Shane's World

MOVE Day 5

2011-07-08T23:19:00.005-05:00

All done! So much to say, but too tired to type...and a 13 hour drive tomorrow. Please pray for safe travel and supernatural energy and alertness! We had a day full of intensity today as we discussed getting ready to come back home. The tagline from the sermon hit hard: "Everyone wants to shine bright, but nobody wants to burn." Basically, God wants to light us up with His fire in this dark world...but that requires some pain and sacrifice. We also opened the "kingdom worker cards" that have different challenges, and it was so awesome to see the students open them and accept the challenges to work on this year. Some examples of the cards are:
- Committing to send an encouraging note to a friend every single day on facebook for a year
- Committing to speak up and lead a devo at youth group this fall
- Committing to "adopt" a single mom or widow and invite them to holidays and family get-togethers

They are inspired, and make sure to ask them to tell all of their stories and things they learned this week! I can't wait to share more stories with you, but I'm gonna get some shut-eye. Take the time to look through the pictures above--it was a great trip, and God will be moving in the lives of these students for a long time!!

MOVE Day 4

2011-07-07T22:21:00.002-05:00

Another great day at Move here in Michigan. It was a unique day for a few reasons.

1. We watched the film "Love Costs Everything" during the morning session. It is a full-length documentary (hour and a half) about the persecuted church around the world. I have seen documentaries of all shapes and sizes, but the stories presented in this film are heart wrenching and inspiring at the same time. Some students responded with sadness, some with anger, and still some just needing time to process what they had seen. The students were challenged to pray for the persecuted church--not that the persecution will stop, but that they will have the strength to endure! We look forward to getting to share the film at Carterville this fall hopefully.
- Daniel 1 and 3 (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) was the topic of the day, and how these boys started with simple disciplines (sticking to the right diet), and how that led to the ability to stand strong even in the face of death (fiery furnace).

2. Extended Rec time at the beach! The water temp was about 73 degrees, but it was awesome, and we had a blast. There were baptisms in Lake Michigan, people buried in the sand, ultimate frisbee, and more.

3. Ahbijeet Lall (sp?) was our speaker tonight (son of Ahjai Lall--pastor in India). He told incredible stories of his encounters with persecution in the Hindu and Muslim communities. He powerfully challenged the students to not be idle, and to stand up for Christ even and especially when it's hard. And then our youth group had the privilege of having Ahbijeet come and have a question/answer time just with our students after the main session tonight. He is only 21 years old, but has so much wisdom and maturity!

Lots of great things going on. I absolutely know and believe that your prayers are being heard and answered. Thank you so much - one more full day of Move until we get up and head home on Saturday!

...and pray for Shayla and me if ya would - tomorrow (Friday) is our 5th anniversary!!

MOVE Day 3

2011-07-06T23:47:00.005-05:00

Today was intense. The story of the day we focused on was that of King Josiah from 2 Kings 22 and 23, and how despite his past and horrible father figures, he walked in the ways of the Lord. There was a very intentional focus on the importance, power, and need for God's Word in our lives, especially because it was when Josiah metaphorically "ate" the scroll that he turned the nation of Israel around.

We had some more great electives, and many of us hung out at a coffee shop called lemonjello's and had some great conversations during free time. A group of about six of us tried to play in a volleyball tournament...but they lost in the first round :(

The main session tonight was extremely powerful as Jason French preached about Josiah and our need for a passion for the Word. It ended in a call for students to go to their adult leaders and ask for prayer and Scripture over the issues in their lives. That sparked a Spirit-led time of confession and prayer like I have never experienced. There were literally lives changed and even physical healings tonight (for real). After an hour or so of this, we debriefed and discussed these things in our youth group time, and it was inspiring to see teens come together as a community for encouragement, accountability, and prayer.

While this evening was an incredible Jesus experience, He's not done. We will be watching an intense documentary on the persecuted church tomorrow, and it will be very impactful (I had a chance to preview the film, and it is incredible). Your prayers are working in amazing, supernatural ways--so please, please do not stop! We've also got extended recreation time tomorrow to go to the beach, but pray for Jesus to be in all of the conversations, lessons, worship sets, etc. Love you all!

MOVE Day 2

2011-07-05T22:56:00.004-05:00

Today was our first full day of Move, and it was spectacular! Our group is already forming more solid relationships, and the work that God is doing in our hearts is beginning to become very evident. Some highlights of the day are as follows:

- Incredible food at the cafeteria
- AMAZING weather
- Great worship music (Jordan Howerton Band)
- Great learning experiences about story of Rahab the prostitute today
- Creative worship element tonight tied to Rahab's story (she put a red cord outside of her window in Jericho, as previously arranged by Israel in order for her family's lives to be spared...so all 1300 people at this conference tied red strands of fabric together to a larger red cord to symbolize asking God to use us regardless of our past!)
- Solid elective classes
- Fun Freetime
- Students already beginning to open up in youth group time!

Please continue to labor in prayer for us! Thank you!

p.s. feel free to comment and/or ask any questions--just click "comments" directly under this (or any) blog post.

CIY MOVE 2011

2011-07-04T22:47:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! We made it to CIY Move in Holland, Michigan today. We left Carterville CC at about 6:30pm last night (Sunday) and traveled to Columbia, IL (just south of St. Louis) to stay at Hope Christian Church for the night. You may remember Chase Luckett, last year's intern--it is his home church. After some donuts and milk this morning we caravan'd another eight hours up to Hope College in Holland, Michigan. If church vans could talk, there are already plenty of stories and memories from the ride up to tell, but we are excited about what is to come this week!

Tonight was kicked off talking about the call of Samuel, and that God is speaking to all of us. We simply need to position ourselves in a way to hear Him and then to respond, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening!"

After youth group time, we had an awesome experience--we all walked a couple miles down to the boardwalk (Lake Michigan) and watched an incredible fireworks show for the fourth of July!

Please pray for good rest, as we are all very tired, but pray also that God does an amazing work in the lives of each and every student and adult here! Stay tuned for some pics to be uploaded tomorrow!

CIY "Move" Day 4: Influence

2010-06-24T22:32:00.002-05:00

Teenagers have an incredible influence on our society! Clothing, music, technology, even vocabulary are just a few of the areas in which this is true. Christian teens have the potential to be the greatest world-changers NOW without having to wait until they "grow up." This was a large part of the challenge (1 Timothy 4:10-12).

We had a great encounter and d-group time, but a large chunk of today was WHITE WATER RAFTING! We had six students and a couple adults stay back and go hiking to some nearby waterfalls (which I will post pictures of hopefully tomorrow), and the other 22 of us drove 20 minutes to the Cherokee Adventure's river rafting.

