Twas the Day before Christmas

First I want to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas! I pray that God keeps you safe as you travel and as you eat to much. May God turn all those cookies and pies to carrots and spinach on the way down. Merry Christmas.

The saying "reason for the season" is almost as popular as Merry Christmas this time of the year. Okay maybe not but it is still a popular saying. We remember that we celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ. It was the day that He voluntarily left the great halls in Heaven to come to a shabby and lowly earth to live among us. We remember that He was born in a little manger with nothing but animals watching. We remember that Christmas is a time of Love and Peace because Christ came to save the world that night.

But we cannot simply remember His birth, we have to also remember His death. The reason He was born was to die so that we may live. We remember baby Jesus as this cute and cuddly baby, we also have to think of His blood that would be shed for our sin. The beating and humiliation that He faced for each of us. Not only is Jesus Christ the reason for the season but the season was for a reason, He was born to die.

So as you are unwrapping presents that are under your tree, do not forget the ultimate present that Christ gave us on the tree on Calvary. He died so that we can have abundant life. So as you remember how Christ came to save the world, remember He did it for you and for me. It is our sin that caused Him to be born in a manger and it was our sin that caused Him to die on the cross. And for that I am forever thankful.

Have a great Christmas! May God Bless every single one of you!

Tyler


Extra: Here is a little Christmas cheer. I love Christmas music and this might be the best one out there! This is  video made me laugh so hard. I just wanted to pass it along to you guys. Please enjoy.

What is even the point?

If you are anything like me you have found yourself of Facebook wondering, "What is the point of Facebook?" There have been many times that I have opened Facebook and while scrolling down through my news feed filled with pictures, memes, and advertisements and wondered why Facebook even exists. Maybe you are with me?

 I've taken the last week or two really pay attention to how my friends are using Facebook. With the exception of yesterday's explosion of support and hate for Phil Robertson, very few people are actually posting "status updates." When I first joined Facebook it was to keep up with what my friends (real world people that I actually knew) were doing. It was truly only a social network. It was private and I could post status updates and know exactly who saw them. Now days I'm not even sure who all sees my updates.

One of my many pet peeves with Facebook is that anyone can join and many people have 2, 3, 4 or more personal pages. When I first signed up you either had to have school email address ending in .edu, or you had to be invited by someone already on Facebook that could prove you were really part of your school. Then it expanded to include jobs. Then it grew more and made you pick the "community" you were a part of. And now all it asks for is an email address which you can get as many as you want for free.

So what is the true purpose of Facebook? Facebook claims the site is to "reinforce pre-existing social connections, not build large groups of new ones." I do not believe that getting 50 game invites from my friends is reinforcing any social connections. It is also hard to further develop relationships through Facebook when I am not sure who all is seeing my posts. If I share a story or thought on somebody's "timeline," if their privacy isn't set like mine anybody in the world can see that post. For this reason Facebook has become very shallow because people do not want to put anything on Facebook that describes who you are.


Speaking of Facebook being shallow, I mentioned the lack of "status updates." This does not mean there is a lack of posting happening on Facebook. Probably 60-70% of my news feed is people that have shared pictures that have no point. Pictures that say "Share if you love your daughter" or "If you love Jesus share this picture, if you don't you will go to hell." The cat pictures and catchy quotes are funny, but a "social network" is not the place for them. If you want to post your favorite recipes or quotes that describe your life, go to Pintrest it is the perfect place for that. Facebook has been around since 2004, and it is weird to say it has potential to be really good, but it will never get there.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are people who post a status update every 20 minutes. They are those people who if they do not post it to Facebook then it never happened. Yes I want to know what is going on in your life, but a play by play is not what I want. Facebook has also turned into a political platform. People sharing pictures and websites that slam the government or other organizations. Take this issue with Phil Robertson, yes I agree that A&E are wrong for asking him to leave and I agree that Phil is in the right by standing on what he believes, but Facebook isn't the place for me to share every article or picture I see about it. Sure share one good article and let it be. Trust me by "occupying Facebook" nothing is going to happen because Facebook has become such a joke.

I know I sound like a grinch, but Facebook is a place where I try to stay in contact with friends I graduated with, people I went to college with, and the people that live in Lead Hill. It is an awesome way to send a message to my students. It is a great way to advertise an event or get together we are having, but I hate to see all that get lost because people are abusing Facebook. I am friends with people for a purpose and it is not to see you sharing pictures and quotes and recipes all the time. I am friends with you so that I can "reinforce" my pre-existing relationship with you. I plea for you today is that we reevaluate the purpose of Facebook. I know that my small circle cannot change Facebook but if I start using it for it's intended purpose I know at least the people who are friends with me will be happier.

And in case you have not figured it out by now, this is why I think Twitter is greater than Facebook. Have a blessed day!

God Bless,
Tyler

Teach them to take a stand!

So with the explosion from the media on Phil Robertson's comments to GQ Magazine, I thought I would weigh in with my two sense and try to see what it means to us who live as Bible believing Christians in small towns. You don't have to agree with me, but just like Phil, this is what I believe and I am sticking to it.

I searched around for the article that is causing all this hoopla, and I have come to find out that is an interview that will be released in January in an issue of GQ. All the commotion is over a few selected excerpts released by the magazine on Wednesday. Before I even talk about my thoughts on his comments and how they have been received I want to take a minute or two to reflect on the importance of context. These are just excerpts from the big picture. Anytime you take a paragraph out of the bigger picture you can make it say anything you want it to, and that is what has happened here in most of the media. I found this article on the E! website that tries to give the bigger picture (but since the entire interview hasn't been released it still falls short).

