A prayer by Billy Graham
Read this on Mac Richards Blog
and I thought it was cool. Below is Billy Graham’s prayer for our nation:
‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!’
Christmas Movies
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Thanksgiving
What are you thankful for? Have stopped long enough to think about that? Thanksgiving is one of those times where we can pause and think about what we are really thankful for. Kind of like stopping and thinking about the one you love on Valentines Day. I have stopped several times to reflect on what God has blessed me with.
- I am thankful for my relationship with God. I don’t deserve what He’s given me. I still have so many issues but at the end of the day he accepts me for who I am. There are no unrealistic expectations and no attacks on me personally. God just loves because that is who He is.
- I am thankful for my wife. For over eight years she has stood by me. She is the biggest encouragement I have in my life. She has molded me into the man I am today. She does a phenomenal job with our boys and continues to make sacrifices on a daily basis so that I can pursue my dream.
- I am thankful for my boys. They are healthy. They have tremendous personalities and they are so fun to be around. God has given them such tender hearts and He has made them so smart. They get that from Jess. I am so blessed to have them.
- I am thankful for the friends and accountability I have in my life. People who ask me the tough questions and also are willing to challenge me to better than I am.
- I am thankful for Fellowship. I am thankful that I serve a pastor like I do. Transparent and real. A man with tremendous vision and an incredible communicator. Our team is awesome. Jeff is a great worship leader who has a huge heart. Ben raises the bar of our team with media and how he leads. Dan & Kristi are so good to my boys and they love children. It is evident in their heart and passion that they put into everything they do. For Shari, she has done awesome with life groups and has provided a place for us to develop community and depth.
- I am thankful for all of our support help. They do so much that nobody ever sees and very seldom ever get credit for it.
- I am thankful for my youth staff. Their dedication and sacrifice makes our student ministry what it is. They also serve in so many other areas. Their ability balance personal and church is a challenge to me.
- I am thankful for my life group. A great place for Jess and I to connect with other adults. To be poured into without being the ones doing the pouring is refreshing and allows us to get our batteries charged.
- I am thankful for my iphone.
Take the time to think about what you are thankful for and let them know.
First Impressions
Today I was reminded how important it is to make a good first impression. I took my car into an establishment that will remain unnamed to get an oil change and have my tires checked. I waited almost twenty minutes to be helped only to be yelled at by the guy behind the counter. I gave him the benefit of the doubt thinking I had caught him at a bad time. I was told it would take three hours to complete. I walked around the mall, again, and again, and again. Once security started to walk with me and I was getting strange looks I headed back to the establishments waiting room and waited, waited and waited some more.
I watched one customer after another have a bad experience with this gentleman who obviously was not happy that he was working there. I cautiously approached the man after my three hours were complete and asked him when my car would be done only to hear, “later” as he turned in disgust. I was tired and that didn’t work for me…excuse me manager in the building. I found out that my car had been ready for over three hours but they had forgotten to call me. My first experience and my first impression of this establishment that will remain unnamed was not a good one.
Makes me think of peoples first experience with our churches. What do they see, feel or encounter?
Weekend Update
- Totally stoked about today’s service.
- Our teens stepped up in various ways all over the church. We had students in LIL K, working the lights, ushering, greeting, working in guest services, set up of the stage and tear down of signage, students on the keyboard, bass and electric.
- Donny ROCKED it. Best I have ever seen him do in church. Everybody got to see a taste of what I have gotten to enjoy for 7 years now. Donny’s voice is incredible and the talent that God has given him is part of the reason why UNITED is what it is. Great job today Donny our students have a great worship leader to look up to. Thanks for taking the time to get them to a whole notha level.
- Student musicians. I think our church had great worship and didn’t skip a beat. Our students have really stepped up and stretched themselves with how they get involved. Brad and Shaun both takes turns on bass and electric and they have become really good at both. Kristen is new to the keyboards for us and did a great job even though I know all of them were nervous you couldn’t tell…they had great stage command. Keith and Steve are both incredible musicians that God has gifted and God has also put place in their heart for student worship and the hours they put in to make us better is much appreciated.
- Our drama was insane. The skit itself brings up some serious issues, but they are issues that students and adults are dealing with. In fact that skit was relevant for anybody over 4th grade. Don’t fool yourself and think that kids don’t know whats going on that young. Statistically they are dealing with stuff that we never imagined. Thanks to all those who were in it (Ron McMinn, Chrissy Nelson, Stuart Nelson, Jeff Sareyka, Heather Kirby, Kellie Berry, Kyle Short and Jessica Geiger for directing the whole thing). I have seen that drama several times by different groups and our team did it the best. So proud of all them and the time they put in for that.
