NSN Part 1: Protect your Family

We live in a social networking world. We are bombarded constantly by apps and social networks! Immediate response presents opportunities and challenges. One of the challenges is learning how to help students and parents navigate how to use social networking wisely. Social networking is a great tool to use for God. But, many times it is an extension of our daily baggage. It can easily turn into expressing hurtful comments, anger, and filthy language. It also presents the question of modesty of what pictures should be posted for everyone to see?

Tips for Parents: 

• Do you protect and educate your family on how to use twitter/Facebook? If so, have conversations teach them to use social networking as a tool for the gospel! Ask, "how can you use twitter to grow in Jesus?" or "have you thought about posting verses you are reading or memorizing on twitter/Facebook? Think of focusing upon, "what is the wise thing to do?" If you are not using twitter or Facebook, I urge you to learn and stay current.
• Lead students to become peacemakers on social networking. If there is conflict, don't run to the phone or laptop! Teach them to follow God's plan for resolving conflict (See Become a peacemaker). Teach them to go and talk in private with whoever they have a conflict with in their life. Social networking is not the place to handle confrontation.
• Help stop Cyber-bullying. Students use Facebook/twitter to bully and put down others. Students will many times post hurtful comments to a person without using their name at the same time knowing that person will read it. It is a way to slander someone publicly and not even use the person's name, but know this, that person received the message. From there it gets worse and the madness worsens and the drama builds and builds.
• Talk to your student(s) about what is appropriate to post online. Be proactive and not reactive by having an ongoing conversation of the importance of healthy interaction online.

Encouragement to students:

• Social networking is a tool. Use it for God! Write out your testimony and post it as a Facebook note or blog post. Look at all areas of your life as an opportunity to spread the gospel.
• If you are angry, think and pray before you write. Are you mad at a certain person? Have you talked to them privately about what is wrong? Because let's be honest, when we tweet something to get back at someone, it never leads to conflict resolution.
• Share personal struggles to a friend, leader or parent. You might need prayer, encouragement and someone to talk too. Facebook/twitter is not a healthy place for us to work through struggles publicly. Find a person you can talk to in person.
• Connect with others and encourage them. Use social networking to encourage one another by sending a quick message, comment or tweet. Text a quick verse to your friends before heading to school in the morning.

What are other ways to protect your family? How can social networking be used wisely? 

Source SM in Review: Volume #1

I borrowed this idea from Josh Griffin (student pastor at Saddleback Church). Thanks for the great idea!

Teaching series: "Focus"- Why we are here and what God has called us to be as a ministry!

Main Teaching  point: Friends determine the direction of your life, so choose wisely.

Length of service: 55 minutes. 2 separate services for middle and high school.

Message Explanation: “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble" Proverbs 13:20. It is much more about who you are with, than what you are doing.  We need Christian friends to survive in a world of isolation. We were not meant to live the Christian life alone. In order to build true friendship, we must love through the friendship we have with God. He does not NEED us, but WANTS a relationship with us. A true friend cares for your soul. "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" John 15:13. What does your friendships look like? Are you a friend that pushes people closer to Jesus?

 Element of fun: We played a game called "dance your hat and gloves off." The students had to wear a "beanie" on their heads and yellow plastic gloves on their hands. To win, you had to shake the glove and hat off in 15 seconds. It was hilarious! We recorded the service this week! I'm excited about the editing and slowing down of the footage for next week! The winner for each service won a brand new jar of peanut butter (family size)!

 Music Set: We are the Free, Search My Heart, One Thing Remains, Sometimes

 Favorite Moment: Watching students worship! I'm pumped to see the leadership in the students and the impact they are having on others! We have begun a student creative team as well! I'm excited to have students creating/editing videos for Source!

Thanks to Ashton and Bevin for creating a video bumper for the message:

Next week: We will Finish up our series this Sunday night. We will discover what God's Word says about worship. Is it just music? What does it mean to worship? I'm excited to hear Jared Sylvia teach the students on what a lifestyle of worship looks like in today's culture.

New Ministry Transition

I just completed my second full week in the office! I began serving as student pastor at Church @ the Springs. Time has quickly flown by as I'm learning about the people, culture and vision of the springs. It has been overwhelming (in a good way) to meet so many people! It is exciting to hear stories of people far from God being transformed by the gospel! Transitions are tiring though. In one sense I'm departing from old friends and meeting new friends. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people who have prayed for us during the transition. I have learned a lot about myself, Cassidy and ministry during this time.

This is what I've been learning during my transition:

- No matter where you go, people have similar needs. Everyone is hurting in some way. Although people sound, look, and act different, the same inner needs remain. I've enjoyed getting to know people and hear their stories!

- Where God leads, God provides. I've heard this a few times in my life and I can say that it is truth! I've been humbled during this whole process. In every way, God has provided for us.

- Gospel Centered. People are not looking for more flashy, surface level teaching. Students hunger for the truth of His Word. I want to be faithful to lead people to understand the grand narrative of His story. Once people grasp the gospel, their lives are never the same. You cannot package or manipulate the power of the gospel. The gospel is enough, my goal is to communicate it with passion and creativity.

- Relationships matter. I have begun the process of learning new names and stories. It is exciting to hear of lives being changed!

- Learn the culture. Many people ask me what I am doing to change right away. I want to take time to learn people and culture before I ever decide to make changes. Once people know I love them they will be with me when we do decide to tweak and improve the student ministry. I strive to build trust more than expect it.

- Don't allow the past to damage the future. Always forgive. Keep striving to fulfill God's call and do not become caught up with the past. Don't play the "if I would've/if I wouldn't have" game. Instead of focusing upon what is wrong, always celebrate the transformation God has done in the past and will do in the future.

- Build leaders. I have a great team of staff, adults and students who can do amazing things for God. I want to help build them up to lead and then each leader multiply themselves.

Here are a few pictures of the new office: