BRIGADE Students

Random Video Thursday: Edible 26-Pound Gummy Party Bear

2012-01-26T08:19:00.001-08:00

Yes this is real. Yes it's huge. No it is not good for you. At 26-pounds, and 32,000 calories, this thing could put you in a sugar comma for about a week (or 2).

Random Video Thursday: Jeffrey Dallas - Akbar

2012-01-19T09:11:00.001-08:00

There is not explanation needed. Nor would one be helpful. Just watch...

Random Video Thursday: Cell Phones in Church

2012-01-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

In case you've never noticed before, not everyone silences their phones in church. And this doesn't stop with students in our student ministry! Then I found this. The funny thing was, as I walked to the stage after showing this I saw at least 10 phones out right after this video. Subtle hints don't work with this group...

The Way I'm Wired - Week 1 Follow Up

2012-01-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

Parents of High Schoolers:

We’ve just started on Sunday mornings a six-part DVD curriculum entitled The Way I’m Wired: Discovering Who God Made ME to Be.In the first lesson, we unpacked the concept UnderstandingYour Spiritual Gifts, Best Qualities, and Finest Values. Ourstudents learned how to recognize these three elements of life, which are boldindicators of how they’ve been wired by God to complete their extraordinarylife mission.

Major Teaching Point:

If I understand my spiritual gifts, best qualities, andfinest values, I’ll see undeniable evidence regarding the specific life workGod has assigned me.

Our students learned that…

spiritual giftsare those special attributes, such as hospitality, leadership, service, orteaching, that are given by the grace of God to be specifically used inbuilding the kingdom of God for a particular season.
all bestqualities, such as honesty, loyalty, patience, and punctuality, were created tobring glory to God.
Christ-honoringvalues (finest values), such as freedom, justice, lifelong learning, andteamwork, are principles that indicate who you are and what you hold in highregard.

Our Memory Verse: Godhas given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Usethem well to serve one another (1 Peter 4:10 NLT).

As the opportunity arises, I’d encourage you to talk withyour teenager about our lesson. These questions could help jump-start yourconversation:

Spiritual Gifts: What top two spiritual gifts have you been given,with which you can serve the body of Christ? Why do you say that?
Best Qualities: What two best qualities has God given you? Share astory about how you’ve used one of your qualities for good.
Finest Values: In what way does one of your finest values giveyou a possible hint about what your unique life purpose might be?

Prayerfully consider having a conversation with yourteenager about your own spiritual gifts, best qualities, and finest values. (Ifyou’d like to work through the core content in this series with us, you canpick up a copy of the parent’s companion book: HowYour Teenager Is Wired: Discovering Who God Made Your Teenager to Be.This lesson’s material is covered in Chapter 5 of the parent book. And you maywant to get the series’ devotional with 200 Scripture passages about lifepurpose: The Way I’m Wired: DiscoveringWho God Made ME to Be.)

Thanks for your prayers for all our teenagers. Have ablessed day!

Random Video Thursday: Johnny & Chachi's Christmas Medley

2011-12-22T14:18:00.001-08:00

Last night we hosted out 6th Annual Lip Sync Contest. It's a night of simply getting together, having fun, and laughing. Each year has been a little different, but each year has always been a lot of fun. So, in keeping with the never changing Random Video segment, we had one after each of the different acts. Here is my favorite from last night:

Random Video Thursday: 'Tis Better to Give

2011-12-15T08:26:00.001-08:00

I may sound like a broken record here, but the Skit Guys can make any serious thing that we need to learn into the funniest things. We've been in a series called Unwrapping Christmas, and last night was about how the stuff of Christmas competes with the satisfaction Jesus came to offer. So, we showed this:

Random Video Thursday: For the Gifts You Can't Wait to Give

2011-12-08T08:56:00.001-08:00

Ok, confession time. Usually these posts are reserved for funny, random, non-sensical, stupid, hilarious, and/or pointless videos. This week, as I watched this video I was laughing so hard, because I could see my son in this. So I just had to put it in here, and show our students (that and it made me almost cry - all 5 times that I've seen it).

We started a series called, Unwrapping Christmas last night with them, and I felt like it definitely played well into the direction we were going for the night - which isn't a prerequisite of the random video segment.

Unwrapping Christmas

2011-12-07T08:50:00.001-08:00

Christmas is that feel-good time of year when the lights are up, the holiday music is flowing and the cheer is palpable in the air. It’s also the time of year when we go through the same Christmas routine as always and pass another holiday season without necessarily thinking through how the story of Christmas is meant to change us, not just be a backdrop to two weeks off from school.

So, this Christmas we’re going to take a fresh look at the Christmas story with some new insights to help us understand how revolutionary Jesus’ arrival on Earth really was. When we think of the Christmas story this year, let’s be reminded that Jesus is more than we need during the holiday season, and for the rest of the year too.

Join us Wednesday, beginning this week - December 7th - and the next, as we Unwrap Christmas!

Random Video Thursday: I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy

2011-12-01T08:22:00.001-08:00

Last night was our Parent Night that we try to do at least once a year with our families. So when I found this, I couldn't pass up showing this.

Random Video Thursday: Guy on a Buffalo - Episode 1

2011-10-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last night, we started a series called, COLLIDE. And we also started a series of random awesomeness with Guy on a Buffalo. If this doesn't get stuck in your head I question your ability to smile, laugh or have a good time. Enjoy.

Random Video Thursday: Amish Angry Birds

2011-10-13T07:29:00.001-07:00

Yep, you read that title correctly. Amish. Angry. Birds. Three words that without even seeing the video make you giggle. I know this because that's what I did when I saw the title. Enjoy.

See You at the Pole 2011

2011-09-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Wednesday is national See You at the Pole day. If you have a high school student at KV, we will be meeting out front of the school from 7:00-7:20 to meet for prayer.

