes a decision to HATE the wrong path and not go down it. So here's to infusing the word HATRED into our student ministries?! Here's to infusing the Word of God at every juncture we have with students. Here's to our students remembering that we always pointed them to the word of God and not our opinions.

When I find myself liking the wrong path, and even going down it, there is a clear absence in my life of gaining understanding from God's Word throughout the day! Picture - thebrickstatement.com

Notability for HIM

Seth Godin had an excellent post that got me thinking,

"I got a note from a friend about a co-worker that brilliantly summed up the chasm facing marketers today: I believe she is good at the standard but limited in considering the notable"

So many student ministry workers are good at the standard.
So many student ministry workers can run the programs.
So many student ministry workers are just good.
So many student ministry workers consider the notable.
So many student ministry workers consider the notable for their promotion.
So many student ministry workers consider the notable to look important to their peers, etc...

Where are the student ministry workers who are tired of the standard and breakout in considering the notable for the Glory of God? Where are those that aren't considering the notable for their self-glorification, but genuinely shining a light on HIM. Where are the student ministry workers who are considering the notability of the God whom we "move in and have our being?" Where are the youth worker's who are more concerned about the notability of the their King who said He would build His earthly church and could easily replace us? Where is the notability of God shining in our ministries to students?

Stimulating faithfulness

Our lead pastor shared this quote in the context of his sermon on 1 Peter 4:1-6 this Sunday and I haven't stopped thinking about it!

John Stott wrote, "To live, work and witness in conscious anticipation of Christ’s (second-coming) and judgment is a wholesome stimulus to faithfulness." (J.R.W. Stott, The Contemporary Christian: Applying God’s Word to Today’s World, 373)

The new thought for me this week has been the combination of the glory of His second coming, which always gets the press, and the glory of His judgment.

Student Ministry is like this iceberg

Our programs are the tip of the iceberg. They wouldn't be possible with out the mass of ice below it. I wonder what our youth ministries look like below the surface of the water?

I wonder how deep they go? I wonder how compelling they are? I wonder how many youth pastors are more in love with God than the number of students who came on Sunday morning or on a Wednesday night?


I wonder how many youth pastors pray through their roster? I wonder how many youth pastors are loving God's Word and communing with Jesus?

The tip may be beautiful, but it's only the tip. The real beauty is what is seen below. Imagine a student ministry that consistently called students to dive off the tip of the iceberg under the surface to find something they wouldn't believe was there unless they saw with their own eyes.

New Orleans - A Movement focused on the Gospel

Before we headed into our time in New Orleans several of us thought one of the outcomes was going to be a decision to embrace the emerging church movement or walk away from it. Several of us thought we were going to be asked whether or not that's where we saw the denomination heading. Well, we were wrong. When asked what direction we wanted to see the denomination headed we spoke of the centrality of the Gospel being our clarion call as we move forward. We discussed our denomination being know for keeping the Gospel as our central focus. We talked about being a denomination that didn't just focus on the personal nature of the Gospel, but also on the social implications the Gospel. We talked about our denomination not being known as a denomination, but as a movement. We were dreaming of a MOVEMENT of churches who were exploding with the Gospel as the engine in the church, driving it towards justification, sanctification and glorification! Driving it towards racial reconciliation. Driving it towards impacting our communities. Driving it towards planting more churches! Driving it towards an acceptance of the rewrite of our doctrinal statement.

Time will tell!

I Need Surgery Just Like Matt

I have the results from my MRI and it looks like I am going to have surgery sometime this year! What's crazy, is Matt Hasselbeck, quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, just had this exact surgical procedure. He had the labrum on his left shoulder repaired yesterday. It tore in 2003. I tore my this past summer. I'm not waiting 4 years for surgery! It's apparently a brutal recovery (6 months). I am thinking about having this surgery around late November this year as our student ministry slows down in December! This story is funny because I didn't even know we had labrum's in our shoulders! Here's to more co-pays!

A great tool to use with seniors

This morning Scot McKnight posted on something he did with his class, Women, Mary and Jesus, out of the book by William Webb, Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals, that I think would be a GREAT exercise to do with graduating seniors HERE! I am going to use this during my senior study this spring. Here's a quote from his blog,

"We read these verses [39] and I asked the students to “vote” for each verse: A, B, or C. That is, “A” means “universal and transcultural,” and “B” means “Christians don’t agree” and “C” means “Cultural and not for Christians today.”