Okay, now to the meat of the controversy. In case you are still unfamiliar with what happened, after the excerpt from the interview was released by GQ the media exploded with criticism of Phil and A&E put him on a indefinite suspension from their show Duck Dynasty. As a teacher to the students, this troubles me the most. I am constantly telling the students to not be afraid to stand up for what they believe. I constantly encourage them to tell their atheist, non-christian, and un-churched friends what sin is, that sin leads to death, and Christ is the only way for life. They are seeing how people who are not ashamed of Christ are being treated. Another example of this is one of my heroes, Tim Tebow. Tebow is a football player who is very outspoken on his faith. He is so unashamed that he prays in public before games. The public made a mockery out of this by creating "Tebowing." Also, because he used to put Bible verses on his eye black there is now a rule that you cannot have any words on eye black.

I have had issues with TV shows and the media over the last few years. Me and my wife both agree that outside of a few select programs, TV has become junk. Duck Dynasty was a show that I encouraged people to watch because it was a family that was not ashamed of their Christian faith. They answered questions based on what the bible says. They repeated showed the importance of going to church and having a relationship with Christ. Duck Dynasty has changed the few that Christians must wear suits and be boring. They have truly embodied what living your life with Christ is all about. There is no better example out there to reach people, especially in our town, who hunt every chance they get. And now media has messed it all up again.

I think the biggest issue I have with this is the other stuff they allow on TV. The borderline pornography on what seems like every TV show. The emphasis on gay couples. The emphasis on people having sex outside of marriage. The emphasis that drinking and getting drunk is fine. And the one that troubles me the most is the emphasis that we must be tolerant with what everybody else believes. The idea that we can co-exist is to me one of the most dangerous ideas. I think that our country has been bullied by the "minority" groups. Media knows they will get slammed if they have anti-gay comments, so they promote homosexuality. People have got the thought that the Christian groups are not going to cause an uproar like the homosexual community will. We need to teach our students to not back down from what they believe. When asked their stance on an issue to give their honest opinion not just what they think the other person wants to hear. We have become people who are "people-pleasers" more than telling people what they do not want to hear. God did not call us to be "people-pleasers," He called us to share the Gospel and many times it is not the truth people want.

I think it is time that more people took a stand like Phil Robertson did. I do not think we should do it to try and change the world for ourselves, I think we should take a stand because the Bible tells us to. In 1 Cor 16:13-14 Paul tells the Corinthians to "stand firm in the faith." But he says to do it out of love. We cannot be ashamed of the Gospel or what we believe.

I just hope students who see how Phil has been slandered and treated by the general public do not get discouraged from taking a stand for Christ. My challenge is to all parents, leaders, and everyone is to make sure your students understand that taking a stand is a good thing. Never back down from the gospel no matter what, Christ is still on his throne. The day will come when you will be rewarded for your faith. Always remember Luke 12:8-12. Profess God before men, and He will profess you in heaven.

That really big word....Supremacy!

When was the last time you sat down and was just in awe of God? How long has it been since you have reached out to God with names like "King of Kings" "Glorious Conqueror" "Sovereign Son of God" or even "Triumphant Father"? Why is that most christian blogs (mine included) and most best selling christian books right now all tone back the names of God? Are we beginning to have a diluted sense of who God really is? What are we teaching teenagers today about the supremacy of God?

This upcoming Wednesday night my lesson for our students deals with Colossians 1 and the supremacy of God. This week I reached into my bookshelf and dusted off a book I have not touched in a couple of years. One of my favorites in college was Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ by Richard Ross. Just after reading the first chapter I was inspired and fired up. I'm not going to go into details about the book but if you have never read it I suggest going and picking it up. Also if you are involved in youth ministry in any way, shape, or form you need to get the app by Richard Ross called "50 Core Principles of Youth Ministry." (If you search the app store for youthministry it will pop up, the logo is yellow with a white 50). Okay back to the supremacy of our Saviour.

As a church are we teaching our students and leaders what kind of power is found in our Great Creator? Here is block of scripture from 1 Colossians 1:15-20 that really points out who Christ is.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross - whether things on earth or things in heaven."

 We all agree that Christ created all things for His glory. He was not only there in the beginning, He is the beginning. Not only will He be there in the end, He is the end. These are concepts that we are taught from our first day in Sunday School. We hear of this great and awesome God. We pray knowing that our prayers do not fall on deaf ears. We live with hope that Christ will one day come again and call us to a glorious heaven which the Indescribable King has created for us.

So why do we try so hard to make the Uncontainable One fit nice and neatly into our busy schedule? Why do we only give Him 15 minutes in the morning and a short prayer before we eat? Why do we only give Him 2 days a week, and complain when we have to do more? How many times in the last month have you been overwhelmed by Christ? Has your 15 minute quiet time in the morning turned into an hour of worship? When we start trying to make God fit into our pocket, we take away from the awesomeness of our Lord.

I know what has happened in my ministry. I have started breaking God down and teaching Him in sections. One week we talk about His grace. The next we attempt to understand His love. And then we talk about Him as Saviour. In a complete different month we talk about creation. Then we tell stories about Jesus. None of these are bad, and none take away from who Christ is, but unless we also put them all together and talk about the total and complete supremacy of God we will never grasp His fullness.

When we start teaching on the complete and absolute supreme power of Christ, our problems will seem so small. When we teach about how big our God is, we find strength to face life's obstacles. I hope you will join me and stop making Christ our mascot that fits neatly into our everyday lives, and start making Him LORD and Saviour over every aspect of your life. Do not be afraid of the big word, instead use it to teach about our Supreme God.

A different kind of Thankfulness

"Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 This is one of the most quoted verses of scripture this time of year. But do we actually take it for what it means? Many of you that know me, know that I don't like to do things that have already been done. So this Thanksgiving season I want to do something I have never seen. I want to share some things I am not thankful for but should be. Now before you close the page or think I have lost my mind please hear me out. Today was the funeral for one of the students killed last Monday (In Memory of...). As I sat there looking at all the confused and heartbroken people I really wondered where the "silver lining" was. Now I know that God has a master plan and that everything happens as part of His perfect will for our lives, but in a room full of heartache it is hard to see the light. But eventually I did.

