It’s been awhile/summer highlights

I started this as a discipline that I wanted to keep going, and at times it has gone well at other times it has not.  It has been a busy summer but it is now officially over, so maybe I can try and revive the discipline again.  Here are some good/bad highlights for the summer.

• We went almost the entire summer without tv.  We could still watch movies, but once the digital change over happened everything went away.  It was not that bad.
• Mission Trip-got to join with 4 other youth groups to do a mission trip to N. Dakota, went extremely well.
• The only full-time staff member.  I am now it for the time being, this will stretch me.
• Stopped Reading: I was so busy that I basically just stopped reading for the summer.  I had started The Faith by Chuck Colson and Simple Student Ministry by Eric Geiger, but never got a chance to finish them, now looking forward to it.
• Got to write the Bible Studies for our Back2School Retreat our theme was Loving God/Loving Others.  Enjoyed the writing, would have enjoyed it more if less busy.

My favorite Michael Jackson Story and Worship

I have shared this story several times as a Bible Study illustration, because I think it makes a great point.  On February 3rd 2005 the Kansas City Star ran an article entitled Devoted fans vow to stay put through trial.  In the story, which I still have, it shares how two women quit their jobs, moved into a motel together, and worked the night shift at a drugstore  all for one reason.  So that they could get up at 4:00am, get ready, and stand “vigil” at the courthouse during the Michael Jackson trial.  These women made extreme sacrifices all for worship, what else can you call it. 

What if we worshiped like that?  What if we worshiped Jesus Christ, with the same heart and zeal, that they worshiped Michael Jackson?  Romans 12:1 tells us that we are to be, “living sacrifices” and that it is our, “reasonable act of worship.”

3rd Annual High School vs. Adult Kicball Game

 

 

Sunday was our 3rd annual High School vs. Adult kickball game.  The adults were behind most of the game.  In our last at bat we needed one run to tie and two to win, but could only pull off one run.  So the decision was made to play one extra inning and if nobody scored the game would end in a tie. 

The adults allowed no runs in the top half of the inning and scored one run with two outs to win the game.  Most importantly the parents, adults, and students all had a great time.  If anyone has any other ideas of how to get students and parents together and have a good time let me know.

Lessons from the Count of Monte Cristo

Two days after Thanksgiving of last year I walked into a Borders bookstore to use a gift card.  I generally do not read fiction, but walked in specifically looking for a fiction book to read.  As I searched the shelves I came across The Count of Monte Cristo.  They had two versions the abridged version roughly 300 pages and the unabridged version 1488 pages, I was feeling daring so I bought the unabridged version.  Now six months later I have finished the book. 

The book was great.  There were moments where it may have dragged a little, but for the most part, I was engaged the whole time, especially the last 400 pages.  The characters do change names and that got a little confusing, so I googled and printed a character list that I found online and that helped immensely. 

When I finally had about 400 pages left, I remember saying to my wife almost done.  When I said it I thought well that sounds strange.  The books I find myself reading are usually between 250-350 pages, so to say with 400 pages left I am almost done, felt strange. 

I think it was fitting that I read the unabridged version, since it is a book about perseverance, should I wimp out and by the shortened version, or persevere through the longer version.  By persevering I also think I gained some arm strength, that book was heavy.

I will read more fiction, in fact right now I am reading The Ambler Warning by Robert Ludlum, and for awhile will continue reading or listening to Ludlum books.  Ludlum is a great escape as I try and wade through Mere Christianity at the same time.

When to add the 6th graders into your 7th-8th grade ministry

Our student ministry does 7th-8th grade and 9th-12th grade ministry separately.  Our middle school ministry is on Wednesday nights and our high school ministry is on Sunday nights.  Last year I wrestled with when to let 6th graders start coming, and in that wrestling process we tried something new.  We let 6th graders start coming about three weeks before school was out.

The main reason for this is because, we have a great middle school principal that lets me come hang out at lunch every Wednesday.  So every Wednesday I go hang out with the 7th graders at their lunch, the 8th graders at their lunch, and would stay for the 6th grade lunch.  What we realized was that by letting them come before the school year was over, I would be able to remind them  at school that they were now able to come. 

Another reason for this, is that our attendance dramatically drops during the summer.  So by letting the 6th graders come our attendance gets a boost.  While this might sound superficial, middle schoolers want to go to places where there are a lot of middle schoolers.  So if we only have five students show up for three weeks in a row, soon it will be two students. 

So this is how we do it, how do you do it?