Here's why I like this exercise. After voting we will discuss the votes for C as a group and it will help me see where individual thinking patterns and the group thinking patterns are, if any, as to what the redemptive trend is on some of these that lack clarity! I can't wait.

Thanks Scot!

Guess who is living in New Orleans?

Pitt and Jolie! - CNN reports HERE!

Katrina

Today we toured the lower 9th Ward District that was devastated by Katrina with the brothers from Urban Impact Ministries. I just sat there listening to Michael describe what happened. I couldn't believe it. Houses used to line the streets and now there is nothing. I listened to John, a pastor in the community, tell how only 5 families in three blocks have moved back into their neighborhood and it's been hard on his four kids. Enitre neighborhoods are gone. One storm changed the future of a city.

They anticipate needing youth ministries and adult teams coming every week for the next five years (up to 60 people a week) to get back on their feet. The EFCA is doing a great job of assisting this ministry and others to help Restore and Rebuild the city and the lives of those who call New Orleans there home. More info HERE.

We were challenged by John to consider the 16th verse from Jeremiah 22 before we laid hands on them and prayed for their ministry,

"16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD."

First time in church...Eyes Wide OPEN

I had an experience on Sunday morning that grabbed my heart and literally brought a tear to my eye later in the day as I was driving to DIA to fly down here to New Orleans. We had a fresh face in the crowd on Sunday. They never go to church. They didn’t grow up in the church. Sunday wasn’t a routine for them. Their parents didn't bring them. They came with their friend who attends our gathering times on Sunday mornings. At one point in my message I noticed they were sitting forward in their chair listening to the Word of God being read out of Isaiah 40:12-31. It was their first time in church...their EYES were WIDE OPEN!

Two observations, among several that brought water to my eyes later in the day. First, it was so exciting to know that the Word of God was being planted in a soul that never goes to church. Student ministry must be saturated in the Word! Second, I want more of that in our student ministry. I want more of our students choosing to lose themselves for Christ in their schools and inviting their friends who never go to church to attend our gatherings. The Word of God doesn’t return void and this week I’ve been praying that those seeds from Isaiah will take root their heart!

N.O. Observations

So many observations on day 1 here in New Orleans.

1. They community wanted to host the NFC Championship game this week. It
would of brought in around 4-5 million to this economy. They are going crazy
over this team.
2. An African-American brother who lives and serves down here stated that it has been the church, not the local or federal government, who is rebuilding this city.
3. We had a discussion about the book The Shaping of Things to Come. Specifically, we talked about whether we think the church should pursue evolution (birthing a new movement from where it’s been) or revolution (blow it up and start over).
4. I had my first bowl of Crawfish Etouffee. JACKPOT!
5. Crabcakes…mmmmmm!
6. Spending 2 hours with Fritz. It was great to connect.
7. States represented from around the country – California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, West Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, North Dakota and Minnesota.
8. There are youth pastors, church planters, urban inner-city youth workers, a worship pastor, a senior pastor and a missions pastor.
9. The cold is following us from Denver. Tomorrow it’s going to be in the low 40’s.
10. Tim Jacobs is my roommate from Arizona. He's a church planter!

Off to New Orleans

I am excited for what the next three days hold in New Orleans. About 15 young leaders from across the denomination, from various ministry positions, are gathering to talk about the shaping of things to come in our denomination (EFCA). I am looking forward to processing what we discuss, what God will reveal to us, and the new relationships I will make.

A Portrait of Generation Next

The Pew Research Center has released a helpful report on January 9th that paints a picture of Generation Next. They are the Next Gr8 Generation. A summary of the report can be found here. The fuller, more detailed, 45 page version can be found here.

Here's the one summary point that grabbed my heart,

"One-in-five members of Generation Next say they have no religious affiliation or are atheist or agnostic, nearly double the proportion of young people who said that in the late 1980s. And just 4% of Gen Nexters say people in their generation view becoming more spiritual as their most important goal in life. "

Roughly, 160,000,000 million have no religious affiliation or are atheist or agnostic. Here's one more reason to have a mission, vision, values/priorities outline for why your youth ministry exists!

