First Baptist Church of Racine Youth Group

Cliche

2011-03-30T12:18:00.002-04:00

I've been seeing this theme on a few different blogs within the past few months. Basically, so many people are criticizing Christian music on the whole saying that it's the same kind of stuff being said over and over, it's unoriginal, or even the people singing have never really faced what they're singing about. For instance, some sing about praising God while in the midst of the storm, yet have truly never faced a real storm. Now, let me say first that while I don't agree with some, I do agree with some. I think there are many who just write songs about glorifying God to sell when their lives don't reflect it in any way. I think that some write about peace in the midst of the storm, when in reality, they blame God for their storms. But, I do think that the positives in Christian music outweigh the negatives.

If we were to look about 20-30 years ago, when it came to more "contemporary" Christian music, I would have given this complaint more thought. There just wasn't a wide variety of it out there. But, today, if you don't like a certain type/style of Christian music because it's too cliche, listen to a more original artist...Yes, some might be cliche, but certainly not all of it. If the bandwagon likes the cliche, let them. The SAME exact thing goes on in pop music as well as rap as well as country. It's irritating when we'll ascribe all of the originality in the world to Lady GaGa for wearing a meat suit on stage and writing music about how gay people are born the way they are, but smash Christian music when it glorifies God because "it's already been said." Well, if you think that trying to get attention by outlandish actions is originality then good for you, but we've seen it before in different venues by different people with different ridiculous acts. Although I mentioned a specific name, I'm not attacking a specific artist. That's just one example of how we seem to attribute attention and awe to those who act differently. We see it when gangsters rap about how they're the hottest on the block and they'll cap anyone who gets in their way. And, many times it's the beat that will attract a person to listen to it, not the original words or belief in the words. I mean, how many suburban teen boys listening to this are really going to go shoot someone with their AK-47 that they don't have?

My argument is that even cliche can still be edifying and glorifying to God even though we might think it's unoriginal. I understand that so many words are used liberally and I don't deny that many of our Christian artists do get on a bandwagon of how to sing and what to sing about. But, in their defense, and writing stuff occasionally myself, why not write about the same things? Why not talk about praising God all the time? Sure, there are times where praising God is difficult, but we write about that too. Normally, those songs will not get the popularity that a praise song will because, let's face it, who wants to sing about the mully-grubs on Sunday morning when you're coming to get strengthened? So, the radio might be jam-packed with songs that, in a round-about way, say the same things, but I would say, in context, that it's a good thing.

To sum it all up, I have to hit this last issue. I kind of touched on it in the first paragraph. I've heard snippets of (and even at times in my younger days listened to) some of the trash that some young people listen to today. I'm not talking about what you might call decent (in the moral sense) secular music like Justin Beiber or Jonas Brothers. I'm talking about the stuff that's completely littered with violence, sex, drugs, and language. It's the type of music with subjects that I wouldn't want my kids listening to one day. And, while I'm not the type to say that music can turn kids into walking barbarians who kill for fun, I do think that it can have a negative influence. It can have kids thinking certain topics are cool and gives them an outlet to bring it up or live it out. When someone idolizes Katy Perry and she sings about kissing a girl and liking it, that adds fuel to the fire. When artists sing about being pimps and never holding down a relationship with one woman because that's for chumps, it adds fuel to the fire for young guys sleeping around. There are clearly deeper issues within these realms, where once again, music isn't the cause, but it's an enabler. For a person trying to live a healthy Christian life, although some music might be cliche, the benefits can outweigh that. I've had MANY times in my life where I was down about something and a song has lifted my up. Not to the point of getting me all better, but helping my walk. Sure, a secular song may not have put me through the roof with my anger or self-pity, but the Christian music certainly helped. This CAN help our youth. If not for anything else, to give them an alternative to some of the trash out there.

Saturday Youth Event

2011-03-21T17:05:00.003-04:00

2011-03-01T10:34:00.001-05:00

LOL My favorite parts:

"Learn popular phrases such as 'uh-huh' and 'mmm..mmm..mmm'"

"Learn why other religions 'refuse to laugh'"

Pics from WinterPlace Tubing

2011-01-05T09:34:00.001-05:00

Holiday Treat!

2010-12-08T14:34:00.002-05:00

You know you wanted to see it again this year!!!

The Bible does say that David danced, but I'm not quite sure it was even close to this good...

Undone

2010-11-03T16:18:00.003-04:00

I love these lyrics:

"It's true what they say, love must be blind
That's why Your still standing by the sinner's side.
Your still by my side when all the things I've done have left You bleedin'."

The words of this song speak such truth about humility and God's grace. It's easy to want the promise of God's forgiveness, to want love, and to desire that personal aspect of God in our lives. But, who really wants to surrender self?

9 to 5 Theses

2010-11-03T12:01:00.003-04:00

lol...I thought it was funny

Source

The Emotion of Worship

2010-10-27T11:11:00.002-04:00

This has been a topic debated among the liberal and conservative pockets of Christianity for years and years...and years...and years. Today, emotion has entered a realm different from any other because it involves so much movement and swaying. Even past the realm of electric guitars and drums on the stage, we are still focused on "how much emotion is too much emotion?" when it comes to music in the church; well, in "God's House." Because everyone knows that celebrating and singing such as in Nehemiah 12:27 (And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.) was not in the presence of God/church/preachers/priests because that wouldn't be very reverent of us to do before a Holy God...

It has been a journey for me exploring my natural tendency to want to act in an outward rejoicing of some sort, even if I didn't know how I wanted to, but growing up being told that actions of the sort weren't of God, were disruptive to the Holy Spirit's working, were full of emotion and not sincerity, etc. Now, after really searching it out myself and discovering just how intense the worship of the Israelites was, I sense the idea that maybe (sit down and take a deep breath for this one) we were created to worship with emotion! That means that even when I sing or listen to a song that gives me chill bumps, those chill bumps come with the idea that my emotions are mixing with the words of the song. Emotions at the very core of our humanity are not wrong; they can't be because Jesus was fully man and experienced emotions as we did.