Do you ever feel alone on your campus? Do you sometimes feel you’re the only Christian around? Is it tough to reach out without standing out? But your heart is to reach your friends for Christ, so what do you do?

Well, what if you gathered with other Christians around the flagpole at your school on the morning of September 28 and laid this petition before God, "Father, may Your will be done on my campus as it is in heaven”?

What if all of you really meant that prayer? What if your youth pastor stood ready to help you make this a reality?

How would that change your school? How would that change the lives of your friends and fellow students?

See You at the Pole™ can provide a powerful connection between you and the other Christian students on your campus to pray and reach out all year long.

Let See You at the Pole™ be a kick-off for you to truly make a difference this year. Take your place in history with millions of other students on this Global Day of Student Prayer.

Random Video Thursday: See You on Monday

2011-09-22T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge Chic-Fil-A fan. Ever since my first experience in Atlanta for the Orange Conference in 2007, to now manipulating travel schedules in order to stop at known ones along travel routes, I am probably a borderline Chic-Fil-A junky. So when I found this nugget (pun intended) on YouTube I had to show it last night. Enjoy.

Random Video Thursday: Thumbs Up for Rock and Roll

2011-09-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Last night kicked off our first night, and we began a 6-week series, called Not a Fan.

So, in order to kick off the night right, we needed to get pumped up, and this guy had the motivational words to get us there:

Fall Kickoff

2011-08-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

School is here! Duh! So let's put down the books for a little while on August 31st and have a little fun. Join us from 6-8 pm on August 31st and promise you, you'll have a blast. HUGE inflatable...Loads of fun...and oh, yeah...TRASHCAN WARS!

BRIGADE Night of Worship

2011-08-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, August 13th beginning at 7:00 pm we will be having a night of Worship, Fellowship and Fun. Robb Stubblefield will be leading us in worship this evening with his band. Come on out and enjoy the night. We'll have the some fun stuff going on as well. To RSVP visit our Facebook Event, and you can even invite your friends to the event.

Random Video Thursday: Parkour!

2011-05-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

I love the office. I love random. And I especially love it when the beginning of the Office is completely random and has nothing to do with the actual episode. When that happens, you get something like this:

2011-05-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Tripp & Tyler have quickly become a couple of my favorites, especially in light of they have so much good stuff for the random video segment on Wednesdays! Here's one of their recent creations.

Random Video Thursday: Baby Break Dance

2011-05-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

We're in the middle of an XP3 series, called Grow Up where we are talking about the 5 catalysts that God can use to grow our faith. So, unlike many weeks, where the random video segment has no meaning, I thought having a baby breakdancing fit well with the theme.

Random Video Thursday: Pre-Blessed Food

2011-05-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

The video speaks for itself.

Random Video Thursday: Skittles Touch - Hitchhiker

2011-04-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

This might be one of the creepiest thing I've seen to advertise a product, but it sure does make you laugh to watch 50 teens holding their thumb up in the air to hold it on the skittle on the screen.

Random Video Thursday: All Mom Wants for Easter

2011-04-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

Just like the Skit Guys, the Skitzy Chicks crank out some pretty funny stuff. A Sometimes you'll even find them working together. Here's a new one for Easter that made me and some of our students laugh last night.

Super Saturday Community Project Day

2011-04-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

What is it?

Super Saturday is an opportunity for Christians around our community to get together as one body of Christ and help those in need. Christ has taught us that it is our duty to help the elderly and the widows.

This is not one church's project, but a project organized by Christians in the community.

On Saturday, April 16th, we will be meeting at 8:00 am @ DEMOTTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL parking lot and dividing into work teams. From there the teams will go into the community and work on projects that have been predetermined. These projects only go until early afternoon. We will then have a time of lunch and celebration together for all who can attend at DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL @ 1:00 pm.

What will we be doing?

We will have many windows and gutter cleaning projects. There are usually a few projects with some repair work around their house. The Town of DeMotte had a project for us, and we will also have a wood cutting project that would help cut up and deliver free firewood to those in need.

What do I need to bring?

Yourself, a pair of gloves and a rake if you have one.

Random Video Thursday: Skittles Touch - Cat

2011-04-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this over on the Youth Specialties Blog. And it's awesome.

Haiti Through My Eyes: Greg Van Ravenswaay

2011-04-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post from one of our teens who went on the Mission Trip to Haiti.

by Greg Van Ravenswaay

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity of going to Haiti with the church mission trip. It was my first mission trip, so I really didn't know what to expect. I really had no idea of what we would be doing or where we would be staying. When we first got there, it was a big shock - it was something I had never seen before. I could hardly believe how the people there lived. They hardly had anything. The majority of the houses were either tents or old run down shacks. When we first walked out of the airport, there were people in the parking lot. They all wanted to take your bag, or expect to be paid for helping, and that caught me off guard a little because I had never experienced that. When we got to our compound we met some of the Haitian people there; they were really nice and down to earth.

On the trip I was part of the construction team. We worked on the construction site for a total of 4 days. The first day the materials were late, so we didn't get started right away, but that gave us the time to play with the kids that came to the construction site, and do a Bible lesson. Then later, we helped dig out a foundation for what would later be a university they had planned to build there. Also, that day we moved bags of concrete, sifted sand and gravel for mortar, moved blocks, and helped lay down the blocks.

The next three days we moved a lot of rock. Overall we moved about 60 ton of rock in three days for the foundation of a cafeteria that they had planned to build. At first the other construction workers were a little uneasy about us being there. It took them a few days for them to warm up. The last day at the construction site we all really had a good relationship with the other workers. We were able to give them Bible tracts in their language (Creole), so they could read and learn about the Lord. It was really awesome to see all of them read the tracts. We got the opportunity to pray with them and the opportunity to share the Gospel with them. It was really cool to see all of their faces as Big John shared the gospel with them.

