Pastor B Culture, Students, Summer

Soul Fuel – Pixar and The Apostle Paul

SoulFuel

Pixar and The Apostle Paul

By all accounts, Pixar has done it again…

If you haven’t seen it yet, Inside Out is truly a brilliant film that (ironically) will take you through just about every emotion you have inside your “control tower” as well. I found myself laughing hysterically and struggling emotionally all within a few moments of each other, definitely a filmmaking craft that Pixar has mastered well over the years.

And the premise is fascinating. What if we all had these little emotions sitting inside a room, holding a complete mastery over our thoughts, attitudes, and even actions?

there-is-a-control-center-of-sortsOf course, this begs the question—are there also little emotions inside the heads of the little emotions we saw in the movie? Then of course, are there emotions inside their emotions too? Lather, rinse, repeat, until we have an infinite regression of little dudes and dudettes…

Anyway, I found it interesting that even though this “emotional control” theory is loosely based on Darwinian theory, it surprisingly reflects the sentiments of the Apostle Paul as we get insight into his “inside out”:

Listen, I can’t explain my actions. Here’s why: I am not able to do the things I want; and at the same time, I do the things I despise…I’ve lost control—sin has taken up residence in me I know that in me, that is, in my fallen human nature, there is nothing good. I can will myself to do something good, but that does not help me carry it out. I can determine that I am going to do good, but I don’t do it; instead, I end up living out the evil that I decided not to do.

If I end up doing the exact thing I pledged not to do, I am no longer doing it because sin has taken up residence in me. Here’s an important principle I’ve discovered: regardless of my desire to do the right thing, it is clear that evil is never far away. For deep down I am in happy agreement with God’s law; but the rest of me does not concur. I see a very different principle at work in my bodily members, and it is at war with my mind; I have become a prisoner in this war to the rule of sin in my body. 

I am absolutely miserable! Is there anyone who can free me from this body where sin and death reign so supremely? I am thankful to God for the freedom that comes through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! (Romans 7:15-25, The Voice)

I think we all would agree with Inside Out’s premise that there is a “control center,” of sorts, where our emotions reside and exercise great power in our daily lives, but what the movie missed entirely was the supremely important principle of our spiritual lives!

I get why, of course. Pixar isn’t a Christian film production company, and it is owned by the almighty Mouse. That’s why I’m so glad that God’s Word brings clarity to what the movie missed. We are all like Riley in the movie, but at a deeper level, we are all like Paul in that there is a spiritual battle going on that ultimately controls our emotions.

The problem is that until we trust in Jesus for salvation, there is a dark and sinful entity at the controls that drives us to destructive choices. We may think, feel and do the right things some of the time, but overall, our lives are dominated by separation from God.

the-holy-spirit-seeks-toBut then at the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our control center, and if we allow, He directs our paths and takes charge over our emotions. He seeks to speak truth, peace and forgiveness over our raging emotions and conflicting feelings.

And best of all, He reminds us that no matter who we have been or what we have done, the Father forgives us, loves us, and accepts us as His beloved children, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

So if you find yourself wondering what is going on inside your head and why you continue to fail again and again, it’s not because your “joy” fell down into a pit and you are ruled by anger or bitterness. The truth is that we are dominated by sin until we accept Jesus as our Savior, then He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to come in and create a new destiny for our “inside out”!
Flashpoint

Inside Out reminds us that we have a complicated inside world that can only be redeemed through Jesus, so let’s get out and talk to our friends about the One who can help our past, present and future make sense!
Accelerant

PRAY: Father, thank You that You have delivered us from the curse of sin and the dominance of our sin nature. Help us to give our control rooms to the Holy Spirit and be empowered to share the gospel with everyone.
READ: Galatians 5:17.  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
GET: Fearless…Unleashing God’s Fierce Love In Your World. To learn more about the armor of God in Ephesians 6, check out this powerful student devotional from Greg Stier based on the book of Ephesians.

