Pastor B Culture, Students, Summer

Soul Fuel: We Live in a Rogue Nation

SoulFuel

We Live in a Rogue Nation

Most (if not all of us) have things we love about summer…

Maybe going to the pool? Taking trips to the lake, beach or mountains?

Or just plain old having time off from school and sipping lemonade in your backyard?

But one of the things I love most about summer is the massive competition between movie companies for the best blockbuster! The end result is about a half-dozen films that provide two or more hours of “cure for the occasional summertime blahs.”

what do you love most about summer?And my vote—for what it’s worth—is the spectacular return of Ethan Hunt and his stellar crew in MI5—Rogue Nation. Adore him or abhor him for his personal life and other (ahem) affiliations, anyone who literally hangs on to the door of a jet while it’s taking off has got my respect!

And from that opening scene, the plot keeps ascending and Tom keeps cruising while the audience is strapped in for a cinematic ride with the disavowed IMF running for their lives and simultaneously trying to save others.

But wait a minute…if you’re a Christ follower, doesn’t that storyline sound a little familiar in real life? Not that you should try the jaw-dropping stunts that Ethan Hunt pulls off, but let’s look at a few of the fascinating parallels between the movie Mission: Impossible and the seemingly impossible mission of the believer:

First, are we—no matter what country on earth we inhabit—living in a “rogue nation”? Well, if the definition of rogue is “dishonest” and “evil,” then the Bible tells us we all very definitely citizens of just such a world!  Jesus tells us that the devil is “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30), and that his purpose is to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). The villains in the MI series are often secretive and shadowy, but our archenemy is openly seeking to devastate and obliterate those who name Jesus as their Savior!

The Bible also warns that Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Lions often use deception and misdirection, so we always need to be vigilant and wise about whom we trust and who might be out to get us!

Second, do we have a seemingly impossible mission and incredible weapons to use in our efforts to fulfill it? You betcha!

The Bible unveils our arsenal in this way:

It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, TLB).

Ethan Hunt and gang may have the latest and greatest techno-weapons that nobody sees coming, but as believers we have the very armor of God and the infinite power of prayer to Almighty God on our side!

we have a seemingly impossible mission...How do we use these spiritual armaments? We wake up each morning asking the Holy Spirit to fill us and Jesus to give us wisdom in our decisions. Then throughout the day we focus on how we can reach out to the lost and share the love of God and the truth of the gospel with everyone we can.

Though we are being hounded and harassed in this rogue nation, we must make use of the defenses He has provided for us, then get on our knees and fight relentlessly!

Fight for what? Well, that brings us to the Mission: Impossible…

He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:18-20, TLB).

Jesus gives every believer this mission, and at face value, it very much seems impossible. How are we to “make disciples” of every rogue nation? On our own, there is no way. But, He promises to be with us “always, even to the end of the world.” In other words, when the going gets tough and we’ve lost the will to keep fighting for THE Cause of Christ, it is then that we sense His power and presence working in our lives, and we find the strength to battle for the souls of our friends and families for another day.

So enjoy the pool, the lake, the beach and the mountains, but don’t sit all summer sipping lemonade and watching movies, because we have an impossible mission to accomplish, made possible by the very power and presence of Jesus Christ!
Flashpoint

You may not be Ethan Hunt, but you are a follower of Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit on a Mission: Incredible! Make great use of your remaining summer and enjoy the adventure God has laid at your feet!
Accelerant

PRAY: Lord God, we are humbled by the task that You have given us to make disciples of all nations. Help us stay focused on what is truly important as we live each day by faith in You.
READ: Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
GET: Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide to Sharing Your Faith. Newly revised and updated! Pick up a copy of this essential faith sharing how-to manual. Learn how to intentionally engage others in real, give-and-take dialogue and invite them into the most life-changing relationship they’ll ever experience. Get ready for the conversation that matters most!

Live THE Cause

Want to use this Soul Fuel as a bible study with your students this week? Copy and text them the following: “Want a thrilling summer mission? Check out this week’s devo: http://hubs.ly/H011Bkz0”

LEADERS: Be sure to check out the Discussion Guide for this week’s Soul Fuel – We Live in a Rogue Nation!

Donate now to support Soul Fuel!

Pastor B Parent Cue, Summer

Parent Cue: Surviving Ezzy by Holly Crawshaw

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Click Here for more Parent Cue Links

I was the perfect mother. I mean, anyone could be—if they just read the books like I did and maintained a schedule like I did. If they had boundaries with their children. If they stood their ground . . . If they would just work the system, they could be perfect like me, too.

I had the parenting thing all figured out.

That’s what I thought after I had my first child, Lilah. She was, by all accounts, perfection. She slept through the night at six weeks. She took several long naps throughout the day. She would smile at strangers. Use her manners. Perform on cue.

I was the perfect mother.

Until I had my second child, Ezzy.

Ezzy has lived most of her life in a state of constant need.
Ezzy was never full.
Ezzy loathed sleep.
Ezzy shoved her face in my neck if anyone tried to talk to her.
Ezzy would permanently affix herself to my hip, if possible.
Ezzy was the complete opposite of her sister.