Praise Jesus everyone had a blast without being seriously injured! We had a few capsized rafts here in there and a couple bumps and bruises--but it was worth every scrape. The Appalachian scenery was breathtaking and the weather was perfect for rafting. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The trip took a little longer than expected (one of the river guides was still pretty new and was slowing us down), so we missed dinner and barely made it back in time for the beginning of the main session. So I ordered some cheap pizza for everybody during our youth group time after the session.

One of the highlights for me today, rafting and hiking aside, was that after we dismissed youth group time...nobody left! Every single person stayed there and hung out for awhile, which was the first time this has happened. Usually some will stay, and there will be pockets of people talking, but there was a desire for more unity, more fellowship--and that is one of my favorite reasons to come to a conference away from home like this--for the students to draw nearer to God and to each other!

CIY "Move" Day 3: Godliness

2010-06-23T23:40:00.002-05:00

Major concept for the day: Godliness is more than simply "not sinning," it's pursuing what God wants for us. Today was a great day to take the burden off of spiritual disciplines and see the joy in them!

This morning was a great time of reflection and discussion about the theme of true godliness, and then the teens got to see a bunch of CIY favorite videos from the past - it was really fun for them as well as informative to hear the heart behind the videos. The adults had some great time to themselves today also. We attended a class about how to better counsel teenagers, which was very practical and helpful, and then, instead of eating at the cafeteria, the adults (including Damien) and the two graduated seniors (Kim M. and Tyler W.) that came to CIY left campus to go eat at a fantastic Japanese Steak House-type restaurant (which was much cheaper than Joplin's--just sayin').

During the D-Group time earlier in the day, part of the lesson was for each student to write on a little square mirror an attribute of God that they desire to reflect in their life. Each did so with a sharpie, and we collected all of these mirrors. Danny Curry did a phenomenal job bringing the message tonight, as did the band with worship, but the pinnacle of the evening was after the message was over, during a time of worship, a very large disco-ball was brought out on stage, and it was timed perfectly to be illuminated with the song "Shine" (a newer worship song). The sight and meaning of that alone was cool, but then everyone realized that the little square mirrors on the disco ball was actually the students' mirrors with their desired attributes of God that they want to "reflect." It was AWESOME for them to experience together, realizing what it would look like to the world if the church would unify and each shine with the attributes and gifts that God has given him or her. Very cool stuff.

Youth group time was fun and introspective at first, and then became very emotional and heavy. The mercy seat is being used, hearts are being broken, and sins are being confessed. This is a critical moment for the teens - please pray for wisdom for me and the leaders here to know what to say and when to say it, for Holy Spirit guidance in counseling and listening, and for extra energy as we are beginning to get physically and emotionally drained.

Finally, pray for us as we get on the river tomorrow to go rafting - it's gonna be a blast, but of course I would love your prayers for safety. (also, feel free to comment and ask questions on here). Thank you.

CIY "Move" Day 2: Truth

2010-06-22T22:29:00.002-05:00

First full day of Move, and there was a LOT packed into today. After an emotional appeal to lay down our baggage at the cross and accept "Grace" last night, today was a more analytical approach to the concept that Jesus is "Truth" (which I thoroughly enjoyed). Each day (after breakfast) begins with a fun wake-up morning show which then transitions to a couple songs with the band. After getting the blood pumping a little, we get to have Damien Spikereit come out and introduce the topic of the day. (very cool for our kids to have him up on the big stage :).

The students had some quiet time (with the Move booklet devotions), and then we had our first "D-Group" lesson. The D-groups are led by our sponsors for our students (broken into two groups). We get to get some in-depth Scripture study and discussion as it relates to the topic of the day, and it was awesome today because it was all about Truth and whether it can be relative or not. Good stuff!

Lunch. Then we had a special session with a Dave Ramsey representative to talk to the teens about how they handle their money--it was very powerful and appropriate (and our own Tyler Wimberly won $20 by helping out on stage!)

Free Time - we had six of us enter a volleyball team and get 3rd, and we had a few of the boys play in a basketball tournament as well. (if you get a chance to razz Damien, his team lost right off the bat--haha.) Several of the boys also went swimming and had a blast.

Dinner. Then, main session. Again, the Caleb Miller band rocked the house and the Spirit was definitely moving, which set up a 3-part video sermon from Mark Moore. He talked about Truth as it relates to a boxing ring and how we often times get knocked down when we try and evangelize, but to keep getting back up because Jesus and His message is worth it. It was a great challenge for the students--not so emotional, just straight-up conviction to share the Truth.

Youth group time was a great discussion and reflection of the day; we prayed for eachother, and then we played a large-group game called "Big Booty." I promise it's not inappropriate...you'll just have to ask your kids about it...lol.

I simply wanted to walk through a the typical schedule of a day at Move while describing today, so the following blogs will be more highlights and less structure--but please keep praying, because God truly is on the move! (specifically pray for their spiritual walk, because Wednesday's theme is "Godliness" and will be very challenging).

CIY "Move" Day 1: Grace

2010-06-21T23:03:00.002-05:00

We made it safe and sound! It was a pretty smooth trip to Johnson City, Tennessee, and God blessed us with great weather and decent traffic.

Once we arrived on campus here at Milligan College, we were all tired, hot (found out the boys dorm doesn't have air conditioning-aaah!), and a little grumpy...but after a little down time things began to turn around. We had an incredible time of worship with the Caleb Miller Band and a great message about God's Grace (read about details of the band, college, speakers, etc. on CIY's website). It was a fantastic first plunge into the week, but what really was exciting is what happened during our youth group time.

I've been to about 8 or 9 CIY summer conferences now (between being a student and being a leader/minister), and I've never seen a "first-night" response like we experienced this evening. Your prayers are truly working in the lives of these teens already. Several deep-rooted sins were confessed with tears as well as even someone's first nudge of feeling called to vocational ministry! Usually the first night is a discussion about expectations, rules, details, and introductions with comments on how student's felt about the message/worship...but not tonight! Wow! God is doing something big already, so PLEASE commit to praying every day!

Hopefully there will be pictures to follow :)

Eager to Repent!

2010-05-19T16:13:00.002-05:00

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”
- Acts 3:19

re•pent \ ri-ˈpent \ verb
Greek: metanoeō = to change one’s life, based on complete change of attitude and thought concerning sin and righteousness.

What’s your favorite type of dessert? I think mine has to be either strawberry cheesecake or peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream! Imagine you are munchin’ down on that dessert of yours, and someone walks in and tells you to stop eating it. Naturally, you would give them a nasty look, threaten their life if they touch you, and demand that they leave your presence. But before you viciously lash out like a rabid squirrel, the violator points out that he saw someone sticking dog poo in your dish when you weren’t looking! Everything changes.

