"Homework" for Small Groups??

Here's a quick question for those of you serving in student ministry.

Do you provide / require curriculum for students to do outside of the group time?

I had a discussion with a student last night who is a great kid but is very busy. He told me he didn't have 5 minutes a day to read a book we're using for curriculum for our small groups. I believe him. He does seek God through the Word consistently.

So, do you have curriculum that is to be done outside group time? How do students respond? Talk to me.

Why You Cannot Miss YS Palooza

Next weekend is YSPalooza DFW.

YS Palooza - Dallas / Ft. Worth

Our student ministry staff is attending and we're strongly encouraging all our adult volunteers to join us. If you're a youth pastor or work with students in the DFW area you can not miss this opportunity.

Here's why...

It's Relatively Convenient

Let's face it, our volunteers are incredibly busy, but I can't imagine a better opportunity for our people to be exposed incredible voices sharing their heart about student ministry. It is a couple of days over a weekend but it will be worth the time. Our staff and volunteers will definately walk away knowing it was worth their time.

Reinforcing Voices

It's a huge win when the "experts" reinforce what's being said to volunteer leadership. When Kara, Jim and Doug present I can trust their message is in alignment with how we've been training and enccouraging our leaders for the last couple years. It will make us look a little smarter and trust me, we need all the help we can get.

It's Affordable

YS has priced the event in a way that makes it assessable to everyone. Equipping our adult leaders is a high value in our student ministry, therefore we're paying half their cost out of our budget. We honestly believe it will make that big of a difference in their lives and the life of our student ministry.

The Line Up Is Incredible

Just to name a few, Doug Fields, Jim Burns, Walt Mueller and Kara Powell are going to be speaking. It's unbelievable that our volunteers are going to get to hear the freshest most experienced voices in student ministry today right in their own back yard.

So, I'm excited about how God is going to use this ultimately in the lives of students in our area. As our leaders grow and develop so our ministry grows and develops. If you haven't thought about coming and bringing leaders with you it's not too late.

Be there.

By the way, if you're there please look me up. It would be fun to connect and I'll buy the coffee.

Happy Saint Paddy's Day

This morning I'm watching people begin their St. Patrick's Day celebration. Most people use today as an excuse to drink mass amounts of green beer but I was curious, who was this guy and what's the big deal?

Saint Patrick was a real man who lived around the 4th century and brought gospel transformation to the people of Ireland. As a teenager he was captured as a slave and forced to move to Ireland. After he secured his freedom was called by God to return to Ireland. God used him powerfully to transform the entire Island.

Here's a portion of a prayer he wrote. It's powerful and worth meditation.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation

So, as you're enjoying Guinness today, say a prayer of thanks for this man who was used by God to radically share the gospel.

Accepting Students Where They Are

No 2 students are the same.

Chris shows up just because his girlfriend is there.

Jessica comes just because her parents make her.

Brandon is there just because he wants to study the Bible.

Lisa shows up just because she loves to sing worship music.

Jonathan comes just because he always has.

Peter is there just because he has fun.

Demarland is always around just because he has nowhere else to go.

Christy is there just because she has always felt loved there.

Encouraging students to move towards Jesus or deeper in Jesus is a value of every student ministry. Different students show up at different points in their spiritual journey. That can make it difficult to plan and program.

Maybe you have students who have never heard the clear gospel. There may be students who have been hurt by church and have a deeper cynicism towards faith. Or maybe there are students who are growing and are hungry for the Word. All of us have students who attend church just because their parents make them or they feel it's their religious obligation.

How do we "accept every student where they are and help them move closer to Jesus"?

Of course, the solution is always to connect students in relationship with Godly adults and students but with so much diversity how do we make sure students have the greatest opportunities to move forward in their faith?

Here are 5 thoughts...

Provide Diverse Gathering Opportunities

No 2 pieces of programming should look the same. Most committed students will only give 2 to 3 time slots to your ministry a week. Make sure those gatherings have specific purpose and goals in mind. In other words, avoid having the same programming 2 different times a week.

