YOUTHINTHECORNER

I find myself at a very frustrating time in my life as a Youth Pastor.  I thank God that he doesn’t have a panic button, because I do.  Our teenagers are plagued with so much pain and sin, I am finding myself wanting to teach it all NOW…we need a series on SEX, MONEY, FAMILY…but we need it all now!  Families are falling apart.  Kids are crossing every line imaginable sexually and the average teen will spend $50 for a PS game but won’t drop a dime in an offering.  God is in control…and he doesn’t panic and so today I lean on his peace.  However, deep inside…

Do you ever feel this way?

I covet your prayers over the next week as God prepares us for Summer Breakaway.  Currently we are taking 160 to Breakaway this year that is 59 more than last year and 100 more than 2 years ago.  A lot goes into this week so we need as much prayer as we can get.

Some Specific requests are:

• The countless details still to be done
• Those bringing the Word…Pastor Cal, Sean, Bobby, Keeley
• That students will be saved and transformed by the Holy Spirit
• The band “Meet the Sky” that they would lead us to the Throne of God
• The volunteers, that they may be spiritually ready to pour into these teens
• That the lifestyle decisions would last beyond the retreat
• For rest to be multiplied
• For physical safety and spiritual risk

Teaching Series: Mind Games

Theme: Looking at absurd things Jesus said and did and the ramifications

Bible: John 9:1-41

Attendance: 215

Vols: 24

Length of Service: 50 x 2

Breakdown:  Attendance wise it was the lowest night we have had in months.  I attribute most of that to Summer and living in a lake town.  Brooke Overholt led worship and did an acoustic set and it was really great.   The message focused on the blind man being healed using a spit mudpie.  The bottom line was that Jesus is in the life-changing business.  We need to let him change us any way he can/will/pleases.  Several students prayed to receive Christ and several signed up to be baptized at the end of the month.  Overall it was a decent night.

I am lifting up my volunteers right now.  Tonight is a big night.  Not because there is any special event planned but because there will be hundreds of teenagers here needing to hear the Gospel and before they get to the program to hear about Jesus, they will hear about Jesus from the actions of our volunteers.  Over a game of pool, basketball or just hanging around.  They will hear about Jesus from how we treat them, by our smiles, by our actions and reactions.

Also, I am praying for the volunteers for our Breakaway trip in 12 days.  We will have over 120 students attention for 5 days.  I am praying for holy conversations to occur over ice cream in the snack shack, in the dorms late at night or even walk around the campus.  God is on the move.  Let’s pray that we will see where he is going.  Join me will you.

Teaching Series: Mind Games

Theme: looking at some absurd statements from Jesus and why he said them

Bible: Mt 15:21-28

Attendance: 265

First timers: 7

Volunteers: 30

Length of service: 55 x 2

Breakdown: The night was pretty awesome considering my brain is fried getting ready for Breakaway.  We had a 2 song set list in the beginning that was very up (King of Majesty and Take it all).  recognized students going to Breakaway and went straight into message.  The title tonight is “why’d he call her a dog?”.  The way the sermon took shape it really became a message on racial reconciliation (which was cool because we had 21 african-american teens in the program last night, 4 first-timers).  The mood was good in both services, kudos to KidsPointe the 6th graders came in ready to worship, however there is an obvious leadership vacuum now in the MS service without the 8th graders.  We ended the evening with a video worship piece from Hillsong playing the song Hosanna.  The HS one at a time stood up raising their hands in worship…it was quite a sight.  Numbers were down a bit, I hope due to vacation.  Overall a good night.

In the world of Alive Youth Ministry Bobby really needs no introduction but now he is part of the team in an official capacity.  Bobby is coming on to the youth ministry staff as a part time associate in youth ministry.  He will be assisting me in more of  an official role in preaching/teaching and campus ministries.  I am glad to have a close friend serving with me.  He has a sincere heart for seeing teenagers come closer to Jesus.  Bobby has 2 sons in the program and a daughter in the children’s ministry.  His wife Nancy also is on the youth ministry staff as my personal assistant.  Bobby is a salesman for Coastal Air Solutions.  Please pray for Bobby as he juggles family, ministry and work and pray for Alive Youth Ministries continues to grow and flourish.

Teaching Series: Collide – Our monthly combined MS/HS worship experience

Theme: Graduation

Attendance: 300

First Time Guests: 12

Volunteers: 30

Length of service: 90 minutes

Breakdown: We definately learned our lesson from the last Collide.  We kept it simple and focused on worship and experiencing God.  The band was on point last night with breakout performances from Kristin and Shayla.  Brooke Overholt made a guest appearance and they team did a Barlow Girl number that was quite impressive.  A highlight was the time of communion, seeing 300 come up for communion is a sight that never gets old.  We had 2 graduates share from their heart, Andrew wrote a rap for the group that was incredible and Katie shared a sobering poem to encourage the younger kids to learn from their mistakes and lean on God.  It was a special night and a good night.

Frustration: after the service we had a couple of guys get in a fight.  I lost my cool after one of them threatened to go get a gun.  Had to expel 3 kids from the program.  That is necessary but hurts deeply.

Teaching Series: The Face of Love

Theme: Love gives

Bible: Luke 10:25-32

Attendance: 295

First Time Guests: 4

Volunteers: 30

Length of Service: 50 minutes x 2

Breakdown:  Middle School Service went well.  Played a little role playing game on stage with some students and they had a blast.  Worship was good in the MS service and GREAT in the HS service.  We said goodbye to a great volunteer Sam Caddell who is moving to Texas this week.  We will miss him dearly.

Teaching Series: The Face of Love

Theme: Masks – Love is Truthful

Bible: John 4:1-39

Attendance: 293

First Time Guests: 12

Volunteers: 33

Length of Service: 50 minutes x 2

Breakdown: The Middle School crowd was jacked up!  With spring fever in the air and testing going on they were NOT interested in singing and listening to a message.  It was CRAZY!  The High School crowd however was engaged and the worship time was intense with some real healing that took place with over a dozen teenagers.  We integrated a couple of vids and used masks as an object lesson so I will give the creativity a B -.  Overall a good night but incredibly taxing on the volunteers.

Stealing a page from Josh Griffin…

Teaching Series:  Collide (our monthly joint MS/HS service)

Theme: Water to Wine

Bible: John 2:1-11

Attendance: 330

First Time guests: 26

Volunteers: 35

Length of Service: 90 minutes

Breakdown:  The theme was Water to Wine basically because we had a guest band come in and that was their name.  We discussed the miracle at the wedding banquet focussing on the fact that Jesus doesn’t only care about the BIG stuff.  We then had a moment of prayer with some pretty cool video moments and took Communion together.  The band led in worship and then we prayed over our teachers (being teacher appreciation week) and ended the night with a rockin’ concert…with me stage diving of course.  All in all a homerun of a night.