After vomiting profusely, you no longer sneer at the man, but in fact, you give him a hug and thank him for stopping you--a significant change in attitude and actions toward the dessert and the messenger. What was once sweet and delectable is now vile and detestable. A man who was a cosmic kill-joy is now an epic hero. That is repentance...not a “have to”--but a “want to.”

The sin in your life may seem fun, harmless (at least not hurting anybody else), and not that big of a deal. But truth is truth, and your sin is horrid, wrong, and revolting. It’s disgusting, and in truth, it not only affects you--it affects the people and world around you. When Jesus (through Peter in the case of Acts 3:19) calls us to repent, it means STOP!!! Don’t take another bite--go cold turkey--no more! Not because God isn’t fun and wants to ruin your life...quite the opposite, really.

When someone hears the Good News about Jesus for the first time--a radical life transformation often happens--true repentance. It’s the long-time church members (like many of you reading this blog) that can often fall into the trap that sin isn’t a big deal as long as it’s not one of the “big sins.” So in essence, you’re saying, “as long as it’s not a big turd in my cheesecake, it’s tolerable.” WHAT!? We must radically eliminate sin from our lives...and be EAGER to do so! Only then can we begin to taste the pure sweetness of what God has to offer.

Take a minute to ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart about sin you may have been tolerating, and let's get eager to repent so we can get the real "refreshment"!

Have you been there recently?

2010-04-13T10:00:00.003-05:00

We are all created to be worshippers. Everyone worships every single day...even if the object of that worship is not God. Just look at culture - Americans (and most of the world) are consumed with all kinds of things that require their time, energy, relationships, and especially money. Some of these things are good; some are evil. I find it interesting, too, that when someone is worshipping, he or she almost always leaves with a sense of wanting more.

Take a family vacation for example. I LOVE the Colorado Rocky Mountains--I put pictures of them as my desktop on my computer and could flip through these pictures in wonder and awe for hours. That is a form of worship (actually towards God and his creation)...but it's not enough, is it? I would never get my family together around the computer screen for our vacation and campout in the living room all week as we look at the beautiful mountain pictures. Of course not! We want to experience it. Looking at photographs of Pike's Peak and standing at the summit are two completely different things, even though you are essentially seeing the same thing. The first makes you say "wow--that's beautiful"...the latter takes your breath away. One is very temporary, one burns into the fabric of your mind as you remember the view, the feel of the breeze, the smell of the fresh mountain air...and the joy of experiencing it with your family. Also, when you look at a photo...you typically don't say, "I CAN'T WAIT to see that picture again." When you experience the greatness of the real, true mountains, you never want to leave. But if you have to--you already begin to plan when you can go back! So we save and sacrifice all the time and money in order to get the experience vs. the lifeless photo.

Here is my point: When we worship in the church setting with songs, communion, preaching, etc...I believe it is possible to simply attend, go through the motions, and leave--possibly impressed, but unchanged. We simply look at the "photos" that we've seen before, do our duty as a Christian, and maybe even enjoy it temporarily. I also believe that in the same church, the same service, with the same songs, communion, preaching, etc...that you can have a true, real experience. It's not a picture of Jesus from 2,000 years ago with blue eyes and long, flowing hair...but Jesus actually shows up. His Spirit is felt, and Scripture says that worship is to God like a fragrant aroma! There is a joy as we are with the family, and when we expect to experience God--it will absolutely transform you, your family, and our church! I can't imagine how cool it would be to go to the rockies every week! God is fresh and new and relevant and alive! He is incredible, and too often we miss the relationship - the reality of an experience with Him.

Last thing--when I get home from a vacation to Colorado - I show pictures, I reminisce, I tell stories, I encourage people to visit the places I visited, and I am simply and unashamedly excited about my experience. So I want to ask you, worshipper...have you been there recently?

400 year silence: Before and After

2009-12-07T17:12:00.002-06:00

We, as Christians, strive to have the heart of Jesus...that we would love the things God loves and our hearts would break for the things for which His heart breaks. One such thing that captures the heart of God is family. God uses tons of analogies and metaphors about family in the Bible to explain his love and interaction with us, and his passion for family is never more evident than what He says before and after a 400 year silence. Here's the background: The Israelites have gone through the judges and several kings, and with them came a host of prophets. God spoke through these prophets to give the people instruction, discipline, and encouragement. There is a 400 year gap of silence where God does not speak through a prophet or angel...or anyone, and that gap is called the "intertestamental period" - the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Knowing that He would be silent for hundreds of years, God's last statements obviously carried much importance, as did his very first words after this long drought. If you look at the last words and the first words...they have a common theme, and in reading them, we see the passion of God's heart for families! Check it out:

God's Last O.T. words: Malachi 4:5-6 - "I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

God's First N.T. words: Luke 1:13-18 - ""Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son...and he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Wow!! God REALLY cares about the relationships in your family - with your parents and with your kids!! Is your heart turned toward your kids--really focused on them? Is your heart also focused on loving and respecting your parents? God cares DEEPLY about this, and as we are in the middle of the holidays, please take time to warm God's heart by loving your family and turning your hearts toward each other :).

Your Thoughts??

2009-11-23T14:55:00.017-06:00

Hey everyone,

I'd really, really love your input as we are continuing to plan details for next year. It's been an AWESOME fall, and I'm stoked for what God's gonna continue to do in our church and student ministry! Please fill out the form below - thanks!!!

Click Here

Favorite OT passage...right now.

2009-11-16T09:09:00.004-06:00

Exodus 33 - LOVE IT. Take a second and read it 33:7-11 (I'll just focus on these few verses for this post). This passage inspires and challenges me for a three reasons:

1. INSPIRE: The word "anyone" in verse 7. God (even in the Old Testament) wants a relationship with every single person--not just Moses, Aaron, and Joshua--everyone! There were well over a million Israelites, and billions of people today...and God truly has the time and desire to hang out with me--he wants to be there with me...not just for me.

2. CHALLENGE: Verses 8-10 - This kills me...anyone could go in and meet with God personally (verse 7)...but only Moses and Joshua go (verse 11). Why!? Why would the people be content worshipping at the entrance to their own tents...worshipping at a distance. I'm sure it was a cool experience for them to sit back in their "pew" and watch the show...maybe even "sing along"; admire what God is doing through the people up front... can you see where I'm going?

I am 110% all-for having a high-quality worship band, video, lighting, etc...but I believe that it gets way too easy for people to stand and watch (maybe go through the motions of singing words they're not really thinking about)...and never really enter in to God's presence. That challenges me... Are you content with worshipping at a distance, but never really soaking in the transforming presence of Almighty God? What would "worship" look like if the whole church entered into the tent!? Would it be a crazy party? Would we all just be overwhelmed? Would we sing tons of songs and dance?... I don't know...but I want to.