- Production didn’t miss a beat today. They all did great and I am so proud of them.
- Still shocked that God allows me to do what I do. I love it and work with the best team anywhere who sharpen and challenge me. I also work with the best lead pastor anywhere in John. That dude has rocked my world several times and made me a better person, husband, father and pastor. I’m amazed with his patience with me and the fact that he gives me the freedom I have. I love serving with him. Real and transparent and he bleeds Fellowship.
- I now understand the “Pastor Coma” that you go into after speaking twice I’m exhausted…bring on the Nyquil.
Week In Review
- Went to New York on Monday to work with some guys like Kevin Murrell from Northway on a middle school camp for this summer. It should be awesome.
- Went to the city on Tuesday and got to see Sugarland (country music) doing a concert out by central park.
- Froze to death…it was so cold out there.
- Got tickets to get on the David Letterman show that aired Tuesday night we got shafted being on TV though.
- Super pumped about Sunday as I will be talking about Real Change. We have our students doing worship, we have the skit from UNITED and it should be a good Sunday.
- Playing the boys tonight.
- SNOW!
“Please don’t bring your teenager to Nebraska”
Interesting little scramble of panic happening in Nebraska right now due to their “save haven law” which allows parents to drop off children at hospitals if they can’t care for them, without being charged with abandonment. the law extends to 17 years-old. but as lawmakers are working to lower the age to 3 days old (that’s quite a change, but apparently reflects the original intent of the law, which was to provide for infants whose parents don’t think they can care for them), a small number of parents are actually flying their teenagers into nebraska to drop them off before the law gets changed.
Battle Armor
I don’t know what version this is in or where I found it but I love how it says it.
Eph 6:11 “So put on the full armor of God…”
“Don’t take it personally.” That was the advice an old pastor gave to a young pastor. “Don’t take what personally?” the younger man asked. “Don’t take it personally when you’re attacked and opposed in ministry. It’s not about you. You’re in a battle; it goes with the territory.”
That advice is relevant for all believers. a solider in a war gets shot at. His feelings don’t get hurt when that happens; he doesn’t take it personally; he knows it comes with being in combat.”
Part of being in ministry is being able to take the good and the bad…this is a constant struggle for me. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, but if I am going to make it. If any of us are going to make it than we have to realize that this is all part of the battle.
Aaron
Today marks the one year anniversary of Aaron Kilmer’s death
. I debated for days on whether to write about this or not but I think for the health of our students it is important. The worst thing to do is to pretend it didn’t happen. Death is something that all of us are concerned with. Some are fascinated by it others are scared of it. I feel that there are some that don’t even ponder it and the reality that it holds in all of our lives.
Aaron’s death has left a legacy in our youth department that forever changed me. There is not a week that goes by that Aaron is not in my mind or in my heart. I wonder if there are other students out there that feel like Aaron felt. Aaron’s death was not in vain in fact if anything it was an eye opening reality check for me and others like me who work with teens that it can happen to anybody.
Aaron was so respected and well liked. He was passionte and he had a servants heart like very few I have ever met. His smile was contagious and so was his energy that he probably got from all the energy drinks he consumed. An infectious laugh and a heart so big and so accepting. Aaron has taught me to live differently. He has taught me to look out for other students who feel the way he did. He has taught me to value every student that walks through our doors. He has taught me to understand that life is precious.
I know there are some in our youth department who didn’t know Aaron and then there are those who’s life was changed becuase of his legacy. May we continue to remember Aaron and students like Aaron who need our love and acceptance and who need a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on.
God, would you be the Kilmer family this weekend and all through the holidays as they are faced with the reality of an anniversary. God would you give them comfort knowing that Aaron is with you. God would you give them peace. Give them understanding. Give them an ability to process and find joy even in the most diffiuclt of cicumstances. God thank you for this family and for the legacy of “live different” life that Aaron had lived. May others come to find life through his death. Amen
Purple Cows
I read a quote today on Mark Batterson’s blog that he took from Seth Godin’s book called Purple Cow. It says, “If you aren’t remarkable you’re invisible.” That quote is powerful and has so many hidden truths. Working with students I see them fall into depression and frustration with their life because they feel that when you look at them they aren’t remarkable, they are invisible and because they are invisible they are useless. I know this is not the same context that Mark or Seth were using it in, but it does make me ask that question. How do we make students feel remarkable?
From a marketing standpoint, people can’t attend what they don’t know exists. I still say that our youth department is one of the best kept secrets in the Delaware Valley. However I don’t want it to be a secret, I want others to shout it from the rooftops. I want people talking about life change. I want people looking to Jesus.
How can we make our youth department and our church remarkable?