Know Your Target Audience

Do you have space in your programming for students who have the time and desire to invest in their spiritual life? Do you have a gathering that is designed to engage the friends of your students? Sure, all that we do can impact most of our students, but having a focus will insure we are being sensitive to the issue of spiritual diversity.

Offer Different Size Gatherings

For some students a large group gathering is where they are comfortable "kicking the tires" and testing the waters of church. For others it may be a relaxed small group gathering that allows time to have honest safe discussion about God and faith. Thinking through "large, mid sized, or small" gatherings will insure more students get and stay connected.

Create A Diverse Adult Leadership Team

Some adult leaders are naturally drawn towards the unchurched, others want to take students deep in Bible study. Some adult leaders are athletic while others may love music or technology. Know the hearts of your leaders and place them appropriately. This should also be on your mind when thinking through who to recruit for next fall.

Make "Acceptance" A Core Value

In our church setting we feel the need to serve all our students and their friends. Our desire is to see each student through the eyes of compassion and accept them where they are. This sometimes gets messy but we believe it's the way Jesus sees us. To be honest, sometimes it's easier to love the student far from God than the one who grew up in church, however we're called to accept each of them where they are and point them to Jesus.

May we serve in ministries that recognize the diversity and value of each student. Let's plan and pray that our ministries reflect this desire.

Hosea, A Love Story

For the season of Lent our church is teaching through the book of Hosea. Hosea is the story of a husband who pursues his wife even though she is chasing other lovers.

By the way, it's a picture of God pursuing his people. Sometimes his people forsake finding satisfaction in HIM to chase after other lovers. Sometimes it's what I do.

Here are a couple of videos IBC has produced to show the depth and struggle of adultery... spiritual adultery.

May we seek to find our satisfaction and love in and through Jesus. Only he will satisfy.

Asking My Daugther For Help

This weekend we're sharing with parents at IBC the importance of "principle based parenting". Many parents chase after the latest strategy or method which can leave them frustrated and shallow. There are certain foundations that must be in place.

One of the most important principles for parenting is the principle of relationship. Most of us with children would agree and say "of course" but for many reasons relationship with our kids is a struggle.

Intentionally and aggressively pursuing relationship with your children is essential.

My children are older now. I came across this little clip that reminded me of how time flies. Of course I could have done more, but the past can't be changed, the future can.



Lauren is my youngest kid at 16. Yesterday we had a great and candid conversation. I shared with her I wanted to do a better job pursuing relationship with her. I simply want to do better.

You see, sometimes I don't know how to pursue relationship with her. It's not easy reading her and discerning what she needs from me. So I simply asked her for help. We're going to work on it together. She had some great ideas and shared with me some things I had done that hurt her. We made significant headway in our relationship.

So, what about asking your kids (if they're a little older) how you might go about pursuing relationship with them? Just asking the question is good but applying the answers could be transforming.

Question for Parents / Control or Influence?

Would you rather have control of your kids OR would you rather have influence?

What do you believe is the difference?

Parenting at IBC Guiding Principles

This year Irving Bible Church is launching ministry to parents. Our desire is to provide equipping and connection for parents no matter the age of their children.

When the parenting advisory team began to meet it became clear we needed guiding principle or values that would drive what we teach and how we teach it.

These principles flow from a list of values the next gen ministry is putting together to guide us in leading families with children from birth through young adulthood.

Let me know what you think.

Because every family member can benefit from other generations,

We value thoughtful opportunities for intergenerational connections.

Because true life change happens primarily in the context of relationship,

We value smaller groups that provide true community.

Because God’s heart is gracious towards us,

We value parenting that centers on grace rather than performance.

Because God's Word is living and active

We value Biblical truth as essential in parenting

Because growing means caring for those beyond our homes,

We value equipping children, youth and parents to serve our body and the world.

Because hypocrisy is the opposite of truthfulness,

We value parenting that models appropriate transparency and authenticity.

Because strategies only are situationally based,

We value parenting grounded in lasting principles which transcend life stages.

This stuff is new to us. What would you add? Is there a statement that feels out of place?