1. I am thankful for funerals

As many of you know I did my first memorial service last Saturday. And I want to take a second and say thank you to all those who prayed for me. I know it was only through God's strength that I made it through it. One thing I knew going into it was there were going to be students and adults there that did not have a relationship with Christ. I also realized that maybe that service was the closest they would ever come to stepping foot inside a church. Today at the funeral I know there were also people who would never show up to any church on Sunday morning. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to share the Gospel and saving power of Christ with those people at the memorial service. I am thankful that the pastor who officiated the funeral today shared the message and saving power of Jesus Christ to the crowd. For many people it was the first time they have heard the importance that a relationship of Christ has on their life (earthly and eternal). In times of loss and heartache people are looking for something or someone to help, so today for the opportunity to offer a relationship with Christ to those who need Him.

2. I am thankful for broken homes

This might be the one that shocks people the most, but please hear me out. In our small youth group I venture to guess that 75% (if not higher) of the students come from a single parent or divorced household. Guys that is 30 out of 40 students. But that is in God's perfect plan. Because they have parents that have left them or abandoned, I can share the fact that our Heavenly Father will never leave or abandon us. I can also use their ideas of what a family is, to paint a much grander picture of the greatness of the family of God. On the same hand, I am also thankful for the families that are whole. I am thankful for parents that teach what it means to love. I am thankful for the example they have set for not only their students but all the students. The hope these families provide is that there is such thing as a happy family.

3. I am thankful for bad examples

I speak mostly of the bad examples in the Bible. The stories of Saul (before he was Paul), King David, Cain, Abimelech, Delilah, and Manasseh just to name a few. This last summer we had a "Bad Summer" in our youth group. Each week we took a story about someone who made a big mistake in the Bible. We also looked at how we can avoid making those types of mistakes today. I know I learned a lot from the people we might call "evil" in the bible. So today I am thankful for the bad examples that have been set before me, so that I can learn from those and be a better person, a better Christian, a better husband, and a better leader. I am also thankful for those who have set good examples that I can base my life around.

4. I am thankful for my lacking

In times where I lack, I find that God provides. Today I am thankful for those times in my life where I really had to test my faith and rely on God. The example that comes to mind is when I first took the position of Student Minister at FBC Lead Hill. Not even a month after I started here (my first full-time church) the pastor stepped down. It was a messy situation. I was fresh out of college and had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but I did know who was on my side. I cannot count the times I was in a situation where I had no answers, but God did. I cannot count the hours that I prayed for guidance in a church that was in turmoil. And because of all that my faith grew. Now we have a pastor that has been here a year and our church is growing, and still everyday I pray for that same guidance. I faced situations that some people have to wait 5 or more years to exposed to. Out of it I gained skills that are going to help me the rest of my ministry career. I have my feet a little firmer on the ground now, but I still realize that no matter how well of a job I can do, God can do one better.

5. I am thankful for the future

I am thankful not that I have a future but that God knows what He has in store for me. I know He has things planned that are far beyond my wildest dreams. I also know that I am not going to like all that He has planned for me. Today I am thankful that I do not have to stress out about my future. I know that I am in good hands with God. If He decides that tomorrow is my last day on this earth I will be overjoyed to begin my eternal life rejoicing with Him. If He decides that I have 80 more years here, I will be happy to share His name everywhere I go and bring glory to Him in all that I do. I guess what I a really am saying is not only today but everyday, I am thankful for God.


Tyler

In Memory of...

This week, as I write this I am heavy hearted. Last Monday evening (11/4/13) we lost 3 students from our youth group to a car accident. Today I am using this blog post for an outpouring of emotions, feelings, and thoughts.

When a young student passes away there are so many complicated and confusing feelings. Here I sit a week after finding out the news and my response is still the same. The only thing I know how to say is "wow." There is a ton of scripture that can give hope and assurance that God is in control, but today I still look at that accident and think, "wow." The three students were 12, 12, and 14, and driven by a girl that was 21. No matter how you spin it, that is way to young and really makes me take a step back and appreciate the 24 years I have been given.

As I sit here right now I know that God has a bigger plan. He could be saving them from a lifetime of heartache and pain. God is still God, and He is still on His throne. But I cannot help but wonder why this and why now. Not even 2 months ago we lost a former member of our youth group to a car accident. He was 19 years old. Why is God bringing so much heartache to our little town?

This week I officiated my first funeral/memorial service. While I was standing there talking all I could see was the faces of the family and friends who have lost dearly loved ones. I knew that there were no words I could say or thoughts I could portray that would change the way they felt. But as I set there and read scripture from Ecclesiastes 3 I knew that God was in control.

I look back this week and try to find the "silver lining" to this dark cloud that is still hanging over our small community. I can't help but wonder if it is a wake up call that our church and our youth group needs? For months now we have been praying for revival to break out in our church, community, and school. I know one thing for sure, this tragedy has drawn our school closer to each other. New friendships are already forming. In this tough time people are looking for something to cling to. I just hope that we give them Jesus.

Nick, Nolan, and Tel will be missed by all that knew them. My prayer is that because of their life and their relationship with Christ, that others will realize how fleeting our time on earth really is. We never know when Christ is going to come to take us home, but I know one thing for certain when my time is done here on earth, I will open my eyes in heaven, and I will see Nick, Nolan, and Tel again!

A generation lost

This last weekend I had a campout with some of the guys from our youth group. It really opened up my to how much camping has changed since I was a youth. When I was younger I was in Boy Scouts. With the turmoil surrounding the Boy Scouts and the decisions they have made, I really worry about this generation of students. I learned some of the greatest life skills while I was in Boy Scouts. I picked up skills like teamwork, encouragement, trustworthiness, hard-work, and survival skills.