20 years ago today...

The Drive happened in Cleveland. If you need to relive it click HERE!

Reading through the Bible

The final Sunday of every year I pass out our Read through the Bible plan! It's so exciting to see students take these guides knowing what it's going to lead them to do...read the WORD! Today, we read Psalm 9 and Genesis 21-22 as a community of students. The first two verses of Psalm 9 grabbed my heart this morning and I couldn't wait to lead off our time of worship with them as we started up our i2i groups.

"1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High."

I want to walk the rest of the week with our community of students and leaders living out these two verses.

I will praise the Lord with all my heart.

I will tell of all His wonders.

I will be glad in Him.

I will rejoice in Him.

I will sing praise to His name, the Most High!

Signing up for School

Today we experienced something new as a family! We signed Noah up for school! This fall, on August 22nd, Noah will be attending Bear Creek Elementary.

We are thrilled that Noah will be able to attend the school Julie attended and taught at for 5 years!

The class of 2020 begins school this fall! We can't wait to take this journey with him!

The COMMAND in student ministry

I've been reflecting on Jesus' command to us in student ministry this week. He gave it to us right before He left. One verb. Three participles. Our ministries need to start with the verb. Our lives need to start with the verb.

Matthew 28: 18-20,

"18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

This is the call to all who have been ambushed by the love of Jesus. What will you do in 2007 to be part of helping to fulfill the command?

Choosing to Lose in Student Ministry

I am captured in this new year with a deeper sense of calling our students to choose to lose!

Luke 17:33

Jesus reminds us in this verse that real life is chosen when you choose to lose it for Him. I am reminded of a great quote from Kenda Creasy Dean, Practicing Passion, that I will never forget,

"If commitment to Jesus Christ is not, ultimately, a life and death investment, then young people will invest their God-given passion elsewhere."

We must have small groups in student ministry

I firmly believe in the purpose and priority of small group ministry in the context of any student ministry that has over 15 students. I often come back to these words in the 10th chapter of Hebrews, verses 24 and 25,

"24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Great words for a new year! We are going to keep on meeting on Wednesday nights!

Never 2 Late

As I walk into the new year I am reminded of something I heard Chuck Swindoll say while I was delivering pizza in College,

"It's never 2 late to start doing what is right."

There's so much to stop doing. There's so much to start doing. Paul's prayer for the Ephesian church has been on my heart and it's the first thing I've started doing in the new year that I know will have eternal value: memorizing and praying scripture,

"14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Student Ministry's Primary Concern

I've been reading Presecence Centered Youth Ministry by Mike King (more on that later) the past couple of weeks. He points us to a chart in Robert Webber's, The Younger Evangelicals, which summarizes the state of evangelicalism in the last 50 + years. You can find the chart HERE an article. For the student ministry section, Webber says this about what student ministry is primarily concerned with in each era :

Traditional Evangelicals - 1950-1975 > Church centered programs

Pragmatic Evangelicals - 1975-2000 > Outreach, fun programs

Emergent Evangelicals - 2000 > Prayer, bible study, worship, social action

I've been thinking about this chart in the context of our church and denomination. I think it's safe to say that all three categories valued what each one holds dear. I wonder what this looks like among denominations, church's in our community and the history of our student ministry?

Whiter than snow

Another blizzard has set in tonight. How much? Who cares? At leasts another 2 feet. I've been thinking tonight about this blizzard and the previous one two weeks ago and I couldn't help but turn to these words in David's journal in Psalm 51:6-8,

"6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice."

They are resonating in my soul tonight. Profound words to ponder while I am shoveling all day tomorrow with Noah and Josiah.

Who's coming to town?

Josiah and I were cleaning up the gift wrap and tissue paper on the floor this week during one their four Christmas gatherings and he added a new twist to a classic song,

"He's making a list, checking it twice, going to find out who's naughty and nice, Santa Christ is coming to town!"

I mentioned to Josiah that it was actually Santa Claus who was coming to town, but he wouldn't buy it. We're guessing next year it will be Jesus Claus!

Preach the Word in 2007

The clarion call to Timothy should be resonating in the hearts of every pastor of students for 2007,

"1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." - 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Amen!