2012 Bible Reading Plan

The Bible.

It seems we should read it, study it, meditate on it and apply it. I guess I'm a little old school with it comes to the scripture.

For the last 10 years at the beginning of the year, I pray about which part of the Bible should be my focus. 2 years ago was spent in Isaiah and last year was Proverbs. This year is a little different.

It's been so long since I've read through the entire Bible I thought it would be good to find a reading plan that takes me through the entire Bible.

You Version is a great tool and what I'm using in 2012. The reading plan is called "Eat This Book".

Ok, not the greatest title in the world but I love the layout. In addition to few chapters every day, it adds a Psalm with every reading. That way when you're in the middle of Leviticus you will read a Psalm that might be more conducive for personal worship.

Here's the link to the plan...

Eat This Book

If you don't have a plan for 2012 check this out. Let's do it together.

What's your reading plan for 2012?

New Year's - Push the Pause Button

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Ferris Bueller

Happy New Year!

Today and tomorrow is a wonderful time to meditate and reflect on life. 2011 has brought blessing, struggle, disappointment and joy.

That's life isn't it?

There's something important about remembering. Did you experience great victories in 2011? Where did you see the hand of God clearly in your life? Were there times of great struggle and failure?

For me, the answer is a resounding YES!

Today or tomorrow take some significant time to push the pause button and reflect. Here are some ideas.

1. Look through your calendar or journal

There's no way I can remember last week much less the 3rd week of January. If you journal this is a great wonderful time to skim through your thoughts from last year. Your calendar is another way to stop and remember. Whatever you use, work though 2011 slowly and think about how you spent your time and energy.

As you look over last year some events will jump out at you. As these special events jump off the page, slow down and reflect.

2. Stop and give thanks

After taking a stroll down memory lane stop and thank God for all the blessings. Remember, some times blessings don't seem that way when you're going through life. Sometimes looking back can bring difficult circumstance in to focus. "In all things give thanks."

3. Embrace your failure

As you honestly reflect there will be times of regret. Be honest with yourself.

I plan to own up to my struggle and failure, once again tell God I'm sorry and ask for his grace and power to grow in 2012. You may need to pick up the phone and call someone you've wronged. Whatever the case, use this as an opportunity to apply God's grace to your life not to sit in shame.

4. Jot down 3-5 hopes for 2012

Ok, this is a little different than New Year resolutions. Where do you hope to see the hand of God in your life and your loved ones next year?

Some of these hopes may be simple like, "I hope to spend more meaningful time with my wife". Or they may be "bhag" hopes. (big, audacious, hairy goals). Wherever God takes your thoughts and imagination make sure you're depending on the power of the gospel not your effort.

5. Share your hopes

We need prayer. Hopefully you have some people close to you who will share in your desires for 2012. If not, maybe that could be one of your "hopes"? Find a couple people to share what you're praying for in 2012.

Life happens at the speed of sound. Let's use this holiday as an excuse to stop, reflect and connect with a God who has been and will be gracious.

Top 9 in 2011

Everybody's doing it. So to keep up with the Jones'...

Why just 9 you ask? Well honestly, I'm not sure what the 10th most read blog of 2011 is.

So here are 9 most read posts of 2011. They're probably at the top because my mom read them over and over again, thanks mom!

Number 9

Love / Hate Relationship with Student Mission Trips

This was written while sitting in a hotel in Honduras at the end of leading a trip with high school students. It was an amazing experience but as usual I had a big questions.

Number 8

Sleeping with the Least of These

Our high school pastor Trey Grant does a great job challenging students to empathize with the poor. This a letter from a parent who was involved.

Number 7

My Little Girl

My daughter's 16th birthday was this year. This is about / for her.

Number 6

My Future Moral Failure

After hearing stories of Godly men committing public sin, I was reminded of my own frailty and potential collision course with scandalous sexual sin.

Number 5

Teen Age Dream - A Look at Teen Romantic Relationships

One of the greatest struggles teens have is navigating how they will handle their relationships with the opposite sex. It effects all their relationships; parents, friends and God.