The other times I went camping when I was younger was with my family. Statistics show that fewer boys have a father figure in their life today than in the past. Without a dad to take them camping and teach them these life skills, no wonder many teens today are struggling with identity as well as apathy.

I learned this weekend that camping has changed. Instead of having flashlights most of the light came from cell phones. To me camping means leaving technology behind. Camping to me is primitive and manly. There is something masculine about setting up your own tent, chopping wood for a fire, building a fire, and making your own entertainment. Camping to me also builds togetherness. But I saw this weekend students doing their own things. Some hung out in tents and talked and listened to music (on a cell phone!) others took a shovel and dug a random hole. When I was growing up just sitting around the fire enjoying the company of each other was enough. I also learned this weekend that storytelling is a lost art. When I asked if anyone had a story (scary or not) one of the first responses was I can look one up. Technology has taken away the need for an imagination.

Anybody that is around teenagers on a regular basis can tell you that this generation is way different than any that has come before. I don't like to point blame but I wonder who's fault it is? My grandpa will continue to work hard up until the day he dies. Not because he has to, but because it is in his blood. He does not just work, he works outside with his hands. He passed that same work ethic down to my parents. And my parents have instilled that in me. But my work ethnic is nothing compared to my grandpa's. Over the years it has become more and more diluted. I have learned that hard work is a skill that has to be nurtured and developed. I couldn't imagine if my parents had never taught me the value of hard work. Outside of our parents there is no one really teaching this important lesson to this generation of students.

At school we are taught to sit, listen, be quiet, and learn. As I look back at high school I realize I probably will not ever use 75 percent of what I learned. But we are taught if we can pass the test and make the grade that is enough. In church we are taught what we should and should not be doing to live a good, Christ-like life. Last time I checked working hard your entire life is not one of the principles preached in church. Then as we grow up and get a job we work only because we have to. Most people go to work just to get paid. I really wonder if money was not an issue, how many people would quit their job and completely stop working?

The world is changing, and frankly it scares me. This generation of students are developing a sense of entitlement. They are having more and more stuff handed to them. Parents are more concerned with just making their students happy, rather than teaching. The best example of this is the participation trophy. As someone who grew up playing sports, I have a room full of trophies. I am proud of my accomplishments knowing that I achieved something special. Hardly any of them are participation trophies, because to me those are pointless. The fact that I earned them makes them more important to me. The idea behind participation trophy is so that Johnny does not get upset that Billy got a trophy (that he earned) and Johnny didn't. But instead the opposite has become a result, Billy is upset that he earned his and Johnny didn't. So what happens next year? Billy knows he will get one even if he doesn't earn it, so he stops trying. To me this is hurting the sense of accomplishment of youth today.


This reminds me of a teacher once, that wanted to try a new way of assigning grades in a class. Instead of giving each individual student a grade she decided to give the entire class one grade. She would take the average of entire class and give it to every student. In her small class she had a couple of students that were absolutely brilliant and made an A on all of their assignments. She also had a couple that did not really care and usually made a D or F on assignments. Most of the class were average B and C students. So after the first test the class average was 85. The A students helped bring up the F students and the teacher was pretty happy with her system, but then it all went south. The next test rolled around and the students that were trying and studying hard decided that they were not going to work their butt off to only get a 85, so they only did B level work. Those who were doing C and D level work decided they didn't have to work as hard either because the A students would pick up the slack. So after the next test the class average slipped to a 70. The teacher thought it may be a fluke so decided to retest. And all the student decided to study even less and let someone else pick up their slack. By the end of the year the entire class was failing.

This generation of students are just like that class. Someone is constantly picking up their slack and in the long run it is not going to help them. Parents today are also like this class. Parents today are constantly waiting for someone else to teach their children. So my plea today is if you are a parent please take your students camping. I don't just mean literally, I mean make an impact in their life. Stop thinking someone else is going to teach your children. You should be the one who teaches them the life skills like hard work. If you are a grandparent show your kids the importance of hard work. Instead of just spoiling them with gifts and presents, give them the gift that will continue to give the rest of their life. Give them the ultimate gift of hard work.

Let's change the mindset of this generation so that their kids will not be worse off. 

New Spin on an Old Classic

Great is Thy Faithfulness.

Wow what a great hymn. One that transcends all generations. I am sure it was sang with the same passion when it was written in 1923 as when a 16 year old sings it today. Rather it is the version by Chris Rice or the traditional piano and hymnal, it is a song we all know. But I want to ask you, has it become so familiar that we do not even realize what we are singing? I am sure many of you can tell me the lyrics of Amazing Grace, I ask you has it become a favorite because it is classic, or because the words are so meaningful and worshipful?

In our small town there is not a lot of variety of churches to choose from, and almost all in the area sing hymns in their worship services on Sunday morning. Because of this many of the youth have grown up in a church that sings tunes written before 1970. Many of these worship tunes have been around since their parents and grandparents were growing up in church. I know this because I am one of these kids. There is a large selection of songs that I know by heart because I have been singing them for over 10 years. Great is Thy Faithfulness is one that particularly stands out. It is one that I enjoy the tune and the song is so classic I enjoy singing it, but I'll confess it has been a long time since I actually paid attention to the lyrics of this great song. It is filled with wonderful theology and packed full of bible verses. I want to take a look at the words verse by verse.

"Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, forever wilt be."

Wow! I get chill bumps just writing those words. We serve a God who never changes. Although we change from day to day, our God stays the same. Hebrews 13:8 makes it very clear: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." His love for us never goes away. Nothing that we do makes Him love us any less. We can believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that God will not leave us. How awesome is it to think that the same God that created us is still faithful and committed to us today and forever. I could go on and on about the unchanging love of Christ but I'll save that for another day. Next verse

Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest. Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above. Join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. 

