Award-Winning Students

It's the last day of school for Pine City and Rosalie and I were able to attend the academic award ceremonies this morning at the elementary school. Jordan received the Presidential Academic Excellence Award and several other awards. Jonah received an academic excellence award and a citizenship award.

Several of our incoming 7th grade students received awards and our future youth group students (current 5th graders) were well-represented, as well. I'm so excited to have these kids coming into youth group! It's going to be a blast. (Actually, as of today, the incoming 7th grade students are now part of Ignite!)

Enjoy the pictures and congratulations to these students for their great work throughout the year!

Summer Small Groups Launch

Ignite students will begin summer small groups this week. Our senior high group will meet on Mondays from 2-3:30 p.m. beginning June 2. Junior high groups kick off the summer with a meeting this Thursday, June 5, at noon at Pizza Hut. (Junior high group will meet Thursdays from 2-3:30 p.m. after this week.) Groups will initially begin meeting at the Spahr home. Groups will feature Bible study, discussion, sharing and prayer (and food!).

All students are invited to participate as we "do life together" in small groups. If you've never been a part of a small group before this would be a great time to start! Don't miss out.

Paintball Challenge

Ignite students are challenging all interested Journey North adults to a day of paintball fun on Saturday, June 28, at Combat Zone in Hinckley. We'll leave from the church office at 8:00 a.m. and return around 4:30 that afternoon.

Cost for the day is $30 ($20 if you have your own equipment). Let us know if you are interested in attending and we will get you additional details. Registration payments can be made to Ignite Student Ministries by Wednesday, June 11, to guarantee your spot. If you are not planning to attend but have equipment we could borrow, please let me know. That will help keep the cost down for some students who might not otherwise be able to go.

All participants must a sign a release of liability waiver before play. Students under 18 must have that form signed by their parents, as well. I have copies or you can print your own by clicking here.

We had planned to attend a guys paintball retreat last month but a number of schedule conflicts kept us from going. In the midst of planning for that, a number of college and career age guys (and some older!) expressed a desire to play, as well. We thought about hold a day just for guys, but several of our Ignite girls wanted to participate, too. (Just so you know, they're tough and will no doubt kick my rear in paintball!) I'm looking forward to a great day of paintball action together. It will be some fun fellowship and group building time as we run, play and tag one another.

Ignite Students Head to Noah's Ark

Ignite junior and senior high students will be heading to Noah's Ark - America's Largest Waterpark - in the Wisconsin Dells on Friday, June 13. We'll be leaving from the church office at 5:3o in the morning and returning about 11:30 at night. Cost for the event is $35 and is due on or before Wednesday, June 4. (This is an incredible deal as tickets alone are normally about $30!)

The cost includes transportation, admission, a hot dog lunch, and pizza dinner at Rocky Rococo's. Because of the popularity of this trip we expect to fill up so registration is limited to our transportation capacity. If any adults are interested in driving or can loan us a van for the event, please let me know.

It'll be a long trip (about 4.5 hours each way!) but a fun one! Students are welcome to bring books, iPods, Gameboys, etc. for part of the trip, but a great deal of time will be sharing with one another and getting to know each other better! (Nine hours in a van together will definitely help you get to know each other better!) You can also bring some soda or food for breakfast or a snack as we'll plan to stop as seldom as possible on the trip in order to maximize our time at Noah's Ark. You may be able to purchase something during a stop, but it will be a lot cheaper to bring it yourself! Also, don't forget to bring dry clothes to change into for the return trip.

Pearls Before Swine

One of my favorite comics is Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis. Yesterday's strip (May 12) was extremely funny and today's (May 13) - on a different topic entirely - was just as good.

I don't think I can legally put it here, so here's the link if you're in the mood for a good chuckle!

Ignite Prayer Partners

I blogged a little last week about some areas where adults can be involved in student ministries. One of those areas is just now being developed - that of student ministries Prayer Partner.

Some of this blog's readers caught it and have already contacted me already about being a Partner, but I wanted to highlight this opportunity for everyone. My vision for this ministry is this: that Prayer Partners would commit to praying consistently and specifically for our students and our ministry at Journey North Church. I plan to send updates to this prayer team regularly with specific requests for both the ministry and our individual students (not their confidential requests, obviously).

How great a thing for our students to know that they are being prayed for by name each week! If you are a part of Journey North Church and this is a ministry area that you would be willing to commit to, let me know. We'd love to have you join us in bringing these requests before God.

Bad News, Bad News, Good News!