Santa came to my house

3 minutes of silence

A couple of weeks ago I took part in the annual retreat with our denomination for our Rocky Mountain District with 11 youth pastors from our region. There were several highlights but there was one big low light that I have been thinking since I got home.

During the retreat we were given 3 minutes to be silent and I couldn't do it.

It felt like an eternity. I couldn't remember the last time I sat in silence. I hate silence. I actually started to sweat. The whole time I was thinking, "When is this going to end?" I wasn't finding God during that time. The only thing I found is that I hate silence. I hate being alone. I found myself talking almost in a whisper so I could hear myself.

2007 is going to be the year where I begin to develop this discipline. I am reminded of the model Jesus set for me in Mark 1,

"35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

I am also haunted by what Henri Nouwen said, "Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure."

I will not miss a game

That's right. With "The Answer" in town I won't miss a Nuggets game the rest of the season. It was awesome to watch Allen Iverson play last night. It wasn't awesome watching us miss 14 wide open three point shots!

Welcome to the Mile High City Allen, your wife and four kids!

I can't wait for J.R. Smith to return and then Melo. We are going to have some exciting basketball to watch!

Transforming prayer - early a.m. Sunday

Recently I have been more committed to praying on Sunday mornings than running around the church like a chicken with it's head cut off! David's prayer in Psalm 119:18 is transforming my Sunday mornings,

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

I pray this for me! Then I pray it for my students,

"God, open the eyes of our students so they may see wonderful things in your Word."

Amen.

I'm so glad it's the shortest day...

I shoveled some serious snow! The highlight of the day was spending time with my oldest son, Noah, who apparently lives to shovel. What I learned today about being a dad is that we didn't need to have any significant conversations, but we just hung out. We shoveled. We built a snow tunnel that collapsed and turned it into a slide. We ended our time in the hot tub!

Elf Yourself

Hey! It's a blizzard today! We're locked in expecting 24-36 inches at the in-laws. Wifi, HD, tons of food and a hot tub! The boys are shoveling Nana's long side walk every hour!

With all of the extra time we are "Elfing ourselves!" It's priceless!

Elf Yourself

Let it snow!

Crappy Pants Song

Yesterday Josiah exclaimed, “I want to listen to the crappy pants song!” We were puzzled. We started to laugh. We replied, “What?” From the back of the pimp minivan we own, we hear the words get louder and the sentence gets shortened, “THE CRAPPY PANTS SONG!” It took a minute and then we got it.

On the Relient K album, The Anatomy of Tongue and Cheek, they wrote a song with the title, Sadie Hawkins Dance. I’ll put some of the lyrics from the song next and you can guess which words Josiah messed up.

“The Sadie Hawkins Dance
in my khaki pants
There's nothin better
oh oh oh
The girls ask the guys
it's always a surprise
There's nothin better
baby do you like my sweater?”

Pursuing God the wrong way

I've realized this past week as I've been evaluating my life and ministry that I'm making a huge mistake in my relationship with God that has to stop! I am pursuing God the wrong way. I am pursuing Him through doing. What I am finding as I look back is that it's not wrong to pursue God through what we do, it just can't be the only way we pursue Him.

Part of my pursuit with Him must include being with Him.

The future is now

A moment of silence please.

Yesterday, Broncos fans witnessed the birth of their new leader for the next 15 years. It's only one game, but I'm not overstating it. Key play that proves this point. The touchdown to Rod Smith. Cutler dropped back, his eyes were on the other side of the field when he hitched, and then eyed Rod Smith on the opposite side of the field and sailed a touch pass right over the defensive back. Touchdown.

The future is now - playoffs or no playoffs!

We have our leader.

Cell phone distractions

It was brought to my attention that the use of cell phones by our students during my messages on Sunday morning are becoming a distraction. I'll be making my first announcement about it on Christmas Eve Sunday as we study Isaiah 9. There's a first time for everything!

What's funny about this is that I haven't noticed it. Sure, I'll see a couple of students using their phones, but it's pretty quick and I don't think it's a distraction. I am excited to address this with our students on Sunday. If you get a text at 9:45 a.m. from your friend who just got up, you can wait until 10:10 to let them know that you were up WAY BEFORE THEM! I also think it will be good for our students to start a discipline of not always having to multitask in every setting.

9.4 million lighters

The United States Census Bureau just released it's Statiscal Abstract for 2007. It's worth a read. Why would you try and take a lighter on a plane?