3. INSPIRE: Verse 11 - Wow. Can you imagine? I try to picture what it looked and sounded like inside of that tent!!! Unbelievable. But my favorite part is the last sentence..."Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua...did not leave the Tent." THAT'S WHY I LOVE STUDENT MINISTRY! For the moments when a "young" persons realizes that there is nothing in the world more important than just "abiding." Just soaking in the transforming, healing, inspiring, loving presence of Papa...it just doesn't get better than that. Will you be a Joshua today? Will you join me in letting the business of this world fade away and allow ourselves to go into the Tent of Meeting (which is now in your heart, by the way :). Will you just bask in his Awesome presence? Soak it up...don't leave the tent!

Small Group Video...

2009-11-06T10:55:00.002-06:00

Hey guys, this is the corny little video I shot for you to view together as small groups, and then to GET INTO THE WORD together!! You, soldier, are challenged--how are you doing in battle?

Baptism...the beginning!

2009-10-12T13:30:00.002-05:00

A week ago, our church experienced an incredible outpouring of God's grace as over 30 people came forward for baptism! It was incredible, and I hope you take a second to watch a quick video of the Junior High and High School students who were baptized that day. I do want to point out though, that this is only the beginning--they are being "born again," and just like any newborn, they have an entire life ahead of them full of joy, pain, love, challenges, etc. Join me in praying for them--pray for true discipleship and service opportunities for them, that they may grow in wisdom and understanding! I'm pumped to be a part of what God is doing in this church and this youth group, and praying for even more outpourings of grace and power.

God's Masterpiece

2009-09-28T15:57:00.003-05:00

Ever wondered why you are here on this earth? God not only created with incredibly awesome gifts and abilities, but he placed you in a specific place at a specific time in world history (2009 right now). You are here on purpose...and on a mission! You are God's workmanship (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works! (Eph. 2:10) Take the time to watch this INCREDIBLE video (it's about 9 minutes long).

Kickoff time!

2009-08-18T11:45:00.003-05:00

The time has arrived! School begins this week, and AXIS kickoff is just a few days away (Aug. 26). After some evaluation and prayer, the schedule for the next few months is set, and we are excited about the vision and direction of the student ministry! We have finished the snackbar area, we have a great new check-in system (and thus, an affective follow-up plan!), and a great lineup for our Wednesday night program this fall. We're starting with a concert (check out myspace.com/skylinecircle), water balloon war, and fireworks on the 26th--YOU WON'T WANNA MISS IT! Then in September we are starting a series called "What Goes Around" - talking about Grace, and trying to fully grasp what it is (vs. the popular idea of Karma and just being a "good person"). Check out this video:

Days 4 and 5: Worship and Live

2009-07-31T00:16:00.003-05:00

First of all - I'm super sorry about not giving an update last night - I got back in my room after 1:30am, and then couldn't get the internet working, so decided just to go to sleep--but some AWESOME stuff happened on Wednesday as well as today.

Wednesday (Day 4: Worship)
As we traveled through the book of Exodus, we got to the story of Moses receiving the Law from God while Aaron compromised and fashioned a golden calf for the people of Israel to worship. We studied the Scripture and applied it to our own lives--we may not bow down and worship a golden cow...but we do worship idols. We spent time studying the concept of worship and how we are created as worshippers, and if we don't give Jesus our whole heart, we WILL worship something or someone else. It was a powerful evening as we were challenged to be open and honest about the idols in our lives, and it was freeing as we confessed these things to each other...but then it got even better. Many of you may not know a soon-to-be freshman, Robby Myers, but God truly got ahold of his heart that night! As the main session came to a close (which was outstanding), Robby was moved to tears, and as we talked, he said he is beginning to understand God's Word in ways that he had never been able to before, and that he wanted to give his life completely over to Jesus. We eventually talked about baptism and what it means, and he got so excited that he couldn't wait to get home. We called mom (Barbara Davenport), asked how she felt about this decision, and she was all-for it. We will show video of Robby's baptism into Christ on Sunday morning (hopefully)--as we did it in the Lee University garden fountain! It was awesome! Praise Jesus!!! (Robby is the one in the middle of this tennis court picture...click to enlarge)

Thursday (Day 5: Live)
Today, really, was icing on the cake. It was a reinforcement of what God has been pressing on the hearts of the students, and a final encouragement and challenge to make this commitment and excitement for Jesus a daily desire and routine. It was also "skip-a-meal" day (I can explain later if you'd like me to) and "extended recreation" day...which meant: white water rafting! We had so much fun and got so stinkin' wet--it was truly an incredible memory-making experience. We only lost four students to the rapids, but that's not a bad ratio. Just kidding! Nobody was injured other than maybe a bruise or two, and we all walked away talking about who was the strongest, most brave, most crazy, and most wet among us! I'm sorry I won't have any new pictures up on the slideshow to your left...today was just a whirlwind, and I have not imported anything yet.

To end the evening, Eric Epperson did a fantastic job giving us the challenge to step up and live this kingdom worker concept out at home, and then they did something unique. Every student received a card inside an envelope as they walked into the session this evening. They were told that on this card is written a challenge that they are personally challenged to accomplish and complete...and that these challenges are not small or easy. As we return home tomorrow, I encourage you to ask the students that attended (you'll notice us wearing our shirts on Sunday) what their specific challenge was. (they ranged from committing to go on an over-seas missions trip in the next year to getting a part time job for the soul reason of sharing their faith with co-workers).

I will close the CIY Move blogging with this truth: Relationships are key. This group of 31 people are closer than we have ever been, and it's only been 6 days. It proves the fact that when we spend intentional time with people for the purpose of talking about God-stuff and EXPECTING God to show up and move in our lives--unity happens. Unity in our mission, unity in our personal relationships, unity in our passion for worship, etc. So please, please, please, when we get home - make it your goal as parents, friends, and family to be excited with your son/daughter/friend... Fuel the flame, even. Partner with them in their challenge to do something bigger than themselves for the kingdom. The emotion of the trip will eventually wear off, but I implore you to help maintain the passionate desire to see His kingdom advance!

