Pray For Britney

My good friend Bill Scott and his wife Janet went to visit a young lady in jail. Janet posted the picture to your left and said the following.... she told us the best thing that could have happened to her was for her to get caught so she would begin to turn her life around. 


So please pray for Britney and she will continue to recover and follow God!

1 Peter 1 Friendship

1Peter 1:5-9 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

 I read this tonight and it hit me hard about the life that God has called us to live. I must admit for many years I always felt that the Christian faith was about just the freedom that Christ give you. But with that freedom we also must understand that there is a standard that God has called us to live up too.

If I was to write my biggest fault and the one that almost everyone points out is the fact I forget and lose stuff. I must admit it bothers be allot when people point it out all the time, because it is one of those things that I know without someone else saying it all the time. I hate that I forget things and lose stuff. I believe it is an area that I need to work on and continue. I guess the reason I feel that way is because I always felt less then up to just a few months ago. I would spend so much time finding fault in me to where I only did what I knew what I was good at. I believe if I was to sit down with you and say what my gift is I would have to say friendship.

When I read this verse today I started thinking about that. I love doing things with people I care about and love. Always making that relationship stronger and doing things. It's funny I try to be hard about things, but I end up giving in. I read for this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. I start to think about those relationships that we have with one another. I also start to think about my relationship with God. I believe that part of having a relationship with God is knowing what he wants you to do.

I believe we throw around the word "calling" way to much and forget that God desires you to be who he made you to be. When I went to new york this spring break I was just amazed with the amount of history that was with in that place. I think about our country and how many people that has helped us get to where we are at now. To look at the pew that Washington worshiped at brought tears to my eyes. To stand where humans lost their life on 9/11 and to hear stories about that day just amazes me. In the same way I believe God is amazed and loves when we live the best we can. Setting aside what we are bad at and building on what we are good at.

This is going to sound weird but I love our youth worship team. I love it because it is raw and struggling but God is getting glory out of it. When I get into a car with a kid and he ask "how did I sound?" I get to point them to what true worship is. I say all the time, it's not about me or you it is about God. Where was your heart at? Because of that rawness and not being the "best" buy trying to understand something new opens the door to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love working with a kid who his raw and their faith is all sorts of messed up, but they are open to change and the gospel. To me it's just like that worship team, it always starts with I but I have the chance to point it back to God. I am not sure why I got that gift, but I know that God wants to use it. I become excited when the Gospel changes a life for good. I care nothing about the spiritual high that the kid might get on, but I do care about the changes they are making.

This is where I am going to be honest about where I was at last year. I was burned out and tired because I was trying to be God of my life. I had kids coming in and to be honest I didn't like them anymore. I felt that it was nothing but drama and some how I lost a passion. I knew I was wrong, but didn't want to admit it to anyone. I did what I could to get by and went on in life. I was living day by day with no vision of growing, learning, and compassion. I guess you can say I forgot my purpose and who I was living for.

To make a long story short it took a 15 year old to help me understand what it was that God called me too. I felt that I was getting to old for youth ministry which is a lie from Satan. I was thinking maybe it was a different group of kids I needed to work with. I started idolizing those youth pastors who talked about how good their group was. One night at camp after a event that I would rather forget about, but can't...I am talking with this kid in tears saying "I can't get baptize I am to bad." I broke and asked myself "what have I been teaching." The next day we baptized him and today he is a leader with in our group. Today he will tell you that what changed him the most was the compassion I had. I have had the chance to tell him he help change my life.

I read that in 1 Peter that our job is not to be the best but a person of compassion and love. I have to say it took me breaking to understand where I was at. I talked with several people about it, coming clean to my pastor was hard but the most freedom. I told him that I wanted to love again like I did before. I pray that God continues to break my heart from now on with this area.  

Forgiviness

^{Ephesians 4:20} You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holin  ²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶"In your anger do not sin"^[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
 ²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

It's amazing I read that and I see how much hate is in the world with believers. We say we do not want to be in competition with one another, but in all reality we are. We as people do not fully forgive for whatever reason. There is that part that remains bitter at the world and we try to do stuff to cover up our problems. One of my youth ministry heroes Mike Yaconelli said it best. When a person in a christian church is busy they receive praise. That person can go on and yet never build any type of relationships with people. That is not everyone of course but it does happen.

