Ramblings of a Youth Pastor

It's Cold Outside

2007-01-30T06:07:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that January is almost gone. Time flies!

The Spiritual Adventure weekend went very well. We had over 100 students and youth leaders show up. The seminar leaders did an excellent job. The waterpark was fun, too!! (Just so you know I can make a pretty big "splash" at the end of a large water slide :) )

The temperature outside is only about 1 and yet plans are already in place for youth camp (Camp 180) for this summer. Bay Forrest, former NBA player for the Phoenix Suns, is our speaker. We are expanding our out reach for camp this year. We are hoping to get some youth from the West Michigan District as well as some non-denominational churches who don't have camps.

I am in the middle of getting ready for the annual Winter Retreat that we have at Brockway. It is a good time of fellowship and I hope growth for the teens. This year's theme is "Rugged Prayer" . It focuses on prayer in everyday life and in the trying times of life.

I am reading through the Bible again this year (I read through the Bible last year as part of the year of the Bible in the Wesleyan Church). The OT part of my reading lately, is where Moses is leading the people out of Egypt. The Pharoah continues to have a heard heart and God continues to bring plagues on Egypt.

It is easy to read about the Pharoah and think he is crazy for ignoring the warning of the plagues. One plague comes and he tells Moses to go ahead and go, but then he changes his mind and says no. We just shake our heads and think, that Pharoah is just asking for trouble. But, how many times have we seen people like this? Or worse, how many times have we been like this? We hear from God. We are convicted of something. We feel nudged to do something. We determine that we are going to stop something or start something or be kinder or whatever. Then we forget about it, or we make some excuse for not going through with it. In essence, we harden our hearts to God.

It's my prayer for you and for me in 2007, that we have soft hearts. I pray the you and I have hearts that can understand what God is saying and then follows through. May we learn a lesson from a hard hearted Pharoah.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

It has been forever since I have posted anything and a lot has happened in the world. The Republicans got spanked in the mid-term elections, The Iraq Study group has released their study, My boys finished their fall sport seasons, My oldest son started indoor soccer, I found out I have some serious arthritis in my left knee, We went of vacation to the no so "sunny" south. It was the earliest snow in Charleston, SC history.

Now we are fast and furious into the Christmas Season. Yeah, I said Christmas not Holiday Season. Not PC but I am bold like that :).

I am stoked that the District Spiritual Adventure weekend has AWESOME numbers registered. This is the first time we have tried a District Retreat in a hotel setting. We will be at the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City. In the past we have only had up to about 30 people for this retreat, this year we have over 90 registered. It is GREAT!! God has blessed and is blessing and all the seminar leaders are in place and the ball is rolling just as it should. It makes a DYP proud :).

I am so thankful that we have a God that cares and is involved with His creation. We have been discussing God and His attributes in Youth on Wednesday Night the last couple of weeks. I have studied His attributes (Omniprescence, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Transcendence, Immance, Holiness, etc....) for along time- and they still BLOW ME AWAY! When I contemplate what it is for God to be God it is simply staggering.

I think it is only appropriate to think of all the attributes of God this time of year (Christmas). It was at the birth of Jesus that God wrapped Himself in flesh and came and dwelt among us. How awesomeis that?!! It is mind boggeling to think that the God that is all "that" took on the limitations of a mortal body for me, for you, for everyone. It is thoughts like that that keep me up at night in awe and wonder and praise for our God.

So I wish you a Merry CHRISTmas!! May the thought of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, blow your mind!

Work, football, soccer, surgery and other things that make you tired

2006-09-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

Life is going full speed ahead. My boys are both playing sports. Jonathan is still playing football, but I think he would rather be playing soccer. David is playing soccer and doing a great job. He scored two goals last Saturday. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see them because I was picking my wife up from the hospital after back surgery on Friday. She is doing ok now but won't be back to work for about two weeks. That is hard on her because she is a work-a-holic.

We started youth worship back up. It is going ok, but will be better when the student leaders are put into place in the next few weeks. Many of them are so young but they have a lot of potential. If I can only harness their powers for good instead of evil :).