Day 3: Crossing

2009-07-28T22:44:00.005-05:00

...the Red Sea, that is. We dove into Exodus 14 today, and as the Israelites were finally freed from their bondage and slavery, they almost immediately came upon a "problem." God took them the long way around and they ended up at the Red Sea with nowhere to go and a huge Egyptian army storming towards them! That's exactly what happens to us when we are set free from sin - God begins leading and guiding us...but not always when and how we thought. In fact, Satan is ticked off and he is coming at us full force, and we are left, standing at the water's edge with no place to turn, grumbling against God! Oh how quickly we forget the power and wisdom of God when times get tough. The beautiful thing is, though, that if we listen to Him, he will do AMAZING THINGS! He parted the sea (can you imagine being the first Israelite out of the 2.5 million of them to step out into the newly created path?? Kinda scary). We were challenged today to not only let Jesus free us from sin and bondage...but to begin living out that freedom as "Kingdom Workers." God calls us to step up and make a difference in the Kingdom, and we started our journey today in finding out what it is that He is calling us to. Pray for the students to be able to remove all distractions over the next couple of days in order to clearly hear the call that God is placing on their life, specifically. I truly believe with all my heart that this generation can and will turn the world upside down for Christ!

On a less spiritual note, it rained ALL DAY today, and I will try and post some pictures tomorrow of the soaking wet football games and the extreme mud wrestling--It was intense! :) Oh, and I will NEVER bring rubber bands for an illustration ever again...when the innocent game was over, a war broke out. I have more welts and bruises on my body now than the Israelite slaves did!!! We are having a blast and growing closer, though--I guess a few rubber band slaps are worth the bonding and memories (I can't promise I didn't retaliate against your kids though :).

Day 2: Freedom!

2009-07-27T23:33:00.002-05:00

Today has been full of fun and excitement as well as some pretty heavy, serious times. After a good night in the dorms (girls have awesome dorms!), we had some pretty good cafeteria breakfast and then started a day all about slavery vs. freedom. Each of the students had a "d-group" (discipleship group consisting of about 8 student and 2 leaders), where we had some great teaching about the reality and gravity of our sin. We took two paper bracelets, wrote sins that we personally struggle with (on the inside of the bracelets), and wore them all day on our wrists...as part of the evening session, the adults took a third bracelet and "shackled" the students' hands together as if they were handcuffed to represent the fact that sin enslaves us. After some prayer and meditation, they were encouraged to break free and throw away their "chains" - it was a very powerful moment. In fact, in our "youth group time" at the end of the night, we split into guys and girls and got very open and honest with each other about specific sins in our lives that we want to eradicate...and there was a combination of tears, shouts of joy, and earnest prayer happening! No one was forced to talk, but many were moved by the Spirit to confess things and get the burdens off of their chest in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Here is what I am even more excited about...students are being freed from sin and death...and we still have 3 more days here to get to talk about how to LIVE OUT this newly found Freedom In Christ! Today's theme (Freedom) was based out of Exodus 12 (the end of the 10 plagues, and the letting go--i.e. 'exodus'--of the Israelites from Egypt), and was obviously very applicable to us and our need to be freed from our own slavery to sin. Celebrate with us the many decisions to get radical about confessing and eliminating sin, and please pray for tomorrow as we talk about the "Crossing" (Red Sea)--where is God leading us, and how do we know his will, leading, and direction for our lives?? It will be an extremely enlightning and important day! Thank you for wanting to keep up and know what is going on as well as being in prayer for us as we are at Move. Please feel free to leave a comment on the blogs (as it encourages me to continue writing at 1 am or later as I go to bed! :). Love you all - God is good.

Here, and In Position

2009-07-26T22:20:00.003-05:00

We made the 12-hour drive flawlessly! God totally helped keep us safe, and I know that he helped us drivers stay awake and alert (in addition to several pops and energy drinks :). Feel free to give Brent O'Connor a big pat on the back, as he drove the all-girls van! We lost an hour as we got into the Nashville area (we are an hour ahead of MO), and arrived at Lee University in Cleveland, TN around noon. We enjoyed some free time/nap time until hamburgers and hot dogs at 5pm. Then the conference officially began, and it was a GREAT opening session! The atmosphere was one of energetic expectancy, and God filled the place as we worshipped Him. The speaker, Scott ?, did an excellent job of setting up this week's theme by discussing Exodus 3--Moses and the Burning Bush - How we, like Moses, have been sought out by God for a purpose that He designed us for, and we must get into a position of willingness! When we give excuses, God simply remiss us of who he is (I AM)! Please be in prayer for tomorrow (Monday), as we will be talking about the slavery in Exodus, and how we are slaves to sin...it will be a very heavy day as the students come face to face with their sin, and the reality that Jesus is the only one who can break those chains and give us true Freedom! I love and appreciate you all - thank you for your prayers and support!

Runnin' crazy!

2009-07-17T10:51:00.003-05:00

This summer has been awesome! This picture was at JH CYOKAMO, getting ready for an 80's bowling night. We've had both weeks of camp, two AXIS Wednesday night worship times, a massive fireworks stand, a float rip, and a partridge in a pear tree so far...and it's not over! God has truly been moving at Carterville (very evident this week at VBS!), and we are getting ready for our last two big trips of the summer - CIY MOVE and JH Bodybuilders. I know that these weeks will absolutely change lives, and I plead with everyone to be in prayer over these weeks. "MOVE" is in Cleveland, TN (Lee University) for the high schoolers, and Bodybuilders in an inner-city St. Louis missions trip (teaming up with 3 other youth groups). Please be praying for God to prepare the hearts of the students now, and to blow them away at camp!! I believe we can change the culture of worship at CCC beginning with youth if we take it seriously! Thank you, Jesus!

Practice What You Preach?

2009-05-04T07:13:00.002-05:00

I'm on my first day of vacation right now...and I'm supposed to be in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida...driving to Miami this morning. I'm in Atlanta, GA. Wanna know why? You guessed it - weather delays. STORMS! Shayla and I were a little frustrated for a while - just sitting in the plane on the runway for over an hour. But God is in control...maybe we weren't supposed to make it on time...what if something would have happened, and God was actually helping us by making us wait. I am learning patience even on vacation :). And to add to it - we got a discounted, upgraded room at the hotel for the night in Atlanta - sweet! God is still just as much good, just as much God, and just as much in control - even (and especially) in the midst of storms. If you are going through some turbulence in your life right now - remember that God still has EVERYTHING under control!

Storm Season!

2009-04-27T14:39:00.003-05:00

April showers bring May tornadoes...or something like that. We have tons of storms this time of year, and whether you are one of those people who stand out in the street watching it, or if you're the first one to the storm shelter - nobody likes getting hit by a storm (even if you have insurance!). There are unfortunately lots of others storms in our lives beyond just the weather. Over the next few weeks, we are going to be putting these storms under a microscope and asking the difficult questions, like "Why, God?" How do we deal with storms in our lives, and can they actually yield any positive results? In Christ, we find some answers that give us hope and peace in these times. Don't try to weather these storms alone - come, be encouraged and lifted up in prayer by a community of real people who are sharing their stories, and who want to be there for you. I don't typically just blog about how you should come to church - but the new series starting this week is something you won't want to miss! Come check it out this Wednesday at 6:30.