I had a bit of a ministry-related scare the last couple of days. Here's the breakdown:

• Bad News - Over the weekend I was told we weren't going to be able to use the facilities at the elementary school over the summer for our midweek program: 7
  
• More Bad News - I checked with the Pine City Armory to see if we could use their facilities. Nope.
• Good News - I did a little more legwork (and a lot of kneework, if you know what I mean) and was able to negotiate back for the elementary school! Yay! 7 will now be able to continue.

I was really discouraged after the first two news items as we are really developing a great group and I am excited what is happening on Wednesday nights. We're seeing new students show up frequently and I was concerned that having to take a break or change format for the summer would kill our momentum. I gave it to God and He turned it around. I should have known - it's His youth ministry and He will provide. Just have to keep trusting! Good reminder for me.

Rescue Me!

We are starting a fun new 4-part series tonight at 7 called Rescued from an Ordinary Life, based around an in-depth exploration of John 10:10.

Each week we will tackle a different aspect of John 10:10; instructing, challenging, and encouraging students to respond to a God who wants to rescue them from an ordinary life and give them a better life than they ever dreamed of.

We've taken a concept and outline developed by Doug Fields and given it a unique twist that I think our students will love! In addition, we'll have our usual lineup of games, food, open gym time, and a great time hanging out together.

We officially start 7 at 7 p.m. (when else!), but students are welcome to come at 6:30 to help set up and squeeze in a little extra open gym time. We are officially done by about 8:30, but it takes about half an hour to finish cleaning up and taking everything down. Thanks to those who have been able to stick around and help out!

What is a student ministries sponsor?

It’s been a busy few weeks – actually a busy few months! Now that our weekly large group gathering – 7 – is running steadily we have been seeing an influx of new students. As our group continues to grow, it means we will need even more adults willing to commit to investing in the lives of students.

If someone has never worked with students before, they may not know what to expect. One of the questions I often get asked is…

What is a student ministries sponsor?

A sponsor is an adult volunteer or college age student who works in or with student ministries. We have four areas of involvement, each requiring a different level of time commitment.

Occasional Volunteers (Varied involvement with students - limited commitment)

Occasional volunteers are called upon for special one-time events or happenings. From serving food at a Christmas party to driving for a special event - these volunteers come into the program and get random things done. You can serve one time or choose to be called regularly. This is a great area of service for those who love students but cannot commit to regular involvement due to their schedules.

Support Staff (Low involvement with students – weekly time commitment)

A support staffer is someone who is willing to work – for the most part - behind the scenes. It may be someone who:

• Helps with setup and takedown for 7 each week
• Is in charge of food (buying, preparing, serving, cleaning up) at 7
  
• Opens their home for a small group meeting

These support staffers help free up our relational sponsors to concentrate on spending time and building relationships with students.

Prayer Partners (Low direct involvement with students - high commitment)

No student ministry can succeed unless it is powered by prayer. Prayer partners pledge to pray regularly and specifically for students and student ministries. Though prayer partners work behind the scenes in many ways, their support is felt each time a young person hears the Gospel of Christ, each time an adult counsels a troubled teen, and each time anyone in this ministry makes an attempt to advance the Kingdom of God. Prayer partners will receive guidance from the Student Ministries pastor about how he or she can pray each day for the young people and adults who are involved in the junior and senior high student programs. In addition, Prayer Partners will receive regular updates about specific needs within the ministry as they arise.

Relational Sponsors - (High involvement with students - high commitment)

These are the key adults who make youth ministry possible. Relational Sponsors build relationships with students in which ministry can take place. They come alongside students in their spiritual walk.

A Relational Sponsor commits to involvement with one of our ongoing programs such as

• 7 - our weekly large group gathering, or
• Connect small groups during the school year.

They are also encouraged to attend special events and retreats throughout the year as their schedules permit in order to build relationships with students.

Relational Sponsors have the opportunity to show students they are loved simply by showing up each week. They may get involved in the teaching, games, small groups, or just come each week to listen and build relationships that honor Christ. These foundational volunteers receive regular training and support through regular sponsor meeting and periodic training events.

Who can be a Relational Sponsor?

Any adult or college-age student who…

• Has a commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9).
• Is leading an obedient and continually growing Christian life (Col. 2:6,7)
• Has a willingness to offer that life as one worthy of imitation (I Cor. 11:1)
• Likes youth.
• Has a willingness to make time to build friendships with youth.
• Is committed to the mission, vision, and values of Ignite Student Ministries and Journey North Church.

Sound interesting? I'd love to share more of the vision with you. Drop me a note or give me a call.

