My Final Post

Circumstances Change, But God Changes NOT!

Changes happen all the time. It's no different for adults. You know the changes of life can be sublte or drastic. You can experience change when friends move, when your boyfriend/girlfriend breaks up with you, when your school changes, when your parents stop talking about divorce and start court proceedings, when a friend or a family member dies, or when you contract a disease. No matter how circumstances change. God changes not!

How does God not change? He says to you, "I am faithful. I am always gonna' be there no matter how circumstances change. I am good."

God is faithful. "This is a true saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself ( II Timothy 2:11-13)." God is always faithful. You may not feel you are always faithful to God. But God will be faithful. You can trust Him for He changes not.

Think of the geyser in Yellowstone National Park--Old Faithful. Check out this webcam with predicted eruption times. Every twenty or thirty minutes the geyser erupts. For decades this pattern has continued. Yet God is more faithful than a geyser. He is the everlasting God. He changes not! He is consistent. He changes not!
God is always there for you. "I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are
there (Psalm 139: 7-8)." God will be there for you. You may experience elevated highs or the deepest of lows. No matter. God wil be there for you. No matter how changes occur. You can trust God.

God is good. "Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! (Psalm 34:8)." How do you taste God? You suggested that you can taste the Lord by licking the wall, by reading the Bible, by doing good things, and by observing the godly attitudes of other people. I suggest that you taste God by eating foods that are good to you. What satiates your appetite? Watermelon? Apples? Oranges? Pizza? Fries? Ice Cold Mountain Dew? Double mocha Frapp No Room? God is good like the taste of your favorite food. God is good. Trust Him.

The Chronicles of Narnia reflects the uniqueness of God. Aslan the Lion is good but you must still fear Him. The book shares this dialgoue between Lucy and the Beavers.

“Is – is he a man?” asked Lucy.
“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly.
“Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of Wood and the son of the great
Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan
is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh,” said Susan, “I thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and make no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver,
“if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees
knocking, they’re either braver than most or else silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver, “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver
tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But
he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

God is good. You can trust Him. He isn't safe--He's the God of the Universe, the Everlasting God. Check out Chris Tomlin's present worship song; "Everlasting God." One to buy!

If you don't have God in your life as the boss of what you do, then you have no access to his help. God provides great things for His followers. You can experience pain and joy and have no hope. But with God you
have hope that you can trust Him. Why? Because God is faithful, He will be there for you, and God is good. You can trust Him!

My life circumstances have changed As of today, the Elder Community of Northwest Chapel has directed me to shift all student ministries responsibilities to a transition team so that I can pursue what God is calling me to do for the future. I am still on staff at Northwest Chapel. But I will not be responsible for Student Ministries at midnight tonight. I have been given the gift of time to focus on missions--to discover what God wants me to do for the future. So I commission you to be advocates for God's church. Responsibilities change but my relationships with you does not. So stop and talk with me anytime.

But please don't eulogize me. I am not dead! I am embracing this decision and I agree that this must occur. I trust God and His leadership team. So keep this verse in mind as you respond and react to this news: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3)." If you have concerns, then go talk with your parents, volunteer staff, or our elder community. May you speak the truth in love while in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:3). While circumstances change, trust God for God changes NOT!

Til' you see me,

Pastor D

Guidelines for Blogging--Tips from my friend Kurt

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Guidelines for blogging

My friend Kurt Johnson shares a few tips on blogging. I appreciate his heart for ministry.

Pastor D

Mark Cuban on great opportunities

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Like all good ideas with a great opportunity available to it, the hard part is in the execution.
-Mark Cuban

I concur. As I face the next transition, I see many good ideas with great opportunities--the hard part is the execution. Without God, I would be lost. God's word says that He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). My focus must be to trust in God. Likewise, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9)." The hard part for the Christian is to execute God's plan trusting that God will direct in the steps you take. I am so glad that I can resolve to follow God better every day. May you execute God's will for your life each day.

Pastor d

At World's End

Pirates of the Caribbean 3

If you love piracy, mayhem, and backstabbing, then you'll like this end all third part. I discovered that I looked at my watch a lot. I found it hard to keep track of who lies to who and who deceives whom. Multiple duplicity tangled the movie up and I lost the story. The opening scene is hard to watch with adults killed and even one child. In short, I found it too long, too confusing, and too violent (I would have made it an R-movie).

Action scenes and special effects filled the screen . The effect was distracting and diluting the story. As Josh and I chatted, you may find it difficult to follow as well. I wonder when you see it if you could comment by answering three questions according to your opinion:

1. What did you discover as the main theme/story?


2. What did you discern is the difference between what is portrayed in the movie and what the Bible says about those same things?


3. What will you decide to do? Watch it again? Watch it with friends? Watch it again and figure out how you can use the movie as a way to bring God up in a discussion with friends?

Some reviews to compare: Plugged In Online & Yahoo Movies Roundup. Please add your comment.

Pastor D

Pastor D: I am the interim Director of Student Ministries & Single Adults at Northwest Chapel. I enjoy playing basketball, watching sports, spending time with my family, dreaming about what God has in store for my life, and reading books to learn more about my life and my place in the world.

The Student Connection:

I direct the ministries of students from age 11 through mid-twenties, students in sixth grade through college. Northwest Chapel seeks to help students find, follow, and share Christ. I facilitate this mission by focusing on five functions: Contact, Welcome, Connect, Equip, & Mobilize. Each function has its focus and goals. Presently I am focusing on Connect & Equip (Sunday morning ministries). As I move into summer ministry programming, I am shifting to target Mobilize and Contact (Service opportunities & Summer Activities). This summer I will get two interns for training, developing, and nurturing.

What is in my iPod? I don't own one. But if I did it would reflect the full spectrum of music. I am an ecclectic. So I enjoy a lot of music. Bryan Adams, U2, Brooks & Dunn, Johnny Cash, KJ-52, P.O.D., Ottmar Liebert, Bach & Beethoven, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Switchfoot, Chris Tomlin, Stellar Kart, Jeremy Camp, Pillar, Fly Leaf, John Mayer, Sugarland, George Strait, John Mellencamp, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Kook & the Gang, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Leeland, The Ramones, Keith Urban, Los Lonely Boys, BB King, Eric Clapton, ZZ Top, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy.

What movies am I renting? I rarely rent movies. I usually rent them for my children. But I have rented more movies searching for clips to reinforce lessons for Sunday morning teachings. I also love to re-watch older movies that I already know--Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Spiderman I & II, Star Wars movies, Indiana Jones Trilogy, Clint Eastwood movies esp. Heartbreak Ridge, Mission Impossible.