In all reality our busyness simply shows we are needy people. We must be busy because that is how we feel good about us and what we do. I believe more an more that students could careless about our D-Nows, Camps, retreats, and whatever other event we can put on. Those are good things....but I believe the relationship is the most important. I was encouraged today to hear one of our small groups is walking through what salvation is with one of our students. I could preach that from the stage, but I believe it is better one on one. If we have been called to love our neighbor and to reach out to he/she then how important is it for us to step away from the show and show what true forgiveness is.

I believe all that I do is a ministry now and I am to be an example of the light of Grace from Jesus Christ. Showing forgiveness to one another and to situations is the best ministry tool. Doing your best in doing what is right. Last but not least, accepting forgiveness from God. 
 

This is Your Time

It’s hard to believe that yesterday marked the 11th anniversary of Columbine. It’s amazing how time goes by fast and how things are so different now. Speaking at a school a few months ago they had to have a drill of what to do if a person starts shooting. Never in school did I have to go through a drill, but this is the life we live now. We have all heard the song from Michael W. Smith “This is Your Time.” The song was written for Columbine and has become a song that has touched lives all over. However thinking today I couldn’t help but ponder and question life. I have a great deal of faith in God and I try my best to love and be all that he has called me to be. But the question I have for me is, Do I understand that “this is my time.” It’s amazing how quick life goes by. I have now been a The Mission long enough to see a whole group 6th through 12th grade. I am understanding why it is so important to stick around because you start to see the fruit. To sit and hear them say “Nick you remember when you barricaded you in the bathroom?” or my favorite “do you remember when we stole all of your underwear at camp.” Now I so it doesn’t sound “spiritual” but in a way it is. They are taking the time to look back on life and laugh at our times.

Hearing these stories and receiving the graduation invitations is teaching me to value this time but it will not last forever. Building a positive community and crating a second family is the best we can do with our teens. Understanding that this is our time to make an impact in a way that will last forever. Like many youth pastors there are days to where you become sick of the pranks, tired of kids pointing out you have gained a few pounds, and most of all tired of the relationship drama. But I ask what if those who went in and shot up Columbine had a second family. A place to where they knew they belonged and it wasn’t a production. Could have some lives been spared? I am not sure, but what it cool about God is how he takes the bad and makes it beautiful. My prayer is that we start to understand that our time is now to really shine. It’s time to build a relationship with those in need of the grace of God.

I also believe more and more that our Bible studies are essential to that relationship. Trying to be cool no longer works, but what is cool now is simply being you. Trying to throw in scripture but hide it at the same time does nothing but teach that God is simply a good writer. Sitting down and pointing out the crazy parts of scripture and the beautiful part. For them to understand that Jesus walked where they walk and he cares. Teaching these with in that relationship is important.

Lastly; helping the church understand what it is we are called to. On Wednesday’s and Sunday’s I no longer bring my computer in the church unless I need it. I no longer hang out in the office or with the adults. I now spend that time out in the hall and what a difference it makes. To really to take the time to understand that people are in need of something more than entertainment. I don’t spend allot of time now trying to make it cool. I simply want to make it relational and teachable. I remember the days of no rules and the chaos youth brought to the church. Now I understand more and more that even the rules add a relationship to the mix. My point is that I see more and more that if we want all creation to proclaim it’s time to start being who God called us to be.

We are all different but I am now experiencing freedom in knowing it’s okay to not have the same thoughts has everybody. God knows us and he loves us. but created us all differently!      

Mission Abilene Youth

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Here are some picture from a service project that we did this past fall!

This Summer

Hard to believe that summer is right around the corner and I will be so busy. I am blessed this summer though to have the chance to do some cool things and go to to some places that I have never been. I have been thinking allot the past few weeks about how I use to feel shameful to take a moment for myself. So much of my life was about work and moving up.

Don’t get me wrong I still do allot of work, but I have been understanding the meaning of enjoying life. God has blessed me with a wonderful boss and I am living a life that some people would die for. As I plan our youth ministry events and a few other things I am no longer stressing about how it will all get done. Life is short and I believe it is time I truly start enjoying it. Spending time with those who mean allot to me and leaving work at work.

So here is my Youth Group Schedule:

Wednesday June 3^rd 6:00 PM-9:00PM Swim Party at HSU Pool $8.00 includes swimming, pizza, and drinks.

Monday June 14-June 19^th Summer Camp

Thursday June 24^th 6:00PM to 12:00AM Movie Night and Video Games at Mission Abilene Free

Saturday July 17^th Stop the Violence, Start the Love

Wednesday July 14^th 6:00PM-9:00PM Swim Party at HSU Pool $8.00 includes swimming, pizza, and drinks.