I think all in all, it comes down to the heart. If I am there to worship and in the midst of that worship I feel compelled to rejoice, then rejoicing will flow from me because it's real. If I'm there because it's Sunday and I go to church on Sunday, then robotics ensue. If I'm at a church where people stand there with grim faces then that's probably how I'll react. If I'm there where everyone raises their hand when the song changes keys, then I might raise my hand. If everyone is jumping pews and speaking in tongues, well...you get the point. My wife and I talked about this after we listened to a song and I told her that I had watched a video of someone singing it and EVERYONE in the church had their hands up. I said that it looked so robotic and everyone was just emotional from the E minor chord played in the song. But, then we talked about how if it's genuine and the words mean something then the E minor chord just accents the message. And if that's the case, then what is wrong with it?

It's difficult for me to get to the point of my genuine level of rejoicing in church because for so long I've been accustomed to the norm of no emotion. However, I'm not a very outlandish personality to begin with. I love to laugh, celebrate, and have fun, but even at athletic events the most I'll do is throw up my hands in the air or make comments to my wife about the refs :) But, somewhere, deep down, I am itching to throw my hand up in church, I am wanting desperately to praise God with my eyes closed because it feels sincere, and I am seeking to sing with a smile. Why don't I do this all the time? Maybe because I used to make fun of it. Maybe because I didn't think it was sincere. I don't know. I just want to know my heart is praising with joy. I want to be real.

O Holy Night

2010-10-05T15:10:00.004-04:00

David Phelps is an absolute stinkin' legend!!! I love Christmas music and seeing as we haven't even got past Halloween yet, this is kind of ridiculous to even post. But, I always love a good Christmas song at the start of Fall to get me ready! So, here ya go! More Christmas music to come in the following weeks leading up until then!

Mind Boggling

2010-09-16T12:14:00.006-04:00

One thing that has always interested me is science/Christian science and the idea that the earth was created in six literal days (as the Bible says) as opposed to 4 billion years ago. One of the questions commonly asked is, "If the earth is only 6,000 years old, then how do we see starlight that is coming from billions of miles away?" I was reading an answer to this and came across a really interesting statement. This particular part of the article is speaking of the way that the big bang model justifies a uniform temperature among the entire universe in such a short amount of time (even that being 13 billion years)!

"Currently, the most popular idea is called ‘inflation’—a conjecture invented by Alan Guth in 1981. In this scenario, the expansion rate of the universe (i.e. space itself) was vastly accelerated in an ‘inflation phase’ early in the big bang. The different regions of the universe were in very close contact before this inflation took place. Thus, they were able to come to the same temperature by exchanging radiation before they were rapidly (faster than the speed of light1) pushed apart. According to inflation, even though distant regions of the universe are not in contact today, they were in contact before the inflation phase when the universe was small."

The "1" that follows the parathetical statement faster than the speed of light is actually a footnote and what really caught my interest because I knew from previous reading that physicists (from the theory of relativity) say that NOTHING can go faster than the speed of light. The footnote reads as follows:

"This notion does not violate relativity, which merely prevents objects travelling faster than c through space, whereas in the inflation proposal it is space itself that expands and carries the objects with it."

Wow. That statement just blows my mind! Space itself moving because there was no space! And faster than the speed of light which is 186,000 miles per SECOND! And let me say that this isn't to discredit God and say the scientists are right, however, God still had to speak time, space, and matter into existence. To think that these laws of physics and scientific discoveries only happen as God allows; that these things that blow our minds are really just products of God's imagination. If we truly believe that God is the creator, then we must believe that He designed the very laws of physics that scientists use to try and disprove God! Just amazing.

Btw--I do realize I never answered the original question of distant starlight...The blog was to show the amazement of the fact in the article :)

Article Found @ Answers in Genesis

Great Quote

2010-08-26T15:49:00.003-04:00

I was reading in "Crazy Love" today and came across a great quote that I thought was really interesting...

"Right now a hundred million angels are praising God's name; He certainly doesn't need to beg or plead with us. We should be the ones begging to worship in His presence."

To me, that's just really intense! To think that God has angels without number praising Him and He chooses to give us the time of day because He loves us. He chooses to give audience to our worship when so often it's so small in light of how we really could worship and just don't. And though He could just leave us in the dust, He consistently draws us to Himself even when we aren't daily seeking Him.

What a good God.

Funniest Geico Commercial Yet?

2010-08-26T13:07:00.002-04:00

This is potentially the best Geico commercial yet! So funny!

Pictures from Kings Island!

2010-07-20T16:04:00.003-04:00

I Don't Understand

2010-06-28T14:30:00.002-04:00

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

I think this video speaks so much for itself, so I'll try to keep my opinion short. I ran across this video on another blog and my first opinions were so scattered. I thought about how awesome this guy's testimony is and how strong he is being. I thought, "Wow, this guy is really doing wonders for Christ's name!" But, then, that faded into just wanting to burst into tears thinking, "Then why is this happening to this man!?!"

My questions almost want to spurn anger from my selfish and finite mind thinking about this guy having a wife and kids and just being an all-around good Christian man. So, why would God let this happen to him? I had even just read an article earlier today in a Christian magazine about a man in similar circumstances. And, I keep asking myself why...

I would love to write all of this encouraging jargon, and sound like I had an epiphany as to why God allows these things, but I can't. To be honest, it makes me really sad and confused sometimes. But, I do know that God has promised Spiritual healing. I do know that although we see so much pain here on earth, God promises that we'll never see pain or death again once we reach eternity. Why does God allow these painful things on earth? I don't know..But, our God is described as perfect and sovereign, so we must accept that and love Him in all areas of life whether good or bad. This man has done it and has a wonderful spirit through his suffering. May we be as humble, surrendered, and accepting as Zac Smith in our lives.

Good Music Lately

2010-06-09T14:40:00.005-04:00

Here are some of the CD's I've been into lately..Maybe you can check it out:

Phillips, Craig, and Dean have their new CD out called Fearless. This is pretty much an awesome CD the whole way through, but I would highlight Counting on God, Revelation Song, The Distance, and Great are You Lord.

Once again, Casting Crowns doesn't fail to deliver. Like Phillips, Craig, and Dean, Casting Crowns is also dedicated to continuing real ministry in the midst of music. I think that recognizing that music is simply praise to God, edification and a possible draw to the unsaved is what really motivates groups like these to desire more. You can tell by bands like Casting Crowns that being the "next big thing" or "next American Idol" is not their agenda. They accent their popular song Until the Whole World Hears by really trying to reach the whole world. They take missions trips, help poor and needy in other countries, and help with organizations such as World Vision. At the same time, their music is praise-worthy, uplifting, encouraging, and relevant to a dying world who needs light. If you get a chance, this is definitely a CD worth spending money on.

OK, call me a lame-o or old man, but I'm a sucker for the Gaither Vocal Band...Shooting straight, I realize for the younger generation that quartet style music isn't very popular (or tolerable) at all! However, if you enjoy vocal harmony, there is no better group than the Gaithers--or no better song variety. Plus, they sort of have the "All-Star" cast now. Let's just be real, David Phelps is the best singer on earth, so they have their gold-mine back with them. Also, Wes Hampton is starting to grow on me..that guy has some pipes! Over all, "Reunited" is an awesome CD!

Hope you've enjoyed my opinion on music!

Paving the Way

2010-05-11T12:03:00.002-04:00

So this is definitely a post for the high school student out there...I was watching a video blog by a guy and it was directed towards people in my profession: leading youth in churches. Anyways, it got me thinking about high school students who claim they are Christians. First, let me say this--claiming and being are two completely different things. I mean, let's take me for instance...Let's say you enjoy skateboarding/rollerblades/bikes and that's your lifestyle; you're all about that kind of stuff. Then, I come along with my goofy no-name skate shoes, a skateboard that barely rolls and I start talking to you saying things like, "What up playa?/Sup bro? Hang ten/Yo, holla at ya later homie." The first thing you would do is say to yourself that I'm a complete fake. You would know that I'm putting on a show in order to relate to something I want to be, but I'm just not.

Why do we play the part as Christian then when everyone knows by your real lifestyle that that's not you? In high school, it's all about status for the most part. Everyone normally associates with a group. And many times it's not always the leaders that draw in the new people into the group. It's the everyday people among those friends that are friends with someone outside the group and gradually they get drawn in themselves. That's how we NEED to be as a follower of Jesus Christ in school. Uh oh! Did I say "Jesus Christ?!" We don't say HIS name! Only God...Saying God kind of fits in to everything and everyone.

This is where we have to pave the way as leaders, high school students. Well, not "we," but YOU! As a person who claims that they know Jesus as the Savior of their soul, we can't approach our lives going the opposite direction. There are too many students who have no idea what they believe, they only call themselves Christians because their parents or grandparents do. For those of you who know better, it's up to you guys to step up to the plate. It's time to take a stand and live a life that goes against the grain. This isn't necessarily a plea for you to stand with Bibles in hand shouting, "REPENT AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED YOU HEATHEN NATION!!" in the school yard. However, it is completely reasonable for you to say, "no" when approached with things you know wouldn't be Christ like. It is reasonable to live differently by just keeping your mouth closed during the gossip session. It is reasonable to be a giver, servant, helper, friend, shoulder to cry on, ear to vent to, counselor for those having family problems, and witness during open opportunities. It's then that you can gradually draw in others to know Christ.

Here's my challenge high school student: STRIVE TO BE LIKE CHRIST! Always remember that it's not necessarily that a person won't come to know Christ because of you, but why even want to be a part of a person's bitterness towards Jesus? And, why not seek to receive the awesome feeling of knowing someone came to know Christ because they saw your life lived out for Him?

Clean Up Your Act!

2010-03-04T15:05:00.003-05:00

I was reading in the first chapter of Isaiah and thought it was interesting what God had to say to the people..I love how Isaiah is clear that these are the Lord's words and He wants you to hear them. In verse 10, He compares the people of Judah to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah! That sounds like a pretty rough insult, but in God's eyes, the people of Judah were no better. They were completely lost so far in their sin that they had no desire to stop on account of God.

The next thing, which is the focus of this particular post, is that God turns down their sacrifices! One might ask, "Well, these people were asking forgiveness...Isn't this a contradiction? Doesn't God say that He is always faithful and just to forgive sins?" Good question! Jesus Christ died on the cross for every one of our sins, so I would say that God takes it pretty serious and definitely seeks to forgive all. However, we have to dig into the attitude of these people and realize what was happening here. We are told earlier in the passage that the people revolted against God (vs.2), they were corrupt and despised the Holy One (vs.4), the were rebellious (vs.5), and they turned away from God (vs. 4). So, here is a group that is completely numb to God, His ways, His commandments, and His authority over them. They do not seek His grace, pleasure, glory, or joy. They seeks their own selfish ways. However, they are part of a nation that worships this God still and thus continue in the ways of the land. There was no heart and definitely no true WORSHIP!

The problem here is that these people were following a task. They were supposed to come to worship God in the courts of the temple. Yet, here in verse 12, God asks them who required them to come and trample in His courts. He was saying that they were coming with a haughty, selfish, and wicked heart and all they were doing is trampling the court grounds. Let me emphasize that showing up to the place where forgiveness is given does not obtain forgiveness in itself! In fact, in 1 Samuel 15:22, we have the familiar verse that says, "...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

God seeks our heart, completely dedicated and open to His leadership. That's why repentance is the word that comes to my mind in this passage. In verse 16, God tells the people to remove their evil deeds and stop doing evil. He wants our hearts to be turned from the wicked with the recognition that it is not of God. It's not saying that He knows we will be perfect, because we WILL sin, but it's the recognition that His forgiveness covers those who recognize their sinful state. These people had turned from God and probably had no regards to their actions and definitely didn't think what they were doing was wrong.

Once we realize how much our Holy God hates the evil things in our lives, we can move toward cleaning up our lives. And this, not because our parents told us to, or preacher told us to, or our friends did, but because we realize God's desire is for us to repent and we desire to follow Him!

How To Not Fit In At Church

2010-01-18T11:29:00.003-05:00

The Seriousness of Sin

2010-01-14T08:50:00.003-05:00

Ezra 9:(1)Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. (2)For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. (3) And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonished.

In this passage of Ezra, the Israelites have just been given permission from this great power of Persia to go back to their city of Jerusalem and worship their God freely. When they get there, the priests take account of everything they have and offer burnt offerings to the Lord. Then they come to Ezra to tell him that the people have not separated themselves from the people of the other countries and they've taken wives and sons from them. This was a huge deal to Ezra because God did not want the people of Israel to mix with other nations. The reason He did not want this is because even the strongest willed men were led away to other gods through the influence of these marriages (I Kings 11:1-4 Solomon is turned away from God).