Live THE Cause

Want to use this Soul Fuel as a bible study with your students this week? Copy and text them the following: “Emotions got you like a hurricane storm on the inside? Check out this week’s Soul Fuel for some peace : http://hubs.ly/H010tzc0”

LEADERS: Be sure to check out the Discussion Guide for this week’s Soul Fuel – Pixar and The Apostle Paul!

Pastor B Oakwood, Students

Social Media And Technology In Middle School

Social Media And Technology In Middle School

Apr 30, 2015

Social Media And Technology In Middle School

ORANGE CONFERENCE 2015

SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL (NOTES)

PRETTY PDF DOWNLOAD LINK

Twitter / IG @brooklynlindsey

Contact: www.brooklynlindsey.com

The Justice Movement @thejustmove

Orange Leaders @OrangeLeaders

Nazarene Youth International @GlobalNYI

Since this is a seminar on social media and middle school, I figured there’s really no better way to begin than by telling you a little about myself via tweet length bits I could write and not be lying. (Real quick, make sure your neighbor knows what a hashtag is. Go!)

Tweets I’d write about me:

I’m a girl. #Obvious

Jesus loves me. #Incredible

I’m married. #CoyWins

I have two kids. #SleepDeprived

I became a pastor instead of something else. #Goals

I miss falling asleep reading a book. #WHOhasTIME

I wish my phone wasn’t always in my hands. #Arrested

Teenagers are my favorite. #PeopleQuestionMyMentalHealth

This is their time. #TakingThemBack #Goonies

It’s also Kristen Wiig’s time. #TaughtHerEverything

Lecrae wins all of the stuff. #ALL_I_EVER_Needed_in_A_Rapper

Every time I see the color Orange, I see you and me, and what we get to be. #WhatDoYouSee

Interact on Instagram. @brooklynlindsey

Answer the question: When you see the color orange, what do you see?

Last week, your students were using Instagram Twitter & Vine. But how are they communicating now? What will they be doing next week? How can you keep them out of trouble as they navigate the wilds of the Internet? Discover what social media platforms and apps your middle schoolers are using and the best ways to guide and connect with them via social media. Learn how to help parents do the same.

FLOATIES IN THE OCEAN

Our little friend Truman is five. He knows how to swim. I know this information because my friend Carlee taught him how to swim, in an official class. But some time had passed between his safe swimming pool environment and his next trip to the beach. This is why his wise mom went ahead and put floaties on Truman to keep him safe in this new environment. Truman can swim, but it may not be safe to throw him in the ocean without a bit of help at first. So, one floatie at a time, his momma is going to take away the extra help and encourage him to trust his instincts, check in with her, swim parallel with the shore if you feel the pull of a current. All of these things you learn with experience over time. It doesn’t mean you keep Truman out of the ocean, it just means you have to walk with him through the phases of his experience and teach him life changing lessons along the way.

It’s the same with middle school kids and technology. This is their language. Technology is the ocean they will be swimming in whether we like it or not. So it’s better to have a strategy for helping them to stay safe while they’re discovering how to make choices, communicate, relate, and interact online.

Facebook is no longer where they live. There’s an ocean of tech and social media and it’s our job to be the floaties during this developmental phase. Little by little they will need our guidance less, but at first we’ve got to have a plan when they do what teens do best….diversifying their apps.

Apps are a middle schoolers opportunity to meet new friends, share ideas, create, develop, chat, interact, and discover new skills and passions.

We could write a seminar about what’s hot in social media right now but we’d have to burn these pages today because they’ve already moved on to something else.

That’s why this statement is true:

“It’s NICE to know what’s trending but it’s BETTER to know the basics.”

Know the BASICS

Teach the BASICS

Coach in LEVELS

Cheer their PROGRESS

My eight year old walked through a tech door that we thought we had locked.

My five and eight year old loved my dubsmash videos and wanted to make some of their own.

Both instances gave me opportunities to learn the basics, teach the basics, coach them at their level, and cheer for them as they were given age appropriate freedoms.

What are the basics?