What books am I reading? I am presently reading John Eldridge's book The Journey of Desire; Andy Stanley Next Generation Leader, James Emery White A Mind for God, Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz The Power of Full Engagement, Mortimer Adler How to Read a Book, Haroly Myra & Marshall Shelly The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham.

High School Sunday Series

New Classroom change for This Sunday

This Sunday morning you will gather in Room 121 for our next session. So look for directional signs. You will gather in room 121 downstairs for our high school hour. Thanks.

Pastor D

New Summer Intern Middle School Ministries

Please welcome Josh Placeway! Josh graduated from Grace College onMay 5 with a double major in Biblical Studies and Youth Ministries. His track was the The National Institute (TNI) the youth ministry major at Grace College located in Winona Lake, Indiana. The program is run by CE National.

The National Institute equips individuals for youth ministry through academic pursuits and practical experiences in order to lead andminister in a local church, para-church,cross-cultural, or camp setting. He is presently serving as Middle School Youth Intern.

If you missed this Sunday, Josh introduced himself and you would have discovered some things. Josh enjoys reading, playing and watching sports, hanging out with students, and rooting for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

He is the youngest of three in his family. He has an older brother and sister. Josh will return to Grace Theological Seminary this Fall after his internship.

What's on Josh's iPod?

Coldplay; Copeland ; John Mayer; U2; Darkroom; Snow Patrol; Jack Johnson.

What's are Josh's favorite movies?
Hoosiers; Patch Adams; Apollo 13; The Incredibles; That Thing You Do; The Sandlot.

What books is Josh reading?

The Cost of Discipleship By Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry By Doug Fields; Experiencing Jesus By T.D. Jakes; Pierced By the Word By John Piper; The Last Word By N.T. Wright

Pastor D

High School Sunday Mornings

How to Develop Healthy Relationships

This week you will discover why expectations may lead to disappointment in relationships. You will learn how to develop trust and how to measure reliance on someone else as you seek to build a healthy relationship. Every student needs to figure out how to measure how much you can trust someone and how much you can rely on anyone. These skills will help you in any relationship that seeks to honor God.

So come and learn how to grow in your understanding of trust and reliance in relationships. Ask a friend to come and join you.

Pastor D

Middle School Sunday Mornings

Game Day

Webster’s defines play as, “to amuse oneself, as by taking active part in a game or sport; engage in recreation; activity engaged in for amusement or for fun.”

The intention for programming a GameDay on a Sunday morning is to meet our goal of helping students play well so that each student has fun, feels connected, and is cared about in the context of a church family. We intend for students and their friends to come and play at Northwest Chapel.

One way students have fun is multiple-player video games. We want students to share games and game systems so that there is enough time for as many students as possible to enjoy playing a game. Four player games are best. Likewise, we may need to set a time limit on each game played so that other students are allowed to try a game.

Another way students have fun is multiple-player board games or card games. Again sharing games and time limits will help us direct students to try games and to include others by inviting other student(s) to join in. Whether they play or not, we want every student to get an invitation to try playing a game.

Moreover, some students would rather play individual or one-on-one games. These students need to share games as well with an adult leader who sets time limits so that others can play these games as well.

Fun is not the only goal—but also seeing students make connections with one another and feeling that adult leaders care about them. Adult leader(s) will issue name tags so that we can hear student names and begin using them. Likewise, An adult leader will take pictures to post on the website or on a PowerPoint slide or to include in a pictorial directory for MS Ministry Team members.

Thus, the goals for GameDay are:

1. To help students have fun by offering a variety of games so that students can interact with one another and with an adult leader.
2. To help students feel connected and cared about by making sure that every student is greeted.
3. To help students feel connected and cared about by making sure that every student is issued a name tag.
4. To help students feel connected and cared about by making sure that every student is invited to participate in an all-play game.
5. To help students feel connected and cared about by taking pictures to post on website or PowerPoint slide or for pictorial directory.
6. To help students get connected to God by sharing Christ in testimon, which outlines how to know God in a personal way as your forever best friend.

Pastor D

High School Sunday Series

How to develop healthy relationships

This week you got to focus on making your relationship last. In the get-to-know the person category, you must consider the family of origin and the person's own actions and attitudes. Next you seek to discover compatibility in the areas of personality, values, and lifestyle.

You ask the question of compatibility. The prevalent cultural norm is to live together first and discover compatibilty before even considering marriage. Yet God's word states that God intended marriage to be a lifetime commitment between one man and one woman where they are no longer two persons, but one flesh (Genesis 2:24). God instituted this marriage covenant. He expects commitment prior to marriage. In the ancient near east, marriages were arranged. Man and wife were put together by families. God spoke into that culture and shared how things were intended to occur. One man and one woman would become one flesh. Compatibility was no concern. Yet today it is a significant issue--in fact, you look at eharmony and compatibility is a major concern. So rather than disregard compatibility you can include it in the process of making a marital commitment to someone.

You were shown three areas to consider: personality, values, and lifestyle. For personality, the points to consider were intelligence, emotional styles, energy levels, chemistry, openness and expression of confession, and sense of humor. Each point has a range of possibilities, discover where you are and where the person you like may fit. I wonder if you have questions like these to consider when pondering who to be with for the rest of your life. It's important to consider these prior to beginning any relationship. In my opinion, you need to at least think through each point with a parent(s) or with friends. Personality is the first point of compatibility.

The next one is values . What values are most important to you? Three you need to conider are spiritual values, family values, and material values. How important is spiritual life to you? How critical is it for you to have a small or large family? How significant is it that you make lots of money or just enough money? Questions like these you need to ask and you need to answer. What is most important to you?

The last area of compatibility to consider is lifestyle. Work ethic, leisure interests, and recreation fall under this category. It matters if you are highly motivated and someone else is not. It matters if you like being with family and people and your lifemate is not--more of a loner. It matters if you enjoy non-active recreational pursuits whereas your lifemate is an action-sports fanatic who participates in races and competition. Assess your lifestyle and measure it with your lifemate. Are you both willing to commit to life together in spite of the small similarities or wide differences? Is your lifestyles compatible?

Compatibility gave way to a brief overview of evaluating your past relationships. Ponder the past relationship patterns of you and your present love interest. Do detective work and ask the hard questions.

Lastly, gather relationship communication skills. Mrs. Feusse shared how you must cultivate better listening and speaking skills. Don't merely repeat the facts but figure out the feelings involved with the facts. You need to be better communicators. I need to be a better communicator. God's word gives us insight, "Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Moreover, "Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)." These skills will improve any relationship. Everyone would do well to improve listening and speaking skills.