Ezzy made a liar out of me. The truth was out: I was a terrible mother.

When Ezzy turned two, she started crawling out of her crib and running around our house in the middle of the night. We spanked. We redirected. We locked doors. We cried. We begged. We pleaded.

But nothing worked. She didn’t sleep and we didn’t sleep. And it made everyone miserable.

I remember one night about three months into Ezzy’s sleepless season, I had just put her back to bed for the third or fourth time that night, and I was at a breaking point. I felt raw and empty. I had read about a hundred blogs, consulted books, called and texted friends, but no one had the magic password that would make my child SLEEP.

As I listened to my baby cry for me in her room, tears slipped down my face. Why won’t she sleep? I screamed internally. What am I doing wrong, here? Why can’t I get this right?

And somewhere in between sobs as I paced in front of her door, it hit me.

I was going about this all wrong. Not just the sleeping issue, but parenting in general. Because the truth is, parenting isn’t something you get right or wrong. Parenting isn’t a math problem or an English essay. Parenting isn’t a popularity contest or a war of wills.

Parenting is a relationship.

Parenting isn’t something you get right or wrong… Parenting is a relationship.

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As I sat in the dark hallway crying, all the wonderful things about our Ezzy flooded my mind.

Ezzy has an incredible sense of humor.
Ezzy is truly brilliant.
Ezzy’s voice is so precious and sweet—it melts everyone who hears it.
Ezzy has charm for days and days and days.
Ezzy is passionate.
Ezzy is loving, tucking in her babies every night, and kissing them on the cheek.
And, after a painful miscarriage, Ezzy is the baby I had prayed and prayed for.

It’s easy to get on Instagram and Facebook, and start handing out grades.

Another vacation without kids? F.
Dressing your kids in matching Easter dresses? B+.
An elaborate Pinterest project? A.
Dinner out again? C.

And, in turn, we grade ourselves, too—each challenge we face with our kids deducting points from some cosmic parenting score.

This way of thinking is so destructive. We are not any other parent. If our child needed another parent more than they needed us, God would have given our children that parent.

You are uniquely wired to meet your child’s needs. And those needs you can’t meet? Those needs are reserved for their heavenly Father.

Does Ezzy sleep? Some nights. Some nights she doesn’t. But it doesn’t feel like failure anymore—it feels like a phase. A phase in the most important relationship your child will ever have.

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 Culture, Oakwood, Parent Cue

YouTube You Can Use Volume 5, Issue 24

youtubeyoucanusejpg

Volume 5, Issue 24

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Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGSNEhXEu_s

Topics:

Compassion, Guard Your Heart

Bible:

Proverbs 4:23

Discussion Starter:

“Ladies and gentleman, Fear the Rabbi!”

These aren’t exactly the words you’d expect to hear during the introductions of a mixed martial arts fight. But Rabbi Yossi Eilfort wanted to show his congregation that physical fitness is important.

The physical preparation for the fight was important. But pay careful attention to the rabbi’s words as he prepared his heart for the fight.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” How are you guarding your heart?

3 Questions:

1. Would you rather fight a rabbi or a kindergarten teacher?
2. The rabbi said he was careful not to hurt his opponent, is there a way to fight with compassion?
3. Name 3 things worth fighting for.

Chew on this:

How do you decide is your fight is from God?

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 Uncategorized

The Gospel Life: A Path to a Scary Place (why you might not want to follow Jesus)

Thought provoking article

beardedgospelmen's avatarBearded Gospel Men

by Aaron Alford

scary_path1

Recently I had a conversation with a young man who was eager to get his feet wet in missionary work. He was passionate and knowledgeable about what he was getting into, and eager to really do the work of a missionary. He was not interested in the kind of “missions as tourism” trip that is becoming more prevalent in the Church these days. He wanted to go where there was real need, and real darkness, with a mind to pursuing missions as a long-term vocation.

His parents, however, who are Christians themselves, were not so excited at the prospect. When he told them of his dreams of missionary work, he was met with baffled confusion.

“Why would you want to go somewhere dangerous?” they said.

“Why wouldn’t I?” was his response.

I would like to be gracious with his parents. No parents want to see their child…

View original post 1,201 more words

Pastor B Uncategorized

GOOD Friday – Thankfully the middle

Lost hope in the middle of it all…

hannahbettany's avatarHannah Bettany.com

I cannot imagine the emotions that went on that day.

When people who had loved him now turned and hated him, to the point of death. Where people who had sung his praises now shouted abuse and all kinds of lies spilled out.

Where the ones he had loved,healed, walked with, befriended were nowhere to be seen, hiding in the shadows, even denying all knowledge of him.

The physical pain of torture, of whippings, beatings, carrying the weight of a cross feeling unable to carry on..yet kept going.

Then death, slow, painful beyond words terror of nails through body as it hung on a tree…for me.

The very real and overwhelming pains on sin laid upon a man who himself had never sinned. All that I have felt during my lifetime that has felt overwhelming due to mistakes and poor decisions I have made. The times I have felt at…

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

#becausehelivesican Make It Personal

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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.