B        Be curious. The world’s most curious question: What is it?

A        Ask why. Why is it popular? Why do they love it?

S        Sort out the challenges. What are the drawbacks? Dangers? Age considerations?

I         Insist on being an ally. You’re on your their team.

C        Call somebody before you blame somebody. *

S        Start social media accounts together. Be a part of the process. Talk often. Teach. Set up rules together. **

*(PRIVACY// Youth group: post with permission. Family: post after discussion.)

**(You will see something shocking or disturbing someday but in the minutes after you see/ find/ notice/ are told about something like this get some head space before you go ninja on their device or call a meeting with their parents. The kid may be enjoying the function but may not know the potential harm. They may know the harm but don’t know how to navigate around it. Get your head game together before you coach, once you have a healthy/ loving plan, then go for it.)

Now that you know the basics, you can apply these things to tech and apps that come along.

App Basics

Texting

Kik Messenger

What is it? It’s an app that lets kids text for free.

Drawbacks:

  • Ads & in-app-purchases. Kik specializes in “promoted chats”
  • Strangers App called OinkText, linked to Kik: allows chats w/ strangers who share theKik usernames to talk to new people.

ooVoo

What is it? Free video, voice calls, and messaging. Group chat is possible with up to 12 people for free. After school logins are popular, group studying (always, right?), connects friends who change schools or move to a new city.

Drawbacks:

  • Kids can only chat with approved friends.
  • Squirrel! (It can be distracting.)

WhatsApp

What is it? An app that send texts, audio messages, videos, and photos to one or many people with no message limits or fees. (International)

Drawbacks?

  • 16 and over.Minimum has been set by WhatsApp
  • Overly connected. WhatsApp automatically connects kids to others. It also encourages users to add friends who haven’t signed up yet.

Micro-blogging

DubSmash

What is it? A mobile app to create short selfie videos dubbed with famous sounds.

Drawbacks:

  • 16 and over
  • It’s so much fun we forget. Videos shared live forever. Not everything is nice. Time doesn’t stand still. (time sucker)

Instagram

What is it? An app that can snap, edit, and share photos and 15-second videos, either publicly or with in a private network. It unites popular features of social media: sharing, seeing, & commenting. Re-posting.

Drawbacks:

  • “Likes” Middle schoolers may measure their self worth or value by the number of likes or comments they receive.
  • Hashtags & location information can expose kids
  • Instagram Direct allows users to send “private messages” to up to 15 mutual friends. These pictures don’t show up on their public feeds.

Twitter

What is it? An app that can post brief, 140-character messages ( “tweets” ) and follow other users’ activities.

Drawbacks:

  • Public tweets are the normfor teens. Talk to kids about how what they post can spread and live beyond the tweet.
  • That video you can’t UNSEE.
  • No sarcasm filter.

Tumblr

What is it? It’s a “Blitter” ! Or, a cross between a blog and twitter: It’s a streaming scrapbook of text, photos, and/or videos and audio clips. Teens have tumblelogs for personal use sharing thougths, videos, daydreams, photos, etc.

  • Porn patrol.
  • Privacy is awkward. It takes effort.

Secret apps (self destructing)

A troll or a tour guide? Which one do you want to be?

Secret

What is it? It’s an app designed to let people say what’s on their minds anonymously. Vent, confess, and share freely — without anyone knowing who said what. Banned in many schools because of bullying occurrences and capabilities.

Drawbacks:

  • It tries to prevent users from defaming others.Sends warnings when names are used.
  • Email & Phone number required.
  • Strong language. Most words that start with the letter F.

Whisper

What is it? It’s a type of confessional that allows users to post THOUGHTS with AN IMAGE. Freedom to share without fear of being judged or shamed.

Drawbacks:

  • Whispers are often sexual.Near nude. Lot’s of that.
  • You’re not going to find a ton of puppy dogs and ice cream posts. You mind more thoughts on insecurity, depression, substance abuse, and lies told to others.

