A Lion In A Pit On A Snowy Day...
- Adam C.
Recap of the State of the Youth Address
I can’t describe how thrilled I am to finally be here full-time. I love you all and I love your kids and am excited about the work that can be done here in the Lord’s Church. Some parents or potential volunteers may not have been able to make it to the State of the Youth Address meeting last Sunday, and maybe some of you are just curious as to what it was about. This weeks article is dedicated to just that: summarizing what was said.
1. Calendar changes (I know, they just came out. Sorry!): The camping trip has been moved to the 19-21st of July. It’s pushed back one weekend. The game night on July 27th will most likely turn into a lock-in. The last change to be made is on August 11th, when I get hitched.
2. For awhile now we have debated on what church camp to “support” or encourage for our 3rd-6th graders. What we are going to suggest is that age group attend mid-south the same week that the 6th-12th graders attend Horizons. I’ll be nearby if they need anything, and it really works into our schedule well.
3. We talked about my “vision” for youth ministry. We have two mission statements we want to live by as a youth group and youth volunteers: To KNOW, LOVE, and SERVE God, and To Develop KNOWLEDGE that leads to FAITH that leads to ACTION. What I am here for is to be a resource and a tool to be used by teens and parents. We are all on the same team with the common goal of helping our kids live faithful lives. Therefore, we need to communicate and use each other. What I am NOT is a spiritual baby-sitter or someone who can “fix” your child. The primary source for teens’ spiritual food is in the home. If the things we talk about during devos, retreats, and in Bible classes are not modeled in the home, we are wasting our time.
4. We also talked about my personality. I try my very best to be very upfront an honest with people, and I expect the same in return. I will make many mistakes in the time that we know each other and will say some things I will regret. I’m not perfect. If we have any issues, lets discuss them and move on!
5. Lastly we talked about my expectations for all parents and volunteers and it essentially boils down to this: I want you to be involved! Show up for a service project or two. Come hang out with kids on Thursdays in the Park. Volunteer to go camping or on an overnight trip with us. Teenagers of all ages NEED to develop relationships with Godly adults. A youth minister’s dream is to turn down volunteers because there are so many. Be involved with your children! This doesn’t mean you have to attend everything; it just means that you will help when called upon.
As always, if you have any questions shoot me an email or give me a call! I look forward serving the Lord together with you all.
GOD’S HANDWRITING
He writes in characters too grand
For our short sight to understand;
We catch but broken strokes, and try
To fathom all they mystery
Of withered hopes, of death, of life,
The endless war, the useless strife,—-
But there, with larger, clearer sight,
We shall see this—-His way was right.
ATTENTION PARENTS AND TEENS!
Adam Currence
In case you were unaware….Summertime is upon us! This means church camps, football and band practices, service projects, mission trip, heat, flip flops, etc. This also means our lives become a little crazy here and there as we try to get all of these things done and more. I wanted to take this space in the bulletin to make you aware of some things so we are on the same page:
1. Summer Youth Calendars are available! Feel free to pick one up from the youth board on your way out.
2. This calendar is tentative. Having a set calendar is tough because things come up at the last moment. For example, our mission trip is still being planned so I was not able to put it on the calendar yet. I reserve the right to change any of the events provided that I make you aware of it!
3. Service projects will begin at 10:00. These are for 6-12 grades. If you hear of a potential project or have an idea, let me know! We need them!
4. Thursdays in the park will begin at 10:30. We will start these in the month of June. Maybe we can do another slip n slide this year…
5. No mission trip has been planned yet. I’ll keep you posted.
6. The camping trip will hopefully be to Rock Island State Park here in TN. I will keep you posted on details as it gets planned.
7. WKYC Teen Week is ages 14-18. Go ahead and sign up! Director is Alan Bush.
8. Horizons is for 6-12 grade. Go ahead and sign up! www.fhu.edu/horizons
9. MOST IMPORTANTLY: There will be a “State of the Youth Address” THIS AFTERNOON at 5 in the small auditorium for ALL PARENTS AND YOUTH VOLUNTEERS. If you want to be involved in any way, I would like for you to be there. If you can’t make it, I will make that information available to you. This meeting is to discuss the youth program as a whole including my expectations for everyone (myself included). One of the most important things is making sure everyone is one the same page. Yes, teens can come to this meeting.