God is the God of creation. All the earth was created for us. He has given us air to breath, water to drink, and food to eat. In Genesis 1 the Bible makes it clear -- "Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years. They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.' And it was so.  God made the two great lights — the greater light to have dominion over the day and the lesser light to have dominion over the night — as well as the stars." -- It is impossible to think of the fact that God has created everything and not just fall down and say "You are amazing." All of creation points to the love and mercy and faithfulness of God.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth. Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside!

If this doesn't get you excited something is wrong! This verse starts with the idea that sets us apart as followers of Christ. God sent His son to die as a pardon for all sin. Nothing else on earth can compare to such a great act of faithfulness and love. Not only did He send His son, He has given us His spirit (presence) to guide us everyday. The psalms proclaim over and over that the LORD is my strength. Philippians reminds us: "I can do all things, through Christ who is my strength." On top of his faithfulness now, God provides bright hope for our future. A future with Him, apart from sin.

As we all know this isn't all of the hymn. Lets take a peek at the very familiar chorus.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

"Because of the LORD's faithful love, we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning. Great is Your Faithfulness!" - Lamentations 3:22-23. I enjoy when song lyrics come straight from scripture and this is one of those awesome examples. To me this chorus tells us that God will not hold a grudge against us. God loves us so much that each morning his mercy renews our strength and gives us refreshed joy despite our shortcomings of the previous day. I think this is why many people start their day with a quiet time with God. In the morning we feel more worthy. The stress of the day has not got the best of us yet. This time of year there is something refreshing and pure about the crisp early morning air. God's mercy for us is unfailing. We know that when we get up in the morning He is faithful and will always be there, no matter what.

To me, this great worship song just glimpses the great faithfulness of God. God is faithful to us each day, even though we fall short and do not deserve it. Because Christ faithfully died on the cross for us, we can find all that we need in God.

I hope this will make you pay attention next time you are singing a song you know by heart. Don't just go through the motions, really pay attention to the words you are singing.

Tyler

Prayer

I apologize for not posting for a while. No excuses just not felt like writing much. But I'm back now!!

With my first post in about 2 months I just want to come to you with a simple but hard challenge.

In my small town almost everyone knows that I am a minister or at least that I work at a church. Because of this many people come to me with prayer requests. My response has almost always been the same: "I sure will!" The other example is when someone tells me about a hardship in their life my for  response is "I will pray for you." I am good about remembering about 90% of the time.

This week it has been on my heart that I don't just need to pray FOR people I need to pray WITH people. Our God is a mighty God and will answer prayers, but how much more relief and comfort can I give to someone when I pray right there on the spot. 1 Thessalonians tells us we should "Pray constantly." Why do we always think we have to wait until it's our "prayer time" to pray for someone?

Over the last week I have had people pray with me. There is something special about someone who has such a strong relationship with Christ that their first response is to pray, not wait but pray immediately. I believe in the power of prayer, and I want others to not only hear me talking about praying for them I want those people to feel the power of prayer.

My challenge is that when someone asks for prayer, or tells you of a situation in their life, take time right then and pray with them.
 

Thanks for reading, as always comments and suggestions are always welcome. I hope it won't be 2 more months before I post again! :)

Do not be afraid, for God is on your side,
Tyler

Little League Lessons

As you can probably figure out I am a big sports fan. Specifically baseball. That is why fall is my favorite time of year. Right now on TV is the Little League World Series (LLWS), in about a month we have playoff baseball, football is getting started back up, and a new season of soccer starts in the fall. Today I want to put the focus on the Little League World Series.

As I was sitting there watching these 11, 12, and 13 year old students play the game they truly love, I had kind of a weird thought. Where does their passion for baseball come from? And how can I get the students in my youth group to have that type of passion for our youth group? I see the Little Leaguers celebrate together, cry together, lift each other up, and no matter what they stay together as a team. If you have read my older post Baseball Anyone?, you will know that I view the church just like a baseball team. So why are these students not as passionate as the younger students at the LLWS? I really think we can learn a lot from these teams that have fought so hard to get to far.

The first factor I see is that the coaches and parents create a very positive atmosphere. Even in the hardest times of the season these coaches tell the kids to keep their heads up and move forward. The students are constantly encouraging each other, and that comes from the coaches making it clear that no negative attitudes will be accepted. This generation of students show "affection" by picking on each other. I've even heard other student pastors tell a student "the only reason I pick on you is because I like you." What is this teaching the students? Are we teaching them that as long as we say we like you that we can say anything about each other we want? I think we need to make a conscious effort to make our churches a place where only uplifting words and positive attitudes are accepted. Even when it is done in a joking manner, students don't like to be made fun of or picked on.

Another common factor in the LLWS is that people keep affirming the players. Positive affirmation makes a huge difference. The players are constantly flooded with parents, coaches, teachers, fans, and even media telling them how good of a job they are doing. Almost every single student is there because someone believed in them. I know I have been guilty of thinking it is part of being a parent to support and affirm your child, but I have found that many parents are dropping the ball on this subject. Never underestimate the impact of telling a student they did a really good job on something. Just like adults, students like to be appreciated and recognized.

I like that at the LLWS there is a mandatory participation rule. This rule states that every kid that is on the team must play in every single game. There are no bench warmers in the LLWS. In church there are students that don't want to be involved. I really think it our responsibility as leaders to get those students "into the game." Sometimes we have to gear activities and discussion in a way they want to be involved. In youth ministry I have seen students that just "slip through the cracks." It is incredibly sad, but some students show up, don't feel welcomed, come for a couple weeks, then just drop right back off. For this reason I have made it a special point to go and talk to any student I don't recognize. I don't just introduce myself, I let them tell me about themselves. But do not think that is "enough." Make sure you try to build a relationship with the student to really make them feel comfortable.