When Ezra get's word of this, he is absolutely crushed. He tore his garment and robe which was a sign of mourning at that time. He then began to pull out some of his hair and even hair from his beard. The first thing that I thought when I read this was, "WOW! This guy is serious about the sin of the people." We know that he was serious before this from Ezra 7:10-For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. That word "do" is just as is sounds...it means that Ezra did not just seek, but actually practiced and accomplished what God asked of him. And he was so in tune with God that he felt the weight of shame and guilt that the sin of people produced. He realized just how holy God was and how sinful the people were. It says after he pulled out his hair (again, wow) that he sat down astonished. This word takes the meaning of devastated or even growing numb. He was struck down with the idea that his people weren't following God's commandments after God delivered them from captivity.

Just like the people of Israel, we have been delivered from captivity! Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sin by dying on the cross delivering us from bondage. He did this so that we can go to Heaven instead of Hell, which is where we belong because our sins separate us from a Holy God. For those of us who have experienced this grace from God and accepted salvation from hell, let us stop carrying the baggage of a sin filled life. We are mingling with the things that lead us away from God and even the strong willed Christians are led away when we allow ourselves to be around sin for long enough. Let us get serious about it, realize where we are at, and seek God's grace which is free!

A Good Laugh

2010-01-12T20:38:00.002-05:00

They say when you fall down you should pick yourself back up and try again...ummmm yeeeaaahhhhh

Winter Place

2010-01-12T17:09:00.002-05:00

This is us getting started at Winter Place on the ski trip...

Ski Trip to Winter Place

2010-01-12T16:50:00.000-05:00

2010: The Future!

2010-01-04T16:25:00.002-05:00

OK, let's be honest, 15 to 20 years ago, we all thought this is what 2010 would look like! I can remember watching the Jetsons thinking about how I couldn't wait to shoot through tubes for transport and fly around in crazy looking cars...Yet, here we are in 2010 and it feels like nothing has really changed in comparison to our everyday living. Sure, looking back we can see how things have improved over the years, but we become so immune to the conveniences that the further along we progress, the more unimpressed we become with the new changes.

It's a lot like that with God too. Over the years we have seen so much sin pollute society and the church that we have almost become immune to it. It's as if we have weaned ourselves away from G-Rated to PG-13 to R without batting an eye because it has been a slow progression. It's like we're slowly boiling ourselves to death without noticing because Satan slowly turns up the heat to where we just think we're in a hot tub until it's too late.

Then, the more we accept sin and unrighteousness, the more we fall away from God. We stop reading our Bible because no one else does. We stop praying because no one else does. Without others to help and encourage, staying in communication with God can become a losing battle very easily because the world drags us away. However, just like with anything difficult, we must make a commitment and become disciplined in order to overcome.

Pastor Ryan preached this past Sunday on what our current condition with Christ is. As we look back on this past year, examine your heart to see where you are with Christ. Do we communicate with Him? Do we read His Word in an effort to seek Him? Do we make Him part of our daily lives? If not, 2010 is the year to start! God loves us and desires us to follow Him. Let us make an effort to follow Him this new year.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T11:04:00.002-05:00

Matthew 1:21-23
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Can you imagine that the God of the universe would want to come live with us? I can't either, but He did. And He did for one reason--verse 21: to save us from our sins! And to top it off, we are given His very authority and title when it says that He would be called Emmanuel or "GOD with us." I love how this song describes it: it says He took off his crown, laid it down, and said, "Father, Thy will be done." Jesus was willing to do whatever it took to make sure we had the access to a permanent home with Him even though we naturally reject Him and He knew we would hate, despise, and kill Him.

We have turned Christmas into many things. Some of these things are great and really make us get the warm and fuzzies. My favorite holiday of the year is Christmas and I love giving and receiving gifts, spending time with family, and eating! However, there are many who have none of these things. There are hurting, oppressed, poor, widows, etc. Many of these just wanting some love that they see others experience.

The greatest gift in the world was given by God to us. A Christ who became our example and sacrifice for sins. Let us follow God's example and be giving and sacrificial this Christmas. Let us go out of our way to extend the love of Christ. May God bless us richly for giving as we've been given.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Charity for World Vision

2009-12-09T10:26:00.002-05:00

I recommend HotelsCombined.com and sent $20 to World Vision!

You can shout and help too.

I received an email from a nice lady with HotelsCombined.com and she referred me to their website that gives donations to charity organizations for mentioning their site. World Vision is one of the organizations they donate to so, I decided to give them a shout out on our site so World Vision could get some money!

Someone we know possibly? :)

2009-12-08T14:45:00.002-05:00

I came across this picture and thought our teenagers might like it. It's creative and classy at the same time. What a way to mix the Christmas spirit with a little West Virginia heritage...haha, I'm only kidding people. Don't hate me. The picture is kinda funny though.

Old Hymn--New Version

2009-12-07T21:33:00.003-05:00

This is some new music to an old hymn that Casting Crowns perform on their newest album. I liked the old music to it too, but this new arrangement adds a nice little kick to it so, for those of you who hate hymns...You may actually enjoy this! And the thing so amazing about the words is that it includes the entire message of Jesus Christ throughout the three verses--listen closely and see.

My favorite line is, "Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree, and took the nails for me!" Imagine hands that could heal sick, calm a storm, make the blind to see, and cause life-long crippled people to walk were given voluntarily to be nailed on a cross. These same hands could have destroyed the entire Roman army if Jesus wanted it. And all of this wasn't to make some vain statement that He was a humanitarian, but to allow Himself to take sin's penalty for us. Wow...

Prayer Requests from Southern 12/3/09

2009-12-03T07:55:00.005-05:00

Baby Zach-Friend of mine's new born nephew with some critical health issues
Boys and Girls Basketball game tomorrow night-For safety and a win :)
Bro. Ryan not feeling well

**Update**
Baby Zach didn't make it through the night...pray for the family now dealing with the loss.

My Sponsored Child Through World Vision

2009-12-02T16:02:00.003-05:00

So, I finally decided to sponsor a child through this World Vision organization! I had always wanted to but just never did. Now, I am a sponsor to Victoire from Congo! I am excited about receiving some information from him, but apparently because of shipping, translating, etc., it takes months to get stuff back and forth :( But, as soon as I get something from him I will update the blog!

How amazing is technology that we are able to help someone in a foreign country and possibly change their lives physically and spiritually by the simple click of a button?

Million Dollar Shopping Spree!

2009-11-30T16:02:00.002-05:00

If you were given one million dollars, could you spend all of it in the mall at one time? If so, you are probably female. No, I kid. But, really, come with us on Saturday, December 12th from 4pm to 9pm! We are headed to the mall in Charleston for our mall madness. We will form teams and each team will be given a mock $1,000,000 to spend. The first team to spend all $1,000,000 or whoever spends the most in the allotted time will win! Further rules will be explained when everyone arrives. Be there or be square!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T10:50:00.002-05:00

OK, I thought that this cartoon was hilarious...

Anyways, I just wanted to say that I hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving! Mine was great. My girlfriend, Jineane, and my parents came to visit me here in the booming metropolis of Racine. We had a good time and an amazing dinner on Thursday.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, although a little late, I thought I would mention a few things I am thankful for.

My God and salvation
Jineane
My family
My pastor and his family
My church family here at First Baptist Church of Racine
The teenagers at church
The students who attend our prayer at the pole
My car
The house I'm living in
My computer and phone that allow communication from over 700 miles away
Pizza Hut pizza, Herrs Chips, Gatorade, and Brownies--Manna from heaven :)

A Special Holiday Treat

2009-11-18T11:27:00.000-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sweet Awesome Toys and the Gift of Life Forever in Heaven

2009-11-13T11:38:00.004-05:00

OK, honestly, where were sweet awesome toys like this when I was growing up? If I had driven up to some other kids on one of these bad boys when I was 5, and did an awesome drift and rocks flew everywhere, my social life would have been dramatically different as a child. Instead, my 3 year old nephew, Lawton, will probably get one for Christmas and I will show him pictures of when I was a kid and say, "Look at this, I got a Tonka truck and a regular Bicycle." Just like my dad did to me and my brother: "Yeah, you think that's bad, I got a baseball glove and a flashlight and we were on top of the world."

Nah, I only kid about the gifts. My parents worked hard to provide and I am thankful. As a teenager, some of you have it better than you think. I remember growing up thinking my parents were horrible, belt-wielding tyrants because I would get a butt whoopin' every once in a while. However, I look at children today and how many parents give no discipline whatsoever and their kids dictate to them what will happen, and I'm thankful my parents raised me the way they did. I'm not a parent yet, and I'm sure I will have some mercy and obviously make mistakes, but at the same time, I hope I'm strong enough to show the tough love and discipline in some fashion. My goodness, my dad used to beg everyday, "Pretty please step out of line...I'm dying to give a whoopin today." He also had this unsettling smile on his face when he pulled the belt from it's loops...I'm sure some of you can relate :)

Going back to the gifts from that awful rabbit trail of discipline...I think being young (teenagers through late twenties), we think we are owed something. We think we should have what our parents have now at our age because our parents are so gracious to us. They've given to us so much that we have become experts in taking. I think it's time we returned the favor and became givers to those who need. This is one of the most important principles taught by Jesus. He said to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That means if you want sweet awesome gifts from others, learn how to GIVE sweet awesome gifts.

The most important gift we can give though, is love. Now don't take that as an excuse not to give tangible things like your time, money, and possessions, but never forget to offer them the idea that they are loved and appreciated as a person. So many people feel rejected, so show them two people who want to accept them where they are: Jesus and yourself. Then, don't leave them hanging, but live a life that portrays Christ to show them how amazing He works. This is our only somewhat acceptable return to Christ for His gift of eternal security from Hell: to live a life that reflects Him. And when we truly think about what reflects Him and His majesty, many things in our lives seem pretty vain and unholy. As "Casting Crowns" says, "Empty hands held high, such small sacrifice, when not joined with my life." Ouch, that hurts. Our going to church and singing in the choir, going to youth night, helping with the children, or "praising God" in the worship service isn't enough??? This really makes me reevaluate myself. Does my LIFE reflect Christ? Does yours? Not just at church, but everyday, normal life...

Is God's Presence Enough?

2009-10-30T12:39:00.003-04:00

Wednesday night was a pretty long night. After church, Bro. Ryan told me that we were going to the hospital in Columbus that night because the baby of a couple in our church was very sick and being transported there. It was a tiring time to say the least, but fun times as always with Ryan. Of course, I always get made fun of for falling asleep on the rides back from long nights like that. I took some cheap shots after I let Robert drive my truck on the way home from Cincinnati and I slept in the back seat for two hours. Anyways, the best part about the night though was the chicken sandwich I had before I left (which was amazing) and then we stopped at McD's on the way. I had a double cheese burger with fries and blue Powerade. I'm not much for claiming what will or will not be in heaven, but I'm pretty sure that McDonald's will be there (minus Ronald because clowns are the devil).

Moving along...I was thinking about the reason we go to the hospital in times like that. We're not doctors, we don't have a cure for the people, we don't have a magical potion that will heal the hurting of the family members, so why go? It seems that the presence of those who care is the primary reason any of us try to console others. As pastors, we obviously pray for those sick or even pray for comfort for the family members, but in general I think people just want the comfort of knowing that someone knows that they are hurting and cares for them.

This brings me to my next question. Why is God's mere presence not enough? Why do we blame God for bad things happening instead of resting in the comfort of knowing He's there? I do it all the time. I think, "Why are you letting this happen God?" Or, "Where are you God? I am waiting on you to start blessing me and making things all better and miraculously changing my heart." Instead, I should be recognizing that no matter what happens, He is there. Of course, I will ask for His help in whatever infirmity or affliction I am dealing with, but sometimes I think it helps just knowing that the person who cares for me most is still there. Many times, I am just blinded by the problem and blaming Him for not fixing it.

Think of it like this...When a thief breaks into a house and a child is scared to death and fearing for their life, they don't blame the parent. They normally don't say, "well, if you would have installed an alarm system, I wouldn't be in terror right now." Or, "wow, mom and dad, thanks for allowing this guy to take my Nintendo away. Nevermind the fact that I'm still alive, he took my stinkin Nintendo.." Normally, they run to their parents and just cry in their arms, thankful that they have safety now. They see their parents as a safe haven, protected from all harm. God is our Father! When the rough times come, let us not blame Him, but allow ourselves to cry in His arms and know we are loved and protected.

