Breathe, pray, breathe

October 16, 2014April 7, 2015 / youthguysteve / 2 Comments

Often as we read through twitter, or look on facebook we see a lot of anger, hate, sin, and frustration. We see people with stress, letting it out. We see broken relationships being hashed out online. Have you ever read the comments under most articles published on the web. People are angry, broken, and afraid. I am angry, broken and afraid many times. So my question for today is how can we respond to all the anger, the hurt and pain?

To start I am reminded what my pastor said to me recently. He said “I am never surprised when people act like the sinners they are, I am shocked when they act like Christians.” Too often I think we believe that everyone should be nice and happy all the time. The reality is we are all sinners. We are all broken, angry and stressed, however we are also loved, redeemed, and saved by the one who came down from heaven. So what do we do? How do we make it through the day with so much stress, anger and hurt filling our world? I have a suggestion, remember to breath, pray, and breath again.

I have seen lots of ways to help us but none has been more effective for me than just breathing, and praying. Breathing is essential for life and so is prayer. Pray can help us see God at work, Prayer can help us focus on Jesus. Lots of people take a walk, or look at something pretty. Recently I have see people post pictures of flowers to remember God’s great creation. These can all be good things. I would add breathe, pray and breathe again. To breathe is to have life and to pray is have life. Jesus is there with you, you can pray his words, “Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more”John 8:11b

I know we will continue to sin, we will continue to see others sin. I often try to remind myself Jesus has forgiven me, now go back out and follow him again. Be reminded of His kingdom of forgiveness and grace. So as you are hurting, broken or angry today remember to breath, and pray, and breath again.

How are we helping families pass on faith?

October 10, 2014April 7, 2015 / youthguysteve / Leave a comment

Recently I have had a few parents come to me after our confirmation classes at St. peters and thank me for making them talk with their children about faith. Parents have the most influence in shaping kids spiritual life. They have 7 times the amount of time with them each week. I know I have missed opportunities to help families do the thing God has called them to do which is pass on faith. We are part of the family team. We should be a part of helping students grow in faith. The more important thing to do is spend far more time with people who can have the most influence on the young people who we are serving.

This week I received one of the best and slightly shocking compliments I have gotten in ministry. A mom came to me this week and said thanks for making her talk with her son about faith. I was a little shocked but almost did the imaginary fist bump in the air. She said they are using the model I taught them in confirmation at home during the week. Not every night but that pattern has been great for them. She said I never really talked with my kids about God in a direct way and she really appreciated the helpful nudge through confirmation.

I was blown away. This year we made a tweak to confirmation, I thought it would be better for all involved I just didn’t know it would have such a profound impact on families. For our confirmation classes we have added and extra 30 minutes for parents to sit with their child and share three things; Highs and lows for the week, questions based on the topic for the week, and most importantly how can we use this information during our daily lives. It is a requirement I thought would be good for families. I just didn’t know how much of an impact.

Parents and kids have been blown away by this simple questions. It has helped parents share about how they see Jesus. It has helped students share with parents all the things they have questions about, and how they are living out their faith. It has truly been profound.

So my question for all of us is how are you helping families pass on faith. How can we share simple things for parents to disciple their children in Christ. This simple thing is having profound effect in my ministry. How about you?

Youth ministry: Are you making them think…One of my goals in minisrty and life.

April 29, 2014April 7, 2015 / youthguysteve / Leave a comment

Have you ever thought about why you believe and trust in Jesus? This weekend I asked my high school students this important question. They struggled to put into words the reasons why they trust in Jesus. I enjoyed that. I think of all the things I want my students to do with their faith is think. I think being a disciple of Jesus means we think. I want them to struggle with this Jesus of Nazareth, and what he said and did. I think all too often we send students out of our ministry without having them really grapple with this question of who is Jesus, and why we believe and trust in him. I wouldn’t say the students struggled with believing and trusting in Jesus. We all have doubts and struggles with Jesus, but that isn’t why they struggled to answer the question. They struggled because they never thought about it. They never had to put into words the reason for the hope they have in Him.

I think one of the most important things I do as a church worker is challenge my students to think. Too often in Christian churches and youth ministries we forget to make our students think. I think we think it is enough to just tell them the answers and then they can say them back to others, but being a follower of Jesus is questioning our leaders and other who claim to know this Jesus. Being a disciple of Jesus is that struggle with the scripture and struggle with faith in this God who cares for us. To struggle with why I believe in this Jesus. Why I trust those that saw him and heard what he said. It is part of growing up and growing in Jesus. We never fully understand. It is a lifetime of struggle and thinking but it is so important for all of us to think to wrestle with Jesus.