Finally, and maybe the most important aspect about the LLWS that I want to apply to my youth ministry is that the coaches push the students. They don't have practice and hangout for an hour and have a short baseball practice at the end. When we have all the students together we should be all about the games and activities and then just tack on a bible lesson at the end. The Bible and Christ should be the focus of everything we do with our students. On top of that we do not need to just keep going over the same things over and over, we need to challenge the students. When the teams at the LLWS have practice they do not keep going over the same things every day, they change it up and challenge the students. Our students cannot get better if we are not there to push them in the right direction. If you are a parent I beg you to talk to your student minister and let him know what your particular student struggles with. This is going to take you talking to your student about church. When a student gets home from school, most parents ask them what they learned that day. Why don't more parents ask their students what they learned at church? But this is a different topic for a different day.

I really believe that if we can create a more positive atmosphere for our students and support and constantly encourage them, our students will take notice and grow together as a team. The teams that win the Little League World Series, are not always the most talented or the best coached team. The teams that win are the ones who work together and believe in each other and are pushed. If we can get our students to work as a team we can really impact this dying world.

God Bless each and everyone of you,

Tyler

Online Socializing

This week I came across an article by Youth Ministry Media (@youthminmedia) called The Secret Life of Your Teenager. It is a staggering statistic about what our teens are doing online. It took me a few minutes to realize the entire implication of these stats.

In my small town only about 50% of the students have home computers with internet. But this last school year our school purchased Ipads for all the students (7th-12th grade). For many of them they had unrestricted internet access for the first time. The school didn't put any restrictions on the Ipads. The students had a portable means of accessing the internet anytime they wanted it. The Youth Ministry Media article points out that 56% of teens say their parents don't know what they do online. There are two big temptations for students that have unrestricted access to the internet: Pornography and chatting with strangers.

Pornography

 According to CovenantEyes, 1 out of 5 mobile searches are for pornography. 24% of smartphone owners admit to having pornographic material on the mobile handset. Porn revenue has declined by 50% since 2007, due to the amount of free porn online. These stats show that teens who have internet access have very easy access to free porn. And with the portability with an Ipad I would have to say it is a pretty good chance that some if not many of the students viewed or downloaded porn with them. Adding to this statistic is the fact that many teenagers now have laptops and smartphones, which puts access at their fingertips. I believe pornography is a serious problem in many youth groups.

Stranger Danger

As the Youth Ministry Media article points out 32% of girls and 24% of boys have chatted with strangers online. These are dangerous relationships. One way we can protect our students is to make sure they know that it isn't a popularity contest. "Friending" random people on Instagram and Facebook is letting them into your life. What most students do not realize is how easy it is for someone to lie on the internet.

"One way we can [protect students] is to talk about who they friend online, and how it's not a popularity contest." - Youth Ministry Media

What Can We Do Now?

Ask the difficult questions. From time to time ask the students what they are doing online. It might take some time but hopefully eventually you will get the truth. The students need accountability. Who knows next time they log on they might just think, "My youth guy is gonna ask me what I'm doing" and they might be safe online. It also shows that you care about what they are up to. Do not be afraid to talk about pornography. It is a real threat. Encourage parents to download web filters on all their home computers. A program that I use and that we use at our church is K9 Web Protection. It is free and you can restrict it as much as you want, from pornography to websites about drugs/alcohol and everything in between. Changing Google and Youtube search options to strict may eliminate many unwanted results. 

Please note that Pornography is not just a problem for teens. Many adults struggle with porn as well.

Keep Calm and Seek God

Greetings,
Sorry it has been awhile since I posted. But I hope this will make up for it!! Open your heart and let these be God's words to you not mine.

"You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

This is directly after the very famous (often out of context) verse of Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, - declares the LORD- plans for your welfare, not your disaster, to give you a future and hope." This is the God's words to the oppressed Jews of Babylon. In verse 11, God is promising a future peace and a future release from captivity for them. And then in verse 13, He is giving them hope while they are still captives. And in verse 13 is where our true hope is found in this passage.

One of the biggest problems I have encountered in a small town (might just be my small town) is the fact that the students don't think a month in advance. When planning events that are 2 or 3 months away many of the students just think, "I can deal with that when it gets closer." It makes getting people signed up for events extremely difficult. I attribute this to the fact that students wait to see if something better comes up for them to do. In a small town there is no telling what will come up. If you have ever heard of cantaloupe bowling you know exactly what I'm talking about. Who knew that throwing fruit around an empty parking lot (or anywhere you can find) could be so much fun?

But back on topic. Students live for today. They are not thinking about 15, 20 or 30 years down the road. So I think Jeremiah 29:13 is the verse that fits this mentality perfect. Yes God has plans for us in the future, but what about now? What about all the drops and valleys on the roller coaster we call life? This is where our real hope in Christ is found. Whenever we truly seek God, He will always be there. He never leaves.

I think all to many times we seek God when we need something. When we have a crisis or are in a situation that we see no way out. I've never heard someone who is constantly being blessed quote Jeremiah 29:11. It is always the oppressed and struggling. We ask God for help but once we get back to where we have our heads above water we soon forget who was there to pull us up, until we are struggling yet again. If we truly seek Him with our whole heart all the time, we are a lot more likely to keep our heads above water.

Truly seeking God requires everything that we have. All of our heart, body, mind, soul, and strength. If we only seek God for the things we need in life we are completely forgetting all the things He has already done for us. When we seek God with all of our heart it shows. People around us start to notice. I can promise you right now, no matter how smart you are, God is smarter. Sometimes students think they are "Google." They think they have all the answers to any question you can throw their way. And just like Google, they may have answers but they are not always correct or helpful answers.

My prayer is that anytime you think of Jeremiah 29:11, that you also cling to the rest of the passage as well. We have more than just hope for the future, we have a God that is with us always.


May God Bless you in a very special way this week!

Tyler

Are we afflicted...

"As ministers we are called to comfort the afflicted, AND afflict the comfortable."