For me personally, the trip was a big eye opener. It really made me feel so grateful for what I have because we have 100x what they have. You appreciate something as simple as water, because the natural water there was unclean. This trip really helped me grow spiritually. It made me go out of my comfort zone and open up a little bit more. I feel more prepared to share my faith with nonbelievers now and in the future. The mission trip also helped me get started on doing my devotions. I have started doing devotions more now then I used to. I also cherished this time working with my fellow Christian believers from the church as we served God together. It was quite a bonding experience. Overall it was an awesome trip, and an amazing experience. I hope to go on more mission trips in the future.

And as a mission team, we want to thank you, Grace Fellowship, for praying for us 24 hours a day for the 7 days we were gone.

Random Video Thursday: I've Seen it All

2011-03-31T07:16:00.001-07:00

Youth ministry is a mixed bag of awesome roller coaster moments. And I love it. From lighting farts to cell phones going off during serious moments to getting to walk with a student who is experiencing the grace of God for the first time. Youth Ministry rocks! This video is all about that.

Random Video Thursday: Bowlin' (featuring Chris Tomlin)

2011-03-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

I love just about everything that Tripp and Tyler produce. The word on the street (why do people say that - especially people in small towns) is that this was played at Catalyst last year to kick things off, and then afterwards there were people set up giving bowl cuts. That's a video starting a revolution. We tried to get two of our youth sponsors who also cut hair to do the same for us after youth group, but they said 'No'. Lame.

Random Video Thursday: More Than You Know

2011-03-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

I found these from CIY MOVE a long time ago, back when they were still called "Summer Conference". There are like 20 different ones, and they're all funny. We showed this one last night and dedicated it to our oldest youth sponsor, Chad.

To Save a Life - A Letter to Parents

2011-03-09T08:43:00.001-08:00

Hey Parents,

I want to let you know about an upcoming series for our teenagers, which I believe is going to be life changing for those involved. The seven-week series starts on March 9, and it is based on the movie To Save A Life. I highly recommend that not only your son or daughter see the movie, but you see it as well. The movie is about the real-life challenges of teens and their choices, and it can help raise awareness of what students go through.

In the To Save A Life series, we will deal with hard but very real issues like social acceptance, cutting, teen suicide, depression, and somehow being Jesus’ hands and feet in a hurting world. Even though these are difficult topics, over the next few weeks the series will help your son or daughter become equipped to reach out to the hurting and lonely on their campuses and truly make a difference in their world. I really encourage you to ask your teen about their experiences each week, and be ready to listen to what they’re learning and how they’re being challenged.

What’s Your Teen’s Life Going to Be About?

In a compelling scene from the movie To Save A Life, the youth pastor tells the main character, Jake, “At some point, you’ve gotta answer the question, ‘What’s your life going to be about?’” Teen life is full of questions…and defining moments. Help your teen see themselves as loved by God and able to live a life of real significance.

Series Schedule:

March 9: Lowering the Waterline—If we are going to love the hurting and lonely, then we first need to know how much God loves us.
March 16: You’re Not Alone—We need to notice and respond to hurting and lonely peers in our sphere of influence.
March 30: Say Something…Do Something—We want to not just know about hurting and lonely peers, but to serve them and be “Jesus’ hands and feet.”
April 6: What’s your Logline?—We want to meet our peers in their hurt and to help others rewrite their stories based on how God sees them.
April 13: How to Save a Life—God can actually use our small acts of service for the hurting and lonely to save people’s lives and change the world.
April 20: Agape Feast—We’ll celebrate together with a huge potluck dinner like the early church.
April 27: Stepping Into the Bigger Picture—We will learn to reach out to the hurting and lonely in community.

Handling the Tough Stuff

Life as a teenager can be difficult. Every day, your teen does their best to be liked, do well in school, get along with their family, and make important decisions that could affect their whole lives. Teenagers can't avoid pressures, and it’s natural to worry about them. The first step in helping your teen is differentiating between normal growing pains and a crisis situation. No one knows your son or daughter better than you. Read through the following list and remember these signs as you observe your teenager. You might also be in a position to help one of their friends.

A teen might need special help if they:

Feel or act very angry most of the time, cry a lot, or overreact
Display obvious and abrupt behavioral changes
Are repeatedly involved in high-risk behaviors
Complain of medically undiagnosed physical problems
Start doing much worse in school, or lose interest in activities or other things they usually enjoy
Change their sleep or eating habits, have persistent nightmares, or use alcohol or drugs
Avoid friends or family and want to be alone all the time
Say they can’t concentrate, make decisions, or pay attention to anything
Use suicidal language such as “I’d be better off dead,” “You won’t have to worry about me much longer,” or “No one cares if I’m around, I’ll just end it all”
Talk about hurting others or lashing out at people or property

If you observe one or more of these signs, you might need to find experienced or even professional help for your student.

Did You Know…

Depression strikes about one out of eight teenagers [TeenSuicide.us]
14%-39% of teens have had at least one incident of deliberate self-injury [Journal of Abnormal Psychology]
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 10- to 19-year-olds [National Institute of Mental Health]

These are difficult, but very real issues. Below are some Web sites, books, and phone numbers where you can find help.

Suicidology.org
TeenSuicide.us
National Institute of Mental Health (nimh.nih.gov and search under children and adolescents)
Boys and Girls Town 24-hour Hotline: 1-800-448-3000
1-800-Suicide
1-800-273-Talk
1-877-Youthline
A Parent’s Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis by Rich Van Pelt and Jim Hancock
Hope and Healing For Kids Who Cut by Marv Penner

Movie Night

2011-03-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

We are going to make the movie available to watch To Save a Life again at our house (click here for map). 6:30 pm. Have them bring their own snacks and drinks. Click here to RSVP on Facebook!

