The Perfect Script

If you could write the perfect script for your future what would it be? Would it be full of adventure? Would it be action packed? What about romance? Would someone rescue you from the big dragon? Would you race to save the damsel in distress? Would it be a comedy with Chevy Chase or Steve Martin by your side? Some of our adult leaders and I were discussing the youth group and the future of the youth that attend. It breaks our hearts when we see one of our 412′ers make a stupid decision that could effect them for a very long time. We try to tell them right from wrong through the games and worship. I use drama, personal stories, the Bible, and video’s to illustrate God’s love and how much wisdom He holds. I realize that as youth workers we can only equip them, but it is up to them to write the script for their lives. Now here is something that is cool….the future starts one second from now! We have a chance to write a new chapter in the script. Will God be a part of it?

zombies aren’t cool!

Depending on who you talk to, you can learn that the earth is really, really, really old. I am talking really old. Of all the million days, you are living today. You are at work, home, office, or maybe even a coffee shop reading this. Fact of the matter is…you are here. God has created you for this moment. Look around you. Who are you with? Is there anyone in the room around you or next door? He created this moment for them as well. Of all the millions of days, He decided that you were to be were you were, doing what you are doing now. That blows my mind away! This is your moment. This is your day. How will you use it? Audio Adrenaline has an older song that talks about living for this moment or living like a zombie.

What do you mean, I’m not cool?!

Satan works extremely hard trying to convince us that we will never be good enough, smart enough, skinny enough, strong enough, manly enough, sexy enough, rich enough, or popular enough. That is the truth isn’t it? I bust my rear trying to put together the best youth group service a kid could imagine. I go to the gym and work out for 2hrs trying to look like my idol, Hulk Hogan. I read the various magazines to keep up with what the youth are listening to and watching. I try to memorize random stuff to prove that I have a brain. I watch my carbs (kind of) in attempt to wear the size of jeans I wore in high school (notice I said size & not stylen). I want to be the popular guy on campus. Then I read, Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be  a servant of Christ”. OUCH!!!! So I learn from that verse that it’s ok to work on a great youth service, try to be physically fit, keep up with the culture, and everything else…but I do it to please God and not man. LOL, now that’s easy to write…harder to live out! I think you can agree, that’s something we all need to work on! Check out this video from dcTalk, it’s a classic: Jesus Freaks. What if we did just live to please God?

Lieutenant Dangle, Bike Chains, & this Generation

Lieutenant Dangle of the show “Reno 911″ was asked, what is your weapon of choice. His reply, “Preparedness is the most effective weapon, unless the guy has a bike chain“. I don’t know if it’s my youth pastor mentality, or the eggs I ate for breakfast, but God speaks to me through random shows like that. I wonder if we are really preparing the youth to take their generation to the next level spiritually? Another quote I’ve read that scares the marsh mellows outta my Lucky Charms is this: when 2 out 3 young people graduate from high school and youth group, they graduate from church too (paraphrasing a Doug Fields quote). We are not showing the youth that they are the church of today. Let’s face it, with that stat….we aren’t preparing them. I wonder if the church will ever catch up with everything that MTV, VH1, Apple, or Starbucks does to appeal to the youth. It seems like the church has become a spectator sport for the youth because they don’t dress appropriate for Sunday morning or fit the ideals of 30 years ago. If we don’t begin to invest in our youth (as a nation) they will not be prepared to fight against the devil. Are we strapping a bike chain around them to fit the model of the church that we like, that we grew up with? I’m not suggesting that we lose our theology, but I wonder how effective we are at teaching who God is to the generation that is more advanced than any before. I say we lose the bike chains and embrace this generation for who they are and where they are, that way they will be prepared! What are some ways we can stay true to what the Bible says, and effectively teach it to this generation?

Please…say what you need to say

Please read this message, not for blog stats or ego reasons….but in hopes to change your life and the lives around you. I was watching a video by John Mayer entitled, “Say“. It is one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard and videos I have ever seen. I will be using it for youth group, maybe during an emergent worship style setting. To often God tells us to do or say something to someone that could change their lives….instead we back down. I think of Bible illustrations, such as Moses saying no to God when confronted about Pharoah. If he didn’t say what he needed to say, that nation would have continued to be in slavery. Now fast-forward to our day and time. I’ll go with my own life here. The reason why I am a youth pastor, and dedicate the majority of my time with teenagers is because I need to tell them how much God loves them by my words and actions. That means even when they are the cause of me taking 4 Advil after a youth service, I still need to be there to show them who God is. Why is it we are so scarred to tell people who God is? I am a youth pastor, but there are times when even I stumble/mumble/get scarred when I need to witness. This is a dying generation if they aren’t told! If my mentors never told me truth, no matter what the outcome, I would be hurting right now. “Even if your hands are shaking and your faith is broken, even as the eyes are closing, do it with your heart wide open” WOW, now that’s powerful. What if we said what we needed to say to our neighbors, our co-workers, our family, the lady at the grocery store in front of you in the pasta isle, and even the guy who sits on the pew behind you. I ask you. I beg you. I hold you accountable…to say what you need to say. Not a hour from now, not next week, or next “good timing”….but pick up the phone/computer/etc and say what you need to say. Maybe it’s encouragement or maybe it’s just to say hello…or maybe to share Jesus, but say what you need to say. “Have no fear for giving in, have no fear for giving over, you better know in the end, it’s better to say to much then never to say what you need to say again“ 

Jumpin Jigawatts, Jesus!

Back To The Future is one of my favorite movie franchises of all time. What if we could go to the past….what if we could step into the future……what would we see, do, think, explore, or say? What if Barabbas could walk into 412 and talk to the youth about being face to face with Jesus and the crowd. What if my grandchildren from the future could come to 412 and talk about what God has done in their life? There is one constant through all of that…Jesus. According to the Bible: He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8 NIV). How amazing is that? So what does that mean for me? It means that He is the same during my stretching times: mortgage is due, car broke down, teenagers making stupid decisions, being sick, etc. It means that He is the same during my great times: hangin out with Annie, watching ECU football, eating BoJangles, playing Madden, working out at the gym, or hangin with teens. He is the same during my dull times: ha, that time period right after lunch where you just want to sleep, but work beckons you instead. Here’s a question for you, what does that mean in your life? Do you realize that there is this constant in your life? Do you realize that He (being Jesus) is chillin with you as you read this (I use my “youth pastor” card for words like “chillin”). He is there through thick & thin, better or worse times. Jesus is here! Have you hung out with Him yet?

Where is the urgency?

“Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture”

 

Your Name Means _______

Let’s write about you for a second. Think about your name for a minute. What if you lived during Biblical times? Would your name be in the Bible? If so, what would it say? ______ was a honest person. _______ treated their dates with respect. ______ was a loyal person. _____ loved their spouse faithfully. ______ made a difference in a lot of lives. _____ was a liar. _____ stole from many. _____ spent their times playing video games. _______ never amounted to much.