I had the great opportunity to hear Dr. Alvin Reid speak this summer at SuperSummer Arkansas. He is probably one of the most influential speakers I have heard in my life. It took everything I had not to be on my phone tweeting and facebooking every other sentence that he said. One of the topics that he covered was what true ministry looks like. When he said, "As ministers we are called to comfort the afflicted, AND afflict the comfortable," my heart dropped. I want to share with you a few thoughts I have about this topic.

One of the main reasons I was so brokenhearted over this statement, was because I knew instantly I was guilty. I knew that on Wednesday nights I was all about comforting the afflicted. One lesson I was taught growing up was that if you can leave church after hearing a sermon feeling all warm and bubbly then it was not a good sermon. Instead of telling the pastor "good sermon" after church our response should be "I needed that." I realized I was applying that idea to the "big church sermons" I was hearing on Sunday mornings, but not making that that the purpose for my lessons on Wednesday nights. If we put the emphasis on God our students will walk away changed.

Along the same lines Dr Reid talked all week about truly challenging the students and not watering down everything for them. Again I knew instantly I was guilty. I was guilty of thinking that just because they were in a small town and never had a true youth minister, that they couldn't grasp theology. I thought I needed to water it down for them. I was very wrong. I find it is difficult to balance between the students that instantly grasp the point and those who it takes longer. But one thing that I have found true is that all students are tired of being talked down to. With all the information at their fingertips, this generation can handle the challenge. If the church stops challenging the students, they are going to go somewhere else to find that challenge. We need to stop treating our students like babies and start treating them like the smart students they are.

I could write pages and pages about what Dr. Reid talked about. From family to revival, he covered lots of topics but one quote that sums it all up for me and my ministry, and has been posted on my desk ever since, was this one:

"If we keep doing what we are doing we are going to keep getting what we are getting"

Challenge Accepted!

"There is no such thing as a “perfect” church. Honestly, there will never be a perfect church because the people who occupy the church are imperfect."

This was the beginning of 5 Signs You're Part of an Unhealthy Church. This post really got me thinking about how important evaluation of ministry is. If we are not constantly being challenged in our beliefs we will never grow. I have found that making students explain why they think something really helps them understand why they believe it. If you surround yourself with people who just agree with everything you say, you will never be pushed. Two of the signs of an unhealthy church that the article from ChurchLeaders.com points out are: Leadership can never be challenged; and You are comfortable, never convicted. This tells me that evaluation is extremely important to a healthy church.


In a small town it becomes even more difficult to challenge a leader of the church. In a small town everyone knows everybody, and gossip spreads like wildfire (two stereotypes that I have found to be extremely true). In every church their is the church bully. The few people that opposes everything for arguments sake. If the church is talking about changing the carpet color to green, they would say blue would be better. These type of people can make for annoying long business meetings, but I think the concept is a good one. If we are challenged in what we do, we are forced to have a reason why we are doing something. I was taught very early in ministry that everything I do needs to have a purpose. The ice-breaker games need to have purpose. The silly fear factor games need to have purpose. It is very important that we know why we are doing the things we do in church.


Most people do not like confrontation. I am in the minority when I say, "I love to argue." I think that healthy arguments are important to progress. The key word being healthy. Many times if we become comfortable in a situation we become stuck. The biggest example of this I have seen in church life is in using the word "traditional." Tradition tells me that you do things because that's how they have always been done, and to me that is the most scary thing in a church. If you are doing things because they have been done that way since 1900, you are stuck. I am not saying that traditions are a bad thing, I am however saying that doing things for traditions sake is dangerous.

"A tradition without intelligence is not worth having." T. S. Eliot

I challenge you in ministry to set down from time to time and set goals, and then come back and evaluate those goals. Also read the article 5 Signs You're Part of an Unhealthy Church and share it with your ministry community. Evaluation is an important part of ministry, and must be done!

No Jobs Ahead

I live in a small town that is really in the middle of nowhere. 30 minutes one way is Harrison, AR which is a city of about 12,000 and a handful restaurants and small businesses. 45 minutes the other way is Branson, MO which has restaurants but is more of a tourist town so jobs are not entirely plentiful. Other than that there is a few family run diners and gas stations. I point this out to draw attention to the fact that many families in my area are impoverished, because of lack of jobs. This really affects the way I do ministry in this small town. I want to just share a few observations and ideas I have about how to impact a community where jobs are few and money is tight.

Where I grew up there was a city 5-10 minutes down the road that had an abundance of restaurants and retail shops. I was always taught the importance of work. When I was growing up most people who were 16 or 17 had a job. I took for granted the fact that there were so many jobs available. Now that I live 30 minutes from any real jobs, I see the effects it has on families. In my ministry I have come across the fact that in Lead Hill many families do not just have 1 or 2 children, most have 4 or more. Mixed with the lack of jobs available this makes life in our small town very hard. The parents that have found jobs have to drive to Branson or Harrison or even farther for work. This really changes the family dynamic in the home. The older siblings have to step up and be guardians to the younger ones, and even make sacrifices for their younger siblings. They learn responsibility as a survival skill. This makes my ministry at the church even more difficult. Just like parents do from time to time, those students who constantly take care of siblings want a break. And church should be that place of refuge for them. Somewhere they can relax and forget about their worries for a short period of time and lean on the everlasting arms of Christ.

If there is a positive spin on the poverty of the area, it makes outreach that much simpler. Me and my wife have recently started making our own laundry detergent. I anticipate it to save us a ton of money. We got the recipe from the Dugger's website (here). It is incredibly simple to make and very inexpensive. Basically all you need is: (1) Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (2) Borax (3) a bar of either Fels-Naptha or Zote laundry bar soap and (4) water. All the ingredients can be found at Wal-Mart. They have even gotten smart and put all three right beside each other on the shelves. The borax and Washing Soda comes in a big box that sell for around $2.50 or $3 a piece and the soap bar is under $1. You can get many batches of detergent out of the boxes. I would imagine it cost somewhere around 20 cents per gallon of detergent. This summer somebody suggested that we put it into bottles and take it around to our community as outreach. I was floored! That was the greatest idea ever! We just used empty water gallon jugs. My wife being highly crafty and creative printed up cute labels for the jugs. We are going to use them as an icebreaker to go around and meet and greet our neighbors.