Your Superpower

Our large youth group gathering, 7 , met last night and a wonderful (and exhausting) time was had by all. With great sunny weather in the 70s we were able to do a fun outdoor game followed by some wonderful strawberry shortcake supplied by the parents of one of our new students. (We had three new students the week before and two more last night. All in all our group has welcomed nine students from outside of Journey North to our Ignite youth group in the past month!)

After finishing up our four-part series, Connect 4, last week, this week's 7 featured a one-part challenge called "Your Superpower, Your Mouth". We did an in-depth study of the first part of James 3 and students were challenged to be careful about the words they use and the potential damage they can do with their speech.

Next Wednesday night we'll be taking a road trip to Northwestern College's Spring Reign event, leaving from the school back parking lot by the Dragon's Den playground at 5 p.m. and returning at 9:45. Students who are planing to attend need to sign up so that we have enough transportation. It looks like we'll fill the church van plus another vehicle so far. (We're still looking for an additional adult driver, so let me know if you're interested!)

In two weeks we'll begin a new four-part series: Rescued from An Ordinary Life. I'm really excited about this one and will post more about it soon. Right now we're getting ready to head to Districts for the weekend. We should miss the snow that is headed for the northern part of the state. (Only in Minnesota can you have sunny 70s one day and snow a couple days later!)

Looking for some Peace this Summer?

Our first Financial Peace University small group at Journey North concludes this week. We've had a lot of fun and learned a ton. I loved getting to know some other people from the church and community that I might never have had the opportunity to interact with at this level. That's one of the benefits of a small group environment.

I can't wait to do it again! One of the things we've been told is that it's almost impossible to run a FPU class during the summer around here as people's schedules are too crowded. Of course, when have we ever followed conventional wisdom? We've talked to some people who actually have more time during the summer (especially those employed by the school system, etc.) We're considering trying to begin again in a couple of weeks at the end of April and running straight through the end of July.

Journey North people and others in the greater Pine City metropolitan area who may be interested in joining in this session should let me know ASAP so that we can evaluate potential attendance. Class members should be able to commit to attend all or most of the 13 weeks. If we have enough participants, we'll start right back up. If not we probably won't be able to run it again until January.

Financial Peace University is taught via video by Dave Ramsey and followed by a discussion time among the small group members making for a two hour session each week. The cost is $95 for the kit which includes a lifetime membership, meaning you can retake the class as often as you'd like at no additional charge. Plus there are a ton of goodies in the kit, making it a great value. Check out FPU at Dave Ramsey's site for additional information or drop me a note at rob@journeynorthchurch.com.

Snow Day in April - 70s Next Week

Pine City schools have a snow day today due to our foot or so of snow with some more on the way today. Yes, students will have to make up the day, meaning their last day of school will be a Monday! (I'm surprised they don't build in a couple of snow days, but whatever.) Nevertheless, it's a nice break and my kids are excited to have a three-day weekend.

I don't mind the snow knowing that it'll all melt in a few days. Plus I don't have to shovel as a very nice neighbor already plowed our driveway!

Next week temperatures are supposed to be in the 70s! Only in Minnesota.

Ignite Road Trip is No Illusion

Ignite students will be taking a road trip on Wednesday, April 30, as we head to Northwestern College for "Spring Reign" - an evening of humor, magic and music.

Dynamic speaker and illusionist Dave Horsager shows how easy it is to be deceived by your eyes … and by the enemy. You’ll be on the edge of your seat and challenged to live a faith that’s the “real thing” as Dave delivers a fun, engaging and powerful message of life-changing truth.

Students will meet by the outdoor basketball courts of the elementary school to depart at 5 p.m. and return at 9:45 p.m. We'll stop by Taco Bell/Long John Silvers on the way down so you'll want to have a few bucks for dinner. There is no charge for the evening, but we need to know who is planning to attend so that we'll have enough transportation. Register by e-mailing Pastor Rob or writing "Spring Reign" on your response cards at 7 on Wednesday night. Don’t miss it!

Seth shares how to write like a blogger

In addition to being a youth pastor, one of my first passions is writing. Seth Godin has a great blog post that I thought was very interesting and a wonderful way of spicing up any writing. I was going to just quote part, but one of the geniuses of his blog posts is that they are so short and easy to read but hard to distill any more than they already are. Plus I hate having to jump to something when I'm trying to read a blog, so here's the whole thing. If you like it, you will want to check out his blog regularly. Great stuff.