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” – Colossians 3:17 (NASB)
“Tender Warrior” by Stu Weber - Blogging for Books #6
What I Learned About God in College…So Far
Adam Currence
Often times I feel that God is trying to teach me lessons every day, if only I would stop and listen. It’s always interesting to look back on the last few years or months in your life and see how God has worked. In a difficult or confusing moment, you may wonder where God is and doubt whether or not he is really listening. But when you look back, you realize he was there all along and was teaching you valuable lessons about yourself, others, and Him. The following are just a sample of some of the things I have learned in college which no class or textbook could have taught me:
1. God has made you fearfully and wonderfully. You are a unique and valuable creation, fashioned by God for a specific purpose. He has “formed our inward parts, and woven us in our mother’s wombs” (Psalm 139:13). Surrounded by so many wonderful people at Freed-Hardeman, I often felt that I didn’t have anything to offer, nothing new to bring. Anything I could do, someone else could do it better. You may feel this way in your school, workplace, or congregation. The reality is that God did not make us to compare ourselves to one another, but to use our lives for his glory. You have tremendous value to God, and that is not to be forgotten.
2. God is in control. This is the most incredible part about looking back on several years worth of time. Everything seems connected together (because it is). Often I felt like a puppet on a string, part of greater plan. Truly, God has many great plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). God being in control means that I am not in control, and I must accept that. Humans love to control as much of our lives as possible from our jobs, homes, and friends. Yet we need to be thankful that there is someone in control who can see far beyond the here and now. Let Him work.
3. God can give you strength. Spending time with God through prayer and His word can give you more strength and energy than sleeping through chapel or class ever could. As I have reflected on my 4 years of college education, my highest highs were when I took time to be with God, and my lowest lows were when God was left on the shelf. This rings true not just for the past, but also for my future as well. Truly, he can “give strength to the weary and might to him who lacks power” (Isaiah 40:29). Let’s stop trying to strengthen our own muscles and spirits and instead receive our strength from the endless fountain that is God. He is mighty and powerful and when we draw our strength from Him, nothing will be able to slow us down.
These are just a few of the things I have reflected on over the last few weeks. There are lessons about God to be found all around. What is God teaching you about Him in your life?
What’s The Big Deal?
Adam Currence
I never ceased to be amazed at what is popular these days, whether it be movies, clothes, or music. If you were to sit down and analyze the messages that many movies and song lyrics convey to our youth (as well as those who are older), you could find one consistent theme throughout: “What’s the big deal?” To help you understand where I am coming from, check out these lyrics from a song all over the radio right now:
“So what we get drunk?
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how it’s supposed to be
Living young and wild and free”
I personally find the lyrics to this song amazing, in a very frustrating way. I commented to someone recently that I felt these lyrics were the theme song of my own generation: “what’s the big deal?” Within them lies the belief that pleasure is the ultimate goal in life, and nothing else really matters. It doesn’t really matter what I wear, what I talk like, what I do with my body, because as long as I am having fun and you’re having fun, everything is going to be all right. So what? After all, we are young; we have the rest of our lives ahead of us to sober and straighten up, act like adults, and get our act together. This kind of thinking, being extremely prevalent, is very flawed:
1. “Remember your creator in the days of your youth,” Solomon wrote (Eccl. 12:1). There is a God who exists who cares about how we live. We will be accountable to him for our actions in this life. Lyrics and ideas such as those above deny the existence of God and the reality of accountability. If God exists, then what you do matters.
2. Pleasure is not the Christian’s goal in life. Pleasing God is our goal. “The conclusion is: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this applies to every person” (Eccl 12:13). Pleasure is not inherently wrong: as a matter of fact, I think God designed our world so that we could experience wonderful pleasures! James 1:17 tells us that every good and perfect gift is from above. 1 Timothy 4:4 tells us that everything created by God is good. The problem is when pleasure becomes our goal and we begin seeking pleasure in the wrong contexts. Pleasure must never become your God.