Random Video Thursday: Fuzzy Fuzzy Cute Cute

2011-03-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

Not that I ever thought to myself, "I'll never have a blog post with 'Random Video Thursday: Fuzzy Fuzzy Cute Cute' as the title," but I can honestly say that I didn't think that it would ever be a post. This might go beyond random to strange. Enjoy.

Random Video Thursday: Swiss Ball Surfing

2011-02-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

I love youth ministry. I love youth ministry games. I especially love when I get game ideas for youth ministry from stupid things that people do on YouTube! Time to up the insurance policy. Good thing we have an insurance agent as a youth sponsor.

Random Video Thursday: SuperBowl Top 10

2011-02-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

I love the Super Bowl. Heck, I love football. College, Pro, High School. I love it all. I also love the Super Bowl commercials, which is yet another reason I love YouTube. Because I never get to see all of the commercials. Commercial time is when I get up, walk around, go to the bathroom, feed myself more food I don't need, etc. Enter YouTube, and the ability to see everything you missed.

Starting this year, on the Wednesday after the Super Bowl, I will be showing my Super Bowl Commercials Top 10. These aren't anybody else's top 10, although you might like them too.

Here they are: MY SUPERBOWL TOP 10 COMMERCIALS OF 2011.

#10 - Best Buy Big Game Spot with Bieber and Ozzy

#9 - Bridgestone - Carma

#8 - NEW E*TRADE Baby -- Cat

#7 - Bridgestone - Reply All

#6 - Doritos - House Sitting

#5 - NEW E*TRADE Baby -- Tailor

#4 - Chevy Cruze - Misunderstanding

#3 - Snickers - Logging

#2 - CareerBuilder - Parking Lot

And #1 - Volkswagen Commercial: The Force

The End of "The Talk"

2011-02-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

We're in the middle of our yearly series that we do with our junior high and high school students on relationships and sex, Sex. Dating. Usually during this series I take the opportunity to be having "The Talk" with their children.

But I'm not convinced that it's enough. Just having "The Talk" is not enough. It's time to begin having "Talks". "Talks" with our daughters about how a teenage boy thinks. "Talks" with our sons about how to treat and talk to teenage girls. "Talks" about putting parameters when it comes to dating and being alone with someone that we are "in like" with - notice I didn't say "love", that's because we need to have "Talks" about what love is, and isn't.

Dads, we need to have "Talks" with our sons about pornography. And frankly, Dads, we need to take a look at ourselves and see how our example is affecting our sons in our homes. It's time we set the example for our sons in how we treat a woman. We need to talk with our daughters about how beautiful they are. Telling them that every day. Working tirelessly for our daughters to understand how a man treats a woman, and anything less than that is unacceptable.

Moms, we need you to have "Talks" about how a woman desires to be treated, and how it is so different than MTV or about any other show they might be watching wants them to think how girls want to be treated. It's time for "Talks" with our daughters about setting a standard and never backing down from that.

It's time for "Talks". Lots and lots and lots of "Talks". One talk isn't going to do it, unless you package it in a weekend long "Talk" summit that's revisited bi-monthly. There should be no one fighting for their heart and their sexuality harder than us.

Random Video Thursday: High Five Etiquette

2011-01-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

I'm a "high fiver." And now, you can be one too!

Sex. Dating.

2011-01-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again! Every year we dive into an issue that is one not worth shying away from. Sex. This year we're using a video series with authors Michael and Hayley DiMarco who have written books for teens on these very issues.

The Bible doesn’t tell us how to ask someone out and Scripture doesn’t say what the perfect date would look like. But God gives clear guidance on how we should treat our bodies and how we should treat others … including the opposite sex.

In these four video sessions, Hayley and Michael DiMarco use practical and Biblical guidelines to help teens figure out how to build healthy relationships with the opposite sex. A great Bible study for your youth group.

+ Real-life interviews with teenagers from across the country.

+ Understand the purpose of dating and how to respect ourselves and each other.

+ Four video Bible studies on these topics:

Boundaries
The Role of Dating
Tough Issues for Guys
Tough Issues for Girls

To Save a Life

2011-01-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

On February 23rd we are joining with other youth groups in our community for a movie night in the KVHS auditorium. We will be watching, To Save a Life. Here a description from their website:

To Save A Life is more than a movie. It's the difference you can make when you use your influence and time for others—whether in your family, neighborhood, campus, community or world. Some people are just dying to be heard and accepted. Don't let 'em have to. Be the person who takes the time to show people they have value. Listen. Reach out. Engage. Imagine if we took the time to show other people we care. To Save A Life dares—no, inspires—you to.

To Save A Life is an awesome movie. But it's only a movie. You can change the world.

The movie deals with many of the issues that todays teenagers deal with on a regular basis. The movie may seem a little raw, but so is the reality that many of our teens live in each day. I highly encourage you to take a look at the trailer below. I also ask you to encourage your son or daughter to be a part of this night with us.

Random Video Thursday

2011-01-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned it before, but I love the Skit Guys! Love. Love. Love. We showed this little nugget of comedy gold last night.

Random Video Thursday

2011-01-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back we showed the iBand Video from NorthPoint. If you haven't watched that, DO IT! But then the next week, when you thought it couldn't be topped (or at least up to the same level), they pulled off yet another great production with, Santa went down to Georgia. Enjoy.

T.M.I.

2011-01-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

So you overslept, missed the bus, saw someone cute, aced the big test and you're mad at that guy. How do we know? Because you gave the world your play by play for the day on FB, Twitter and texted about it every five minutes.

We live in a world where we know more about the people around us that we ever knew before. But have you noticed something? We can know a lot-too much-and yet not really know what's going on. It's so easy to let people know about us, and not really have a place where people really know us at all. So where and with who are you sharing your T.M.I.? Over the next 3 weeks, we'll be talking about where we should be sharing our "stuff" and maybe what "stuff" doesn't need sharing at all.