Write like a blogger

from Seth's Blog by Seth Godin

You can improve your writing (your business writing, your ad writing, your thank you notes and your essays) if you start thinking like a blogger:

1. Use headlines. I use them all the time now. Not just
   boring ones that announce your purpose (like the one on this post) but
   interesting or puzzling or engaging headlines. Headlines are perfect
   for engaging busy readers.
2. Realize that people have choices. With 80 million other
   blogs to choose from, I know you could leave at any moment (see, there
   goes someone now). So that makes blog writing shorter and faster and
   more exciting.
3. Drip, drip, drip. Bloggers don't have to say everything at once. We can add a new idea every day, piling on a thesis over time.
4. It's okay if you leave. Bloggers aren't afraid to include links or distractions in their writing, because we know you'll come back if what we had to say was interesting.
5. Interactivity is a great shortcut. Your readers care about
   someone's opinion even more than yours... their own. So reading your
   email or your comments or your trackbacks (your choice) makes it easy
   to stay relevant.
6. Gimmicks aren't as useful as insight. If you're going to
   blog successfully for months or years, sooner or later you need to
   actually say something. Same goes for your writing.
7. Don't be afraid of lists. People like lists.
8. Show up. Not writing is not a useful way of expressing your ideas. Waiting for perfect is a lousy strategy.
9. Say it. Don't hide, don't embellish.

What would happen if every single high school student had to have a
blog? Or every employee in your company? Or every one of your
customers?

Connect 2 out of 4

We had a great time on Wednesday night at our second 7 gathering. In addition to students from Journey North we are also excited to have some other students who have joined us each week! There's plenty of basketball, mushroom ball, crazy videos, and other games.

This week we completed part two of a four part series called Connect 4. In part one we talked about "Connecting to the Savior" (how we set our hearts and minds on things above) and part 2 was "Connecting to Your Self" (about our new identity in Christ as children of God). This coming week is "Connecting Your Stuff" where we'll talk about how materialism. All of this leads to how we "Connecting your Service" where we'll get to the core of how we put "Others First" (...one of our 7 checkpoints! You knew the number 7 would factor in somewhere, didn't you? More on that later.)

Each student received a Connect 4 booklet that they can use to take notes, journal, etc. The booklets also contain some questions for reflection throughout the week. Our hope is that students will make good use of these booklets during the series and then have something to keep as a reminder of what we talked about after the series is over.

Students are encouraged to share of these questions with their family. There's definitely some great dinner table conversation to be had.

AWOL - Now Catching Up

I realize I've been AWOL from my blog for a week or so due to a lot of great things happening and just some general busyness. So here are a couple of quick updates:

• Had a great Easter service at Journey North with a tremendous turnout. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make it a memorable celebration of the resurrection.
  
• 7 - our new entry-level student environment - launched last Wednesday night and a great time was had by all. We're learning a lot about format, setup, etc. Ideally we'd love to have some adults who are not youth sponsors that are willing to come at 6:30 each week and spend half an hour helping to set up. That would free our sponsors up to spend more relational time with our students. We are also looking for additional youth sponsors who are willing to build relationships and invest in the lives of students. Let me know if you're interested in finding out more.
  
• I spent a good portion of last week moving my office home due to our Journey North office's move to new digs in the former Garden Path shop (155 - 5th Street SE). Thanks to Howie and Christian who helped me with bookcases, boxes, etc. Thanks to everyone who helped move all of the stuff on Saturday and Sunday!!
  
• It was a Sunday of firsts last week. We had our first communion service last Sunday at Journey North and I shared a few thoughts in Pastor Tim's (first) absence. He's been sick, fighting sinus junk, allergies, etc. Keep him in your prayers.
• Marked Men guys paintball retreat registrations are due tonight at 7. Junior and senior high guys planning to attend should bring their money ($40) to group.
  
• It looks like we'll have big (good) news to share soon about Journey North. Keep an eye on Pastor Tim's blog.

That covers some of what's been going on around here. More soon!

People of the Book

I read a lot of material in any given day - news, blogs, books, newsletters, e-mail, etc. - and much of it I skim or give a cursory reading, but every once in a while I read something that just reaches out and grabs me and, instead of skimming it and moving on, I have to pause and reflect (and sometimes blog about it!) I ran across just such an article today. Rather lengthy, but worth your time if you want to check it out at Christianity Today's site, it's called People of the Book and it's written by John Ortberg.

If you've ever wondered why we ask students to bring a Bible each week to 7 and CONNECT, this explains it as well as anything. And if students don't have a Bible, we'll give them one, because we believe it's so important.

The article is primarily addressed to preachers and teachers, but great reading for anyone. Here is an (edited) excerpt...

Ever notice, when you're preaching, how few Philistines drop by the church anymore? Or how rarely Moabites get converted and lead a small group? Or how no one has a cousin married to an Amalekite?