Crazy Imaginations

2009-10-27T17:07:00.003-04:00

So, if my imaginary friends look like this guy, remind me to seek immediate medical attention! I might take some criticism for this one, but honestly, I can't really see any of our teenagers going to watch it anyways...Although, it can get pretty boring around here provoking behavior such as going to watch pointless movies. I haven't seen the movie personally, so I can't really critique it to the fullest extent, but from most reviews I've read, it sounds pretty stupid.

It's funny, I thought my imagination was kind of violent as a kid with G.I. Joe and army men, but this dude thinks he is king of a mysterious race of huge, hairy beasts that can tear trees apart with their claws. Have at it kid...I'll take my chances fighting crime with the Ninja Turtles. At least they have a reason for being mutants.

This obviously has nothing to do with spirituality, but I thought it might invoke some fun conversation :)

Dodgeball Night

2009-10-26T09:23:00.007-04:00

Here are the pics from the yearbook yourself contest and dodgeball..Some of them are blurry so I added captions to them so you know who each person is. Also, thanks to those who participated in the yearbook yourself contest. We had three participants who all obviously won the money--Colby Roseberry, Andrew Roseberry, and Jacob Hoback.

FUN ACTIVITY

2009-10-13T15:11:00.004-04:00

Saturday night October 24th, we are playing dodgeball in the outreach center! At the Lock-In we had in August, dodgeball was a pretty big hit. This time, depending on how many we have, we may play tournament style! So, bring friends, neighbors, or even a random teenager you find on the streets. I don't care. I just know the more people we have, the more awesome it is going to turn out.

We will also announce the winners of the yearbook yourself contest! So, if you entered, come to the event to claim your prize if you win. What if you're saying to yourself right now, "But Jesse, I don't like yearbook yourself contests and I certainly don't like dodgeball..." Well young lad, you're in luck because we are going to have free food! If anything, come for free food.

Hope to see you there!!!

Until the Whole World Hears

2009-10-11T21:46:00.003-04:00

Awesome song! New Casting Crowns that really challenges us as Christians to get the gospel out to the whole world with our personal daily lives and together as one body.

FREE MONEY!!!!!

2009-10-07T09:17:00.006-04:00

Teenagers, where are you?!?!? I am giving away FREE money here!! Maybe I can extend a crucial piece of advice to you at your young age: NOTHING in life is FREE!! There is a price for everything (including salvation), which was already paid..See me for a detailed description of that :) Anyways, I am now offering you something that is free. Insert the exception clause to my previous sentence that said, "nothing in life is free." When Jesse says it (yes, I referred to myself in third person-for emphasis), you can count on it! I am giving away $50, $30, and $20 to the first, second, and third place winners of the yearbook yourself contest. Parents, if you're reading this, tell your kids and every teen you know. ANY teenager can enter! They do not have to attend, be members, or even have ever visited our church.

The process is easy. Just go to yearbookyourself.com and they will teach you the art of it. Please don't make me keep the $100 that I want to give away. It would be a crying shame. Honestly, this isn't even fair. It's so easy a child could do it! To encourage participation, I've even added a special treat for you guys. A flashback to the past...From left to right we have Pastor Ryan Eaton, Bro. Robert Brown, Mrs. Stacy Eaton, and the one and only Dr. Doug Hunter. The million dollar question is, "Is this real from 1976 or 'yearbooked?'"

If We Are the Body

2009-10-01T13:16:00.002-04:00

This is kind of a goofy video, but Casting Crowns doesn't have a video for the song and I thought the ending really portrayed the song pretty well. But, I was listening to this song today and was just thinking about how awesome the words are. I mean "Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come" just convicts me like crazy. I guess many times I kind of feel like people are so closed off to God that they will never change. Then, come my judgmental thoughts and attitude. But, that's not for me to decide (whether they will change or not). We are all closed off to God before salvation. It is He who comes to us and tries to bring us to Him. We just have to love the sinners where they are at and show them to the "Way, the Truth, and the Life" through our words and actions and the way we live our life.

Cross-Country Meet at Meigs

2009-09-29T18:07:00.001-04:00

Here's a look at our guys at the cross-country meet on Tuesday. Bradley is a beast! He can really scoot

YEARBOOK YOURSELF CONTEST

2009-09-22T16:23:00.006-04:00

The “Yearbook Yourself” Contest is for teenagers ONLY (Grades 7th-12th). Any teenager wanting to participate is welcomed to do so! Here are the terms:

A $50 prize will be awarded to the first place winner, $30-second place, and $20-third place. Winners will be announced at our teen event on Saturday night, October 24th. Details about the event will follow later. In order to claim your cash prize should you win, YOU MUST BE AT THE EVENT! Otherwise, the next runner up will receive your prize. Winners will be decided by our church congregation on the prior Sunday so all entries must e-mailed to me by Friday, October 16th.

You can create your picture at yearbookyourself.com. The website will explain the procedure. Please submit only ONE picture of yourself for this contest! After you save your picture, e-mail it to Jesse McKendree at mckendree.jesse@gmail.com with your first and last name in the subject heading. You can also direct any questions to this e-mail as well as on the comment section of this blog.

Balancing Act

2009-09-15T11:07:00.003-04:00

Ahhh...Struggles and more struggles. Does anyone else feel like the whole world is on one extreme or another? I say this in the Christian perspective, that is. For instance, lately, it seems like every blog I read or person I talk to is on one side of the extreme. They are either super liberal or super conservative. I find myself somewhere in the middle (not to quote Mark Hall or anything).

I was reading today and found myself pretty intrigued by a couple of verses in Matthew 5. Verse 16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." The liberal extreme out there seems to completely ignore this verse as well as the entire chapter of Romans 6, specifically verse 15: "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." When I was thinking about these verses, I was thinking about conservative Christianity too.

Extreme conservatives go on the opposite extreme, making life a journey of guilt and condemnation. We seek to destroy our own as well as other peoples' will power by making our hearts feel as guilty as possible for sin in our lives. However, Jesus never kicked a person while they were down. In fact, he spoke against the pharisees who were doing this. He spoke against judgment on others, but advocated lifting one another up. He taught to love one another, to seek your neighbor's well being as much as your own, and to go out together as a church body and save lost souls. This meant helping rather than tearing down.