Mrs. Wendy Feusse and I trust you will use this relationhsip tool to develop healthy and godly relationships in your life. May God bring you great relationships to surround you when poor relationships occur.

Pastor D

Middle School Sunday Series

Losers: How to learn from Bad Examples

You learned how Haman put action to his prejudice and tried to kill those he hated. In the Old Testament book of Esther you will find the story of Haman. The king of Babylon appointd Haman a role of honor in the king's court. All paid him honor--all but one Jew named Mordecai. Mordecai worshipped the true God alone. He did not bow down to anyone but God alone. This action enraged Haman. So Haman made plans to kill Mordecai and his people (Esther 3:5-6). God intervened in a unique manner to save the Jews and to honor Mordecai. You have to read the story yourself to see how it concludes. But the challenge is to put off prejudice rather than feed prejudice like Haman did.

You can put off prejudice in three ways: 1- You can forget the stereotypes, 2-Focus on the Inside, 3-Everyone deserves respect. The Bible says that you can discover how you are by the fruit of your actions.

Prejudice means "an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason (Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006)." I wonder if you have thought about how you treat people. Your actions will reveal how you treat people. For instance, I wonder how you interact with those from other cultures in public. What if you had to stand in line at the checkout in Hollister? I wonder if you would forget the stereotypes and warmly greet them or at least try to be friendly. You may think that people of other cultures only want to be with their own people. That perconceived reason may be prejudice. But you can forget the stereotypes and seek to encounter all people groups differently. You can put off prejudice by forgetting the stereotypes.

A second way to put off prejudice, you can focus on the inside of the person. I Samuel 16:7 says that God looks at the individual's thoughts and intentions, not on the outward appearance. Rather than focusing on the outward appearance (skin color, type of clothes, footwear, or sunglasses), you can choose to focus on what's inside a person. It is more important in God's sight to see the individual's heart and thoughts rather than mere outward appearance. So focus on what's inside an individual, not on what's outside.

The last way to put off prejudice is to respect others, everyone deserves respect. Jesus said it best, "The second and most important (commandment) is similar, 'Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself(Matthew 22:39).'" In fact the apostle Paul reaffirms in I Peter 2:17, "Show respect for everyone." Give respect to each person as a follower of Jesus. YOu can put off prejudice by showing respect for everyone.

Next week be ready for Game Day--we will try to do something different. So come and bring a friend.

Pastor D

Wisdom from Proverbs

Proverbs 22 prompts me in three ways--trust God, be diligent, and remove debt. Verses 17-22 is the first of thirty sayings which covers chapters 22-24. You can read the first one to direct you to trust in the Lord. To put your trust in the Lord is the first and wisest thing to do.

Second, diligence in daily tasks. As you read and re-read the book of Proverbs contrasts abound. One is the sluggard and the diligent. I often learn from mistakes and correct them. Here in verse 13 the wise one challenges the sluggard, "The sluggard says, 'There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the public square!'" What he means is I will do nothing because I fear what is outside. You can be lazy by doing nothing at all worrying or fretting about what is out there to slay you. Or you can be diligent and courageous and do something no matter what is outside. Fear can paralyze or catalyze action. I want to catalyze action on daily tasks and not merely fear that something might go wrong or that I may fail. I take to heart what President Teddy Roosevelt once said (regarded as the man in the arena anecdote),

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or here the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in he arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."("Citizenship in a Republic," Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910)

President Roosevelt's words catalyze me to action rather than the sluggards cries to be paralyzed about what may happen. I want to act courageously--to fail while daring greatly. This is the approach of my daily tasks today. I will strive valiantly in the arena of life, serving God the best that I can.

Third, God's truth guides me to remove debt. I owe some money. I will make plans to pay it back . It may take me awhile. But with God's help and wisdom, I will repay the debt and "owe no man anything but to love one another (Romans 13:8)." Verses 26-27 challenged me to remove debt, "Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you." So you need to be mindful of accumulating debt. Put this in your mind now, and be free from threat.

May God use His word to challenge your life and catalyze faith in action everyday in your life.

Pastor d

Finishing Edit on Jamboree Movie

I am finishing the edit on the Jamboree movie. It is rendering and encoding. Numerous students mobilized to serve. I want to thank them for their hands and feet, their smiles and cheers, and their time and freedom. God used them in a great way. I hope you can come help next year. Or the next time there is an opportunity to help out. Maybe you can help at Vacation Bible School.

pastor D

Middle School Sunday Series

How Not To Be a Loser

This Sunday morning you will learn how to identify your prejudices and how to alleviate them. To put off prejudices is an on-going battle. In our ever growing multicultural world, you will need this skill for the rest of your life. I read on the news ticker this morning that the minority population in the US surpassed the 100 million mark. I wonder what will happen when the minority population outnumbers the majority. Well, you will be ahead of the game. You have prejudices that are not identified as prejudice. You will learn what prejudice is, how to put it out of your life, and then reflect on what God would have you target as action steps for your spiritual journey. I trust you can join us by looking at the life of one bible character named Hamaan, who is someone that you don't want to be like. See ya' Sunday!

Pastor D

High School Sunday Series

How to Develop Healthy Relationships

This week you will focus on compatibility questions in relationships. This can be a point of confusion. So come and discover how to use the compatibility appraisal to improve your relationships. Mrs. Feusse will return to teach. I trust you can make it and learn how to build quality relationships with friends.

Wisdom from Proverbs

This morning I reflect on what I read yesterday. Proverbs 16:1-3 says,

"To human beings belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. People may think all their ways are pure, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."

I can think that I control my life, but God has a say in what I think and do. He can guide me. If only I would recognize how he can help me, then I can receive his guidance.

When ministering with people or to people, you can get discouraged. You can try to clarify what their motive was by asking questions rather than accusing. But you must rely and trust on God. He weighs people's motives. You can only accept what someone says, then measure what they say by what they do. When integrity is breached, then you can note the pattern and re-clarify a person's motives. So don't get discouraged in ministry. Take courage and clarify motives.

God will help you. He will guide you. He outlines how to make your plans succeed. Commit it to the Lord because you've come to know him, trust him, and rely on Him in situation where you have discovered that He is trustworthy and full of integrity. God provides help and guidance. Watch him prove to you that he can help. Put your confidence in Him today. It's what I'm learning to do more and more. Join me.

Pastor D

High School Sunday Morning Series

How to Develop Healthy Relationships
You were challenged to consider how to assess where you may be in relationships with someone of the opposite sex. Relationships can be complicated. But with God's truth as your guide you can alleviate some of the pain and the strain. But you both have to commit to God's way. So capture the levels of building a relationship with someone. You can build great relationships. You can.