Intentional Attention

2009-04-13T10:59:00.002-05:00

Question: What grabs your attention?
Answer: Anything that can stir your emotions, and is typically short-term.

We have lots of things that grab our attention...but giving our attention to something has less to do with emotion and more to do with intention. Even in church--we can be gripped by something that was said or sung about...but then we don't actually do anything about it! Proverbs 4:25-27 says, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Here's the bottom line - If we are not intentional about giving our attention to something (or someone), then it is easy for us to get off track and have our attention grabbed by anything. What are you giving your attention and affection to? Here are the two biggest questions to help you know:
- Where does most of your TIME go? (work, friends, TV, music, internet...spending time with Jesus?)
- Where does most of your MONEY go? (fast food, games, clothes...people in need, tithes and offering?)

If you evaluate the answers to those questions and there is a big imbalance...maybe it's time to get intentional about focusing our attention on the things of God. Take a minute today to make a list and prioritize the things that are truly the most important to you, and GIVE your attention (intentionally) to them, and cut down on the meaningless things that continually "grab" your attention. This is a struggle for me--especially with "my" money. Let's work together, and by the power of God we can all refocus our attention on the things that truly matter!

No Air...

2009-04-02T13:04:00.003-05:00

Jordin Sparks' song (still near the top of the charts), "No Air" is all about telling someone you love that you can't live without them--here are some lyrics:

"If I should die before I wake, It's 'cause you took my breath away
Losing you is like living in a world with no air
I'm here alone, didn't wanna leave, My heart won't move, it's incomplete
Wish there was a way that I can make you understand

But how do you expect me, To live alone with just me
'Cause my world revolves around you, It's so hard for me to breathe

Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air..."

That's a great mushy song to sing to that special someone...but what if it were true about our relationship with God? Did you know that the Greek word for God's Spirit is "pnuema" and is often translated wind, breath, or air? Spiritually, we breathe (thus, survive and thrive) on God. This question haunts me: If God took his Spirit out from the church, what would change...if anything? How much do we truly rely on God...and how much of what we do is on our own abilities and power? Just as our bodies need air to live, move, and breathe...we MUST stay connected to the Spirit if we are to live, move, and breathe spiritually! Today, think about how much you are actually depending upon Him, and don't go another second without air!

By the way - this is my favorite parody of that song :)

Cats or Dogs?

2009-03-09T13:19:00.002-05:00

Are you a cat or a dog when it comes to church? Let me explain, when you feed, pet, play with, and love a dog...the dog thinks, "Wow - you must be God!" When you feed, pet, play with, and love a cat...the cat thinks, "Wow - I must be God!" People that are passionately in love with Jesus (dog people) come to church excited about how they can worship and serve God and others--even if something is new or different, because it's not about them, it's about Jesus. People that are passionately in love with themselves (cat people) come to church excited about how the sermon is going to speak to them, and wondering if the worship is going to be good. We want the sermon to be relevant and touch people's lives, and we want the music to help us pour our hearts out to Jesus...but for a cat, they judge a service (and the church) by how well they were ministered to instead of how well they were able to worship God and minister to others. If there is a new song or if the music was too loud or if the pastor said something that was too edgy or challenging, then a cat walks away frustrated, complaining, and possibly even leaving or causing dissension among the body.

This sheds a whole new light on the fact that, "All dogs go to heaven!" :)

Love is in the air...

2009-02-09T15:01:00.003-06:00

I am teaching "Virtuous Reality" (and abstinence education program) in a middle school in Joplin, and I can tell that Valentine's day is here! Lots of junior high drama, hook-ups and break-ups...but it makes my job fun :). People do crazy things when they are in love. Big, burly men sit down to watch a gushy chick flick and the girliest of girls act interested in their boyfriend's musings about the latest video game or wrestling match! Dirty rooms become clean when that certain guy or girl comes over to visit, and all of a sudden we practice good manners. And that's just the simple, expected things! We are proud of our significant other, and we never are ashamed to tell people about him/her. Maybe you're in love with a sport, a hobby, a computer, an instrument, a school mascot, etc, and you love talking about it. So why are we scared to utter the name of Jesus around our friends and family? We say we love him...but do we do crazy things for Him? As Valentine's Day approaches, let us not forget to show love and gratitude for the One who IS love! Look for opportunities to share this Love with someone today.

Also, this week, we are meeting early on Wednesday (leaving at 6pm) to go to an awesome area-wide True Love Waits Rally. Grab a friend a come--The theme is "Masterpiece", and it's gonna rock!

I Wonder...

2009-01-19T10:53:00.003-06:00

Do you? Wonder is when our words, affection, attention, and soul can't explain or get enough or something. It is the thing upon which you think about in your spare time and talk about with your friends. What inspires a sense of wonder in your life? Maybe it's a place (i.e. Rocky Mountains or a cruise to the Bahamas). Maybe it's a person--a "significant other" or celebrity. Maybe it's something else like a sport, hobby, or some type of product. Guess what? God created all of these places and people, and it is He that allows us to enjoy the things we do...but God is more than just an incredible Creator. He is our Savior, our Provider and Sustainer, our friend, and more. Sometimes we get off rhythm in our lives because we take our eyes off of the true Inspiration and we are enamored only by the temporary and finite. What would change in our day if we were truly, fully excited and inspired by God and who He is. We've heard God is big (and lots of other "churchy things that become easy--Sunday School answers...), but what if we lived like it! Take some time out of your week and use your God-given imagination to think about how incredible He is and what He does! Put the wonder of God back into life...

Check out this awesome video that illustrates an awesome sense of rhythm (the best dancers in the 4-state area in a dance-off!)

Rhythm

2009-01-14T09:25:00.004-06:00

We kickoff AXIS tonight for Spring 2009! Our first 4-week series will be discussing the topic of rhythm in our lives. I had the opportunity to preach about this idea in December, and we are going to break it down and dive in a little deeper over this next month. Basically, God created everything with a sense of rhythm and syncopated motion--just look at His creation (from the human body to the delicate balance of our solar system). He created us to be in rhythm with Him in the Garden of Eden...but sin entered and the beautiful song started to get off beat. Therefore, God began working through entire Old Testament in order to have Jesus, the Messiah, come and conquer sin and death-- and now we can have a restored relationship and "get back on beat" with our Creator through Jesus' sacrifice! This is our desire for every single teenager we have the opportunity of meeting--and not only to deepen their relationship with God, but also to improve relationships with family and friends. This is the rhythm to which God is moving...will we lay down our selfish songs and join in with Him??

Your Desires?