Random Video Thursday

2010-12-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

It's Random Video Thursday!! And, having been a little under the weather last week we have a double dose of random awesomeness. First, a the video we showed last week in BRIGADE.

And then, for the grand-daddy of them all. Really this next one deserves like a series of blog posts. We might never out-do ourselves on this one. It's well worth watching the entire thing, but if you only have a couple minutes start it at 5 min. You won't be disappointed.

Rediscovering the Christmas Season

2010-12-07T07:29:00.001-08:00

I love the Christmas season. A lot of the excitement for me is getting to see family during a week break that we always take as a staff. I live about 9 hours away from both my family and my wife's family, so our family always makes a week's vacation trip and splits time with my family and my in-laws.

Another thing that I love is getting to enjoy how cozy our little house gets when my wife, Jessica puts up the tree and all the lights and decorations in our house. It's a joy to come home, turn off all the house lights and watch some TV with my family under the light of just our tree and other decorative lights in the house.

I've been wanting this Christmas season to be a little different, however. And the other day I stumbled on the "Rediscovering the Christmas Season" Bible reading plan over on YouVersion. So I'm doing my first reading plan that I've done with them during this season to refocus some of what I love about Christmas back to what's important. So if you're looking for a quick reminder that really only takes about 5-10 minutes each day to do, I really encourage you to click the link above and join in.

The cool thing about it, is if you have a smart phone, you can download their app, and do it on your phone too if you set up an account on the website and login on your phone.

Random Video Thursday...a week late

2010-11-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

I believe that you could type in "Kung Fu" into YouTube and come up with enough random videos to last you a year. Here's just one of those awesome finds:

What I Should Have Said...

2010-11-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, in my junior high group the subject of forgiveness came up. I can’t remember how, or even what the focus of forgiveness was. But eventually in our conversation the question got posed to me hypothetically about whether I could ever forgive someone if they killed my little boy, Caleb.

I told them that I hoped that I could eventually get to the point where I could forgive them. My boys were astonished. They couldn’t get their heads around the fact, and I couldn’t – in the moment – think of a good way to help them see the whats and whys of why I believe that I could forgive this horrible, hypothetical situation.

This morning, as I was reading I came to Matthew 18:23-35, the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Jesus has just instructed Peter to forgive, not just seven times – as is above and beyond in Jewish customs – but however many times it takes. So Jesus decides the illustrate his point, as he often does, with a parable.

In the parable, a servant owes the king an amount more than he will be able to pay back. He begs for patience from the king, and instead the king wipes the dept away. The servant immediately leaves the presence of the king to find another servant who owes him money. He grabs him by the throat, and threatens to throw him in jail if he doesn’t pay back what he owes the first servant – an amount somewhere around a million to one what he owed the king.

The king heres the news and does treats the servant who owed him more than he could repay how he had just treated the second servant who could over time repay the debt. In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed…This is how my heavenly father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart (Matthew 18 34-35).

Here is what I should have said to my boys that night: ”I can forgive because he first forgave me my offenses. If I lose sight of where God has saved me from I will never be able to forgive people of the petty things they do to me. But if I know that I had a debt that could not be repaid except for by the blood of Jesus, then, and only then can I have the strength to forgive others.”

D.A. Carson wrote, “Jesus sees no incongruity in the actions of a heavenly Father who forgives so bountifully and punishes so ruthlessly, and neither should we. Indeed, it is precisely because he is a God of such compassion and mercy that he cannot possibly accept as his those devoid of compassion and mercy.”

“If we don’t forgive our fellow servants their puny little offenses against us. God won’t forgive our huge offenses against him. God’s actions are both severe and fair. Those in the church who bear grudges against brothers or spouses or parents must pay attention to this teaching. Forgiveness of others is essential to our own salvation.” – Mark Moore

Random Video Thursday...on Saturday

2010-11-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot to post this being gone. You just about have to watch this at least twice. Fantastic.

Random Video Thursday

2010-11-04T14:25:00.001-07:00

This week, in keeping with our Halloween theme in BRIGADE we showed this little nugget of randomness. Yes, this my dog...no she is no longer a resident of our home...yes I laugh like a fool.

Isolation in an Age of Over-Connection

2010-11-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants the approval of their parents, even the most “rebellious” kid is longing for approval. The irony here is that parents also want the approval of their kids (perhaps acceptance is a better word). Being known and accepted is what we desire from significant relationships. As youth workers, if we can encourage teenagers to be more accepting at home, we’ll be contributing to a legacy of healthy families.

Here’s some principles for you to adapt as your own and pass along to the teenagers God has entrusted to your care:

TWO ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS

“I CAN TRY THIS”

You can’t choose your family, but you can decide to make your home life better. Make a commitment to deepen your connections with your parents, brothers and sisters. Give it a shot: you have nothing to loose and much to gain.

“I CAN CHANGE A LITTLE”

A little change really goes a long way when it comes to family relationships. The real challenge is consistency, not radically rearranging your entire home life for a week because you heard a family sermon at church. Make a little change that sticks and it will produce long-term change.

FOUR ACTIONS TO CONSIDER

DISCONNECT FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD

A few times each week, resolve yourself to disconnect from the outside world. Leave the headphones off, return text messages later, and remember that Facebook will still be there tomorrow. It’s HEALTHY if your outside world doesn’t always have instant access to you. Making a few changes will allow you to be more present with your family.

SHARE STORIES

When you come home, it’s tempting to retreat to your room and shut out the rest of the world. Once or twice a week, talk to your family about your life without being prompted (and if you are asked, say something more than “good”). By sharing something everyday, you will engage in life stories that will strengthen your home and long-term relationships.

ASK QUESTIONS

When you’re facing a challenge, ask for your parent’s advice BEFORE they give it to you. Not only are your parents older, but there’s usually some learned wisdom they’ve found that you haven’t experienced yet. You actually become more wise when you tap into their experience.