Snapchat

What is it? It’s a “self-destructing” app if you live in a fairytale. Users can put a time limit on the pictures and videos they send before they disappear. Teens love this app. It’s a nicer option to share photos with friends and family you trust.

Drawbacks:

  • Snaps don’t disappear forever.
  • Snap sexting

Rapchat (same as snap chat but it dubs your voice to beats)

Yik Yak

What is it? Free app that lets users post brief, Twitter-like comments to the 500 geographically nearest Yik Yak users. Find out opinions, secrets, rumors….it’s a hot mess. The bonus thrill/ nightmare: knowing all these have come from a 1.5-mile radius (or from the kid sitting behind you)

Drawbacks:

  • Reveals location.You have to turn location sharing off.
  • It’s the deeper parts of the ocean. More than floaties may be needed. Stuff swimming in it: cyberbullying, explicit sexual content, unintended location-sharing, and exposure to explicit information about drugs and alcohol.
  • Banned in some places. Can be toxic. Harmful. Promotes Bullying.
  • Sponsored by the letter “F” and other choice consonants. @#$%# All day, every day.

Social Media For the 6th Grade Phase*

*with a little help from my friend

@JonAcuff knows some stuff about social media and he has an 11 year old. #streetcred

  • Call somebody before you ninja somebody. You will find something weird, crazy, shocking.
  • Go over the phone bill. Teach them life skills while you go over the bill together.
  • Make freedom the goal (Jon says, “Don’t make privacy and freedom something you’re taking away from them, but rather something you’re working toward as a team. Tie their usage to maturity”.)
  • Have the talk. (Not “that talk”, the other talk, about technology. Talk technology, it’s their language.)
  • Create digital detachment at night. Set up house culture. Promote peace. (Phones away at 9. No devices in bed)

Social Media In The 7 & 8th Grade Phase

  • Share accounts. Netflix, iTunes, Amazon are a great way to practice decision-making and give incremental freedoms. Music Downloads Example: You want, I review, I purchase. You want, I trust you, I purchase, I listen. You want, you purchase, I trust you.)
  • Notice who they are online and invest in that person. You are watching your kid become something new. Follow their friends—engage their parents—get involved in their life online.
  • Start accounts together. Teach. Cheer. Consult.
  • Step up the stairs of maturity to privacy. Locked digital doors are for later. Teach them that nothing is really private with technology.
  • “Ask the jerk question” – @JonAcuff  You’re the one who can ask the questions about friends their still deciding on—“is someone bothering you online”? How did it make you feel when “x” made that comment?

Oh, and You Tube. Middle Schoolers need you to know and teach the basics about this endless stream.

300 hours of video are uploaded per minute.

81.9% of US 14-17 year olds watch you tube.

2014 Most Searched Topic: Music. 2nd Most Searched Topic: Minecraft.

Middle school people love music. Middle school people love minecraft. Middle school leaders should pay attention to YouTube.

Assignment: Make a list of really cool creation and innovation apps. Push kids toward apps and tech that turn up discovery and passion in their day.

Review:
Know the BASICS

Teach the BASICS

Coach in LEVELS

Cheer their PROGRESS

Helping a middle school kid navigate through social media and technology is just as important as teaching a baby to walk, a toddler to share, and a 16 year old how to drive safely.

Walk with them. Partner with their parents. Know and teach the basics. Avoid the hazards that sometimes come in learning something new by coaching them and cheering for them even when they mess up. Help them figure out who they are in a world full of conflicting information. Remind them that they are loved and created by God even when they feel unloved and ashamed by choices that they make.

If you love a middle schooler, you’ll get in the tech ocean with them and teach them how to swim.

Pastor B Culture, Oakwood, Students

YouTube You Can Use: We All Make Mistakes

Volume 5, Issue 14

Video:

logo YouTubeUCanUSE

https://youtu.be/UmsyEMFYsus

Topics:

Consequences, Game Show, Mistakes, Prize, Winning

Bible:

1 John 1:9; Romans 3:23

Discussion Starter:

We’ve all done it. In an instant we’ve done the one thing we weren’t supposed to do for the whole world to see.

