Week 2: Renewing The Mind
Becoming the best version of yourself, then, rests on one simple instruction: Think great thoughts! People who live great lives are people who habitually think great thoughts. Their thoughts move them toward confidence, love and joy. Trying to change your emotions by willpower alone and without allowing the stream of your thoughts to be changed by the flow of the Spirit is like disinfecting the house of the skunk smell while the skunks are still living in your basement. But God can change the way we think. (The Me I Want To Be, Teen Edition, chapter 7)

Go Deeper
Have you put much thought into the things you would like to achieve? Are these things material? Relational? Accomplishments? Physical?
How can your desires be positive? How can they be negative?

Week 1: Discovering The Spirit
Really living is never just about you; it’s a “so that” kind of thing. In other words, God designed you to really live “so that” you could be part of his mission on earth; or God wants you to really live “so that” people can be encouraged, gardens can be planted, music can be written, sick people can be helped, and schools can thrive. So when you fail to become the person God designed, all the rest of us miss out on the gift you were made to give! (The Me I Want To Be, Teen Edition, chapter 2)

Go Deeper
What are some characteristics of you? What things are you passionate about? What are you good at? How can these things be used to glorify God?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man I put childish ways behind me.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Totally convicted by this…

(click image to enlarge)

I recently wrote an article for our church’s magazine about the importance of youth spaces. It can be very easy to write off flat screens, xbox’s, beanbag chairs and crazy wall art as frivolous purchases that will only hold the students’ attention for 10 minutes. It’s hard to explain to your business admin that new lights, projectors and a stage are important for the growth of your students and program (not just new, expensive toys).

The truth is nothing is necessary when it comes to the Body of Christ (except maybe people). But, if you have a space where you and your students meet, you need one particular ingredient: intentionality.

When deciding whether or not to spend the money to renovate our space, these are the three intentions I had:

Higher Attendance
Everybody likes cool stuff — especially students. New lights, state of the art projection and a fresh coat of paint make any environment appealing. And when you are proud of your space, you want to invite your friends to see it! The new room design will help us mount and use our new technology more efficiently, and present it in a way that is exciting for students! But, it doesn’t end there.

Deeper Connection To God
The new technology will help us present the gospel and engage students like never before! Creating a space that is inviting and stimulating helps to prepare our hearts to hear God’s voice. This new worship environment will set the tone for the students’ willingness and ability to meet God. Through this connection, we aim to help students gain a renewed understanding of worship and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Deeper Connection To The Church
Anytime you dedicate a space to a specific set of individuals, it gives them a sense of belonging. As a church, we want our students to know that we care about their spiritual development. With this refreshed space, our students will feel at home in our church. They will understand that we are committed to help them be a part of First Methodist Mansfield and, ultimately, part of the life-giving body of Christ. A deeper connection to the local church means a better chance that they will remain committed to their faith when they leave home.

Your intentions maybe different. The point is that you have them.

Your youth space is not…
where the thrift store brings the crap that nobody wants,
your storage closet,
the city dump (keep it clean!!),
a zoo, or
a prison.

Don’t treat like those things.

Work with your pastor and business office. Figure out what kind of money is available. Seek the help and advice of professionals. And most importantly, DREAM BIG!

Bottom LIne:  When we take the time to travel, and to reach out to THERE we experience a different kind of service.

The second part of the Acts call to action is to serve in all of Judea and Samaria.  Judea is the country that Jerusalem is in and Samaria is the neighboring region.  When we go away to serve and reach out to the neighbor a little further down the road we experience a different kind of service.  Money must be saved, preparations must be made, and needs must be researched.  It’s more intentional and concentrated, it is something that you have to make it a priority in your life.  Each year we offer a unique opportunity for our students to spend a week in service to people just a few hours away from us who are in need.  Trips like these are chances for us to experience what it means to share our witness just beyond our doors.

Parents, share with your student a time that you made a special trip to help someone in need and how that felt.

Witnessing is living a life that shines Jesus Christ, and you can do that right HERE in your town.

To many witness is an unfamiliar word, and the idea of witnessing to people in “all of my homeland” can be rather scary and uncomfortable.  But what most people miss out on is that witnessing is about living a life that allows the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us.  This can be something as easy as wearing a “God is Big Enough” bracelet, or as in depth as volunteering at a local shelter.  Witnessing and Service doesn’t have to be something we reserve for faraway places, it can be something we live every single day right here in our hometown.

Parents, share with your student your “God is Big Enough” bracelet story, or a time when you were in service to someone else just a few miles from your front door.

In Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus he writes and tells the people “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” The call is simple and something many of us are familiar with but what does it mean to do “good works”? Who am I supposed to help?  To what extent do I serve?  How far should I reach out?  In Here, There and Everywhere we will explore Jesus’ call to action: “To be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  We will find out what it means to be a witness, who we’re called to serve and just how far we should reach out.

Join us May 1 – 15 at Fuel and Breakaway as we explore what it means to serve God Here, There and Everywhere!

I’m on my way to Atlanta, GA to attend The Orange Conference.

I’ve been excited about this conference for a few years now. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

If you haven’t checked out what it means to be Orange, you should!

Happy Easter everyone! These are some of my favorite Easter videos. Enjoy!