I would love to hear any other ideas that y'all have for doing ministry to a community that is stricken by poverty. I welcome and appreciate all comments!

Baseball Anyone?

My alma mater, Ouachita Baptist University, is co-sponsoring a Faith and Family night in Little Rock at the Arkansas Travelers minor league baseball game on August 3rd. Check out info about it here. OBU held a twitter contest and I won 2 tickets!! The best part is, American Idol finalist, Colton Dixon is doing a concert after the game! Dixon was very outspoken about his Christian faith during his time on American Idol. He released his debut album, A Messenger, this year. Check out his site here. I love baseball and I love Colton Dixon so I am pumped!

But y'all are not reading this blog for that. While I was getting excited about the game and reminiscing about my old baseball days, I realized that student ministry is kinda like a baseball team. Former Major League baseball player Curt Schilling once said "Baseball is not a sport that one can achieve individually." I think that that equates directly to ministry. You cannot achieve success as a church individually. 

One of the most popular pictures of unity of the church is a body. All the parts of the body working together. The body cannot function without all the different parts. Just as a baseball team is made up of 9 different position players that all together make only 1 team, student ministry is made up of multiple types of students that come together to make 1 group. In baseball each position has a different "baseball stereotype" attached to it. If you will hang with me I want to examine each baseball position and how the "baseball stereotype" helps us understand different students in our ministry. Just like a baseball team all the members must work together to be successful.

WARNING: This article assumes that you know about baseball positions and baseball terms. If you do not understand baseball I suggest you check out this article that breaks down each position. Also the views expressed are my own, I have played baseball since I was four years old and would consider myself a huge baseball fan. Each position breakdown is what I see as a common perception of each position. Okay here we go...

First Base

Stereotype: Power Hitter

Application: First basemen are known more for their batting at the plate than their play in the field. These are the students who are the heavy hitters. They like to swing for the fences. In discussions they try to make the "home run" point. They strike out more often than not, but when they make contact it spurs great discussions! If you can try and set them up it can really ignite the rest of the students.

Second Base

Stereotype: Always ready but not always involved

Application: I always played second base growing up. Because of the position on the field you don't see much action, but since you are in the infield there is always the chance the action will come your way quickly. Second base is more of a thinking position than an action position. These students are ones who are always ready for the action, but don't always see it. In discussions they want to make a good point but never get the chance. These students have skills that are not always needed. Making sure these students are involved is key to a good team.

Short Stop

Stereotype: All-star player

Application: On the baseball diamond the Short Stop is usually the MVP of the team. They play a position that is very active, and they become the face of the team. These are the students that crave the most attention. They like being involved in everything. The biggest thing to keep in mind when dealing with these students is need to be reminded that everyone needs to be involved. The worst thing I have encountered in ministry is asking a student to step back and let another student step up. Getting everyone involved is key to keeping the team healthy. Everybody wants to be an all-star but only a few truly are.

Third Base

Stereotype: Quick reflexes

Application: Third Basemen are very interesting on the baseball field. They play what is called the "Hot Corner." They have to be able to react on a spur of the moment. Sometimes they act like they aren't paying attention but always make the play. These are the students that seem to not be paying attention but when the time comes they show that they were absorbent as a sponge and sharp as a tack. When handling these students keep in mind that people have different ways of learning.

Right and Left Field

Stereotype: Not the most skilled but the most heart.

Application: In Little League the kids who really want to play baseball but have no coordination or skill are usually put in right or left field. They make the best of the situation and have fun. Sometimes these are the kids that just don't understand, but try really hard. A good idea when you have students like these is to get your other students involved in the teaching to them. Sometimes students understand students better than they understand adults.

Center Field

Stereotype: Best communicator on the the field

Application: The center fielder is the leader of the outfield. Of all the players on the field he has the most area to cover. Almost every time the ball is hit, he is moving. Because he has the best vantage point of the field he communicates to the other players what is going on. These students need to be challenged. They are glue that keeps everyone working towards a common goal. They can help solve problems within the team. 

Catcher

Stereotype: The behind the scenes leader

Application: The catcher calls for what pitches he thinks the pitcher needs to throw. In special situations he calls what plays he thinks the defense needs to enact. He is usually a direct line between the catcher and the coach. If you have a "youth council" or group of student leaders, they fall under catcher. They make the calls that they think will give the team the best chance for success. Keeping these students accountable is key to keeping them on the top of their game.

Pitcher

Stereotype: Always involved

Application: You would think the Pitcher would be the most important player on the team but remember there is not one player that is more important than the others. Pitchers are involved in almost every single play of a baseball game. These students are those who are always in every aspect of the ministry. These are the students whose parents are involved in the church. When ministering to these students keep in mind that keeping church fresh for them is important. These are the students that get bored with church. Keep these students interested and they will help keep excitement in the church.

Manager

We don't usually think of the manager when we think about a baseball team, but the manager is in charge of the moral support and everyday in and out of the team. For me this equates to my adult leaders. They are a vital part of my ministry. They pick up where I leave off. They step in and take care of issues I cannot get to. Every team needs managers, just like every ministry needs adult leaders.

I hope this helps re-invent the idea that as followers of Christ and a church that we are one team together. It takes all 9 players to play a game of baseball. If you lack a pitcher the play will never get started. If you don't have an outfield anytime the ball is hit out of the infield you're in serious trouble. All students are unique and together they make up a successful youth group, only if they are working together as a team!


As always all comments and suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

God Bless and PLAY BALL!
Tyler