I think the healthy balance in between is realizing that grace is a gift and it is not to be taken advantage of. For instance, let us say hypothetically that at your job, you are allowed an hour lunch break. This is the rule or law. Well, one day you have lunch with your husband or wife and you end up staying for an hour and 20 minutes. You knew you should have come back, but you purposely stayed out longer because you wanted extra time with your spouse. You get back, the boss questions you, and you admit what happened. The boss tells you not to worry and it's okay. In fact, he tells you it's as good as forgotten and the 20 extra minutes is already paid for. Then, he says there is no longer a law on an hour lunch break, but that is a safe area to stay around in order to make the company run the smoothest. He just extended grace. Well, instead of trying extra hard from then on to get back in a timely manner because the boss was so good to you and you feel that he deserves the same kind of commitment, you take advantage. From then on, you think, "Well, the boss will forgive and pay for my time I steal, why not?" So, you stay late all the time in your selfishness, living it up in this "grace."

I think the careful balance involves the church, first, being real. This means realizing that just because a person has accepted Christ does not mean that they have accepted the journey of spiritual maturity. By nature, we want to accept Christ as fire insurance, but our life change growth can get stunted somewhere along the way and cause us to accept our own will for our lives. Also, we must realize what people (especially teens/young adults) are facing these days. They have one click access to ANYTHING they want to look at, they have bars and clubs filled with people ready to have their desires satisfied with them, and they have millions upon millions of people telling them that it's all okay as long as it's safe and in moderation. If we burst through on the other extreme and try to exorcise the demons out of them, we WILL lose them! Instead, if we offer a DIFFERENCE, we may be able to reach them. Probably, the most influential thing that will bring a person to Christ today is our lives being different. This does NOT mean that we should drive a horse and buggy and shun indoor plumbing. What I am talking about is living a balanced life after Christ that shows others "our good works." This shines a light out to the unsaved. We talk about works not saving, which is very true. But, Christ wants us to portray good works as a sign to the unsaved that there is a different life. HIS life.

I guess the defining part of this is thinking about the unsaved. If we take the mentality of trying to be "cool just like everyone else," then we chance the world not seeing a difference. If we do everything the same, why would someone want to come worship with us?? However, if we say, "we are separate from every person who doesn't love Jesus," why would anyone want to come worship with us there either?? If we proclaim that we serve Christ, worship Him, and love Him and live a "normal" life seeking to please Him, I think we've hit the mark. The focus is then taken off what we do and put on what He does through us.

Although this blog involves the entire church body as a whole, including the extreme liberal to extreme conservative (oh, and don't get me wrong, because both do see souls saved, I am excited about that), I really want to push it towards our teens. You guys are going to start leading here soon and we need you to be OPEN. We want you to take God's Word and live the very words He has spoken. You ARE going to fall. You can count on it, but don't let yourself stay in the pit. Christ is there to dust you off and keep you going. Don't let guilt overwhelm you. See guilt over sin as a motivation to continue forward in righteousness because Christ has paid for that guilt and condemnation! And always follow Christ before man. Obviously, this blog about balance is how I view things. You may view things a little differently. If it measures up to God's Word, not mine (or anyone else) then great. God will bless righteousness. If your view goes against God's Word, then reevaluate your position. If you need anything my door is open! Peace out my little flock of sheeplings

Crazy Week

2009-09-14T14:16:00.002-04:00

Wow..this past week was intense. Pastor Ryan was on vacation with his family so I got to be the top dog for a week. I got to preach a few times which was nice and even got to do my first communion..well, moderate for the first time. Then, on Thursday, I rode with Ronnie and Wilbur to see big John in the hospital. That was a crazy 3 hour drive! I heard all their awesome stories from back in their good ole days.

The busiest day though by far was Saturday. First, I did the 5K race which was a painful sight to see me dragging along I'm sure. I was pretty worn out by the end of it. Then, we went to the hard part. Our job was to man the inflatables at the Party in the Park. We were told to ask for donations to get some money for our youth groups. In the end, we got through it all pretty well and made a decent amount of money. I even had some teenagers show up to help out! So, a big thanks to Michael and Zach Manuel, Andrew Roseberry, Jacob Hoback, and Jacob's friends who don't attend our church, but helped us anyways-Ryan and Braden. Also, a huge thank you to Bob and Cathie Wood, Kim Ihle, Ray Parsons, Robert and Cindy Brown, Emma Hunter, Weston Roberts, Patrick Johnson, and Morgan Brown. I hope I included everyone from our church who helped! If I forgot you, comment and let me know!

Overall, it was a good week and weekend. I still have Maggie here at the house (Mary Brauer's dog). She is cool, but she loves to play. I can only imagine what having kids is like!! Not that I compare kids with animals, but both do drool on everything and carry fleas. Just kidding. Anyways, we are starting our Bible and prayer group at Southern this Thursday so be praying for that. I am hoping to have a good turnout even though it is a little early.

Runaway Teens! For Church Members and Teens

2009-08-31T09:29:00.004-04:00

*See "Does Anybody Hear Her" and "Stained Glass Masquerade" on the song play-list*

The future of our teens depends upon our ability to be effective leaders. This has to be a careful balance of many roles. You have to be a disciplinary, a friend, a mentor, an accountability partner, and someone who can love them in the midst of their darkest secrets. Why do you think teenagers are so closed off to us? Is it because we're that many generations apart from them? Is it because you listen to southern gospel music while they listen to rap, rock, and pop? These are hardly issues worth turning a teenager away from us. Don't get me wrong--Although, some of you/us may have been quite the high school popularity leader back in our time, times are changing fast and we don't hold up to the same "cool" factors. Sorry, but Sonny and Cher are out; Black Eyed Peas are in!

The one thing that we can impact them with though is our judgment towards them. I am having to come to reality with this. As many times as I want to throw the mark on their chest that says they're on a one way street away from God, I have to recognize just that! They are running away from exactly what they're looking for. What we need to realize is that God lives in us. So, if we can cross their paths as often as we can, shake their hand, encourage them, hang out with them, or just say hey to them, then in essence they will be crossing paths with God's love. When we show love to them, we are showing Jesus Christ because He is love. And I don't want to sound like a hippie singing kumbaya or anything, but this is reality. The reality is that God said love as I have loved. Christ loved so much that He gave His life. What are we willing to give?

