UNITED Movie February
UNITED Snapshot
Connection
I am reading a book titled, Youth Ministry 3.0 by Mark Oestreicher. An incredible book that shows that the way ministry has been done may not be the way that ministry needs to be done. In it there is a quote, “With increasing violence and substance abuse and more disadvantaged, broken homes than ever before, kids are just dying to be acknowledged. They need somebody to connect with them on a personal level. They need leaders who’ll take the time to listen and affirm that they’re okay, and they’re loved-no matter who they are, where they’re from, or what they’re dealing with. If that connection isn’t made, it’s highly unlikely that youth will allow leaders to take them on something so sacred as a spiritual journey.”
I am so blessed to have the team that I have. They love God, they love teenagers and they see a need to reach students differently than we have in the past. They are so flexible and are willing to change whatever is needed to redefine student ministries in the Delaware Valley. God has given us some tremendously gifted leaders that I have the privilege to work with and call friends.
FSM Weekend In Review: Volume 1
Several friends have asked what do we do on our weekends…so here it is.
Weekend Teaching Series: Hostage
Sermon Title: Don’t Make Me Angry
Sermon in a Sentence: Jesus used self-control in the midst of his life being taken from him. Is there a way where we can learn to control our anger so it doesn’t become sin?
Key Verse: Ephesians 4:26-27 and don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
Weekend Scale of Difficulty: 8 out of 10
Attendance: up 69% from previous month
Service Length: 74 minutes
Understandable Message: The talk was broken down into some of things that cause us anger. From the simplest of pet peeves to anger in our life.
• Maybe your parents have gotten divorced or are talking about it and you are angry.
• Maybe your angry about social injustices like abortion or the environment or starvation.
• Maybe your angry because of the abuse you have had to take…spiritual, physical, verbal, mental, emotional
• Maybe your angry because you feel you are neglected or there are some abandonment issues.
• Maybe you had a friend or a family member die.
• Maybe it’s your social status that makes you mad…your friends have more than you.
• Maybe it’s a financial uncertainty. You don’t know if your parents are going to lose everything or if you will have to get a job to help out.
• Maybe your angry because you work so hard at your grades and what you do bring home is never good enough.
• Maybe you didn’t make the team.
• Maybe nothing ever goes your way.
• Maybe you can’t get that guy or girl or they just broke up with you.
• Maybe your angry because nobody understands you.
• Maybe your angry with yourself because you are stuck in an addiction or personal abuse.
• Maybe your angry with God. Because being a Christ follower isn’t what you thought it would be like.
• Maybe your angry about your past.
They were then given 5 steps to work towards controlling their anger based on the passage of scripture in Ephesians chapter 4.
1. Don’t Deny Your Anger
2. Delay Your Anger
3. Define Your Anger
4. Diffuse Your Anger
5. Deliver It To God
Volunteer/Student Involvement: Students are our primary greeters and connectors with new kids. Fellowship Staff ran all video, lighting and audio. Leaders were responsible for connecting with kids. Students helped lead worship and several students played in the band.
Element of Fun/Positive Environment: The building was impressive to look at: The Loft as it has been named was new and created an incredible environment. Video games such as: Rock Band, Call of Duty 4 and Stars Wars Light Sabers. A glow stick game done to the Kanye West song Stronger.
Music Playlist:
The Fray-You Found Me
Salvation is Here
Today is the Day
Desert Song
Break Free
Revolution
New Creation- Worship leader was painted to signify becoming a new creation
Favorite Moment: 10 students receiving Christ! Hearing them say that UNITED was better than camp.
Next up: We are doing The Family Series. What is under your roof? Dealing with Family.
Weekend Wrap-Up Late Edition
I can’t believe all that happened this weekend. I so don’t deserve all that God has been blessing me with lately. I love students and their families and want the absolute best for them. I am so encouraged to work for a church who makes teenagers a priority instead of using them for any other reason. I have the greatest youth staff anywhere in the Northeast, I know others say they do, but they are lying…trust me. I have a phenomenal church staff that put in so many hours to make our weekend a success.
This weekend we launched our student version of “Hostage” and it was incredible. Students telling me about their anger, their pain, their heartache. So many things that would shock most of you but have become a regular occurrence for me dealing with youth culture. I heard that UNITED was better than camp, that the worship was insane, incredible, unbelievable and as good as the original. What a credit to Donny and the Praise Ninjas, yes that is our student band name. They did awesome. God gave me the words to say and lives were changed because of it. Last I heard we had 10 students receive Christ and 1 parent. God is Awesome!
The room itself is simply another tool to allow us to reach teens for Christ. So many times I’ve been to conferences and seen the stage and wished that was us or have been to large youth groups or seen them on video and wished that was us…I walked out Saturday night saying, “that is us.” Other youth departments will be looking at our building and program as the standard for youth ministry in the Delaware Valley.
Our life groups were awesome because we have such good leaders. They were excited and filled with passion as we experienced our best numbers yet and saw students getting real with bitterness. Can’t wait to see what God has in store for our team and our students.
Also a special thanks to all who blessed my family with our weekend getaway. I don’t know who to exactly thank so I thank all of you. It was much appreciated. Just know there were so many people who were behind the scenes that made this vision come to be…make sure you thank them as well.
‘Sexting’ surprise: Teens face child porn charges
Parents: I pray for you. Raising teenagers is not easy, especially when they grow up so quick. This article does not shock me because I have written on this before, but it scares me that the age continues to drop.
“In an unusual legal case arising from the increasingly popular practice known as “sexting,” six Pennsylvania high school students are facing child pornography charges after three teenage girls allegedly took nude or semi-nude photos of themselves and shared them with male classmates via their cell phones. The female students at Greensburg Salem High School in Greensburg, Pa., all 14- or 15-years-old, face charges of manufacturing, disseminating or possessing child pornography while the boys, who are 16 and 17, face charges of possession, according to WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, which published the story on its Web site on Tuesday.”
You can read the full article here. You may want to check out the poll that they did with over 1200 students and young adults. Eye opening to say the least. I may even give this poll to our teens at some point. The file is a PDF. Download it to your desktop and check it out.