In this case, Manuela gave a contestant on The Price is Right a brand new car when she wasn’t supposed to, which is awesome. But in our case our mistake might not be so awesome.

The Bible says that we all make mistakes, we all sin. (Romans 3:23) But the good news is that that Jesus offers forgiveness, even when we sin accidentally. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

3 Questions:

  1. When was a time you messed up but it turned out great?
  2. Would you rather win a $20,000 car or $10,000 in cash?
  3. Is it easier for you to notice your own mistakes or mistakes in others? Why?

Chew on this:

Is there a difference between an intentional and accidental sin in God’s eyes?

Pastor B Culture, My Life, Oakwood, Parent Cue, Students

#becausehelivesican Make It Personal

# slide_widescreen

So I was driving the kids to school today and had a great time with the change of my morning routine.  It was a great time to practice what I believe and turn a change of routine into something relationally impactful, since the kids usually track with Mommy most of the time.  We were playing fun music and on time, which is another personal time management best :).  On the way, I took the circle downtown, and in the midst of the change, my autopilot self took the wheel and I took the wrong direction as if I were heading to Oakwood. When my real mind took charge, I said, “Oh No!” really loud.  Then we turned it into a fun game… guess what Dad forgot this time.  Katie was the quickest and realized we were on a little different track, and Noah shortly followed as he saw the ducks at the park.  No worries, we made a small adjustment and headed to school, thankfully making it on time.  Score one for Dad, even with the small adventure.

My thought was, how does this relate to our celebration this Easter Weekend?  Do I tell myself to seize the moment and then go into autopilot instead?  So many times, we can intentionally seize the moment and yet, our routine nature gets the best of us.  Holidays are great for the very fact that they have a sense of tradition mixed with family memories all in one moment.  I think that is the same for Easter every year.  We need the tradition of remembering and celebration of the resurrection that Easter brings, but there is also this internal fight to keep the heart in check.  The ole self check up with Jesus is good around this time.  It’s kind of like this…  “Hey Jesus, since you are resurrected again, are we cool?”  Why the internal struggle anyway? It think it is because when we truly follow Christ, he makes it personal.  This religious tradition that the world sees millions to billions of Christians participate in and flesh out in various denominations is actually an expression of a Holy God not giving up on the relationship that he started with Humanity at the beginning of creation.

That’s why I have personally been compelled to focus on Galatians 2:20 for the past few weeks.

“20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  “

Paul saw this same struggle with tradition and relationship on his own personal journey.  Being a man brought up in the tradition of Jewish Law, he was in the Passover routine every Easter.  He also had the Spiritual Wisdom to understand that most people struggled with this very tension.  That is why the axis of Galatians, and possibly Paul’s life mantra had to be more than routine.  He had to personally be crucified with Christ and then find out what true resurrection living was all about.  Because Christ lives, we can live in the same power by faith.  We can look back on this journey to the Cross and say that HE LOVED ME.  We can call this Friday “good”  because HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.
When we make the Easter Holiday personal, we can easily fill in the blank with this phrase:


BECAUSE HE LIVES I CAN ___________________________.  

Where do you need to be crucified with Christ?  How do you need to sense the love of Jesus this Easter?  How does it feel to remember that Jesus gave himself for YOU, personally.  Your sin, your quirks, your talents, your wrong turns, your personal human nature.

 Lets practice the presence of Christ this Easter Holiday by making it personal in the midst of the egg hunts, television specials, family fun, and time off.  By making it personal, we might find the joy of denying ourselves and truly living in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Pastor B Oakwood, Students

Fusion Wednesdays: ALPHA

alphalogo-youth

Fusion Wednesdays are going ALPHA.

What is Alpha?  Alpha is a video series that focuses on the basic questions of our faith

alphajohn14and gives students that ability to explore and ask questions about their own personal faith in small groups.  As we move toward Spring, I see many Middle School students begin to question their faith, life habits, and personal mission.  This is a timely series that will give a Middle School student the ability to ask pointed questions in a safe place on Wednesday Nights.