The tool we offer is one where you consider five key concepts: know, trust, rely, commit, and touch. Ideally, each builds on one another. You can only progress as you get to know someone. With each situation you observe actions, attitudes, and clarify thoughts. You use discernment, you assess where this person is. You must know them well before testing how much you can trust and rely on them. Again, this is only a tool. Process it yourself. You have some options: discard it, implement it, integrate part of it into your life, modify it, or just think more about it. It's up to you to decide how you build relationships. This tool could help.

You need more ways to make this tool your own. So I suggest you evaluate relationships you see on TV, at the movies, or on DVD. Much like you did today. Evlautate what you watch. Use your brain. Think. Think about where you are at and consider where the other person is at. Engage life with some tool for relationship building. Use or lose this tool. It's one way to build godly relationships. It's up to you.

One student outlines "10 reasons why you really do have a choice about your life." God challenges you, "

If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship GOD, then choose a god you'd rather serve--and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you're now living. As for me and my family, we'll worship GOD." (Joshua 24:15 The Message)

You can choose God's way. So live it!

Pastor D

Middle School Sunday Morning Series

Mother's Day 2007

You got the chance to honor your mom by creating a mother's day card. You also heard how I called my mom a terrible name in anger. I learned from my mistake by taking the punishment and by adjusting my life to stop displacing my anger in harmful word(s). The Bible says to honor your parents (Ephesians 6:2.). You can develop a better relationship with your mom by honoring her.

You can honor your mom by sharing love in a real way. Using the Five Love Languages from Gary Chapman and made popular by Gary Smalley, you can enjoy a better relationship through Chapeman's five love languages: #1 Physical Touch, #2 Words of Affirmation, #3 Quality Time, #4 Gifts, & #5 Acts of Service. One of these langauges is your mom's primary love language. Discover it and act upon it to honor her. You can share real love to her in a new way.

For example, if your mom likes hugs, cuddling, or pecks on the cheek, then you give mom a hug "just because." If your mom uses words of affirmation, then affirm her with kind words of gratitude--say thank you more. If your mom needs to spend time with you, then make time for her--set a starting time limit of five minutes a day (yes, use the timer, but tell her why you're using it so that you can learn to increase time with her not as a device to tell you when it's over). Your mom may need time with you. Designate it as a date and keep it. If your mom likes gifts, then give something up to sell and buy her something or make something by hand and give it to her. If your mom likes doing things for people, then do things for her. Target doing one thing for her. Start with just one thing! Then add two. And so forth.

You can show appreciation to your mom in these various ways and more. Stop and think how you can show love to your mom and to develop a better relationship with her today. Make it more than just one day a year. Strive to work on your relationship with your mom an everyday occurence. You will get better at it as you work on it with God's help. Here's to mom! I love you mom!

Pastor D

Leeland lyrics "Beautiful Lord"

When Temptation Wins
I came across this song by Leeland which helps you when you succumb to temptation. The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (I John 1:9)." When you sin, you can receive God's forgiveness. So don't despair and give up following Jesus. Immediately ask God to forgive you. He will forgive.

I'm so glad God forgives, but He also desires that I do not keep sinning. In I John 1:8-2:2, the Disciple John tells followers of Jesus about sin and forgiveness.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the propitiation concerning our sins, and not concerning ours only, but also concerning the sins of all the world.

Jesus made payment for your sins. He is our advocate before God the Father. He intercedes for you and I when we sin. And the great news is that He has provided the payment of sins for the whole world if each person would just accept Jesus as Savior of their life. Wow! Jesus takes care of your sins, of my sins.

He wants you and I to not sin. You can live with less sin in your life by trusting in Jesus and by obeying His ways. So don't despair or give up. Rather repair and live it up for Jesus!

Pastor D

Wisdom from Proverbs

From time to time I have seasons of temptations. As the Bible states, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all (I Cor. 10:13). " Temptations will come. Some may be less intense than others. Few are fiercely intense. Whatever the richter scale, temptations shake your life and challenge your commitment to Jesus. Temptations abound. So how do you overcome them?

God's truth tells us that God provides the way out so that you can endure it (I Cor. 10:13). In fact God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear! He provides the way out. It now depends on you to take the way of escape. You can overcome temptation. God has provided the way. Just choose the way out.

In Proverbs 11 today, I see the words righteousness throughout the chapter. Righteousness is right living. God's Word defines right living. In this chapter God wants you to live rightly. For example in verses 19-22,

"Truly the righteous attain life, but those who sow righteousness reap a sure reward. The Lord detests those whose harets are pervers, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free."

Living right according to God's standards bring life abundantly. You can be sure that if you seek evil, then you will gain evil (see verse 27).

So when I face more intense temptation now, I can overcome them by applying what I know God provides. I will choose the way of escape and thus bear up under temptation. I can handle it only with God's help. God wants me to be free of bondage, to be unshackled from temptations bonds and embrace life with boundless energy. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. You have the strength to endure temptation. Choose the way out.

Pastor D

Wisdom from Proverbs

In Proverbs chapter 9 wisdom and folly call out to the simple ones in the world. Both appeal to the simpletons in the same way, but the results are vastly different. One finds life. The other gets death. I re-engage when I read the Message Version which addresses the characters of this chapter as Lady Wisdom and Madame Whore. You need to get discernment and go to dinner with the right lady.

This illustration targets young men but in this present day young ladies need to take heed. It is Gentleman Widsom versus Jerk Gigilo who try to woo you. Or at least that's my attempt at a comparable corrolary. I wonder what you could come up with.

Most of all, ask God for discernment. Seek wisdom. She will give you a deep, satisfying life all of your days. You can dine with Lady Wisdom or Gentleman Wisdom. Share a meal with them and live life to its fullest.

Pastor D

High School Sunday Morning Series

How to Build Healthy Relationships

This week you are going to pause and to assess how relationships remain healthy. You will view various film clips and use your best judgment to discern where the person is on the Relationship Attachment Model. When you are in a relationship, it is hard to discover where you are and where you are going. So Mrs. Feusse wants you to digest and to decide how to assess your relationships. Come ready to discuss and to question how you determine healthy relationships based on the model presented. I can't wait to discover where you are at.

Pastor D

Middle School Sunday Morning Series

Mother's Day

This Sunday we will take a one-week break and highlight mom's. Everyone alive has a birth mom. You will get to honor you mom in a unique manner on Sunday morning. Come ready to honor your mom.

You can be a good daughter or son. You can grow in maturity. This week I will share my own adolescent mistakes. You will benefit from hearing about my teenage regrets and about my past and present relationship with my mom.