I didn’t want to answer yet why I trust and believe in this Jesus. They asked me but we aren’t at that point yet. This journey may take a little while because they need to struggle with it. We all need to struggle with this faith and trust in Jesus thing. So my question for you is are you struggling with your faith, and trust in Jesus? If you aren’t I would challenge you to struggle with it. I would challenge you to dive into your scripture to struggle with what Jesus said. In the struggle and thinking we grow. I want to grow and struggle and think so I may know Jesus more. I also pray the Holy Spirit guides this process as we struggle. The Holy Spirit guided those early disciples who struggled and thought and believed in Jesus and know he will be with those of us who are Jesus’ disciples today.

Change makes everyone angry…Jesus brought change.

April 21, 2014April 7, 2015 / youthguysteve / Leave a comment

Change is hard. People don’t like change. People don’t want to change their lives. People don’t want to change their actions. People don’t want to change really anything about themselves. We like to be comfortable and safe. We like things to run just the way they have because we know what to expect. The only time people like change is they are the one making the changes. I had a friend who used to say “I like change as long as I am the one making the changes.”

Change is something we don’t like but is a part of life as a disciple. Thank God it is. I am struck by how when change happens to me I really don’t like it. Change is hard and painful but often necessary. I struggle with change because I am messy. My relationship with Jesus is messy. You see I don’t always like to look in the mirror and see the changes that need to be made. I struggle with the changed life in Jesus. It isn’t a strait line with a definite end point. It has a beginning in baptism, it has and end in Death but the middle is messy. I think it is why we get so angry with our faith because we want everything to be better and easy. Our sinful nature in all of us is a twisty road, and just when we think we get the hang of it we take another turn, we are reminded of more change needed in our lives and the need for Christ’s grace.

This weekend as I sat and participated in Easter services I thought about change. I thought about the changes in my life. I think about people who come in and out of it. I thought about my faith life and how the resurrection of Jesus really impacted me. How Jesus came to change the equation, how He came to change me. You see when I see the cross and empty tomb I think about how Jesus came to forgive me and to change me. To take me from my original place and move me to another place. A place of change. A place where I have to look in a mirror and know I am a broken man, yet I have a risen savior who is changing my life. Not just saving me, but changing my life.

The cross brings change. The resurrection brings change. Many people get angry at Church, Church workers, faithful people, and family because they remind us of our need for Jesus. They point us to a Jesus who didn’t come to keep the status quo in our lives, but to bring change. The cross and resurrection brought about the greatest change. It brought you who were dead into a new life, but the change didn’t stop there. The spirit continues to work on you and me.

Change is a struggle but it is part of being a Disciple of Christ. So when you are feeling that frustration with the change look to the cross and empty tomb, and the change it brought for you. That change from being away from God to being with God in Christ Jesus.

Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. ¹⁷So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. ¹⁹For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ²¹So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. ²²For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, ²³but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Romans 7:16-25a ESV

The begining of the journey…Hosanna

April 14, 2014April 7, 2015 / youthguysteve / Leave a comment

The beginning of a journey is sometimes the most interesting part. Last Sunday morning we saw a pretty amazing storm run through Big Rapids Michigan. Trees were all over and the power was out for many people. When I made it to church early Sunday morning we had no power and no heat. It was going to be an interesting beginning to our journey of holy week. Yet 56 people came to celebrate Palm Sunday. I was amazed by the willingness of people who had no power and probably more important for many no coffee, make it to worship. As a staff we gathered at Church and wondered what we should do. We felt that when people came we should worship. So we got up there and did it. The light was shining in for the beginning of the service but mid way through clouds came rolling back in and you could hardly see. Pastor mid sermon had to get a light just to read from the scripture for the message. It has to be the first time I have ever seen anything like it. It was amazing and probably one of the most profound worship services I have every been to. (By the way at late service we had power which made doing the songs and screens we had planned for that service much easier.)

Holy week for a church worker is always busy and hectic, however it is one of my favorite times of year. I love the way our worship service really lasts all week. It is a continuation of the story. Palm Sunday is the beginning with our king coming to fulfill what he was meant to do. He was meant to be the Messiah who has come to save us. While sitting in the dark I was struck by how amazing it is that we have a God who loved us enough to come in our dark place and be our Messiah. As we shout hosanna, God save us, I am reminded of our need for that savior Jesus. For six weeks we have waited. We have gone through lent and examined the destruction of sin. We have seen the “storms” come upon us. Sunday we examined the real reason Jesus came. He came to save us. He came as a servant who will give himself freely on our behalf. The one who calmed the storm, cast our demons and raised the dead has come to bring us hope in our storm.

This week as you enjoy the journey. As you spent time with Jesus on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday may you be reminded of the reason the king came to Jerusalem. Not to be crowned the great king but to be the great servant king. May we remember that even in our dark places Jesus has come to save us. And to that we shout hosanna!! God save us! Enjoy the journey my friends.