ELEV8

ENCOUNtER, our Wednesday night youth service, is headed in a very specific direction this school year.  After asking ourselves some important questions, we feel as though our students need a platform or foundation from which they can elevate their lives by living in the Spirit and authority of God and making practical faith applications each day.  Ultimately, this will accomplish our greatest goal which is to elevate the name of God in this community and throughout the world.  

Theme for the Year - ELEV8

What do students need to elevate their standards of living in their current circumstances and surroundings?  Furthermore, by what standards should they be living?  This school year we will seek to elevate our standards to those of God.   How will we do that?

INTEGR8 – This will be our theme of study for the Fall semester of the school year.  We will look at different spiritual disciplines throughout scripture.  I firmly believe that Kingdom living involves disciplined living.  These sermons and teachings will help students not only understand the importance of the spiritual disciplines, but will also give them a practical application and understanding of the spiritual disciplines so that they can integrate them into their daily living and thinking. 

NAVIG8 – With a desire to elevate our standards of living and a practical foundation built upon the practice of spiritual disciplines, the Spring semester of the school year will be built around navigating through difficult issues your teenagers face on a regular basis.  We are going to tackle a number of difficult but relevant topics.  We are going to wrestle with temptations, questions, hurts, and many other issues that challenge the claims and authenticity of Christianity.

John 8:11-12

“Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."  Jesus once again addressed them: "I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in." (The Message)

We are called to go and to live a life free from sin.  This is only possible because Jesus is the light.  If we follow him, we will ELEV8 his name in this world.  The practice of spiritual disciplines will lead us to live a life freed from sin.  Furthermore, with Christ as our headlamp, we will navigate through this life in a way that honors God and follows his direction in our lives.  

Follow us on the blog each week to connect with your student and what they learn each Wednesday night at our ENCOUNtER service.  Leave comments, ask questions, and share stories of how your family is connecting.  Take time to be the greatest spiritual influence in your student’s life.  

FUGE Recap

          Whether your child went to CentriFuge or M-Fuge, you can rest assured they had an ENCOUNtER with God during the week.  Everything about the camp is designed to bring your student into the presence of God.  Games, worship, service, and everything else your student did during the week was aimed at embracing the truth of the Gospel.
          Let me brag for a moment...First, our students received compliments everywhere we went.  When we checked out of one of the hotels, the staff commented that we had a group of young adults rather than teenagers.  Furthermore, in the PCY groups (paint, construction, yard work), our kids outworked every other group there.  Yes I am biased, but our kids were the hardest workers at camp - no doubt!  Your kids were well behaved and a joy to be around.  Secondly, no church at this camp had the support of volunteers like our Youth Group.  Our adults easily out numbered every church, even churches that brought more students.  The Fuge staff was even impressed that we had brought a caravan of 9 personally owned vehicles.  What is impressive is that this church rallies together to watch God work in the lives of students.
         On August 7th, we will be baptizing some of our students who have accepted Christ this year.  You will also be given the opportunity to hear from the students firsthand about what God is doing in their lives.  Encourage your student to share with you about their week.  Specifically ask them about connecting with the Gospel, God's mission, and how their life will be lived differently after a week of camp.
          One last note...I think one of the spiritual disciplines we often forget is the spiritual discipline of celebration.  The service on August 7th will be a celebration of what God is doing in the lives of students in our church.  Richard Foster puts it this way, "Joy is part of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22).  Often I am inclined to think that joy is the motor, the thing that keeps everything else going.  Without joyous celebration to infuse the other disciplines, we will sooner or later abandon them.  Joy produces energy.  Joy makes us strong."  Our students are energized.  They are poised and strong.  It brings me great joy to serve them alongside of you all.

FUGE UPDATE #2

Things have been going great.  We have settled in and are working hard in the community already.  Each of your children miss you dearly!!!  We had some really great conversations last night, and God is clearly working in and through our students already.  The students have been challenged to connect with Gospel and those who do not know Christ.  Last night in our Church Group Devotion time, I also challenged the kids to disconnect from anything that keeps them from connecting with the Gospel.  Our adults also spent some time focusing in on the heart of our ministry and how they can better connect with students.  Brainstorming, ideas, and projects are in the works.  Look for changes and new conversations when we get back.

On a fun note, Scotty and I took five 14 and 15 year old boys to Olive Garden tonight.  We will never do that again!  We laughed a lot but I feel terrible for our poor waitress.  However, your kids tipped well.  Also, last night was a themed cartoon dress up night which featured several of our kids.  We also had a Smurf family from our church including yours truly as Papa Smurf.  We are out and in the community serving.  Continue to pray for us as we press deeper into the heart of the Gospel tonight.

Pray for attentive ears and listening hearts.  Pray for clarity from scripture.  Pray for a connection with the Gospel.  Pray for safety as we travel.  Pray for courage for students to respond to what God is doing in their lives.  

FUGE Update

We made it safely to the hotel last night after 32,567 stops.  All nine cars and 52 people made the journey safely.  After a few "swimming pool showers" we went to bed and woke up this morning to a hot breakfast.  Somebody just burned a waffle as I am typing.  Just a three hour trip today until we arrive at camp.  Everyone seems rested, and we look forward to worshipping tonight.  God is already at work.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  I look forward to sharing some awesome stories with you about the work and transformation God is doing later in the week.

Also, I will buy some candy and a soda for the child of the first parent who comments back with the starting five players of the World Champion Dallas Mavericks at the end of the NBA playoffs.