You will get practical help to honor your mother better. Come to stop and make a card for your mom. Who says you can’t take time out to take some paper, crayons, markers, and paste and creatively say thanks to your mom.

Pastor D

Sunday Evening Discipleship

I came across by Charles Swindoll that helps illustrate the point that we are in a spiritual battle. We need to march forward for our King. He has made us his princes and princesses. Just like C.S. Lewis' story the Chronicles of Narnia. You need to armor up and join the battle for God's truth. You need to think the truth. You need to live the truth with love. You need to speak the truth in love.

Before the breakup of the Soviet Union, Christians were routinely persecuted for their faith by the Communist regime. We have many inspiring stories of courageous Christians behind the Iron Curtain who were willing to die for their faith during this difficult period in world history.
One such story involves a house church in a city in the former Soviet Union. The small group of believers who gathered there were afraid to carry Bibles, so they memorized large sections of the New Testament and recited Scripture to each other.
Each week they would arrive at the house at different times, to avoid arousing the suspicions of KGB informers. On one particular Sunday the church members were all safely inside the building, with the windows closed and doors locked. They began the service by softly singing a hymn and praying.
Suddenly, the door burst open and two soldiers armed with automatic weapons walked in. One shouted, “All right, everybody up against the wall. If you wish to renounce your faith in Jesus Christ, you can leave now and no harm will come to you.”
Two or three church members left, then another.
“This is your last chance!” the other soldier warned. “Either turn your back on this Jesus of yours or stay and suffer the consequences!”
Another member left. Two more covered their faces in shame and slipped out into the night. No one else moved. Parents with small children trembling beside them looked down reassuringly. They fully expected to be gunned down on the spot—or, at the very least, imprisoned.
After a few moments of silence, the soldiers closed the door and looked back at the church members left standing against the wall. One of them said, “Keep your hands up—but this time in praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters. We, too, are Christians. We were sent to another house church several weeks ago to arrest a group of believers. But instead, we were converted.”The other soldier added, “We are sorry to have frightened those who left, but we have learned that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully trusted.”

So live for God's kingdom.

High School Sunday Morning

How to Develop Health Relationships (part two)





"You need this tool to help you." So said the lady at Lowe's.

Often I am reluctant to payout more money just for a tool to help. I can either pay 'em now, or pay'em later (after struggling and stressing, and swearing--oh yeah, not swearing). You can use the relationship model tool to help you begin to develop relationships. If you are already in a relationship or even with your friends you can use the tool to nurture bonds, not to shackle yourself in bonds. I feel that you need this tool to help you. I hope you come and learn how to use it.

You will begin to learn how to engage your head. This is the part where you get to know someone. The two areas to explore in your relationships are family background and childhood experiences as well as attitudes and actions of the conscience. How you were shaped in your family unit affects relationships. How you developed your conscience affects relationships. How you have matured (or not) impacts relationships. So come and learn how to develop great friendships and to nurture deep relationships. Invite a friend to come.


Pastor D

Wisdom from Proverbs

"Though it cost all you have, get understanding (Proverbs 4:7)."

I wonder how willing I am to give up everything to get wisdom. I want to understand what God has for me. No matter what season of life you are in--middle school, high school, college, or post-college--you want to know about the future. The Wise One here in this chapter exhorts me to get wisdom.

Pursue wisdom.

Chase after her.

I enjoy the personification of wisdom here in this chapter. The pursuit of a wife is my frame of reference now. As an elementary student this would not speak to me. Girls were yucky. But as I matured, girls were a wonderment. As I moved through the teens and into my early twenties, I did not have relationships figured out. Still God help me understand things--about how relationships grow, how it sometimes hurt you, how it brings great exhilaration, how it can separate, and how it may grow stronger. Then I began pursuing my wife-to-be. As Melissa tells it (she tells it best), I pursued her with unconventional methods. I got to know her through letters and then we began going out to get to each other more testing our trust, reliance, and commitment. I resolved to do whatever it took to "get me this woman." I wanted Melissa for my wife. I would have given up anything for her. I would have spent whatever it cost to win her heart.

Now I see how I need to pursue wisdom. I can hear God say, "Daron, Get wisdom--pursue it like you pursued Melissa." I get it. I wonder if you get it. Pursue widsom. Chase after understanding. For the benefits are:

"Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you (Proverbs 4:6)."

You need to pursue wisdom, to get understanding so you can live for God and not just handle life but really live life to the fullest in God. You can enjoy life. Enjoy life with God.

Pastor D

WEEZER LYRICS - Island In The Sun

WEEZER LYRICS - Island In The Sun

I was listening to Pandora the online internet radio station and this song played. I googled the lyrics and I was thinking about the concept of living on an island with just one person. How idyllic! I wonder if these guys truly believe that escaping to a remote island would offer a great relationship experience. The lyrics that caught my attention of this fantasy island experience were:

"We'll run away together, We'll spend some time forever, We'll never feel bad anymore"

Relationships are difficult--in my own opinion--more difficult without God in your life. You can fantasize that you'll never feel bad anymore on this earth. But during your life, you will experience pain--sometimes feel it intensely. Yes, you will feel bad. However, that's not the end, or the only thing to try to avoid. In my own life I have experienced bad, awful feelings then been enraptured with great, passionate feelings. Yes, I feel bad sometimes. But to fantasize about repelling all bad feelings sets you up for frustration and eventual cynicism. Every relationship becomes only another heartbreak to endure. Rather than settle and shelter yourself from the coming pain, you can embrace the pain when and if it comes.

God created us to feel the full spectrum of our emotions. Mad-glad; Sad-Happy; Afraid-Confident; etc. We need pain to give perspective and enjoyment to happiness. In fact the Bible shares how one can be sad and mad about life's circumstances yet express joy in God. Check out Psalm 144. Verse 15 says,
"Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!" Your hope can be in God even when the pain of challenging relationships occurs. You can trust in God! So don't wish for a fantasy island where you'll never feel bad anymore but engage in a real relationship with God and with others where you'll never feel alone anymore--no matter if your emotions are up or down. You can rely on God. I wonder what you think. Maybe I don't get Weezer's lyrics. Let me know what you think.

Pastor D

High School Sunday Morning

How to develop great relationships

I was listening to radiou on 88.7 and this song by April Sixth called "Dear Angel" was playing. I post the lyrics for you because relationships can feel so hurtful and alienating. You feel all alone and hopeless. Instead, God is near. No matter how many times people fail you, God will not! He promises to be with you, to never leave you nor forsake you. He is the best friend you'll always have. Nurture that friendship so that you can avoid feelings expressed in this song. I wonder where you can download it. I tried itunes but came up empty.