DO YOUR CHORES

No, your mother isn’t writing this article...it’s just good advice. When you do your part for the family you are showing respect for your parents. No one loves doing chores, but when you honor your parents, you are also honoring God.

(taken from "ISOLATION IN AN AGE OF OVER CONNECTION" by Doug Fields and Matt McGill)

Grounded From Church

2010-11-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

This is a post that’s been on my mind for a long time. I write it with humility and the willingness for you to disagree with me. But it’s something that I feel I can’t ignore.

Over the last 5 years of talking with students and parents about why they hadn’t been in youth group for a while one of the reasons that’s bugged me tremendously has been that they’ve been grounded. The grounding doesn’t bug me so much as the being grounded from church. Here is some of the thinking behind why I believe that we should never ground our kids from church.

First, Church simply becomes a bartering chip that we as parents play in order to enact some sort of punishment. If we expect this rising generation to view the community of Christ that they experience at this age as something that they simply can’t and shouldn’t try to live without, we cannot use it as something that is optional. Think about it. Most of us don’t expect our children to grow up to be professional athletes, but we’d never consider grounding them from a sports practice. But we do want our children to grow up to be life-long followers of Christ. The community of Christ cannot be a bartering chip or trump card to play.

Second, when we ground our kids from church we are communicating that we don’t believe in the redemptive purpose that a youth group experience provides. Are they going to have fun at youth group? Probably. Isn’t fellowship with other believers supposed to be a joyful experience? But are they going to hear the gospel preached? Absolutely. And I believe that nothing in this world has the potential to change the hearts of the most hardened people like the Word of God. We also believe that life-change happens best in the context of a small group – something that we provide in every experience for our youth and children.

I believe that this boils down to one of the values for families that we believe here at Grace Fellowship - Fight for the Heart. When we fight for the heart we’re doing more than fighting – we’re going toe-to-toe with the things that clamor for the attention of our children, and fighting for them to know God their Father above all else. And sometimes that has to trump us being right.

I do believe that there can be exceptions to what I’ve talked about, like special trips and other experiences that are a privilege. I invite your discussion on this.

Random Video Thursday

2010-10-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Every week in BRIGADE we have our moment of randomness that is growing in popularity. At least I enjoy it. So here you go...last night's moment of randomness.

First, this video that we've all seen...

...all of that, to set up this...

Grace is Hard...

2010-10-14T12:08:00.001-07:00

Last night we started a series in BRIGADE entitled, TEN, where we’re looking at the 10 Commandments. Our first talk last night dealt with our common assumptions that we have deep within us that the ten are void of relationship. If we look strictly at the surface of what Exodus 20 has to say, it’s really hard to find a God who loves his people unconditionally in there.

So, we backed up and did a quick look at the history of the Israelites starting with Jacob’s move to Egypt. How the Israelites had been enslaved by the Egyptians for 400 years (twice as long as the United States has been in existence, by the way). Then we went through God calling Moses to lead his people out of slavery and how Pharaoh refused to cooperate with God’s plan, so God intervened on behalf of His people – 9 times in fact. Then with one final intervention we discussed the Passover in Exodus 12. God rescued His people.

As a result of the Israelites’ obedience, God spares them from the last plague – the death of the firstborn son in each family. When Pharaoh’s own son dies, he finally decides to let the Isrealites leave Egypt, and they walk out together as a free nation. They have been rescued by their God, who has taken a personal interest in them.

A relationship between Israel and God had already been set into place. God had already acted on Israel’s behalf. If we miss this, we miss the whole point.

God acted first. God moved first. God proved Himself first. Before the rules, before the requirements, before God asked anything of Israel, God made His character known. He made His love known. He made the relationship known.

But in all of that (at least from my perspective) we still missed the point. At the end of the night I asked my JH boys what their one takeaway was for the night, and every single one of them came back with “try harder to live my life according to the 10 Commandments,” “honor my parents better,” “make sure that I’m living a better life.”

Grace is hard.

Grace is hard to hear someone talk about and freely accept it. It’s difficult to believe that there is a God who desires a relationship with us more than for us to follow a set of rules (sounds a bit like RELIGION doesn’t it?). Grace is hard, because we rarely meet someone who is gracious. Grace is hard because so many of our first experiences with God are with His representatives – “Christians” – not living in, and extending that Grace, that unconditional love as freely as God does.

And so Grace is hard to understand. I’ll even admit, that in my writing out the words that I would say last night I had to do a double take on them, and wonder if I was going to preach a gospel with too much grace, and not enough stipulations for us to live by once we experience that Grace.

Grace is hard.

TEN

2010-10-07T09:22:00.001-07:00

Thirty-five hundred years ago Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with a short list of rules that has shaped the values of people and nations for centuries. We know them as the Ten Commandments, but do we really know them? Many people believe that the rules are a condition for a relationship with God, things we must do to get in His good graces. But just the opposite is true. The relationship came before the rules. And the commandments were meant to not only reveal God’s heart, but to keep His people free. Starting October 14th, we'll be spending 5 weeks discovering what the Ten Commandments are all about.

Wired to Serve

2010-09-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, September 28th we'll be starting a series, Wired to Serve, where we'll discover what God says about service and that every single one of us was designed by God with a plan and purpose for our lives.

This first week we welcome a guest speaker, Adam VanderMolen. Adam and his family moved to Cambodia almost 2 years ago and began the work of missionary family there. Adam was only a month away from graduating from Covenant HS when they left. He plans on sharing his story, and what God has been teaching him about serving Him, no matter what we know about our future. This is going to be an awesome night!

Fall Kickoff 2010

2010-08-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Join us for a night of an inflatable obstacle course, something involving trashcans, and we'll burn some hot dogs on the grill.

Door prizes (including an IPOD NANO) and itunes gift cards.