Pretty much all the nations and tribes from Bible times that were of Israel's size are gone. So why did Israel survive? Not just survive; in the words of Thomas Cahill, how did a tribe of desert nomads change the way the world thought and felt? What distinguished Israel from everyone else?

It wasn't power. Most of its history Israel was a vassal nation.

It wasn't wealth. Israel was never a major economic player.

It wasn't size. Israel was dwarfed by Greece, Egypt, Babylon, and Rome.

What did Israel have?

A book. Scrolls really, with books like Genesis or Isaiah written over the centuries, that most people, being illiterate, had to hear being read. They had a book like no other.

Their book said that instead of little tribal gods locally, there was one God who created all things and planned on redeeming all things.

It said life was not an endless cycle of repetition. It said history was a story—God's story, with a beginning, a crisis, and in a day to come, a climax.

It said that human beings made by and accountable to this God can now know how to live.

This book so defined them they were called "people of the book." To help their children learn the book was the greatest task of every parent.

To be able to teach this book—to be a rabbi—was their greatest ambition.

...

Humanly speaking, the book is what they had to offer the world. The book is what shaped them and held them together. The book started every morning: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One"). The book didn't say, "O Israel, think for yourselves. Follow your bliss. Go with your gut." It just said, Hear. It was the source of all wisdom, the guidance for all problems, the authoritative appeal in every debate. The rabbis often disagreed over what it meant. But everybody understood its status. It was the last word. They never got over this awe that in this book God has spoken—"What advantage is there, then, of being a Jew? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God" (Rom. 3:1).

They had the book. And now this book, with some significant additions, has become our book. Now we are its stewards.

But we have cable.

...

7 Previews Things to Come

Wow, what a great time at 7 last night! (Exhausting, but great!)

We had our "preview" gathering at Pine City Elementary's multi-purpose room (cafe-nasium?) Not only did we have a great group of Ignite students, but also enjoyed three first time guests (although, really, everyone was there for the 'first time', I suppose!) Lots of basketball was played, a case of Mountain Dew and multiple candy bars consumed, and a couple of large group games enjoyed. We closed with a challenge for students "reach out" as they are "going" through life, explaining that evangelism is not just about telling the Good News, its also about living it!

We learned a lot about setup and where to place all of our stuff. Our van is looking like the trailer we use each week for Sunday morning worship celebration - crammed full of equipment! We arrived at 6:30 and it took us about 40 minutes to get everything set up. Hopefully that setup time will decrease once we a.) know better what we're doing and where things go, and b.) get all of our core leader students assigned specific tasks to help out each week.

We got off to a great start and look forward to our "launch" on Wednesday, March 26, and seeing God to do awesome things both in lives of our own Ignite students as well as their friends that they reach out to with Jesus' love.

Beginning the Walk through Philippians

We had a great CONNECT small group last night with our Ignite students as we began delving into the book of Philippians. We took some time to set up the background of the book, reviewing Paul's own journey from persecutor to prisoner and his background as the apostle writing the epistle.

With all of the overview and background, we only made it through the first 6 verses. Students were challenged to see God as the creator who brought order out of chaos (a callback from verse 6) and who unleashed that same power into the lives of those who experience His grace through faith. Students were challenged to take the 'next step' this week in either reading Philippians through once (the basic first step), to the next steps of either journaling, using the Rootworks study on Philippians, and/or reading the entire letter each day!

Parents: ask your student which step they decided to take and encourage them as we 'walk through Philippians' over the next month. See if they can explain the 'principle of first mention' and how it applies to the passage we studied. Also talk about the definition of grace. When did God's grace - his 'good work' - first 'begin' in your life? Use this as an opportunity to share the story of your journey together with your student.

Royalty Walks Among Us at Ignite

Congratulations to Ignite's own Julia Westman! Julia was crowned Jr. Dairy Princess for Pine County 2008.

We were able to celebrate with Julia this past Sunday night at CONNECT when we went to Dairy Queen together (a preview of her future...?). We're all very proud of her. Way to go, Julia!

Guys Paintball Retreat

Ignite junior and senior high guys will be heading to East Chain, Minnesota, on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, for the Marked Men 2008 paintball retreat.

The cost is $40 which includes food, air/CO2 refill, 1000 paintballs, and a T-Shirt. Optional items at an extra cost are available as follows: Paint $35/case (2000 count), $18 for ½ case, and Marker Rental for $10. Also, special this year, Marker purchase is available – Tank, mask, and a Tippmann Model 98 for only $160. Marker purchase orders must be placed and paid for by the April 9th deadline. Markers will be delivered at the retreat. This is a special price for this retreat!