Dear angel of mine,

Where do I start to express how I feel?

Well, my love's gone blind.

Now all that I feel is what I hear.

Your words rip and tear, and

through my heart so weak and pure.

Now I find myself wanting to die…

CHORUS

I bleed for the second time tonight

holding the love that's in my mind.

If only my love could be with you.

If only this pain, this pain died too.

So I break you away, away, away from me.

As I sit here alone

thinking about everything that you said.

You know since I'm alone.

Well, maybe after all, I was better off dead.

Cause without you my life's gone down...

What do I do, when I find myself wanting to die?

This song shares how you could feel like dying. But think before you do. Consider the markers for relationships that you are learning on Sunday mornings--know, trust, rely, commit, touch. Where is this person? Could you use the relationship tool to mark where he or she is at? Come learn how to cultivate great relationships with God's help.

Pastor D

Wisdom from Proverbs

This is my favorite chapter. This morning as I read and spent time in silence before God. I asked God to speak to me. As the day ends I've had God remind me of the first verses in this chapter.

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and humankind (Proverbs 3:1-4)."

For all the things in this world I would want--money, fame, power--God offers long life, peace, prosperity, favor and a good name before God and people. I choose God's offer. Although I forget that his offer is guaranteed. What the world offers is not guaranteed and fleeting. My part in this good life is to obey God's truth, to love others and to be faithful to God and my family. The world's way to take the good life is to lie, cheat, steal, and do whatever it takes to take it for myself. I choose God's way. I want to honor God with my life. He will provide and take care of me.

I can count on Him! You can count on Him too. Just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you can be saved-you and your household (Acts 16:31). Read the story of how one man found God at the darkest time of his life, even when God's people were in jail. Paul and Silas are in jail and even the jailer got to know God better in spite of their circumstances. You can know God better too. I wonder if you could tell about how you counted on God, how did God take care of you. He takes care of me everyday.

Pastor D

Sunday Evening Discipleship

Bread Series--conclusion this Sunday Night 6:30-7:45pm

The final discipleship session for the school year focuses on God's forever Kingdom. God's people in the Old Testament waited and waited for a Messiah--a Deliverer. They thought when this Messiah comes he would arrive in a big, spectacular way. They thought His coming would instantly, perhaps violently, radically change the world for them. They thought their enemies would be struck down, their lives would become prosperous, and their faith would be embraced by all. They were wrong, God's kingdom didn't and doesn't work that way.

Jesus explained that God's kingdom is like leaven. Leaven is a small, simple ingredient that works itself in and through the dough--transforming the dough and giving rise to the dough for bread to be baked for eating. God's kingdom is like leaven--it's truth works itself in and through you, transforming you and giving rise to a person living out the truth in real life. You can see your role--your place to live out God's radical and revolutionary ways in your own world. Your unique place is one that you can see work slowly and mightily through you. It is a lifetime transformation that God desires. You can pick up new pieces along the journey. You can make a radical impact these final weeks of school. God can do His kingdom work through you. You are his princes and princesses in battle for Him. Go and make a difference for Him!

Join us this Sunday night for a challenge and praise time to ignite your life for living for God this coming week. May it fuel your soul and impact others for Christ!

Tips for Small Groups:

• Praying Together--some students will be uncomfortable praying out loud. Let them know that everyone feels self-conscious when praying out loud for many times. Some people don't get over it. But students can work at it with you. Share how you learned to pray out loud with others or how you still feel challenged about praying out loud with others. Remind them that each one is simply talking to God who is the perfect Father and just wants them to share with Him what's on their minds as we have directed them this evening.
• Prayer Help--Try using a fill in the blank sentence; e.g. I want to thank You, God for _____; or I want You God to help me with _______. You may want them to write out their prayer and then read it back to God. Encourage students to try. This may be the only time they get coaching on how to pray and you get the chance to help one student become a great prayer warrior for the rest of his or her life.

Pastor D

Sunday Mornings Middle School

This Sunday morning at 9:30 you will be looking at some biblical characters. I am going to select two losers...biblical characters that you don't want to be like. Often I can select the men and women of the Bible who did great things or said awesome things. But as I review the wisdom literature of the Bible, you can learn from your mistakes. I do. In fact, you may learn some things to avoid in your own life.

As I skimmed through the Bible, I saw many losers. So I chose two--Saul & Haman. Saul is a great example of what can go wrong when you decide to know more than God. God had blessed Saul's life in tremendous ways yet he decided to disobey. So the challenge for you is to choose to obey. The rewards are worth the risk.

So come join us. You will discover how to not be a loser. You'll be glad you came to learn that lesson.

I want to say thanks to my friends Doug Fields and Kurt Johnston for lettime me use their material for our students. They have such great resources.

Pastor D

Sunday Morning High School

We will proceed with the second-part of our five-part series this Sunday regarding how to develop healthy relationships. Mrs. Feusse had a tough Sunday afternoon. Her daughter Katie broke her leg in a championship game in Cincinnati. I have not got an update but I'm sure there is some recovery time needed.

This week we will unpack a little more about how healthy relationships work. I wonder if you have any movie clips or songs that could depict or describe how relationships are perceived in student life. I have a distant perspective. But you could provide some more insight to help us on Sunday morning. Please offer your suggestions here by posting a comment and adding links to the content you discover online. Thanks.

Pastor D

Wisdom from Proverbs

I have neglected posting my thoughts from God's Word. As this new month begins, I have a couple of thoughts. I concur with the words of Agur in Proverbs 30; " I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One (verses 1b-3)." I am weary. This school year has been challenging. But I will prevail. There are many things that I do not know. I am comfortable with admitting what I don't know. The hardest part is moving on from setbacks. I praise God for accepting me as I am. I can do a lot of things well. But I can only do one thing at a time. So this is where I ask God for wisdom. I need His insight. I can beat myself up so easily--telling myself that I have to do more. But God is transforming me. I can go to him for refuge from myself and my high expectations and desire for perfection. Later in verse five Agur says, "Every word of God is flawless, he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." I need refuge. God provides that for me. I praise God that I can be weary but not despairing. He will protect. He will provide. He will take care of me even when I don't understand what's going on.

Today's reading from chapter two, verses 1-5 help me move forward. Rather than pausing to flog myself, I can cry out to God for help. See verses 3 and 5b; "indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding...you will find the knowledge of God." Coupled with knowledge from God is respect for God. Do I truly respect God? I wonder sometimes. He is the Ruler of this Universe. He knows what's going to happen the rest of this day and tonight and tomorrow. So why do I fret about things so much. I can choose to trust rather than worry. I can choose to put my faith in God rather than shut my faith down. I can choose to rely on God rather than merely relying on myself. I can receive knowledge and wisdom. "For the Lord gives wisdom (Proverbs 2:6a)." God will give me wisdom for each day. I will not despar. I will trust. May God encourage you to trust God rather than worry. He can take care of you.