Bring your friends, and we'll start this year off right! Click here to RSVP on Facebook!

Be the Church

2010-08-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I had the privilege to take 6 of our high school students to CIY MOVE in Holland, MI. If I’m honest, I was looking forward to this trip, but with little hope of there being any change in our group – much less any change in our church. The year before, we were scheduled to go it was only 2 weeks from my daughter being born and we only had 2 students signed up, so we cancelled. I didn’t have a lot of expectations going into this year’s trip.

On top of that, I spent very little time praying for the students that were going on this trip. I would pray from time to time about the trip, but not near what I needed to have spent. But one thing I did do, and so glad I did, was hand out some prayer sheets that CIY provided for specific ways that the people here could pray for the students going. Probably the best piece of planning I did going into the trip. Six different people praying specific things for these girls during their trip, and 5 days after the trip.

Throughout the week at CIY the students were challenged to become a Kingdom Worker. They were challenged to see needs, and meet needs. To see where God’s heart was, and MOVE towards it. They are doing that.

Here’s what that trip did for those students – and I believe is a direct result of the prayers that were prayed for the students during and after their conference experience. In just a little over week, these 6 teens are hosting a rummage sale here at the church that will go towards Active Water, a non-profit organization that helps to put bio-sand filters in the homes of people dealing with the water crisis going on in Africa.

These 6 students are being the church, and leading our church in an effort to do something about a problem that they know God wants us to do something about. I’m extremely proud of these students. I’m also extremely humbled to see what God is doing in their lives.

If you want details about the Rummage Sale, here they are: http://www.facebook.com/connectatgrace?v=app_2344061033&ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=122178511162434&index=1

Swim-'n-Study

2010-07-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

Due to weather tonight (7-28-10) Swim-'n-Study is CANCELLED. See everyone next week as Steve Leach will be sharing with us.

We've Moved!!

2010-07-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

Ok. Not really. But we are meeting at the Vanderlugt's for the rest of July! Just check out the Summer Edition tab on our website and you'll be about to find the location. Or just go to 6624 Ridgeview Dr. in DeMotte. See you next Wednesday!

BRIGADE: Summer Edition

2010-06-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Summer Edition of BRIGADE starts up this week at the Rentschler’s and I always struggle with what to teach during the summer with family vacations, camps, and other things making it hard to plan for consistent attendance. With that also comes a relaxed approach that we take each week, and we get to focus on connecting relationally with you guys. See you all @ 6:30 this Wednesday.

This summer we're going to look at the theme, I Wish I Knew Then..., focusing on some of the lessons we've learned along the way in life. My hope is to bring in some students who've recently graduated, and have them share some of their recent lessons that they've been learning as well.

The Battle Within...Followup

2010-05-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

To follow up with The Battle Within we wanted to give you a devotional tool to help you begin to identify where the temptation in your life is coming from and how to begin eradicating it. Click here to download a devotional to help you begin this process.

If doing this devotional shows something that you need help with, don't hesitate to ask someone. The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. You don't have to struggle with your own stuff - that is what community is all about...lifting each other up.

The Battle Within - Week 4

2010-05-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Temptation doesn’t always have to be about doing something bad. In fact, sometimes it’s not the end result that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but how we plan to get there. It’s the shortcut, the path, the compromise. And in this fight, this struggle with temptation, sometimes the punches we throw and the ones thrown at us are simply about pursuing the right things but in the wrong way.

The Battle Within - Week 2

2010-04-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

Most of us evaluate the temptations in our lives based on the immediate consequences and the probability of getting caught. After all, it usually comes down to what makes the most sense for me. But what if we really believed that there was a God who was bigger, and smarter and more capable than ourselves? How would it change the way we view temptation if we acted like the most rational and logical thing was to submit to God rather than leaning on our own understanding?

The Battle Within

2010-04-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

This week, we’re starting a series dealing with the subject of temptation. We felt this was an incredibly appropriate subject to look at with prom and summer vacation approaching. Each one of us faces a battle within, a battle that may go unseen by those around, but inside there is major brawl. It’s a battle with temptation. And once you realize what the pull is behind the temptation, you can find the confidence to follow Jesus’ example and respond as He did.

Time Change

2010-03-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Beginning March 31st we will be concluding our BRIGADE meetings @ 8 pm. Doors will still open at 6 pm for games and hang-out.

In The Beginning

2010-03-23T11:55:00.001-07:00

Contrary to what we may have always thought, the starting point for Easter isn't the waving of palm branches or the Last Supper. It even goes back farther than the birth of Jesus. The starting point for Easter began long before Jesus became flesh and walked this Earth. In fact, it began in the garden with Adam and Eve and God. The Easter story is a story about restoring what is broken-both in us and in our world. And it all began in the beginning. Join us beginning March 31 for this 2 week series on Wednesday nights. Doors open @ 6 and we'll be finishing up at 8 pm.

The Good Fight

2010-02-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

Every family is unique and every family fights--just in different ways. The goal of this series is to open up conversation about what goes on at home. We constantly think of our friends as defining who we are, but ultimately our parents have the most influence in how we go about life. We will either embrace what they've taught us, or run the other direction. Ultimately, our parents will determine a lot of the direction of our life, so instead of fighting with them, why not fight for them - a relationship with them?

Your parents really do want what's best for you. Your parents lie awake at nights worrying about you. They lose sleep over you. They define a lot of their lives around who you are and who you are becoming. Your parents just want what's best for you. Join us this series as we learn how we can fight for a relationship with our families.

The Never Ending Story

2009-11-23T12:02:00.001-08:00

The Christmas story is more than a just a story we look back on and remember. It’s ongoing. It’s active. It’s a story that required a response over 2,000 years ago, and one that requires a response today. It’s a story that invites us to participate in it even today—because the Christmas story is the neverending story. Join us for our last week of this series, Dec. 9th. See you all there. And Dec. 16th is the 4th Annual Lip Sync Contest!!