2008-12-01T08:00:00.003-06:00

I learned something pretty cool about the word "desire." Usually we think of our wants and desires as a somewhat selfish proposition, but if you break the word down (de-sire)...it is intriguing. The "de" means "of" (like in Spanish or Latin), and to "sire" something means to "father" it; therefore, a true desire is "of the father." Psalm 37:4 says to "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Can they really be your desires if the word means "of the father?" Yes - because when we get close to Jesus, the Father's desires become our desires, and our heart breaks over the things his heart breaks over! Can we twist desires to be selfish?--of course, but knowing the meaning of "desire" gives this verse an awesome richness that makes me want and desire to have the Father's heart...because then, I will receive every single one of "my" desires.

Mary and Martha...appropriate at Thanksgiving?

2008-11-25T15:29:00.002-06:00

Luke (10:38-42) tells us the story of Mary, Martha, and Jesus. This is a huge story for me, because neither one of them necessarily did anything wrong, but one of them pleased Jesus by choosing what was better. I challenged the Sunday School class to think outside the box this Thanksgiving and to truly show their gratitude for their family (not just say it). But I want to preface it with the story of Mary and Martha--make sure that we don't get so busy with cooking, cleaning, entertaining, visiting, playing, etc (all good things)--that we miss out on Jesus. Join me in sitting at Jesus' feet over this holiday, and make an effort eliminate too many "good" things, and concentrate on the best ones! Happy Thanksgiving.

Also - If you would like to share a cool way that you said "thank you" to your parents/family - please comment and share so that we can be inspired, challenged, and encouraged!

Jesus, Hoverboards, and Thanksgiving Prayers

2008-11-20T15:59:00.004-06:00

Last night was the second ever Axis Bowl, and we had a blast! It is great to experience the fact that Christians can have fun and enjoy a good time without the need for drugs and alcohol. The help we did have, though, was a combination of competitions that culminated in leaf-blower powered hover-boards. Plywood, plastic, staples, duck tape, and pvc piping can do wonderful things when put together in the right way! Whether it was hovering slightly above the ground, getting nailed with a dodgeball, winning a wii tennis match, or whatever - it was more than just games. James 1:17 states that "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights..." It is cool to know that Jesus was in the midst of playing and laughing and singing, because it was all good. Sometimes we don't think about Jesus as one to throw his head back and laugh or to play and have fun - but He was the one that placed our humor and sense of adventure and healthy competition inside of us!

Other than announcing the winners of the evening (who happened to be the seniors), we ended the evening with a thought about prayer. Jesus taught us to pray to "Abba" - to "Dad" (Matt. 6:9), and not to pray long meaningless, babbling prayers, but to pray to Dad about what's on our hearts--good and bad. We had a blast last night, and we spent the evening playing in the presence of God for the glory of God, and we talked to Him about it and thanked Him for it! Please don't get caught in boring, monotonous prayers that become automatic and you don't think about them. Kind of like this one..."Lord, please bless this food to the nourishment of my body..." Chances are you've prayed that before your meal...and I'm not saying that's wrong to pray...but why do you pray it? Are you afraid it might not nourish you? (Isn't food, by definition, nourishing?) It's kind of like praying..."Lord, please bless this soap to the cleanliness of my body" before you take a shower! :) So you now have my permission to show the world that Christians have fun, exciting lives; and you also have my permission to smirk next Thursday when someone prays for the food at Thanksgiving dinner!

Spiritual Warfare

2008-10-30T10:08:00.002-05:00

The last two weeks at our Wednesday night Axis meetings we have discussed some issues regarding Satan, demons, and the spiritual realm. We didn't have enough time to cover everything I would have liked, so I promised to post a blog so that we can have more discussion and comments if you would like to know more. Please post a comment if you have any questions about the spiritual, demonic, or other issues regarding spiritual warfare, and I will do my very best to give you as much info as possible. Also, spread the word about this blog page, because it's got the youth calendar at the bottom, recent update stuff with the texting on the side bar, etc. Thanks, and remember to pray today: "God, give me your eyes."

Do Hard Things

2008-10-28T10:00:00.002-05:00

I've been reading a book by that title (Do Hard Things), and have been challenged in my life and ministry to raise my standards and expectations. Not just of myself, but of the people I lead and teach. Think about the average teenager...what is expected of them...of a "good" teenager? Basically, to not drink, do drugs, have sex, etc., and to try and make their beds and do a chore or two. If this describes you, good job! You have met the cultural norm for a "good" teen. The problem is that you are praised for the things you don't do instead of the things you actually attempt or accomplish. Paul wrote that "when I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me" (1 Cor. 13:11). He didn't say that "after I was a child, I was a teenager, and then after I had my care-free years as a teen, I grew up after college." This is a call for not only teens, but everybody to break out of the low expectations set by our society, and do things that challenge us and our comfort zones. Step up this week and allow God to use you to the potential He created you to be!

Also, a quick update - AXIS has been awesome! We started a quarterly "AXIS BOWL" competition/outreach night in September, and will be having another one in a few weeks. We are growing in number, and we have been challenged spiritually by the book of James, and how we need to improve our lives as disciples of Jesus.

Catch-Up

2008-09-22T15:29:00.002-05:00

So it's been well over a month and no blog - sorry. We have been movin' and a shakin, and staying busy. God is doing some awesome things here at Carterville, especially as the school year has started and we are getting into a routine. We have been meeting for Axis each Wednesday night and are having a blast. The Theme for the fall is called "Reflection," and is based out of James 1:22-25 (feel free to read it!), and we are learning about the difference between the way we often see ourselves when we look in the mirror vs. the way that God sees us. Small groups are just now starting, and we have a record number of students in these groups, which is awesome! I will close this "update" blog with an interesting fact. You probably knew that both sound and light have "waves," but did you know they are extremely similar? The major difference between them is the incredible difference in the "pitch/frequency" of these waves. THEREFORE, because God is way beyond our human limitations, it is very possible that he hears light and sees sound in color!! How cool is that? Apply that to singing worship - he not only hears it...he sees a beautiful rainbow of praise! And who knows, maybe when we get our new bodies in heaven...maybe we could too. A cool thought. Make some new colors and sounds to day for Jesus!

Kickoff!

2008-08-12T10:43:00.002-05:00

I'm really exited about getting things kicked off for this fall, and we are celebrating by a sweet pool party this Sunday night! We are meeting at Dave Punch's house from 5:30 to 9:30 for food (burgers and stuff), fun (swimming, big-screen tv, basketball, games, etc.), and friends! Please come and bring a friend or two! Let me know if you have any questions.

Where did the Summer Go?