Many more things can be said about these ideas, but I want to close asking you what kind of outlook you have on life. If you have this carefree, what’s the big deal attitude about living your life, it needs to change. You have a God who loves you, cares for you, and wants the best for you, and he expects you to represent Him as well. So what’s the big deal? The big deal is that what you do matters!
Barn building 101
10 Easy Steps to Financial Success
5 Ways to Find True Happinness (or, “The Secret”)
How to Become a Millionaire by 40
How often have you seen a book or news article with a title similar to those above? Books like that fly off the shelves; one is almost perpetually on a “NY TIMES Bestseller” list. Why? Because we want to be rich! The goal becomes how can I make more money? And what better way to be rich than to read a book about some financial “guru” who’s going to tell you how to do it? “It’s so eeaaassy,” they say. What on earth? What If everyone who bought those books became millionaires (they don’t)? If these books are so great, why is every last copy resting in peace at the local goodwill (they are)? For crying out loud, you (like me) probably have books with these kinds of titles in your own personal library. We crave success and security, and every now and then you might just find it. We want happinness. We want it so badly we’ll believe in or do just about anything so long as it takes us towards happinness and success.
One such (false) belief is that “stuff” will make you happy. Getting ready to move on into another phase in my life (aka moving into a real house), I find “stuffitis” to be a most dreadful disease just pounding away, weakening my spiritual immunity.
But let’s take a timeout here and learn about a man in first century Palestine. This particular man was exremely successful in his farming business. Had this man wrote a book, it would have been titled something like, “I had to build extra barns to store all of my crops, and so can you.” In the first century, this book would have been flying off the shelves at Barnes and Noble or Papyri-A-Million (work with me here). If this man was giving lectures on his successes in your town, you’d be there (with your autographed copy of course). How was this man so successful? What was his “secret?” Food wasn’t exactly a luxury for the common, everyday man, so I’m told. I mean just think about it: it was an agricultural society. If some of the crops failed that year due to lack of rain, insects, etc., you couldn’t go to Piggly Wiggly as a back up plan. And here this guy has to build extra barns just to store all of this food! What luxury. Hey, I myself want to know what this guy’s method is, because he obviously is pretty well off.
Jesus has some things to say about this man in Luke 12:16-21. Sounds like a pretty good story so far. This man was talented and was finding success. What’s wrong with that? And yet Jesus pronounces a scathing denunciation:
“But God said to him, ‘you fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (20-21)
Wait, what? Did I miss something? To help us understand where Jesus is coming from, let’s look at what this rich man said. Take note of the pronouns:
“And he began reasoning with himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat drink, and be merry.”” (v.17-19)
Could it be that Jesus rebuked this man not because he was wealthy, but because he never acknowledged God OR included God in his plans? In his mind, HIS successes were because of HIS efforts and HIS hard work. All that “stuff,” and it didn’t matter one tiny bit because “stuff” doesn’t go to the grave with you. It stays here and rots away or is used up by somebody else. What DOES go to the grave (and beyond) is your soul and it’s relationship with Almighty God. The lessons here are many:
1. Avoid Stuffitis. Stuff doesn’t make you truly happy. A Christian life can.
2. Put the most important things first. God is more important than “stuff,” along with everything else.
3. Include God in your plans. Ask for success, but take what he gives you.
4. Thank God for your successes, experiences, and talents. Everything we have is because God gave it to us.
At a time of life where I find it very easy to find happinness and security in “stuff,” this story needs to be a constant reminder to me.
Security in Christ
Adam Currence
Security. Protection from danger. The human race always has and always will search high and low for security in this life, and sometimes it is found. Commercials advertise security systems for our homes, so that our family and possessions can be secure. We seek financial security and stability by diversifying our portfolios and choosing the safest investments. The safest cars are chosen, seatbelts are worn, and insurance is purchased all in the name of security. Another area where security is a hot commodity is in the workforce: job security.
