Western Youth Camp Report
Here is a quick report on our Western Road Trip Youth Camp at Camp Elkanah. Gary Garcia and the Road Ministries were our guest speakers and worship leaders. God has used them each day; with many responding to God at the altars following the messages. Gary’s team spoke on some very relevant subjects such as: God’s grace, sexual purity, self-image, family life and developing a missions heart. Tom Bachman and I spoke in our morning chapels. Each morning we coached the campers on how to keep the commitments they made the night before. We desire to see these students’ lives transformed by the power of God.
read more // comments (0)Summer is for Kids
I just finished a week in Eastern Oregon at Camp Elkanah for the first of six summer camps, Next Generation Ministries will be facilitating. Two of them will be kids camps, two will be youth camps, one is our Royal Ranger Pow Wow and we are trying a new Youth Discipleship Camp. God has given us six fabulous teams to help lead these camps and the attendance seems to be strong for all six camps.
As a Next Generation Pastor for so many years in the local church, I have always felt like summer was the time to step up my ministry schedule. Summer was never a good time for me to slow down. Kids and youth are out of school, allowing me extra time to do discipleship, build relationships and play. Yes, play! I believe Jesus took time to have fun and play with His disciples. There are certain things that can only take place in a student’s life on a raft, in a water war or at a camp that will never happen in a church service.
read more // comments (0)Primal
I recently just finished reading Mark Batterson’s third book, Primal – A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity. I loved Batterson’s style of writing. He is passionate, thought provoking, and yet simplistic. In this third book he takes on the Great Commandment, which he calls the Primal Commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
read more // comments (0)The Race of Life, by Pam Weston
I Corinthians 9:24-27, 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
I ran my first 5K race. It was a lot of work to go from couch potato to runner, but crossing the finish line make the effort well worth it and it got me to thinking . . . we are all running a race.
read more // comments (0)10 Days in a Fireworks Stand.
This time of year it seems wherever you drive, you see a fireworks stand. I spent nine years living in a fireworks stand for ten days each summer and I still find myself spending a day or two there. Seeing all these stands reminds me of a conversation I had a few months back with Pastor Richard Butler, pastor of Faith Christian Fellowship in Woodburn. Faith Christian Fellowship has been our top Speed the Light giving church (Per-Capita) for the last few years. Last year they gave $5,869.75 to STL. This averages out over $100 Per-Person in STL giving.
Here is the first question I asked him, “How does your small congregation give so much money to Speed the Light?”
read more // comments (0)Lasting Fruit
I recently came across a new survey conducted by LifeWay Christian Resources, their study revealed that a majority of young adults, age 18 to 29, don't pray, don't worship and don't read the Bible. Here are some of their findings:
read more // comments (1)Step up your game! by Troy Pomeroy
Hi, my name is Troy and I'm a recovering American Christian. I've been an American Christian pretty much my whole life. Oh, I've had measurable periods in my life where I was less dedicated to Christ than others...but I've never really not been a Christian.
Growing up in church kind of has a strange effect on a person...especially in America. We have this really odd perspective on what it means to be a Christian. In America we tend to think that the church is for us, that the church exists to serve our "needs", cater to our whims and always make sure we are comfortable. I'm not proud to say it, but, I bought in to that perspective for a while...a long while. Oh, I served in the local church,"did ministry" and paid my tithe...but it wasn't until 1997, when I had my first opportunity to step across the borders of America and see Christians, real Christians, thriving in conditions I found abhorrent, that my perspective began to change. Since that time I've had the privilege of visiting some other countries and inter-acting with Christians in places like Eastern Europe, Central America, The Caribbean, Southeast Asia and been able to see what Christian life outside the American matrix is like.
Explore the Call
Did you know that among our Assemblies of God Missionaries, 85% recognize they were called to be missionaries while they were between the ages of 9 and 13! This means they were called to ministry during their Children and Youth Ministry years. I believe God is still calling children and youth. We who work with this next generation must talk, teach, and provide opportunities for our kids and youth to explore the call of God in their life. He might just be calling them.
Last month during our Amplify Conference we had an emphasis on the Call. We tried to help the students answer this question: How do I know if God is calling?
Here are four things I shared at Amplify to help them explore the call. You might want to use them to develop your own teaching for your kids on this topic.
1. God Calls in different ways, not just one way.
2. God’s Call grows on you.
3. God’s Call will pull you to get involved.
4. God’s call will be confirmed.
read more // comments (0)Fear & Faith by Brad Shimomura
Have you ever been afraid of anything? Does heights, public speaking, embarrassment, failure, the dark, or death ring any bells? If you are breathing, odds are one of these things brings fear into your life. To me it is interesting to note that many surveys suggest that people are more afraid of public speaking than death. Public speaking is the #1 most feared thing in Americans, followed closely by death. Jerry Seinfeld once joked that this would suggest that at a funeral, most people would rather be the one being eulogized, rather than giving the eulogy.
read more // comments (0)Following Jesus is not always safe!
Following Jesus is not always safe!
In 2008, it was not a safe move to move my family to Salem. In 1999, it was not a safe move to move my family to Bend. In 1989, it was not a safe move to quit my secure job to go into the ministry. In 1986, it was not a safe move to say, “I do” to Barbara Jean Robles. In 1984, it was not a safe move to decide to Follow Jesus. Following Jesus takes courage. Courage is not the absent of fear, but the confidence to confront fear.
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