The harsh truth is that many of us either lived a crazy teen life, but expect teens today to be perfect or we lived a near perfect teen life and expect those today to do the same. But, personal circumstance does NOT dictate how we interpret the Bible! And maybe we've forgotten how much God loved or loves us in the very midst of our darkest sin. Maybe we've forgotten how we were on our way to hell, yet Jesus Christ placed His arms around us and pulled us up out of a pit we couldn't climb out of ourselves. And maybe we've forgotten that when our Father saw us from a distance, after we turned from Him and went our own way, that he ran to us, hugged us, and celebrated our return to Him.

Going back to my original question: Why do you think teenagers are so closed off to us? It's because we have a reputation to not accept them where they are. We only want to accept the "good" kids. What would you do if a teen came to you and said that they were knee deep in drugs and pornography? Would your eyes get huge and your face turn red thinking that this kid is going to hell; that there is no help for him/her? Or, could you accept them, love them, and tell them that you, and more importantly, God still loves them? This isn't a plea to accept the sin, but the sinner. Once we have their confidence and they have our acceptance, then we can help them find deliverance through the power of Christ and accountability. And the way we receive their confidence is being real with them. If we pretend that sin doesn't exist then they will pretend that it doesn't exist either-around us. Outside of us, outside of accountability, they will do what they want. How many times do we go to God and ask for forgiveness feeling unworthy and unaccepted, but knowing that we ARE worthy through the redemptive power of Christ? Let us make teens feel worthy to come to us and receive acceptance and forgiveness. This will be the stepping stone for them to take their issues to Christ.

Teenagers: If you're reading this and you've gotten this far in the blog then kudos to you. Realize that we love you and want to help you in any way. We may not be the same type of people in the same generation facing the same situations, but we serve an unchanging God who loves us where we're at. If you have questions or need help with anything you can ask in confidence.

Small Town Football

2009-08-29T10:44:00.002-04:00

Last night was the first home game for the Southern Tornadoes, so I decided to stroll out and watch. It's always amusing to me how intense people get at football games especially in high school. My cousin Michael plays football back in Florida and I remember going to watch him a few times. My Uncle Mike could get pretty heated at the referees and from the top of the bleachers he would yell profanities at them. No, I'm only kidding. My uncle is a good guy, really...But, he would always give pep talks from the top of the bleachers and I thought it was hilarious. My Aunt Leisa, on the other hand, she would just kind of cover her face from the side :)

This was much like my dad with me in basketball. I remember many times we would get kind of stagnant in a game and instead of producing a lot of motion on the court, we would just stand in "our spot." My dad would yell from the bleachers, "MOVE, MOVE...don't just stand there!" Then, a few seconds later, my coach would start yelling the same thing! So, don't stop yelling dads, some coaches are listening for your advice.

Last night was kind of a reminder of being back home. The school my cousin played for, Hilliard, much like my high school, was a small school about like Southern. So, seeing everyone in the bleachers; just small town people chiming in during plays was nice to see again. I guess everyone can relate to the "Friday Night Lights" feel and how it gives a sense of excitement and pride for your hometown. I look forward to catching our own Racine First Baptist boys, Michael and Zachary Manuel, in more games to come. Hopefully, we can recruit some more of the players to our church!

In a spiritual aspect, (wouldn't be a pastor if I didn't throw a little something in) these athletic events are much like our lives. Just like in the first quarter, the Vikings scored two touchdowns off of terrible mistakes made on Southern's part. Satan will do the same in our lives. He will run all over us if we are not careful and benefit from OUR mistakes. However, Southern was not completely defeated. They played a strong defensive game and held the Vikings to no points in the second and third quarter, even scoring themselves late in the third. I don't know what the final score was because I left after we scored, but I was impressed that Southern didn't lay it down after the first few bad plays. They stuck with it and held out. (Better than what I can say for the Jaguars...ouch, sorry Jacksonville, but they haven't been doing much since ooohhhh, I don't know, the late 1990's!) Anyways...We should do the same as Southern. Even when we feel defeated by a few bad "plays" we've made, we must stay strong and keep our heads in the game.

Lock-In

2009-08-28T11:52:00.000-04:00

Funny Video

2009-08-26T18:04:00.003-04:00

That's Just the Way It Is

2009-08-26T14:58:00.002-04:00

If I had to choose one song to describe how I feel about God, it would probably be "You Are God Alone" by Phillips, Craig, and Dean. I have two favorite lines of the song that really have gotten me through tough situations

One is "You are God, that's just the way it is." Whenever I wonder about why things happen the way they do or why anything, I have to come back to this. Not that God is a God who does not care or does like my parents used to do: when I would ask them why I couldn't do something they would answer with the ever so detailed explanation of "because I said so!" Obviously, God, by His very nature, is Love, Compassion, and Forgiveness on top of having our well-being on His heart. So, to say He has the attitude of "I'm God and I'll do what I want no matter what happens to you" is not truth. However, I do believe that God is sovereign, and with that in mind, I believe that He knows of and controls all things. This knowledge does not stop me from asking my "why" questions, but gives me a comfort even through tough times that He knows what I'm going through and has me on His mind.

The other line I enjoy is "And right now in the good times and bad, you are on your throne and you are God alone!" This just another comfort showing that God is ALWAYS on His throne, decked out in royal apparel with a train that fills His temple, surrounded by angels who dare not reveal their face before Him. When I see Him like that, I definitely get a better feel for how powerful and amazing He is. Then, I know He is ALWAYS with me in the good times and bad times. No matter how much I doubt Him, show bitterness, or even tell Him no, He does not leave me. He is faithful. He is holy.

How does God reveal Himself to you? What song(s) strengthen your faith or give you encouragement?

First Blog

2009-08-25T18:03:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

This is the first blog post for our new youth website (to state the obvious). I am pretty excited to get everything going with it. I will start with this short intro to our group and will add some more later.

So far I have been youth pastor here for a little over a month and I love it. We have had some good times and I am looking forward to many more. To be honest, I'm not even sure what our average attendance is because it fluctuates between our morning and evening service so much, but what we lack in numbers we make up for in personality! :) We have an awesome group that has potential to produce great spiritual leaders.