This stat stood out to me among others,

Nearly half (47 percent) of college freshmen enrolled in 2005 had earned an average grade of A in high school, compared to 2-in-10 (20 percent) in 1970. The majority (79 percent) of freshmen in 1970 had an important personal objective of “developing a meaningful philosophy of life.” By 2005, the majority of freshmen (75 percent) said their primary objective was “being very well off financially.” (Table 274)

In our student ministry we are fighting a battle against the idol of education. This stat proves to be true in our student ministry culture as we find students who are incapable of participating in spiritual community on a consistent basis because they are overloaded with homework.

The disturbing baby Jesus

Matthew 2: 1-3,

"1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

The wonder of this disturbing gift of a baby who was born to die so I might have life.

Distorted Reality of Beauty

In the 31st chapter of Proverbs, the writer boldly states, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

Beauty is fleeting.

Our culture obsesses over it that which is fleeting. Our youth ministries need to be saturated with the Bible's view of what makes a woman worthy of praise.

Click on the link below. It will blow you away at how the world makes a woman worth of praise.

Distorted Reality of Beauty

Left Behind - Eternal Forces - Video Game

I read about this on 9news tonight. I almost fell out of the chair.

Post-Rapture Warfare Training. Now that's a goal for youth ministry!

Where does this game fit into your student ministry model of making disciples?

Nowhere.

Evaluating where I spend my time

Every December I look back at the year and evaluate how I have been spending my time. I always look at the Covey Time-Management Matrix to refocus my evaluation. I need to be dedicating most of my time to Quadrant II. It’s takes time to evaluate, but I feel like every year I am taking small steps towards being more effective.

I like how Covey paraphrases Peter Drucker, “"Effective people are not problem-minded - they're opportunity-minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems. They think preventively."

Youth ministries need spiritual shpherds who know where they want to take their flock!

The key commodity in ministry

I was reminded last week that discipline would be the number one commodity bought in ministry. It was a great reminder and one I will be thinking a lot about on my personal retreat day.

A wise youth pastor who used to drive the church van home, eat French Onion soup on Wilderness Trips, say “Oh my golly,” start prayer meetings at 10:30 p.m., had over 70 fish hanging in his house, and had the most disorganized office I’ve ever seen, besides the missions pastor, told me something I will never forget,

“Within discipline lies freedom.”

Not sure where he got it, but I’m sure it was on a piece of paper in one of the 40 piles of papers in his floor file cabinet. You were right. I long for more freedom in so many areas of my life!

A year ago on this date

I got a new ACL in my left knee. I don’t want to have another one!

What 2 things define you?

This week we began our new series looking at the prophecies of Jesus’ birth in Isaiah – Homecoming King. In Isaiah 11:5 we find a beautiful picture of this King who was to be born that would change the world.

5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

When you strip away everything else, what two words define Jesus? Righteousness and Faithfulness. “These are Jesus’ most intimate garments, his underclothing.” – OswaltWhen all is stripped away, what two words define you? When all is stripped away, what two words would the person who knows you the best choose to define you? When all is stripped away and we are standing before our Maker, what two words will He choose to define you?

“Well done, my __________ and ___________ servant!”

24 Prequel

Take 10 minutes and watch this 24 Prequel for Day 6. I can't wait for January. If you've never watched 24 this 10 minutes will give you a great sense for what the whole 24 hours is like!

24 Prequel

Christmas Coffee House

On Wednesday we closed out our fall schedule with our annual Christmas Coffee House and Talent Show! We gave away tons of prizes. We ate lots of cookies. We drank tremendous coffee and we had outstanding talent. Matt's Math Dance took the cake! In addition, we talked about the birth of Jesus and talked about how his birth was "The Gift of Death." To close our time Brianne tried to put into words how much a relationship with Jesus means to her and then we played I Celebrate the Day by Relient K.

What blew me away was the number of students I didn't know. I found myself overwhelmed with the number of them as I wanted to sit down with each of them and their friend from our group who brought them and hear their story. I love meeting students in our community who don't go to church. I am so excited to follow up this week with our students to see what's going on in the lives of their friends so we can be praying that the Word they heard on Wednesday won't return void. I can't wait to encourage our students to move towards having a Reaping conversation with those friends they have been Cultivating and Planting with all semester.