Pastor D

High School Relationships

Sunday Morning Series: How to develop healthy relationships

This Sunday begins our five week study on building healthy relationships. This theme is critical for students in high school. Growing good relationships is a skill anyone needs for creating a great life. All students want great friends. All parents want great friends for their children.

Mrs. Wendy Feusse challenged students to consider a new tool for fostering great relationships in boy-girl friendships. We used a relationship tool where five features were shared: Know, Trust, Rely, Commit, & Touch. Students need to define what selfishness looks like and feels like. We showed two clips. Selfishness rules over all relationships. The only way to overcome this natural tendency is to have Jesus come into your life and to help you overcome it. Without Jesus you have no hope. You can only expect heartache and pain with each new relationship These recurring "awful" relationships keep emerging. Yet with Jesus you will still experience heartache and pain but you'll survive it and grow from it and set the foundations for great relationships.

I was talking after church with a parent who discovered what we were sharing. This parent came up with a good point. Rather than avoid marrying a jerk, avoid dating one! I thought that was a good point. This tool is one way to work through guy-girl relationships but it eventually ends up with each person making up their own minds. I can't wait to hear how this tool will help students foster healthy and godly relationships. Plese post a comment about tools or models that guide your relationships. I wonder what you use. I know that if I had this tool I would have done better in my relationships.

Pastor D

Game Day for Middle School

Students focused on relationship building this morning. I intend to try to get students to get to know names of other students. I hope students get to break down barriers. This will build up connections in the youth group. My focus is to foster friendships at church with Christian friends. Students attend different schoools or have opposite schedules from one another. Sunday mornings may be the only time students see each other during the week. To cultivate relationships I will revise the game day concept. I will begin with a planned opportunity for mixing students so that barriers to relationships can begin to come down between individuals, leading to potential bonding within the group. So I will provide for opportunities for interaction. This takes time out of the hour, but as I hear from parents and students--connection is critical. So I will seek to structure time for students to open up about themselves. I will set aside time that students discover mutual interests and potential links for friendship. I pray that students leave excited about potential friendships within the group.

Your are what your search results return and so are your kids - Blog Maverick

Your are what your search results return and so are your kids - Blog Maverick

Mark Cuban shares how students of tomorrow may interact with parents. He shares how "everything digital that I share online will become an entry in my kids digital profile that will always be just a search away and stay with them forever. Nothing will be thankfully lost in the garage anymore." He goes on to say in regards to relationships that by the time (his daughter) starts dating, I wont need to greet her dates at the door with a shotgun, I will have a digital history of the poor kid and know pretty much everything about him, before I meet him. Read his full comments on his blog.

I kinda believe he is right. Relationships are morphing as technology upgrades and innovates. Regardless, as Christians you need to think about how to address these new issues from a biblical worldview. I wonder how you'll address virtual dating. I wonder how you'll speak to virtual sex. I wonder how you'll deal with all that's coming. Whatever may come, God's truth is eternal. Learn God's truth. Obey God's truth. Integrate God's truth into this emerging culture. Volunteer, parent, or student, the challenge is to think biblically in an ungodly world. May we be as gentle as doves, yet shrewd as serpents.

Pastor D

Sunday Evening Equip

Small Group Info and Tips

This Sunday night we will explore how God is our Father. You can call upon Him everyday to meet your needs and trust in His provisions. Your relationship with God should be shaped by these truths. I will email the abbreviated outline for Sunday Night. I learned from last week that I need to make things shorter so that students can gather in small groups.

I want all the students together to create a corporate worship experience filled with music, teaching, and small groups. This short three-week series will fill the gap between the end of the last session and the summer break. I am still experimenting and learning when to integrate and how to integrate all age groups for a corporate experience. I expect high school students to model a walk with Christ so that the middle school students would "idolize" their remarks and actions to foster a legacy of students committed to follow Christ better. I expect the adult leaders to gather with a small group of students and to engage in one meaningful conversation about your walk with God where students "rub-shoulders" with you and peer into your own walk with God right now.

I provide the list of questions for adult volunteers to target their discussions in small groups around the main theme. Yes, you will need more time to get to know them. But try to listen well and rephrase their responses so that you communicate that you really heard what they said.

What if there is silence or a "I-don't-know" reply? Allow for silence. Then ask, "Who wants to help (student's name) with this question?" If there is still no comment. Say, "If you had to guess, what would you say?"

This week I will try to give more time to small groups. You can change, modify, or throw out the list of questions and the proposed scripted lines. But please stay true to the main point for the session. You will wrap up the lesson and help them take God's truth home with them for the week ahead. My prayer is that you will help prepare them to live out God's truth in real life for the coming week. Please offer suggestions by leaving a comment. I'd really like to hear from you.

Other Small Group Tips:

1. Pick 5 minutes one day to pray for the students who will come this sunday night.


2. Show up ready to talk with students discovering what he or she is interested in this week.


3. Seek to actively listen. To be heard is to belong.


4. Take turns praying for one another.

Pastor D

Sunday Evening Equip

The Bread Series



This week we will target how God is the provider for our daily bread. Many people memorize the Lord's Prayer, or DIsciples' Prayer. But I wonder have you spent some time unpacking it and really thinking about what Jesus said. This Sunday night you will unpack these familiar verse differently. Come to engage in learning how God is your Father. You will learn how to relate to Him better as your Heavely Father. Your Heavenly Father provides for you. He cares for you. He loves you!

Pastor D

Sunday Morning Lesson

Students are bombarded with the message that "hooking up" is acceptable. Because the media, peers, and public school staff tell them that it's okay, students need to hear the other side of the story in a positive, nonjudgmental way. This series discusses how to foster great relationships with the opposite sex. Our goal is to let students know God's views of relationships and not feel guilty about relationships gone bad. But students need to know the facts about fostering great relationships. This series will share how to foster healthy relationships and to discern how to recognize unhealthy relationships with the opposite sex. Using recent data, our five-part series will focus on challenging students to "use your head and your heart." The main thrust for students this week is to know the other person and to seek to develop healthy biblical relationships. So I wonder what the media says about girl and guy relationships. I wonder what TV shows or movies portray guy-girl relationships. I wonder if they depict a healthy, biblical model. So come this Sunday and learn how to use a tool for fostering great guy-girl relationships. Hope to see you Sunday!