At times it seems like life goes by so fast. Days are so full of things that have to be done. Life is like that. It is so important that as I do the things that have to be done, work, practices, etc.. that I am aware of the presence of God. The psalmist said "If I go to the highest of heights, You are there, If I go to the deepest of depths, You Are there". I need to rejoice in the fact that as I go to work, HE is there, as I go to practice, HE is there, as I go to the store, HE is there. There is no place that I can go that HE is not there. I take comfort in that! I take comfort in knowing that when I feel weak and weary- HE is my strength.

As the comercial says "Life Comes at you Fast". The good news is God is faster!!

Lessons from the Gridiron

2006-08-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

My youngest son (8) just started playing football this year (it's the first year he has been old enough). I am thrilled, because unlike soccer, I actually know what I am doing when it comes to football. I signed up to help assist in the coaching of the team. So when I am out on the field during the practices I try to impart to my son my years of football and coaching experience. Sometimes he looks at me and I know he gets it. He hears what I am saying and I see him put it into practice. Sometimes he looks at me like I was an alien and was speaking some wierd language. He just doesn't get it, either because of how I described it or because he just wasn't teachable at the moment. So, I just smile and try again another way or at another time when he is a little less tired and hot. Most of the time he gets it or will get it in time.

It hit me that the way my son is with me on the gridiron is how we are with God. There are times when God reveals something to me and I get it. I understand what He is saying and I put it in practice. There are times however when I am a little slow. I don't get what God is trying to teach me. Sometimes it's because I just am not teachable, sometimes because I am a little dense. It's then that I think God smiles and by His grace, He goes about teaching me in another way or just waits until I catch on.

I like it best when I get it quick! Lately I think I have been a little slow to grasp what God is trying to teach me in some instances. I am thankful that He is more patient than I am!

What about you? What is your experience been like with God? Do you get it quick always or are you like me, sometimes it takes a little longer!

Youth Camping Trip

2006-07-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Just got back today from a three day youth camping trip. We stayed at a "Rustic Cabin" (read outhouse, no electricity). It was good. It was the first trip with the new Jr. Highers. They did very well and I believe they will be a breath of fresh air. The boys are very "creative" (read mischeiveious). They melted a Hershey's Bar (OK with my help) and wiped it all over the toilet seats in the outhouse. They also did the old shave cream in the hand while sleeping trick. It was fun. They also played a lot of air soft. We went tubeing down a deep, cold river for about 3 hours but it was a lot of fun. The last day we spent at a beach then headed home. I am very pleased at the outcome and am thankful for the adult sponsors who went a long to help. I could not have done it without them!

New students give me a "breath of fresh air" in youth ministry. There is always more to do and more leaders to train. What gives you a "breath of fresh air"? What does God bring into your life and ministry to give you the "fresh air" that keeps you going in the ministry.

Family Camp and other things

2006-07-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am just back from Family Camp. I was in charge of the youth ministry again this year. Things went very well. The speaker did a good job and everything went smoothly. I am thankful to God for that!!

During the camp week I was voted in as District Youth President. I am excited about what God has instore for the Youth Ministry of the District. God has placed some very fine youth pastors and youth leaders in our District. It is my goal to have the District Youth be an aid to those doing youth ministry. Leadership training will be a very important part of this. We will also be putting an emphasis on those being called into the ministry. I am thrilled that a youth pastor has already stepped up to lead our 'fellowship of the called'. It is great the way God works.

Leadership is another opportunity to serve. I am thankful that oppotunity.

Youth Camp

2006-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from youth camp today. Camp went very well. I had 7 teens from the church attend Sr. High camp. I was so glad they were able to make it. The speaker did a great job as did the worship band. God moved in both camps.

I sometimes wonder what it is like for some of the teens who go home to churches who worship in a totally different way than we do at camp. The music is loud, exciting, contemporary (not a hymnal in sight), and the messages are aimed at teens. When the teens get back to their home churches- I am sure that for many of them it is not like it is at camp. God can move in any type of service- but it seems that in the camp atmosphere the teens are more receptive.

I am glad that God uses a variety of ways (including camp) to reach down to us. The depth of God's love for His children is amazing. I am blessed to be able to see it in action.