Our plan is to leave Friday after school. We'll travel to East Chain, a tiny town in southern Minnesota (near Fairmont) down near the Iowa border. We have a little group meeting/session time for the first night, hang out at the church we stay at, then paintball all day on Saturday.

The paintball area is a large, open area surrounded by trees and farmland with a creek running through it. With permission by the landowner and the hospitality of the East Chain Sportsmen’s Club and the East Chain Evangelical Free Church, we will have a base camp at a small trap-shooting club. This year will be the fifth spring paintball retreat. It will include two evangelistic-focused sessions with teaching times and mixer activities. The Sportsmen’s Club has improved their facilities and worked alongside our landowner host specifically to accommodate our group. In the past they have had as many as 115 participants from 9 different churches.

The deadline for registration is April 2. Marker purchase payments must be in at that time.

Everyone will be sleeping on the floor at the church, so participants will need to bring a sleeping bag/air mattress.

Our schedule for the weekend will look something like this:

Friday

8:00 pm Arrive at church and eat

9:00 pm Session 1

10:00 pm Movie, basketball, hang out

12:00 pm Lights out

Saturday

8:00 am Wake up, breakfast, pack, clean

9:00 am Arrive at paintball site

12:30 pm Lunch and Session 2

1:30 pm Resume paintballing

5:00 pm Supper and clean up

6:00 pm Head home

CONNECT Goes to Prison

I am so excited about a new series we are starting this Sunday night at our CONNECT small group for Ignite students. We will be tackling the book of Philippians in a series we're calling "Prison Break: Mission and Contentment Under Arrest".

Students can participate in this at a variety of levels. They can just come and join in on the discussion and learn while at group. Or they can do some reading and devotional journaling each week to familiarize themselves with the content in preparation for our discussion. If they really want to take the next step, they can challenge themselves with a great "Rootworks" take-home study on Philippians.

This is a great jumping on point for students who may not have been involved in small group to this point. Students will want to bring their Bibles to group each week, as well.

[Graphic courtesy of Reid Monaghan. UB P]

Teens Reflect Parents

I read this news brief this morning via Crosswalk.com:

Poll Confirms Parents' Influence on Teens' Religious Activities

When it comes to attending church, praying, and reading the Bible, the apple does not fall far from the tree, according to Religion News Service release. A recent poll of teens and their parents overwhelmingly confirms that parents have the most influence on their children's religious activity. The survey, commissioned by the American Bible Society and conducted by Weekly Reader Research, found that almost 80 percent of America's 30.2 million 12-18 year olds think the Bible is important and 87 percent of parents think the Bible is important. However, the results show that parents still have work to do; of the 47 percent of teens who think the Bible is very important, only 11 percent read it daily. Only ten percent of America's 12-18 year-olds participate in daily Bible reading, but that's still higher than the results of June 2006 survey done by ABS.

This wasn't really news to me, but I am constantly surprised by how many parents either don't realize this or underestimate their role in modeling a walk with Jesus. I periodically have parents who can't understand why their student isn't more involved with church or youth group. If they were to look at their own attendance patterns they would find (with some rare exceptions) that their student's attendance and involvement mirrors their own. Students typically model their own devotional life after their parents', as well.

That is not to lay a guilt trip on parents, but simply to highlight the impact our own walk has on our kids. I know this is convicting to me and is a reminder of the fact that if I want my kids to value faith community involvement and time in God's Word I need to model that myself. It's also encouraging because I know that I can make an positive impact on my kids!

Parents: When is the last time your kids saw you reading the Bible? How often are you willing to miss Sunday celebration gatherings for something else? How involved are you in a small group? These are values we are passing along (or not) to the next generation. What is a next step you can take?

MegaRelationships

We had a great time last night at Bethel University's MegaRally with several Ignite students. Our group was a bit smaller due to some last-minute cancellations and schedule conflicts, but it's not about size, it's about quality! Everyone who went had a blast, and a couple of students their first taste of Cold Stone Creamery on the way home.

Although guest speaker Efrem Smith did a fine job and the drama portions were well done, I didn't think the experimental format of this year's rally did justice to Efrem's fabulous communication gifts. While enjoyable and helpful, I don't know that there was any specific long-term impact on our students due to the presentation.

However...

I began to think about the wonderful group bonding time we enjoyed together. We laughed and joked as well as having some more serious conversations during dinner and the trip there and back - about an hour each way. The students may not remember the specific content of the talk (although several committed to go deeper and take the next step in their walk with Christ), but I don't doubt they'll remember the trip and the time we spent together.