It's so exciting to see our students falling in love with God and loving others!

MRI

I had my first MRI today in this exact machine. I felt like I was being sprayed by M16's for 30 minutes. The noise was that loud while they were doing the scans. I will be scarred for life. I hate tight and confined spaces. I was sweating profusely.

I've got a tear in my Superior Labrum in my left shoulder and the MRI will tell me if I need surgery.

What did I learn today? You can overcome your fears. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. I was scared to death. They had to pull me out the first time. As I was walking out I remembered this quote I found from Eleanor Roosevelt,

"You must do the things you think you cannot do."

Warriors for Christ...I'm tired of it

I received a publication in the mail yesterday that used these words, "Warriors for Christ!" I'm tired of this. I am tired of youth events that want me to jump on board making my students WARRIORS! Where is this in the Bible? Why do we use it with students? Why do we want warriors in our public school systems? Can you imagine Jesus sitting down with his disciples yelling at them, "Take this town, your a warrior in my name!" Why is so much advertising in youth ministry emotionally driven and creates pictures of being aggressive? What the heck is a Christian warrior?

I'm tired of the warrior theme being used in youth ministry. I don't want to make warriors. I want to students to follow Jesus.

In the fruits of the Spirit...where is the warrior mentality?
Deny yourself, take up your cross...where is the warrior mentality?
If you want to share in Christ glory you must suffer...where is the warrior mentality?
Peacemakers will inherit the earth...where is the warrior mentality?
The meek will inherit the earth...where is the warrior mentality?

Jesus wasn't a warrior for His Father. Jesus wasn't a warrior for His own glory. Check out Philippians 2! Can you imagine a family doing advent with the focus on Christ, THE WARRIOR?

Jesus was the Prince of Peace...He wasn't a warrior.

Clicks for Cans

This is a great idea! I voted for the Broncos...of course.

Clicks for Cans

What's your student ministry doing to fight hunger?

RMD Retreat

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I spent time with youth pastors from the Rocky Mountain District (RMD) up in Summit County! It's our annual retreat with Jeff from the Efree home office! It was a great time of fellowship, encouragement and training. I'll be sharing several things from that time over the next couple of weeks.

It's good to rub shoulders with guys who are pursuing God, family and the goal to see students become faithful followers of Jesus Christ. I was reminded again over the past couple of days that there is no "proto-type" youth pastors. Were all different in our gifting, personalities, life experiences, and churches, but we share the same passion - to see students ambushed by the passion of Jesus that drove Him to the cross!

11 years ago today was a Saturday

I know that because it was the day I asked my girlfriend to be my wife.

I love you Julie!

It's a joy to be your husband and raise these kids!

We're all praying that they turn out like you! :)

Mitch is a state champ

Congrats to our own Mitch Sturm, sophomore at Columbine High School, on being 5A State Champs in football today!!!!

Nice job buddy stripping the ball away inside the 10 yard line in the first half!

Looking forward to the next 2 years!

How many students are in your group?

I love getting this question from other youth pastors. It's probably the most asked question in youth ministry circles. Why is the question asked? There are many reasons, but one of the primary ones is they want to know how successful you are based on the number of students you have. You say your number, then they start evaluating your effectiveness, their effectiveness, etc... I want to suggest we stop talking about our whole group numbers and start talking about the number of students in our group that have an adult fighting for their soul. I think we'll stop think so much of ourselves and start depending more on prayer and the recruitment of men and women in our church to fight for our student's souls!

Here's the answer I'd like to start being shared,

"That's a great question. It's one that I am praying over every single day. Currently in our ministry we have 22 (?) students who have an adult fighting for their soul. We have a long way to go. Sure we have X number of students, but were not even close to making disciples of every student God has blessed us with. Would you be willing to pray that God would grab the hearts of the adults in our church to fight for the soul of two teenagers? How about you? How many students have an adult fighting for their soul?"

Keyword for young 20 something's is...

DEBT...

according to this report in USA Today.

Part of our desire in student ministry is to equip our seniors with an understanding of how fast your debt can pile up. It will be the focus of one of our sessions in our senior study this Spring.

I am excited to spend time with our seniors talking about money, savings, credit scores, etc...