2008-08-06T11:42:00.003-05:00

It's already a week into August, and school is knocking on the door! I'm pumped about getting AXIS geared up for the fall, because we are going to be doing some great stuff. I want to keep everybody up to date on what is coming up and what's happening, so here are some options to stay in the loop this fall:
1. Come to church and listen to announcements!
2. If you have a texting plan on your cell phone, follow the directions to the left on the sidebar - I will be sending mass text messages to everybody to let them know upcoming stuff, changes in schedules, etc.
3. Become my friend on Facebook. I will send out invitations to events through Facebook, and keep up to date on stuff.
4. Check up on our AXIS Google Calendar

CIY "Move" Day 5: Got Power?

2008-08-01T02:14:00.003-05:00

Today was quite interesting - we went to bed last night to the sound of rain and thunder, and we woke up this morning with no electricity! It was campus wide, which made for a difficult, yet still productive morning. We all set spiritual goals for ourselves to be accomplished over the next year and even proceeded to write out specific action steps to accomplish them. The campus employees and the CIY staff worked very hard to get the electricity up and running in the main arena where we had been meeting for worship and the messages, and it worked...for a few minutes. The power went out again right as we started the first worship song, but we were up and running again within about 20 minutes or so after hooking up a generator. God truly came through tonight again. Robin spoke tonight, and it was by far the most emotional evening as we were challenged to stand up and stand firm! Youth group time was great as we listened to the graduated seniors give their advice about being a Christian in high school, and we all laughed and cried and prayed together. I love it when the church becomes what God designed it to be, and we experienced that today and this week - we had true community. We will be having 4 baptisms when we get home (Robbie spoke up tonight), and possibly even a couple of rebaptisms...we still have a little more to talk through there. I forgot to mention in yesterday's post that Autumn made the decision to go into full-time ministry (probably MCC as her college first), and we have others that have been able to deal with sin and past issues that have been weighing them down. Chains have been broken and God's people have been set free! Pray for safe travel tomorrow (well, today), and I will see you soon. Thanks again for the prayers and support!

CIY "Move" Day 4: Party!

2008-07-31T09:49:00.004-05:00

There's no way to keep this blog short--today was incredible! Today's theme was boldness, and as we learned about the boldness of the apostles in the book of Acts, God was working on our kid's hearts. Today was "skip a meal" (the money that would've been spent on lunch was saved to be used for overseas conferences), and after a great morning sessions and small group time, we headed to the university mall just to get off campus for a little while during free time. After dinner we had main session and a great time of creative worship. We were challenged well by the speaker about stepping up and being bold, and then came youth group debrief time. We talked a little while about reasons why we are afraid to share our faith or step up to the plate for God, and what areas we need to work on being bold. We took a few minutes to break into groups and pray for each other to have the boldness to make the decisions that God is prompting us to make. Afterwards we came back together as a group and gave the opportunity for people to speak up and tell the group if they need to make a decision...and the Spirit moved! I have permission by the following students to tell what happened (although I won't use last names): Tyler was the first to step up and say that he needs to get right with God and get baptized! His boldness encouraged others to speak up. Darin rededicated his life to Jesus, and Jesse decided to get baptized and wants to go into missions work! Andrew W. would like to be rebaptized and Andy L. also stepped up to be baptized for the first time! That's a total of 3 first time decisions for Christ and 2 rededications!! Thank you so much for your prayers...but don't stop now- please keep it up! Hallelujah!

CIY "Move" Day 3: Heavy

2008-07-30T08:33:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's post didn't really give you a good flavor for what we are doing...it was just to show you a very basic schedule. The heart of what we are doing is one word: relationships. You might call us crazy for staying until 1:30am every night, but we have already been building memories and relationships that will last. We sing and jump around together, we eat and play together, we even share and weep together. Thank you for your prayers! We have been diving into worship, teaching, and applying God's truths, and I have noticed a real hunger for some deeper, heavier discussions. We had a representative from the online community known as "Heart Support" (check them out at www.heartsupport.com), and he spoke about the reality of teen suicide, alcoholism, self injury, eating disorders, depression, and addictions. It was an incredible time for everyone to realize two things: 1. If that is you, you're not alone! 2. You don't have to live that way...you can get out. This session sparked some great discussions throughout the day, and I am excited to report that there are already some decisions being made! I will not disclose any names over this blog, but rejoice and pray with us as God's children are running back to Him! Sorry for the long blogs, but I want you to know how God is moving this week--He is awesome.

CIY "Move" Day 2: Into the Groove

2008-07-29T01:48:00.002-05:00

We are all now mostly familiar with the massive SIU campus and are starting to get the hang of everything. Each day consists of a few main activities (excluding meal times):
1. Encounter Time - where we have some morning wake-up music and a speaker that introduces the day's theme before we go out and spend about 20 to 30 minutes doing our own devo/prayer time.
2. Discipleship Group Time - we break into 3 groups (as a church), and our leaders get to teach Bible-based curriculum written for today's theme.
3. Move Experience - Different times from Comedians to serious discussions about cutting, pornography, etc.
4. Free Time! - SIU has a huge facility with basketball, track, raquetball, an enormous pool, and more.
5. Evening Main Session - An incredible combination of singing, videos, messages, creative worship, and challenges that are pushing us out of our comfort zones and deeper into the heart of God.

Today went great, and several students are already feeling that they need to make a decision this week...we are just continuing to watch and listen to see what and where God is calling us to!

CIY "Move" Day 1: Pumped!

2008-07-28T00:23:00.005-05:00

We made it!! No bumps, bruises, backroads or breakdowns. Because of some last minute issues, our numbers are now 12 boys, 13 girls, 6 adults, and a baby (haidyn sears). Thank you so much for your prayers for safe travel and everything-God has been so good to us! We arrived in Carbondale at about 4pm, ate dinner, and got situated in our rooms. The evening session was outstanding, and Matt Bayless (our worship leader for the week) rocked the house! The theme of the conference this week is called "Move", and each day we will be focusing on a specific topic. This evening was one simple, yet super-important truth: Jesus is the ONLY way that we can connect with/move toward God. Everyone in our group is excited to see how God is going to move this week, and we are expecting nothing less than the miraculous. Please pray that both the adults and the students will open their hearts and their minds to whatever it is that God wants to show us. Ok, as you can see from the time on this post...it's definitely bed time! I'll update you later, as I expect God to continue to MOVE.

Getting Started

2008-07-22T17:41:00.002-05:00

Hey everybody,

This is the new blog for Axis Student Ministries at Carterville Christian Church. I will post information about programs, trips, and events as well as information and articles relevant to youth culture. You might even get a few blogs simply about what's going on in the life of my family and the church as well. I pray that God uses this blog to help minister to you and your family!!

In Christ,

Shane