Like in parenting, ministry is so often about quantity time, not just quality time. Quality time is important, but not a substitute for the extended periods spent together. Ministry at its core is relationships and to build relationships requires time.

This is something that new student ministry volunteers sometimes have trouble fully grasping at first. Often a rookie volunteer will say something like, "Just tell me what to do." Just telling a new adult sponsor to "hang out" and "build relationships" can be very intimidating to them. Sometimes volunteer forget how cool it is for a teen to have an adult show an interest in them as a person. The time factor is just so crucial. I call this the "ministry of presence". Just being there makes a difference. This is why I tell our relational sponsors that they are welcome to come to anything we do together. There are no 'throwaway' events as each one offers an opportunity to get to know students and allow them to know the adults who are investing in their lives.

At the core of every great youth worker is a caring adult who likes teens. That's pretty much the foundational prerequisite. Maybe you've thought you had to have extensive Bible knowledge, be a great small group leader, know lots of wacky games, be (or just look) cool, be young and energetic yourself, or have a tattoo or piercing in order to volunteer with students. Nope. You have to love kids and be willing to invest some time in building a relationship with them.

As we head toward the launch of our new Wednesday night large group environment, 7 , we are going to be looking for additional adults who will commit to building relationships by spending time with students. If God is nudging you to try it out, let me know! I'd love to talk to you more about the greatest ministry in the world!

Great Pizza

Had a great time worshiping together as Journey North met at the Pizza Pub in Pine City today (due to the gun show being held at our regular location in Pine Tech). We packed out the place!

In honor of our Pizza today I decided to update my top ten pizza list that I had posted on my previous web site. Not much has changed although Casey's hadn't made my previous list as I had not tried their pizza when that list was created. Here is my newly modified list:

Top 10 Best Pizza Dining Places (in order of preference)

1. Demetrio's Pizza, Bradenton, Florida. By far my favorite pizza in the world! Well worth a trip to Florida and one of the things I miss most about living in Bradenton. As I was growing up we went out to Demetrio's almost every Sunday after church. My favorite toppings: bacon & pepperoni - the best!
   

2. Giordano's world famous stuffed pizza, Chicagoland area and some central Florida locations. (Runner up as far as stuffed pizza goes, Gino's Italian Restaurant in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Also excellent.)

3. Casey's Pizza at Casey's General Stores (multiple locations around the midwest). I worked for Casey's for a summer and learned to make pizzas there. They have wonderful crust and a tasty sauce. You can often find discount coupons on their web site or via their mailing list.
   

4. Rocky Rococo's - superb pan style pizza
   

5. Donatelli's, White Bear Lake, Minnesota - pizza's pretty good, but the best thing to go there for is their super-suicide sodas! They're awesome.
   

6. Little Caesar's Pizza - pan style, although their regular is not bad and often only $5! You can often get coupons online at their website, usually for their excellent Crazy Bread.
   

7. Sam's Club pizza (from their snack bar) - Really very good at a decent price.
   

8. Pizza Hut

9. Papa Johns

10. Pizza Pub, Pine City

11. Sabarro's - expensive but tasty

7

The mission of Ignite student ministries at Journey North Church is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating environments where students prioritize their relationship with Christ, influence their friends, and experience personal ministry.

To that end, we have developed a new large group environment. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… 7 .

7 will begin meeting from 7 – 8:30 pm on Wednesday nights. It looks like we are all set to be able to use the Pine City Elementary School multipurpose room each week when it is not being used for other events.

On Wednesday, March 12, Ignite students and leaders will meet at the school to plan, pray and play. We’ll work on the setup and get the feel for the facility. We'll also strategize about the best way to accomplish our purpose, followed by a time of prayer and some fellowship and open gym time. 7 will ‘launch’ on March 26 following Spring Break.

We want 7 to be a place where Ignite students can invite their friends who don’t have a church or youth group of their own to attend. Our goal for 7 is as follows:

7 is a place for students to experience enjoy exciting music, engaging talk about today’s issues, and hang out with a cool group of outgoing people. It’s a place where they can laugh with new friends, play some crazy fun games, have a really intense discussion, and pick up some tips that will make life's journey a little smoother.

What is the significance for the Journey North Church family? It means we are taking it up a notch with a large group weekly growth-level environment that is also outreach friendly. It means our Ignite students will have additional opportunities to serve and reach out to their friends. It means we will be looking for additional adult volunteers to minister as sponsors, getting to know students and investing in their lives by building relationships with them. It means we’ll be looking for adult and student volunteers to assist with food preparation, equipment setup, and cleanup. It means everyone can join in as we pray that God would use 7 to help students take the next steps in their journey.