Pause

2009-09-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

Do you every get the feeling that you are just surviving life? Things are moving too fast, the pace is just too busy, and before you ever get the chance to enjoy the day, you have already started worrying about the next one. Being able to PAUSE is something we must learn to do, if we want to see God and encounter Him in a way we never have before. Join us for the next 3 weeks beginning September 16th as we dive into slowing down in order to connect and encounter or Maker.

Fall Kickoff

2009-08-31T11:39:00.001-07:00

Let's get this party started!! Join us at Spencer Park for a night of awesome games, inflatable Sumo wrestling, some hot dogs off the grill, and giveaways (ipod shuffle, gift cards, and more)!! Bring your friends and your favorite snacks!In case of rain, we'll meet at the DeMotte Christian gym.

Bonfire!!

2009-07-30T12:19:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, August 12th we are having a bonfire at Mark and Jenny Strong's house (map). We'll be roasting hot dogs, making smores, chilling out, and having a good time before school starts. Bring some of your favorite chips and snacks that night and come have a good time. See you all then.

Ignite Chicago

2009-06-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

Check it out. If you're looking for a great concert experience this summer, this is the place to find it. Head over to http://www.ignitechicago.com/ for information and to purchase tickets.

Choosing to Cheat

2009-06-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days - I started on Friday of Memorial Day weekend - I’ve started reading a book by Andy Stanley called Choosing to Cheat. The whole premise is this idea that we have a ton of stuff in life to do, and only so much time to do it in. So, we cheat. With only so much time to spend with family, so much time for work, so much time for hobbies - in order for those things to all fit into our schedules at some point in time, something’s bound to get cheated.

The question is, what (or who) gets cheated in my life? I’d love to answer that it’s never my family that gets cheated, but they do. I’d love to answer that my job never gets cheated, but it does. So how do I mix these two hugely important things? How do I allow my family to know that I love them and still get my job done? How do I spend quality and quantative time with my family and not cheat my job out of the time and energy that I’m hired to do? And here’s the big question for me…how do I (a pastor to the young people and families in this church) not cheat the work God has ordained me to do in this church, while not cheating the work of God that he’s ordained me to do in my home?

I’m still wrestling with this, but here are just a few of my thoughts that I’ve come up with/stole/borrowed.

1) Our behaviors –> reveal our priorities –> which reveals our true values (stole/borrowed from Mark Oestreiker of Youth Specialties). The things I spend my time doing will reveal my priorities which in turn reveals my true values. It reveals what (and who) I value the most. I can’t say that I value my family, and never spend time with them. I can carry around fresh pictures on my blackberry of my two-year-old Caleb, but never spend any time with him - do I really value him? I can wear my wedding ring, never flirt with inpropriety, kiss my wife when I leave and when I get home, let her know I love her a few times a day (even put it in a text and on my Facebook status), but never spend more than one evening at home with her a week - do I really value her?

2) The work God has ordained me to do is not everything He has to get done. God did not put me in this place to accomplish everything that needs accomplishing. I can know that in my head, but do I really believe that in my actions?

3) Saying “no” to something important and of worth is not saying “no” to God. If fact, when I say “yes” to something I’m having to say “no” to something else - too often my family - also something important and of worth.
These are just a few things I’m learning (being hit over the head with).

Prayer

2009-03-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a talk for the first week of Can You Hear Me? - a series on prayer. The difficult thing, as with a lot of series that we talk about, is that I don't know a great deal about prayer. Don't get me wrong, I know with my head a little bit about prayer, and how it works, and doesn't or shouldn't work. But as far as being a good prayer, I'm a bum.

A little over a year ago we as a staff took it upon ourselves to work on some things in our lives that need working on. One of mine was my prayer life. I got better. Then I got worse again. Now I'm working on it yet again. This series is going to be as much for me as it will be for everyone else who shows up.

Prayer always seems to be a difficult thing for just about everybody. Don't get me wrong, I've met some incredible prayers, but even they would say that they don't pray as much as they would like. I'm excited for this series. Maybe I'll learn something about myself and how God wants to communicate with me.

Lovesick

2009-02-17T07:51:00.001-08:00

There’s something pretty amazing about being in love, isn’t there? The butterflies in your stomach. The dreamy gazes. No wonder so many of us are so in love with being in love. But, when romantic relationships become an obsession, balance goes out the window. There’s got to be another way than being so lovesick.

I’m hugely excited about this series. There are few things that I’m personally more passionate about than doing relationships right. My relationship with my wife is hugely important. My relationship with my son is super important. Our senior pastor says this all the time, “The quality of relationships determines the quality of your life.” And there is nothing more true about that than the dynamic of the relationships you have with the opposite sex.
We constantly live with this idea that if you aren’t dating, you aren’t really living. If you aren’t dating, or pursuing, or whatever somone from the opposite sex there must be something internally wrong with you. Maybe that’s not the case. May that’s a struggle for you. I don’t know exactly what goes on in your mind, but I do know that this series will hit home with many of you, if not every single one of you. Please come and make this series one that you’ll remember for a long time. It’s time that we understand the importance of quality relationships.

Voices

2009-02-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

C.S. Lewis, one of Christianity’s greatest modern thinkers said this, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” I think that for far too long we have let the image of Halloween costumes with red plastic masks and rounded off pitchforks define the image we have of Satan. We dismiss him as childish, outdated and no longer relevant. We start to, as Lewis suggests, disbelieve.

The longer we act as if there is no Enemy to be on our guard about, the easier it is to fall prey the what Peter calls, the “roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” I hope that you will join us in this series. We’re going to take a hard look at the schemes that the devil uses to keep us from the truth, and from understanding the love that God has for us. He continues to feed us lies. Jesus said that “there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NIV).