Vacation

2006-06-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Washington DC! It has been a busy few days. We were in Niagara Falls on Monday. Rode the Maid of the Mist. It was great!! Drove on Tuesday- visited Gettysburg for about 3 hours. Got to our Motel in Maryland late. Spent today touring DC. We rode the Metro- train system today. We went to the zoo- saw the Pandas! We went to Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, FDR Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. It was a LOT OF WALKING!!! Tomorrow more of the same. Arlington, Pentagon, White House, Supreme Court, Smithsonians (whatever we can fit in.) Friday off to SC. Hope all is well with you!!

Schools Out for the Summer

2006-05-27T19:34:00.001-07:00

My wife finished teaching for the year yesterday. It has been a stressful year for her so I am glad that it is over. We head for vacation soon. That is a very good thing!!

I had the Commencment Address at Brockway Christian Academy today. Two seniors graduated. I have known them since they were just children. It was harder to share today than I thought it would be. In many ways it was like my own kids graduated today. I choked up a couple of times but was able to keep my composure. I pray that they and all the graduating seniors in my youth ministry decide of their own accord to follow God fully. They all have such great potential!!!

Summer is going to be busy. Vacation, Youth Camp, Family Camp, Youth Camping Trip, Super Summer Wednesday Nights for youth. It should be good.

I love summer, even when it's busy!! I think there is something about seeing the sun (we don't often in the winter here in MI) that makes you more optimistic. I hope you all have a great summer too.

Rock the Coast

2006-05-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday I took a group of teens to "Rock the Coast" held at Michigan's Adventure amusement park. It was a day full of riding thrill rides and a night of concerts. We were able to hear Jadon Lavik, Natalie Grant, The Afters (Got my picture with them), and Kutless.

The concerts were good with the exception of two things. One it was raining on and off all night and two I spent most of the night searching for 3 teen age girls from our group. I looked frantically through Natalie Grant and Kutless concerts. I even ended up down front during Kutless (bobbing up and down) to see if they were in the crowd. I did not see them. I looked eveywhere I could imagine. Let's just say that I had visions of irate parents and a job search ahead. At the end of the concert the three girls came bopping up from the very front of the stage giddy from having been touched by the lead singer of Kutless. Relief filled my soul. They had told another sponsor where they were going but that sponsor had not heard them clearly. All was good.

So what's the point of the story. God looked and looks for us with more dedication than I did for those girls. God is constantly looking for those who have yet to come to Him. When I think that God pursued a relationship with me long before I thought of HIM, I am in awe. When I think about God so desiring relationships with human beings I am amazed. Then I think, what am I doing to introduce them to God. Am I as interested in introducing people to Christ as I was in finding those three lost teenagers? Because I know God is!!!

What do you think?

Life is Short

2006-05-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

There was a car accident in front of my house today. Both drivers were ok, but their vehicles were both destroyed. If you just saw the wreckage you would have thought that the injuries would have been much worse. One vehicle actually rolled over more than once, but the driver came out with only a scratch on his knuckle. WOW!! It could have been much worse! It would have been easy for someone to die in a wreck like that.

Life is short at its longest. None of us knows when our time on this earth will be done. That should give us great reason to live our lives for God. Only the treasures we store in Heaven will last, yet we spend so much time on the temporal things that will all dissappear one day.

Why is that? Why do we lose sight of the eternal for the temporary?
I have my ideas. What do you think???

From Sr's to Jr. High

2006-05-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

In a few weeks, I will be losing a large group of Senior's who will be graduating from High School. I have been their youth pastor since they were in the sixth grade and have known many of them from camps a lot longer than that. I have seen them grow up. I have seen them make good choices and some really stupid choices. I have seen some of them flourish in their relationship with God and some really struggle and some seemingly walk away. My hope is that when they are older they will remember what they have been taught and what they have caught and decide to follow God. Follow God, not because Mommy or Daddy does or because it is expected but because they choose to. Their life has to move on and their faith has to be their own.

I now have to concentrate on a large group of sixth graders who are moving into the youth ministry. In a lot of ways it is like when the current group of Sr's came up. I am hoping that I have the strength and ambition to pour my heart into their lives as I share the Word of God with them. Things will be different. I have to train new leaders. I have to revamp a little.

All in all I think it is a good thing. Time marches on and so does youth ministry.