I believe God is going to do some amazing things in the lives of our students.

In the meantime, just for fun, here are…

7 things you should know about 7:

• God created the world in 7 days.
• Ignite student ministries weekly large group gathering, 7 , meets at 7 pm.
• Hebrew culture views 7 as the general symbol for all association with God. The number 7 brought to mind God’s covenant of holiness and sanctification.
• Junior and senior high students gather for 7 on Wednesdays - every 7 days.
• Jesus told us to forgive 70 times 7 times.
• 7 is the optimum number of hours of sleep for humans, according to a US scientific study.
• The original name of 7Up was Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda.

Stop Thief!

Wow, that was unexpected and unwelcome.

Just spent a couple of hours talking with eBay and PayPal and changing all of my passwords as I had my eBay and PayPal accounts compromised - ie. my identity stolen! Apparently someone hacked my account and purchased a laptop off eBay and paid for it! I got the email right away that said I had "won" my bid and knew right away it was wrong. (Not that I couldn't use a new laptop, but if I was going to get anything it would be a fast new desktop from Dell, not a HP off eBay.) I contacted the seller, eBay and PayPal right away to get the transaction halted. Not sure how long before I can transfer the money back into my checking account! Hopefully soon.

This little brush with identity theft was my second in the past 6 months. As we were preparing to move our mortgage lender informed me that my social security number had been used twice in the last 10 years. Apparently there was no fraud involved - I'm guessing that whomever it was has a number close to mine and put in the wrong digit - but it scared me. I immediately went to Zander Insurance and picked up some identity theft protection. This is the stuff that Dave Ramsey recommends. I'm really glad I have it (no this is not a paid endorsement, although if anyone from Zander sees this I'd be happy to talk about a deal!)

It's funny because we just talked about ID theft at our last Financial Peace University class. Now I'll have another anecdote to share. Oh, joy.

Dave Ramsey Fan Pick-Up Lines

Had another great Financial Peace University class last night at our house. It's great to see everyone get on the same page financially. We also have a fun time sharing and fellowshipping (ie. eating!) together.

In honor of the FPU class and Valentine's Day last week, here are some funny (and cheesy) pickup lines for Dave Ramsey Fans, courtesy of Chris Russell who works for Dave. If you listen to Dave's show via podcast or radio you'll understand more of them, and you may have heard some during his show on Valentine's Day. The entire list is here or here, but these are my favorites. (Fair warning, if you're single and using these... well, that may be why you're still single!):

I still have money in my "restaurant" envelope ... can I buy you dinner?

Would you like to dance? I'd love to show you my Baby Steps.

Why am I nervous about talking to you? Because you're better than I deserve.

Good thing I got just term life insurance ... because I saw you and my heart stopped!

You can't spell Financial Peace University without U and I.

I just bought a bass boat with cash ... and it's a good thing, because you're quite a catch!

I'm not mortgage interest baby ... don't write me off.

The good news? I'm debt free. The better news? I'm also date free.

MegaRally Ignites Students' Journeys

Ignite will be heading down to Bethel University on Sunday, February 24, for a fantastic MegaRally featuring special speaker Efrem Smith along with Ted & Company TheaterWorks. We'll be leaving from the church offices at 4:30 p.m., eating supper at Taco Bell/Long John Silvers, and returning to Pine City at 9:15 p.m. The cost for the event is only $3 and students will want to bring money for supper, as well.

I am very excited about this event. I first heard Efrem Smith speak at Willow Creek's SHIFT Student Ministries Conference last year and he is a fabulous speaker, guaranteed to motivate students in their journey with Jesus. This will be a can't-miss event!

I think it's great that Bethel is able to provide these events to students and youth groups at such a low cost. It's really a wonderful service to churches and I'm glad we're close enough to benefit from it!

Time to Reinstall the OS

Sometimes things just get so clogged up with junk it and slows you down so much it's best just to cut your losses start over. In this case that applies to my primary desktop at home and I'm spending the afternoon reinstalling Windows XP.

I'm about 3 hours in and anticipate another 2-3 hours to get most everything reinstalled, updated, and back to where I was this morning, only hopefully much faster.

UPDATE: Still working on it but I wanted to recommend and article to anyone else who wants to tackle this 'fun' project. It's here and has some great tips to keep you from having to reinstall everything (like Firefox) and it saves a bunch of settings for you. Most programs will still need to be reinstalled, but these tips saved me a bunch of time. Thanks, PC World!