YOUTHINTHECORNER

Things that I am thankful for this year…

• A loving savior who doesn’t give up on a flawed servant.
• The most amazing wife
• The privilege to spend my life serving Jesus by reaching teenagers
• Emily my princess
• Avery my source of laughter
• My family back home in GA
• My home, though it does need a new roof and floor
• My Durango
• My creativity
• My Assistant, Nancy who keeps me from getting fired
• My Youth Ministry team who makes ministry fun
• Friends in the office
• Freedom
• Friends
• Turkey dinners
• Hamburgers
• Ben and Jerrys
• OK, well now it is getting silly.

I know I have forgotten tons but you get the idea.  Take some time to remember what you are thankful for.

It is 4:20 PM and students will begin showing up in about half an hour so I am getting my game on…

Before I step out of my office there are a few things I want to do better than last week.

• I am going to try to smile more than scour
• I am going to remember that I shoot a mean game of pool
• I am going to preach with the passion of Christ and as if laughing is worship (ooh great blog title later)
• I am going to remember that relationships are more important than tight transitions
• I am going to let my team own their ministry
• I am going to drink a lot of hot chocolate
• I am going to remember to focus on the one thing needed and that is Jesus (Luke 10:38-50)
• I am going to remember that lives are at stake

It is almost time.  Bring it on!

Psalm 20:4-5 “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.”

One problem that I have whenever I attend a youth ministry conference is Youth Ministry Guilt.  This is a condition that comes about when people who are smarter than you question what you are doing and how you are doing it.  Or they point out the NEW way of doing ministry which is really the OLD way of doing ministry.  All I know is that I often feel like MY way of doing ministry is wrong.

The prevailing thought from many of the speakers is that numbers is getting to much attention and discipleship is getting the shaft.  On that note I totally agree.  However, I am not ready to throw the pizza out with the light machine just yet.  After months of praying and weeks of fasting I believe that God gave me the vision called “HALF”.  This vision was not to bring attention to our numbers rather more to spread our tent of influence throughout our community.  I want God to be Glorified throughout Moncks Corner.

We are year 2 into our 5 year campaign and all goals have been met.  That leads me to the purpose of this blog.  The cure for youth ministry guilt is to point out that this is not about me, my numbers or my plan.  this is about giving Glory to God.  So, if you will allow me to share with you some victories.

• Every year for the last 3 years we have doubled.  2006 = 50, 2007 = 100, 2008 = 250
• We had a young lady at Breakaway thought she was pregnant and considering suicide and now is on fire for God and meeting regularly with one of our leaders.
• I meet with 2 young men every week that very well may be future pastors, they are hungry for God and his Word.
• We have a presence on 2 of the campuses every week.  ACTS at St Johns and Teen Extreme at Berkeley Middle
• Students are engaging in worship more and more every week.
• Our student ministry was able to provide hope and comfort to 4 tragedy stricken families
• We have students serving in the tech team, worship team, children s ministry, nursery and service teams.
• We took up over $150 for a family whose home burned down
• We took up over 150 care kits for the homeless
• We collected over 10 bags of groceries for Salvation Army
• We take up a monthly offering to support an internet radio station ministry called radiofree.cc
• We have baptized over 50 students this year

All of these are Victories that belong to Jesus.  We lift up the banners in the name of Jesus.  We have a long way to go but I believe that we are on the right track.  Thank you God for allowing me to be a part of your work.

Saw this on Josh Griffins Blog…yeah, I haven’t even begun to be creative.  This is amazing…great song, great use of visual arts, great way to connect to the Creator God.

Now that Obama is elected there is plenty for James Dobson and others to scream about.  However, coming off of a great weekend at National Youth Workers I have come to one realization.  Jesus matters.  More than our programs, more than our understandings of politics, more than our attitudes, visions or plans…JESUS MATTERS.  That is what I want to be known for.  Not a republican, not a southerner, not even a Christian…as much as a lover of Jesus.  Michelle shared in staff devotions this morning a sobering scripture that is timely.  Romans 13:1-7 look it up.

This past week I heard some of the greatest communicators in Church and Youth Ministry and all of them had a theme.  Don’t hold on to your programs, numbers, or suppositions to what is important but lead people to Jesus.  Lead people to do ministry, to share the Good News, to love one another.  I know that I personally have to concentrate less on the programs and numbers of Alive Youth Ministry and focus more on bringing Life to the teenagers I interact with.

These are great times…people need Jesus and we have him!  People need love and we have it!  People need hope and we can offer it!  People need life and we know the giver of life!  What an incredible time we live in and what an incredible task we have before us.  Walk in freedom knowing that God is in control!  Leave the panic to the talkshow hosts…”Some trust in horses, some trust in chariots but WE trust in the name of the Lord our God” – Psalm 20:7

Okay, well according to the pundits tomorrow will be a route.  That does not mean you should not go out and vote.  I will be there in line exersising my right and privildege as a citizen.  However, if Obama does win…everyone needs to take a breath and remember we do not serve a republican or a democrat we serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.  I also believe that if Obama should win we need to relax and assume that

1) there will NOT be abortion clinics in every McDonalds

2) Marriage and 1 Corinthians 13 will not be voided out of conscienceness

3) The seals of the apocalypse will not be opened…

you know how I know that…I was working in a Christian bookstore when Clinton was elected and Christians were up in arms then too…there was even a book that called Clinton the anti-Christ…(giving him way too much credit).  Yet God was still God and managed to do his work from the throne.

So, just in case we do have Obama as president everyone just chillax.