I think that just about anyone would recommend you doing all of the things above. Secure your home, protect yourself and your family. Make smart, informed financial decisions. Men and women were made in the image of God with an innate desire for security; why else would we seek it so badly? The issue is that too often we seek true security in all the wrong places. Natural disasters or other accidents will affect your home. Those investments might not work out. Seatbelts can tear and wrecks will happen. Jobs are not always 100% secure. Like happiness, security is only temporary when found in the world.
Thankfully, the Christian can find security that money cannot buy, and it is free for the taking!
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
(John 10:27–29 NASB)
Talk about security! No one and nothing can snatch you out of the hand of Christ, ever! Jesus is NOT saying that Christians will never suffer on this earth or will never be tempted by Satan. Jesus is NOT saying that a Christian cannot choose to leave the flock of Christ. What Jesus IS saying is that the only true security you’ll ever find is in Him. But notice the conditions: you must
1. Hear His voice
2. Follow Him
If you are actively doing these things, you can never be snatched away from the hands of Jesus. You’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful description of security in Christ in the entire Bible. If you have been looking for true security in all the wrong places, what are you waiting for?
Makes you think doesn’t it? Idols are all around us, and can take any form Satan can think of so long as it takes away from our relationship with God.
***Disclaimer*** I love football.
2 Choices. Thoughts?
Adam Currence
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
The average person thinks around 70,000 thoughts every single day. That equals 490,000 thoughts per week and over 25 MILLION thoughts every year. I would wager that many of those consist of repetitive boring nonsense, such as wondering if your socks match, asking what time it is, and remembering to feed the dog. How many of your thoughts are spent thinking on things above? Paul reminds us to do exactly that in Colossians 3:2:
“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (NASB)
He does not give an empty command, but instead gives us the reason why our thoughts need to focus on heavenly things: because we have died! A Christian is (or should be) dead to the world and alive in Christ. The goals and agendas of the world no longer matter to the Christian. Too often the Christian gets caught up in the priorities of everyone around them. Certainly there are some things in this life we need to think about. It’s okay to have matching socks or wonder if you’ve fed the dog. The key in this verse is the word “set.” You can think on something but not be “set” on it. To “set” you mind on something is to concentrate on it, make it your goal, and do anything to accomplish the task. Are we concentrating on focusing on things above, or are we thinking about heavenly things only occasionally, perhaps while worshipping or praying?
You would learn a lot about a man or woman if you could read their thoughts. We each harbor our own individual thoughts that may be sinful or unholy, thinking that our thoughts are safe as long as they are stored away inside our minds. The reality is that God knows everything about you—-including your thoughts!
“The Lord knows the thoughts of man.” (Psalm 94:11 NASB)
How does that make you feel? The thoughts in your mind that you aren’t so proud of suddenly become much more embarrassing when you realize that someone can see them. Our thoughts reveal our character, but also help shape our character. The poem at the beginning of this article maps out the impact that thoughts can have in each person’s life. We have 2 choices: stop thinking, or stop thinking evil thoughts. Since #1 is impossible, #2 must become our goal. Let us “take every thought captive” for God, setting our minds on things above. In a distraction and information filled world, it is not easy, but who said it would be easy?
I Did Something Very Stupid Today
No seatbelt. No driver’s license. Ran a stop sign (barely slowed down). Pulled out in front of a cop after running the stop sign. Wasn’t wearing shoes (is that illegal too?). Now for some context/backstory: We have been working on MM stuff for what seems like an eternity, and I had been working on some painting when Lana called me to come get her and bring her over there too. With no shoes on, paint on my left hand, and with my wallet inside the house, I just left to go get her, in a hurry. Wanting to touch as little as possible in the car, I didn’t touch the seatbelt. After all, it was only about 2 minutes from campus on little neighborhood roads, with zero cars or cops ever in sight………
Then I did all 5 of those terribly idiotic things at once. Oh brother. Trust me I was well aware of all 5 thing approximately .5 seconds afterwards (isn’t that how these things work?). The cop rolled his window down and proceeded to tell me that he was on his way to a function and didn’t have time to write me a ticket, and that I needed to slow down and wear a seatbelt so that I wouldn’t get hurt. I sheepishly agreed with 100% of what he said. Then he drove off……are you kidding me? There was some seriously awesome mercy shown to me today by that man. Yes, I said a prayer afterwards.