Saturday July 24^th Day at Possum Kingdom Meet at the Church at 10:00 AM. Students must bring one picnic item and school supplies for Haiti Victims. For this trip I need to have four leaders…. One of our church members will also bring his boat out. We will have a few activities out there.

Personal Days:

In July sometime I have a chance to go back to New York for a really cheap trip, to check out the teen Challenge program for some future Mission Work. I hope to buy my airline ticket this week or next. This will not really be a mission trip, more of a personal preview trip to see what City Contexx is all about. I came across their site a few months ago and have been speaking with the person who heads it all up. Plus I will go along with some good company (Leslie, Bryce, and his girlfriend).  

August I will be at sea on a cruise! There would have been a day that I would feel bad and the need to stay here. But I have worked for several years many jobs at once to where I am at the point I see that God makes it okay to go and enjoy life. It’s a battle on days to think about going, but I believe it is what I need. So there you have it a busy but blessed summer!

MY Brother's Keeper

I had the chance to attend a concert last week with the recovery group and two of our youth Markus and Logan. It was an awesome time and I loved every minute of it. There we heard an awesome song called Hold us Together from Matt Maher simply talking about how God is the one that holds us together.

It don’t have a job Don’t pay your bills Won’t buy you a home
In Beverly Hills Won’t fix your life And find easy steps
Ain’t the low or the limp Or the government

But as soon you needed

As I was listening I was just amazed with how I have a hard time understanding what it means to be your brothers keeper. I must go ahead and say in this blog I might make a few people upset. But these are truly things I feel. I feel many times we believe being your brothers keeper is simply encouraging them, that is a part but I believe it is more. I believe you are your brothers keeper to be a light in a dark world not to treat a person like they are a charity case. To be our brother's keeper is pointing them towards God for the answers and not having all the answers. I mean I could go on and on, but as I read my Bible the more I see Jesus just simply saying and doing things different from you and I. He brought aide when aide was needed, but he also directed to the source.

The woman at the well is a perfect example is the woman at the Well in John 4

¹⁶He said, "Go call your husband and then come back." ^17-18"I have no husband," she said.
   "That's nicely put: 'I have no husband.' You've had five husbands, and the man you're living with now isn't even your husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough." ^19-20"Oh, so you're a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?"  ^21-23"Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God's way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
 ^23-24"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." ²⁵The woman said, "I don't know about that. I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we'll get the whole story." ²⁶"I am he," said Jesus. "You don't have to wait any longer or look any further."  ²⁷Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn't believe he was talking with that kind of a woman. No one said what they were all thinking, but their faces showed it.  ^28-30The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, "Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?" And they went out to see for themselves.

We also know that the story goes on and because of this woman all of these people come to see Jesus. As I read that I can't help but think about the love of Christ and him knowing what she needs, but not playing games. Now in 2010 life is so different and in many ways complicated. My question is how close are we to living the way Jesus did?

I had a talk with a student last night as I was driving home. It started of with small talk and ended with the student telling me some pretty crazy things. As he was talking his main focus was getting a job and his family situation. I will not go into the details about the conversation and the details. But I will say as I was listening to him I was thinking the whole time that what this young man needs is the love of Christ. As we talked about camp and him not having the money, I knew I could find away for him to go. As he talked though I could see he wanted to do things on his own and earn it. Now I know we will get into the whole you can earn God's grace...I know you can't, but I wanted him to make an investment.

Long story short today I get a phone call about a service project and God put this young man on my heart. I knew for a fact that if he was to go, this was going to be apart of the deal. My point is I couldn't allow him to become my charity case because of his situation but I could help him have an open door. I hate to say it but I believe it is true, there will come a time to where we will be no other person other then Christ to bail us out of our situation. I believe teaching people to make an investment into their faith and where they will go for eternity. You might ask...where are you getting this from?? Well from a crack baby who went to camp last year. One of our church people met him halfway if he came up with the rest. He came up with it and it was hard, but he took camp serious.

My point is simple we can count on our government to bail us out! But in all reality I believe it is about teaching young people to do what is right. It's all about allowing people to screw up and learn and about simply being there and pointing them to the cross.          