Pastor D

Simply Kurt: Simple Thoughts

Simply Kurt: Simple Thoughts

Kurt Johnston is the middle school pastor at Saddleback Church in California. He has spoken at Willow Creek conferences where I attended. I appreciate his random thoughts about junior high/middle school ministry. He is right. Students want to be liked! I need to re-visit how I communicate that to students. I also need more people to extend God's love to students. I'll ask God to raise up laborers for His harvest.

Pastor D

Henriet's Blog: I Saw A Kid Do It

Henriet's Blog: I Saw A Kid Do It

You need to keep a heads-up for students like these. Students who want to help other students find Christ. I met with Jared Long today for a meeting at Caribou. I discovered that I am not doing something that I had always done. I have stopped chanting the mantra for student ministries at NWC, "To help students find, follow, and share Christ." I wonder which students you would nominate who have this characteristic of living for Jesus and influencing others for Him--students who want to share Christ.

Pastor D

InformationWeek Blog | 13-Year-Old Gets Thumbs Up At LG National Texting Championship

InformationWeek Blog 13-Year-Old Gets Thumbs Up At LG National Texting Championship

Amazing! Texting Championship? I follow championships, but I missed this one. I thank Stephen Wellman for this linked article and interview. You can view a gallery of photos from his article cited above.

Pastor D

InformationWeek Blog | E-Mail Is Out With Today's Younger Web Users

InformationWeek Blog E-Mail Is Out With Today's Younger Web Users

Stephen Wellman posted how students differ from their parents and from me. I send email. But students IM, TXT, and social network online. If I am going to make adjustments to how we connnect with students, then I need to begin going "to-their-turf" online. However I need to remain balanced. I may need a few facilitators to help respond immediately to posts and comments. I still have more questions than answers. But I do need to embrace how students stay in touch today.
I added the comments of John Birch which intrigued me and made me think about how i need to consider creating new connecting points for students. I appreciate John's remarks.

Posted on 4/25/2007 07:45 AM EDT Absolutely right. I run a girls rugby team - age group 11-18. After trial and error we basically now contact the girls via a blog and associated RSS feeds, and their parents via email. In emergencies we'd use txt - but that is too expensive for routine use.

So, I wonder if launching a blog with RSS feeds is the first step or if IM, TXT, or MySpace or Facebook is the first step. I wonder what you think.

Pastor D

Middle School Connect 9:30am

Middle School gets a play day!

What about guitar hero II? I wonder if anyone could bring guitar hero I. I'll bring the donuts and a few breakfast drinks. First come. First served.

Soccer may be our theme this weekend hour. I hope you can come.

pastor D

High School New Series

Starting Sunday, April 29 How NOT to marry a jerk/jerkette

Certified Instructor Mrs. Wendy Feusse will facilitate our discussions regarding relationships. Students often become relationship casualties. This five week series will target how students can learn to manuever through dating relationships before marriage while lessening the risks of injury during the process. The series will be an open class allowing for new students to attend every week. Each session will "stand on its own." We will explore these sessions Sunday mornings starting April 2 through May 27.

Watch this news story and interview by Meredith Viera of young women's view of the term "hooking up." Please read what I posted earlier. More to follow.

Pastor D

Sunday Morning Connect 11am

High School Lesson

Your world seeks guidance for life. When tragedy strikes, you want answers. You want guidance. The free video from bluefishtv.com of the VA Tech Prayer Vigil shows how students want direction in the midst of life's challenges. Yet the culture around you offers many avenues for guidance. One is dreams. In the movie trailer for premonition you can see how your dreams could shape or re-shape the future or any outcome. Where do you get your guidance for your life?

You read a daily reading from a real horoscope. You said it was untrue, a sham, a fun thing to do but you wouldn't follow its insights. You even described it as foolish. But many students look for guidance in life, but seek it in the wrong place where you create more problems. You watched a satirical look at someone who seeks wisdom from a horoscope mini-scroll. Someone has to buy them! Then you created mottos or bumper-sticker summaries of the following Bible verses: Exodus 15:13; Psalm 23; Psalm 25, 5,9; Psalm 31:3; Psalm 32:8-10; Isaiah 48:17. You can get guidance from the Bible! But are you?

I wonder if many times God can't guide you because you are either too busy following something else, preoccupied, or filling your time and mind with way too many things that drown out His voice. I trust you will take the challenge to spend at least five minutes each day listening to God and reading His Word in the Bible. You can do it! I am striving to fulfill my commitment. Today is not over. Make time to hear God's voice. I'd love to hear how God is speaking to you. Please share.

Pastor D

Sunday Morning Lesson

Middle School Connect

You were challenged that the world sometimes seeks guidance in foolish ways. It's like letting a stranger guide your life. You shared how most kids make their own decisions but factor in the great influence of what their friends or culture says. A few of you were willing to do what a stranger suggested to make that point. One student did cartwheels, another did the worm, another played a song on the keyboard synthesizer. You observed how crazy it is to trust your future to a horoscope. You may even have friends who don't have much better guidance in their lives. But you do. Or at least I hope you know that the Bible gives guidance.

You can find genuine guidance in your life from the Bible! You fashioned mini-scrolls for your use this week. I wonder how it's going for you. Is the Bible your source for guidance? Are you letting God lead your life? My prayer is that God helps you to live your life for Him!

Pastor D

Shame on me

I have not posted since Friday. I intend to post at least once a day. But my own life got very busy over the weekend. Still, no excuse for posting how my journey with God is going. As I reflect on this past weekend, I am not satisfied with the time focusing on hearing God's voice. God is the One I follow. Yet I often find myself occupied with my own needs and wants. I leave God out. So I will spend five minutes each day in silence pondering God's truth for my life and then seeking to obey His promptings.

So should you!

In Psalm 119 I recall a verse that says in effect that you need to meditate on God's truth regularly; even at night!

"In the night, Lord, I remember your name, that I may keep you law.
This has been my practice. I obey our precepts (Psalm 119:55-56)."

I wonder if you would take the challenge to stop your busy life and hear God's voice. You will need to direct your thoughts by reading a chapter of the Bible, like Proverbs. Then ask God to speak to you from His words in the Bible. Next, be silent and listen. As in all interactions with people, He may have something to say or not. He is a real person--sometimes people have nothing to say at a particular moment. However, if you make it your regular practice, He will speak. So like the young person Samuel say in prayer, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening ( I Samuel 3:10)." Then sit in silence for five minutes jotting down any promptings you receive. I hope you could let me know what God is saying to you. I'd like to pray for you about His promptings. You'll hear from me tomorrow (or maybe sooner).

Pastor D