Pastor B Culture, Students

Join the Insurgent – Soul Fuel

 soul-fuel-logo-black (1)

Join the Insurgents!

Deep down, I think we all would like to be insurgents. Perhaps that’s why 97% of us want to see the much-anticipated sequel to the smash hit Divergent??? (Source: rottentomatoes.com)

And why wouldn’t we want to join in this Chicago-gone-really-bad-post-apocalyptic adventure that pits Tris and Four against the Evil Erudites and their titanic-sized power grab?

Going to a movie like this gives us two or more hours of escapism and the chance to imagine what it feels like to fight in a cause that really matters. We love to watch the newly barbered Tris overcome challenges and seek out the truth. We revel in the defeat of Jeanine and her followers and grieve when good men and women go down.

But then the movie is over, and as we clean up our trash and head toward the exit, we sometimes struggle with a low-grade feeling of dissatisfaction with the mundane redundancy of life in the real world, right? And we are super-bummed that we have to wait another year or two for the conclusion! (Thanks a lot, Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Twilight/and Hunger Games!)

However, I have good news for you. Life for those who have trusted Christ was not designed to be commonplace, humdrum, or defined by a monotonous routine. You are placed in a specific time and place with a custom-made set of gifts and talents that can’t be tested, measured, and categorized as conveniently as they are in the divergent world.

And because of that, your life is destined to be extraordinary. Or, you can choose to ignore this destiny and fritter away your time, talents and treasures on largely insignificant and ultimately meaningless pursuits, but deep down, you hunger for more.

But please…do not just take my word for it. My words are the musings of a mere man, but the words I am about to share with you come from the God of the universe, the Creator of all things and the One who knows you better than you know yourself. This passage is your calling and your connection to THE Cause of all causes—the cause of Christ. And if you take these words seriously and apply them consistently, your life will take on an element of significance that you have never before experienced.

Listen carefully:

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.

 

And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. Yes, stand—truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17, The Voice)

You may think that your battles are with your parents or teachers or people at school who are mean, but God has revealed to us that the real battles and dangers we face are not against flesh and blood. The evil forces of Satan stay strategically hidden from view, but the effects of their assaults have messed up the world way beyond what any movie could portray. There is racism, genocide, trafficking, and a host of other oppressive strongholds that we must fight against.

And our weapons are not physical, either. In this epic and eternal fight, we must be fully covered by the armor of God, or we will be mowed down by the army of darkness.

So if you find yourself wanting more out of life, then take on the challenge Jesus is calling His followers to—helping His kingdom come and His will be done. Join the insurgency against the schemes of the Evil One to keep people in bondage to sin and despair. Wake up each day with a prayerful commitment to be used by Jesus to push back the territory that Satan strives to take from you and your friends. Don’t think of yourself as a bystander; rather focus on being a soldier in a cause that really counts.

Put on your armor and join THE Cause!

 

Every Christian is called to be an insurgent against the devil and his plan to steal, kill, and destroy the very souls of the human race. The question is: are we an active insurgent or a doomed bystander?

 

PRAY: Father, please give us the power and focus to fight in this battle against Satan and his army of darkness. Remind us to suit up in the full armor of you’ve given us, so we can stand against him.

READ: 2 Corinthians 10:4. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

GET: Fearless…Unleashing God’s Fierce Love In Your World. To learn more about the armor of God in Ephesians 6, check out this powerful new student devotional from Greg Stier based on the book of Ephesians.

Want to share this with your students? Copy and paste the following text message: “Do you sometimes see yourself as a bystander? As a Christian, you are way more than that! Check out this week’s Soul Fuel on joining the Insurgents: http://hubs.ly/y0CfLq0

LEADERS: Be sure to check out the Discussion Guide for this week’s Soul Fuel – Join the Insurgents!

Donate now to support Soul Fuel!