New Vision

I have to admit for some reason the last few weeks I have become excited about the things of God. It's not that I wasn't before, it's just that everything became a routine for me. When I was working I was working in my own strength and that wasn't getting me very far. I talked about it before around Christmas time. I talked about getting away and just spending time thinking. I believe that was great for me. Here lately God has been releasing some new vision to me. I am going to throw it out there...

God has giving me a heart for small churches and volunteer youth workers. Many times I believe those churches get over looked and we have youth pastors who leave because of frustrating and lack of training. Or churches who will take who ever they can get to work with their kids. I am blessed because eight youth workers and 30 kids who come to church. That is 1 for every 3 youth, that was my prayer last summer. I believe the # 1 way to reach a teen is a relationship. That is another reason I will spend allot of time with fellowship events. My point is that allot of times kids at churches have people in and out of their life and you add this to church.

So I am in the process of starting a blog type website for those youth workers. My prayer is that with all the resources I have and connections I can target the heart of the small youth group. Not trying to sale a program or say my way is awesome. Just to say here is some stuff for you to use. Things like the following....

• How to get your kids to camp when there is no money. 
• Mission Trip organizations
• Websites dealing teen issues
• How to get in and impact your schools
• Focus on the kids you have
• How to put together a vision statment
• learning to say no 
• dealing with kids who drive you nuts

I could go on and on of what I have learned over the years. I am going on year six of being at the Mission and working with the youth group. If you were to ask my favorite memory, I would say Jr High in a bright orange room full of jr high kids. I asked my self, why? I was at a moment where I knew my gifts and I knew I made an impact. Those were my kids and to this very day they bring me great joy. This year that whole group will all be graduated out and into college.What I have learned through all of this is because I stuck around I see the fruit. Even tonight after church I ran into a kid that I put allot of tear and energy into and he blessed me when he said "Nick I know I gave you hell and you wanted to kill me on days, but thank you" he went on to tell me one of things he noticed was that I hardly missed church and if I did I made sure that I let them know.

When I hear things like that come for their mouth it shows me that they get it. On Monday I will be 28 and I must be honest I am tired at times. I can't do the overnighters anymore like I use to, I need a week off after camp, and I have had every prank pulled on me. I have had condoms put in my car, post-it notes all over my car, prank calls, desk put on bricks, and that is just a few. I have had kids come and go. Students have left because of boundaries I  have put in place. But you know what? I see the fruit, the kids who on a trip in the hotel room took the mattress and traped me in the bathroom is on a journey in the wilderness, the kid who thought it would be funny to still my suit case is now leading worship, and I could keep going!

My vision is to help these people to stick around with the few kids because that is what makes an impact. To tell them that God has a plan and give them tools to work with. Not sure what will come out of this!

Cool note from a parent

I believe it's amazing to receive notes to just encourage you and to say that you are do a great work for the kingdom. Anytime I go to a youth pastor conference the #1 complaint is that people really do not see all the work a youth pastor does. What I am now learning just because they graduate or leave and go somewhere else, there is still work to be done in their life and you will be called. So when I read this today I found my self encouraged.

You have my prayers now and always! I have to say that I love you so much and wonder how you do it. You not only have touched my child's life and have given her a place and group of friends but you have touched mine as well. I love that even though this group has issues and problems (that a parent does not want their own child to have) they still have a place to be comfortable in and not have to "be" what everyone else especially kids think they should "be". They are kids and are going to be kids. On top of that many have adult problems. If we adults can't handle a lot of our own things and issues how do we think these kids feel? And I love that they see each other in their faults and downfalls but know that they are still loved and are in a safe place. They can be more transparent there yet not be bullied or judged and yet be taught right and wrong. I think all churches should be like this. No one is perfect and we all have our downfalls, vices and relapses at times. That does not mean we are unworthy or necessarily bad it means we are human and need God and each other all that much more. Thank you for giving my family that!

It's nice to hear that from a parent. Many times we forget the power of our words and how they can speak life and death. Today is our staff meeting we read from James 3 and talking about the words we speak. I have to admit I struggle with this. I tent to have an opinion for most things and I have to work keeping my mouth closed. I believe there is a time and place for it, but who is to say that I am right??

One of the struggles in working with teens anywhere is that they do things that doesn't add up and you start to believe that they are not the brightest crayon in the box. But when you take the time to look at it from the eyes of God, we are not any different. As we celebrate Easter, we can take the time to know for a fact that Jesus died and was risen because of our way of thinking and sins. It's power to speak those words into people and to show them the love of Jesus Christ. I am working on it and will be doing so until death.