In an alternate (and yet identical) universe, I was a murderer, idolater, thief, rebel, instigator, and a liar all at once. I was lustful, greedy, prideful, and selfish all at the same time. I was rotten, dirty, and GUILTY of all charges. I had done way worse things than speed or run stop signs. There was blood dripping from my hands, and there was not a single thing that I could do to wiggle my way out of that one. Not my smile, charm, or wit. Then someone came along, who claimed to be able to forgive me of those things, wash them away, make me white, permanently. Sounded too good to be true….almost…blasphemous. “Who does this Jew think he is?” Going along with the crowd and my rebellious heart agreeing completely, my voice joined the chorus: “Crucify.” I helped kill him, and I was glad to do so. Perhaps my only hope, gone; and I helped. I didn’t think much of it at the time. “Just another salesman with an empty promise.” Later, my day in court arrived. I stood before the judge trembling, preparing myself for my sentence: the death penalty. Instead, the judge only uttered one phrase: “You are free to go.”
What? What’s going on here? Is this a joke? I have clearly broken several laws, and there are penatlies to be paid. What’s the catch?
“There is no catch. You are free to go. In your place, I have sentenced my perfect son instead so that you might live. Go and sin no more.”
But what about the laws I broke? What about the penalty that needs to be paid?
“My son paid that penalty for you. Though once dead, he now lives and desires that you follow him.”
Perhaps it was no coincidence that on the day I recieved such mercy, I read Philippians 2:1-11, where Paul talks about the humility that Christ endured in coming to earth for us. When faced with such awe inspiring truth, how can one choose to not follow Christ? It is through God’s mercy that we are anything at all. We don’t desrve it and we definitely have not and cannot earn it.
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy.” (Titus 3:5 NASB)
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB)
Why I Love Retreats
Adam Currence
As a high schooler, retreats were some of my most looked-forward-to events of the year. Getting away from home for a few weekends, sitting around a campfire, hanging out with your youth group 24/7, learning about God…..all of these things and many more are recipes for an excellent weekend. Thankfully, this passion has carried over into my adult life, as retreats are still highly anticipated (and I hope they are by you too!).
I have always wondered why we call it a “retreat.” Isn’t retreating a bad thing? On the battlefield, a retreat is usually a sure sign of a group’s defeat (or at least that’s what happens in the movies). Retreat usually means you couldn’t handle it, you weren’t prepared, or you were about to be wiped out. Therefore, retreating was your only option so that you could salvage what was left of your ragtag army. One definition of retreat is, “to move back, withdraw.” Interestingly enough, retreating is all over the Bible:
“Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”(2 Timothy 2:22 NASB)
“Flee immorality.”(1 Corinthians 6:18 NASB)
“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”(1 Corinthians 10:14 NASB)
Joseph literally ran from Potiphar’s wife because he didn’t want to sin against God. It appears that retreating might not be so negative after all. There’s a scene in Braveheart where William Wallace instructs his group to flee, only so that the enemy would follow them into an ambush. It was a set up. It gave the Scots a chance to group back together in order to fight their opponents. In a sense, this is how I view retreats (as well as church camps). They give teenagers and adults from all walks of life a chance to slow down, regroup spiritually and mentally, and prepare to go out and live as a Christian in the world shining brighter than you did before. Living in this world is not supposed to be easy for a Christian. We should never become too comfortable or friendly with the world. We must never settle in to feel “at home.” All of these things and many more are some of the reasons I love retreats and want to pass along that love to our teenagers. If you ever want to be a part of making a retreat “happen,” let me know. Thank you to all who have ever been involved with our youth as we seek to provide opportunities for their growth as Christians.
