Visitations

SWEAT has been getting a few visitations from other youth groups the past 4-5 weeks. A few from Ocala (Connections with Jordan Sandy and Jonathan Tony), a church in Newberry called Mt. Zura last week, and this week a few from the Rock Church.

Every youth ministry has a flavor to it. A worship style, an atmosphere, a certain kind of people, and a certain message. If I had to guess the strength of SWEAT, I would have to say it is the adult volunteers who have committed hours each week to mentor these amazing students. All of us are focusing on the B1M1 emphasis our church is doing. Each leader in SWEAT is discipling 1, 2 or sometimes 3 or 4 students through weekly 1-on-1's and reading through a discipleship book together. Before the service tonight, I walked up on 4 different leaders around the campus meeting with, praying with, and talking with students. It was awesome!

We really do believe: Relationships are the highway the Holy Spirit most travels on to change a heart.

Before each SWEAT service, all these amazing leaders gather to pray and find the plan for night. Tonight was cool. Many of the leaders were sharing the HIGHS and LOWS of trying to make a disciple. So good. No one said it would be easy and predictable, but there is no better journey. I am so thankful tonight for passionate followers of Jesus who are inviting others along!

A Sense

Sometimes I get the sense that God is about to do something really good. Actually, there have been times when I felt a strong assurance that He was going to move in certain ways. 3 months before I started youth pastoring at FAOG, I was driving down the road and praying about my future in ministry and I sensed this assurance that he had a place for me and it was to youth pastor at our church. It was a weird feeling, because zero doors were open at the time. Then, God moved and I watched. In no way did I force my hand, it really was all God.

I have a sense about SWEAT in the coming months. God is about to do something really amazing. I mentioned it to Sara Corvil and she shouted (kind of, Sara is not really a shouter, but that is how my ears heard it :) that she had the same sense. I am kind of nervous about putting it out here on the web, but I guess this is a step of faith...taking a thought like this outside of my personal journal toward public scrutiny. Pray for us if you would. The youth of Gainesville need a revival!

A one-on-One with Jesus

One of my favorite stories/miracles of Jesus is when he walked on water and Peter tried to follow. There is a lot to gain from this passage (Matthew 14:22-33).

Here a couple of thoughts from this passage about BEING ONE and MAKING ONE:

v.23 - Jesus went up on a mountainside to pray by himself. This should be the theme verse for the B1 part of B1M1. Go to the mountain top before you send someone else there. (There is a great chapter in Bill Hybel's Courageous Leadership on this topic)

v. 28 - "Tell me to come." - Peter

Trust. Only time can build it...and it is a MUST for making disciples. Peter had been with Jesus long enough that he knew if Jesus said come, he could.

v. 29 - "Come." - Jesus

A good disciple maker will regularly challenge their apprentice to go further than they think they can...because our God is stronger than we think He is.

vs. 31 - Immediately

I love this word. Jesus never let him sink. When he started to sink...Jesus IMMEDIATELYresponded to support him. A great message as we encourage people we love to get out of their "boats" - we will be there with you when you begin to sink.

B1M1

Dry Mornings

I felt a little like Elijah this morning. By no means did I/we slay 400 prophets of Baal yesterday. But it was a good day and there was a lot of withdrawals from me. So, this morning I felt very drained, depleted and emotionally wasted. This morning's emotions are not foreign. My first response on most days is not "Jesus is about to shake the world today and I want to be a part of it!". But today's was a little more intense. There was a strong urge to...scan my facebook, look at some twitters, do some office paperwork and keep myself "busy", but not accomplish much of anything that is important - like disciple making. This is how I currently respond (most of the time) to this...I am sure this short list will change soon...

Find a place that is motivating to seek the Lord (this morning was Starbucks)
Read a lot of the Bible (my mind was too clouded to pray)
Journal - emotions, thoughts, and prayers
Make a list of things to pray for and do it
Give thanks in all circumstances
Keep your journey in the light with some brothers/sisters

I love this quote from C.S. Lewis' book Screwtape Letters (Letters from a demon to another demon about humans):
pg.39-40
And that is where the troughs come in. You must have often wondered why the Enemy does not make more use of His power to be sensibly present to human souls in any degree He chooses and at any moment. But you now see that the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of His scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to override a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish. He can only woo. For His ignoble idea is to eat the cake and have it; the creatures are to be one with Him, but yet themselves; merely to cancel them, or assimilate them, will not serve. He is prepared to do a little overriding at the beginning. He will set them off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But he never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on its on legs-to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him best....if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger when when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and STILL OBEYS.

Goliath and spies

How I/we respond to life situations is a reflection of how we perceive them. This morning I thoroughly enjoyed 1 Samueal 17 - David and Goliath. David was courageous, resourceful, and thorough. What I like most was his courage. To look at a giant that everyone was completely afraid of and not only fight him, but run at him with a vengence. I admire that kind of faith.

I had a few giants to fight today. I was a little nervous and anxious actually, but decided to take the Davidic approach, and God gave me the victory.

Special Events and Relationships

I enjoy taking some time everyone once in awhile and reading about what other youth minsitries are up to. I do this for a number of reasons - it stirs creativity, it challenges me, and mainly because it helps me realize what I believe is essential to youth ministry, and what I believe is NOT essential.

Youth Ministry Essentials, in no particular order:
- God seeking leadership (Pastor and Leadership Team)
- Oppurtunity for Spirit Experience (services, SGs, retreats and mission trips)
- Biblical Preaching
- Strong Accountability
- Passion
- Relationships!
- I dont know how to put this one...but the leader should structure in a way that he/she is not spending the majority of their time event planning. We did not sign up to direct a cruise ship, but to change the world through the great commission. I believe a youth pastor should spend lots of their energy disciple leaders...who disciple studnets!!!
- Diversity - socially, economically, racially and culturally
- Passion to reach the Lost
- Small Groups - good ones!
- Serving/missions
- Fun

I am sure that I am missing a few, but I didnt want an exhaustive list to begin with. What I know that I don't want in youth ministry is to try and compete with the world. They are smarter, have more money, and sin is too attractive. But Holy Spirit and Relationship can trump them all!

Man, I realize that I got a lot of values. But i think that they are really good...at least they are biblical :).