Number 4

End of School Year Email to Adult Leaders

How can small group leaders serve their students through the summer? Here's a note our highs school ministry sent to our leaders.

Number 3

IBC Student Ministry Internships

This is simply our information sheet on how we do our 2 year internships at IBC.

Number 2

Reminders from "Friday Night Lights"

When on vacation I watched most of this TV series. It impacted me at a deep level. There's more to come on this as I've now finished every episode.

Number 1

Please Pray

This was a short email sent to the IBC staff the morning after one of our students, Jha'Kyric Nixon drowned. That night I led a candle night service. 1 week later I had the privilege of officiating the funeral. God did a magnificent work but students are still hurting today.

Wow, what a year. Can I encourage you to take some time and reflect on your year? Maybe sit down with your calendar and look through the year to remember God's blessing. Of course there where hard times, but remembering God's goodness at the end of the year helps launch us into a grace filled new year.

Happy 2012!

Christ with Us - Spurgeon

"He is as surely with us now as He was with the disciples at the lake, when they saw coals of fire, and fish laid thereon and bread. Not carnally, but still in real truth, Jesus is with us. And a blessed truth it is, for where Jesus is, love becomes inflamed."

The Sign of Christmas

Our arts team at Irving Bible Church came together to produce this whimsical short film for Christmas. Enjoy, and a very Merry Christmas to you!

Advent, Much More than the Manger

Believe it or not, my family believes I'm a Scrooge.  To be honest so much of the materialistic focus of Christmas makes me irritable BUT I love the mystery of the Advent Season.  It seems the invisible layer separating heaven and earth becomes a little thinner during the Christmas season.

Every year I learn more and more about the richness of the Christmas season. Last year I worked my way through Shawn Small's book "Via Advent" which added so much depth to my Advent meditation.  I'm pondering visiting Shawn's book again this Christmas.

This Advent season has also been full of new learnings. A few weeks ago I was chatting with a Catholic youth director friend. I was curious about some of his church's advent traditions. We began to discuss how Advent is a celebration of the "3 comings of Christ".

Of course the first coming is what we celebrate in the manger. And I knew about a second coming in the future but what is this third coming? Personally I had never thought about Advent being much more than meditating on and celebrating the birth of baby Jesus.

Below is an excerpt from a sermon of St Bernard of Clairvaux. He was a very influential monk born in France in 1090 A.D. He was a noble who chose to abandon his life of privilege for the ministry.

Meditate on his words below as he describes the 3 comings of Christ as we reflect this Advent season.

We know that there are three comings of the Lord.

The third lies between the other two. It is invisible, while the other two are visible.

In the first coming he was seen on earth, dwelling among men; he himself testifies that they saw him and hated him.

In the final coming all flesh will see the salvation of our God, and they will look on him whom they pierced.

The intermediate coming is a hidden one; in it only the elect see the Lord within their own selves, and they are saved.

In his first coming our Lord came in our flesh and in our weakness; in this middle coming he comes in spirit and in power; in the final coming he will be seen in glory and majesty.

For most, Christmas is simply about baby Jesus but a closer reflection gives the season greater richness.

You may want to reflect on the "3 comings" through this little prayer exercise.

First Coming - Prayer of Gratitude

"Jesus, thank you for leaving the comfort of heaven to clothe yourself in human flesh..."

Gal 4:4-5

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

Second Coming - Prayer of Awareness

"Jesus, remind me of the power of your presence in my life, for when I received you I became a son or daughter of God. Help me to recognize the mystery of "Christ in me the hope of glory"".

Col 1:27

27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Third Coming - Prayer of Longing

"Jesus, we long for the time when you return to make everything new. We live in a constant state of waiting"

Rev 21:4-5

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Amen

So as we think about the first coming of our Lord, let's not forget his second coming into our hearts. And may we eagerly look forward to when he comes again in glory.

Even so, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come!

A Social Network Christmas

I'm not sure why, but this media presentation makes me a little emotional. Perhaps it brings the story of Christmas a little closer to real life.

Sometimes it's difficult to imagine this stuff REALLY happened.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas