Thursday, December 17, 2009

What Worship Is

Pastor Shane is teaching the last part of a 3-week series on "Worship".  This week the youth are being taught, "What Worship Is":

There are 3 Types of People in this Church Service:
  1. The Chilled -- you go to service and go through the motions.
  2. The Thrilled -- service was a great show...the next service has to be greater or it becomes boring.
  3. Came To Be Filled -- came out of service life changed...filled with the Holy Spirit!
Where are you tonight? (Chilled, Thrilled, or did you Come to Be Filled) In 1Kings 18: 16-39, we learn from Elijah:

4 Ways You Worship God Best:
  1. Gage in a real living relationship with Him. (1Kings 18:22)
  2. Approach Him with genuine repentance. (1Kings 18:37) What is keeping your heart cold?
  3. You submit to His rulership in your life. (1Kings 18:39)
  4. When you allow Him to renew your life.
Where does God want you to be in Worship? Let's empty ourselves and fill up with God.

When We Worship God This is What it Does:
  1. Brings a new perspective. (We see things differently)
  2. Brings a desire to obey God.
  3. Helps us see that God is in control. (Worship gives us a physical, emotional and spiritual rest)
  4. Brings us power. (Worship empowers God's people)
What is Worship to You?

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Worship: When We Have Problems

The Youth Ministry had their Christmas Party on Wednesday Night, followed by Pastor Shane's teaching on "Worship" (part 2 of 3).

We all have responsibilities, especially in Worship. So what can we do?
  1. Don't be a distraction. (Romans 14:21...It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble). Things we do during Worship (ex. holding hands, etc.) takes our focus off of God. We all have to answer to God for every account that we do. You could be a stumbling block. It is not about you.
  2. Speak well of Worship. (Phillipians 4:8...And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, things that are excellent and worthy of praise).
  3. Participate in Worship. (Psalm 122:1...I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord"). If Angels were created for Worship, shouldn't we Worship?
  4. Invite others to join/come here to church. Don't forsake the gathering of the church. Don't make someone who belongs to another church make this their church. If you invite someone, ask someone who doesn't know Jesus.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

What Worship Is Not

Wednesday, Pastor Shane started a 3-week series on "Worship".
  • 15% of active church members that attend church regularly on Wednesdays and Sundays, actually come for the Worship.
  • Your Time, Talent and Treasure shows God where you stand in worship.
Read Mark 7:1-15. It talks about how we are honoring God with traditions or rituals instead of how he wants us to honor him...6 "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules."
  1. Worship is not when we go through the motions. Worship is on purpose. When you go through the motions, we get stuck in a spiritual rut. (A rut is a grave with the sides kicked out).
  2. Worship is not about rituals. Where is your heart?
  3. Worship is not about me. Your focus should be all on God. Pride is the #1 thing that causes preachers to fall. If you could plan our Worship Service, what would you change?
  4. It's not Worship unless it is reflected in obedience. True Worshippers want to follow God's lead. We are not worshiping God with our lives. Your obedience to God, is between you and God.
Upcoming Events:
  1. Saturday, December 5th- Witness and Prayer Walk from 10 am - 1 pm (ET).
  2. Sunday, December 6th- Visit Mrs. Norma
  3. Wednesday, December 9th- Youth Christmas Party...having Pizza @ 7 pm (ET)!
  4. Sunday, December 13th- Parents/Students Meeting for Snowbird Participates @ 4 pm (ET)...parents need to sign Waiver and Release Forms
  5. Wednesday, December 30th- Bowling
  6. Thursday, December 31st- Leave for Snowbird...be back on Jan. 2, 2010!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Psalm 100: A Psalm of Thanksgiving

On Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through a study on Psalm 100. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, how often do we really give thanks to God?

Psalm 100 (NLT)
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his court with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

5 Things that Psalm 100 teaches us:
  1. Joy- make a joyful noise...shout with joy. What brings you joy? Salvation, family, etc.
  2. Gladness- worship the Lord with gladness...come before him, singing with joy. Be excited about Worship!
  3. Dependance- acknowledge that the Lord is God!...3 Types of Dependancies: God is Lord! God is God and we are not! (He is our Creator!) God is our Shepherd! (protector)
  4. Thankfulness- you can't give thanks unless you are thankful!...we are a selfish generation. Instead of thinking of yourself, think of others. It is better to give than to receive. What are you going to give!
  5. Gratitude- For the Lord is good. The Lord is merciful! The Lord's love and truth endures forever! The Lord is faithful!
We hope you all have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!

Upcoming Events:
  • Guys Movie Night Friday, November 20, 2009...guys will go to the movies @ 10:00 pm (ET)
  • Youth for Hire this Saturday, November 21, 2009...Youth will be doing yard work, windows, etc. for a fundraiser for Winter Retreat: Snowbird! Pastor Shane will be by to pick you up around 9:00 am (ET), so be ready!
  • Community-wide Thanksgiving Service Tuesday, November 24, 2009... hosted by Silver Run @ 7:00 pm (ET)...No vans will be running for pick-up.
  • No Services on Wednesday night, November 25, 2009...enjoy your family and be thankful for each other and what God has done for you!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

All My Belongings (Part 4 of 5)



Pastor Shane took us through week 4 of a 5-week series called, "All My Belongings." It is teaching the youth where they belong and Who they belong to.


Last night the series was about our fakeness. When close friends fake, can you tell they are faking or are they being real? Are we all fake to a degree? What about our fakeness? What about faking in front of our parents? Did your parents fake-out their parents? Where did it all start?


Genesis 3:6-13 NLT (Garden of Eden)

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.


When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"


He replied, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked."


"Who told you that you were naked?" the Lord God asked. "Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?"


The man replied, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it."


Then the Lord God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it."


It all started with shame of their nakedness. Are you being fake with God? Do you have something to hide? God is all knowing. He is calling us back to Him into a relationship. He cares about you. He knows about your skeletons in the closet...we all have them. So, really how are you doing? You typically always say...fine. But, are you really fine? Do you act differently at home than you do at school? What about acting differently at church? Should we be acting differently at church than we do at home? How fake are we?


We need to be taught...


  1. No More Good Girls and Boys...be who God has called you to be!

  2. How to be Godly Wives to our Husbands and Godly Husbands to our Wives...the divorce rate is the same in church today as it is in the world. That needs to change! We are the chosen ones that need to set the example for others to follow!

So, how fine are we? Why do you say your fine when you are hurting?


Galatians 3:1-4 NLT


Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?


We are living a life, a close connection from God...then we do it our way. We get messed up then need to call on God for help.


The Trouble with Honesty... when we take our barriers down, we become vunerable and ashamed. So what do we do?


We learn the Greatest Commandment:



  1. Love the Lord God with all your heart...

  2. Love your neighbor as yourself

We all have a desire to be connected. Jesus came for the ones who were sinners.


John 15:5 NLT


"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."


So, to answer your question in what to do...be vunerable to God. Be real for Him. Get out of that fakeness and let God restore you! Are you ready to be restored?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Women of Faith’s Nicole Johnson Recaps Revolve


October 21, 2009
Yes, it’s loud and they love it! I’m not talking about the six thousand teenaged girls at Revolve this past weekend; I’m talking about their moms!
I attended the Revolve Tour this past weekend in Ontario, CA. Many of you know that for the last four years I’ve written and directed the drama for the conference. It’s always a highlight to attend one of the events and see the drama performed live. I love to cheer on the actors and scream right along with the girls, but this time as one of the more “vintage” women in the crowd, I noticed I was not alone.
On every row in the packed out arena there was at least one mom, sometimes more. They were there in their jeans and comfy shoes and they stood and sang and clapped and sometimes cried right along with the girls they love. Maybe because I was there as a new mom of a little girl (Abigail is 7 weeks old—no, she was not in the loud arena) but I found myself thinking of what a mom had to give up to bring a group of girls to a Revolve event… a weekend at home, a good night’s sleep, quiet time for themselves, healthy food, and probably a couple of years worth of good hearing. But there they were, jumping up down and singing right alongside the girls they packed in the vans.
They know, like I do, that you don’t get too many chances to bring young girls to a safe place where they
can hear about a God who loves them and a Savior who can forgive them. To a place where a girl can look around and see that not only is she not alone, she can see firsthand that there is a “totally awesome” time to be had with people who love God. So these moms make the extra effort, take the time off, drive the van and “herd the cats” all weekend long, forgoing a weekend that might include getting their nails done or reading on the couch or catching up on some work around the house because they believe the good news will change the lives of the girls they know and love.
So, here’s a special shout out to all the moms who load up their cars and vans, pack lots of snacks and anticipate seeing the work of God in the lives of young girls. You are heroes in the kingdom of God.
With gratitude for you,
Nicole Johnson

All My Belongings (Part 3 of 5)



On Wednesday, Pastore Shane led us through the 3rd week in a 5-week series called "All My Belongings". In the last two weeks, we learned:


There’s some serious power in the word “belonging”. Cliques, clubs, teams… there is always some group or another that students are trying to belong to in order to be connected and find value. But what the world offers easily is ultimately fleeting. Only what God provides—and the belonging that comes from being in him—can truly satisfy.


In this five-week super-series, we are exposing some of the world’s more deceptive lies about belonging. On the flip side, we are getting a picture of how the church can be a place where everyone belongs.


Students are challenged with questions like:


  • What groups do I automatically associate myself with?

  • Are my groups healthy? Smart?

  • What do my choices say about who I am and what I value?

  • Does God have a better plan for helping me feel loved and cared for?

This week we studied that it is All About the Church and how it fits into God's plan for our lives...The church has not been perfect. It is made up of sinners and we all make mistakes. God's disciples were sinners, and God still used them. We are learning the world's way is wrong, God's way is right.


Matthew 22:37-40... Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (NLT)


Even in cliques or groups, we all have a desire to be needed. We have a fear of being alone.


Symptoms of Loneliness:

  1. Overdependant

  2. Need of Attention

  3. Finding Fault in Others

  4. Having prolonged sins that make us numb to the world. (Ex. drinking, doing drugs)

How does Jesus instruct us to live? We must Love God and Love Others. (You can't have one without the other).


Who did Jesus hang out with? Beggars, whores, thieves. (Those that needed His love the most).


Have you ever favored one person over another? A Warning against Prejudice: James 2:1,9 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?...If you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are found guilty of breaking the law. (NLT)


Luke 6:12-16 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. (NLT)

  1. Simon (whom he named Peter)

  2. Andrew (Peter's brother)

  3. James

  4. John

  5. Philip

  6. Bartholomew

  7. Matthew

  8. Thomas (later doubted Jesus)

  9. James (son of Alphaeus)

  10. Simon (who was called the zealot)

  11. Judas (son of James)

  12. Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)

Jesus chose disciples who were the least of these... we all fall short of the glory. We all sin.

God set up His church and it will never be destroyed. Jesus is coming back, soon...are you ready?

Thursday, October 15, 2009

All My Belongings (Part 2 of 5)

Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through the 2nd week in a series called, "All My Belongings." He talked about the groups youth belong to such as Male, Female, Sports, Goth/Emo, etc. Even in groups you may feel leftout, angry, depressed, etc. Even in groups you may feel lonely. But why? Who do you really belong to?
Like Kids In the Playground
The youth form their own groups. In those groups, we still feel abandoned and someone always gets left out.
  • In Genesis 2:7-9, it tells us that...Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person. Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground--trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.(NLT) In verse 18 God said that it was not good for the man to be alone, ...so He made woman to be the man's companion and helper and made her just right for him. Later on, Eve was deceived by a serpent in the garden (Satan) and ate some of the forbiden fruit and gave some to Adam, who was with her, and he ate it, too. God was not pleased with their willful disobedience. It disrupted their relationship and separated them from God. Adam rebelled and went hiding into the garden. This was the first sign we see when Adam became aware of his alienation. Isolation started at the fall of man.

  • God wanted a connection with us. So, in Genesis 17:2-14 God told Abram to serve Him faithfully and live a blameless life and He would make a covenant with him. God would make him the father of many nations and changed his name to Abraham. God promised to make him extremely fruitful and his descendants will become many nations and there will be kings among them. He would always be Abraham's God and the God of his descendants after him. God promised to give the entire land of Canaan to him and his descendants and it would remain in their possession forever. God told Abraham that his responsibility and all his descendants was to obey the terms of the covenant. The terms were: each male must be circumcised. They have to cut off the flesh of their foreskin as a sign of the convenant between them and God. From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after their birth. This applies not only to their families, but also their servants that were born in their household and also those that were foreign-born that they purchased that worked for them. Their bodies will bear the mark of God's everlasting covenant. Any male who does not get circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.

  • Note: In an indepth study, the Bible uses circumcision to symbolize the removal of sin. It was God's signature in flesh that would identify Abraham and his descendants as the chosen ones...God's own people. Circumcision is a symbol of separation from the world, of purity, and of loyalty to the covenant. It shows that their heart should be dedicated to God and inwardly set apart to Him, rather than for the world. What is the evidence that we see today? Salvation and fellowship with God. Today, baptism replaces circumcision and must be done by faith. You must believe in God and his promises, lay aside your own strength and the world's way of doing things, and live a new life by faith. (NLT Study Bible)

  • God is saying YOU belong to ME and I belong to YOU...in his covenant. Webster defines a covenant as a binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing a specified thing.

  • God made a covenant with his people when he wrote the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20:3 God gave his 1st Commandment...You must not have any other god but me. In verse 4, his 2nd Commandment...You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.

  • Idols can become our master. In 1 Corinthians 6:12-14... You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything. You say, "Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food." (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead. What are the things that are slowly becoming your master? Is it sports, video games, etc? Idols are anything that take the place of God.

  • God said to love your neighbors and your enemies. You don't have to like what they do, but he commands us to love them anyway.

  • God told Moses, "I'm the Lord your God."

  • In Luke 22:19-20, Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people--an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you." At the Lord's Supper, we remember his act of love for us on the cross.

  • Jesus went to the cross to bear our sins, so that we could come to him...Jesus to the Cross...Us to Jesus.

Summary:

  1. You need to understand that God wants a close relationship with you.
  2. There will be no other gods before Him.
  3. Make no idols or any addictions come before Him.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

All My Belongings (Part 1 of 5)









Pastor Shane took us Wednesday, on a new 5 week series called "All My Belongings". He talked about the groups that youth belong to.





Who Do We Really Belong To?

  1. Human Race
  2. Male and Female Race
  3. American
  4. Sports Teams: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia
  5. School Groups: RCMS, RCHS
  6. School Sports: Athletes, Cheerleaders, Football, Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, etc.
If you are not in a group, you may feel: leftout, angry, depressed, etc.

If we are in a group, then why do we feel so lonely? We work so hard to not feel alone. The world tells us how and where we should belong. If we don't reach a certain expectation, we feel abandoned.

The world we live in is destructive. 1 John 2:16...For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

What Do We Really Need?
Everyone needs a church. Some people have been hurt, rejected and gossiped about by some people in the church. Now is the time to get rid of the pain and come back to church and learn what God is all about. Colossians 3:10-15...Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you ...you must be merciful, kind, show humility, gentleness, and patience. Allow for each other's faults, forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, show love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, we are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.


What Does It Mean To Leave the World Behind?

The world wants you to live a certain way...dress a certain way...and look a certain way. It is nothing but a broken system. It's way of doing things don't work. So, what do we do? Call the world what it is...a broken system based on cravings that only satisfies for a short time and you need to leave your past behind...don't do what the world wants you to do!

What Does It Mean To Love Myself?

There are 3 people involved: Jesus, Others, and Yourself (JOY). Mark 12:28-31... You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. If you can learn to love yourself as God loves you, then all the rest will fall in place. If God sees you as valuable, you should too. Romans 8:15...we are spiritual orphans that God adopts into his family.

How Do I Learn To Live With My Family?
  1. Above all, love each other.
  2. Respect each other.
  3. Help each other.
The world will want you to crave more, but God is all you need. He is your Creator and Provider! How do I become part of the church family? You accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Jesus is the sacrifice for all of you!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Winter Retreat at Snowbird in Andrews, NC

Hey Everyone,

Our Winter Retreat this year is going to be at Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters in Andrews, NC. The dates for this trip are 31 Dec. to 2 Jan. The cost of the trip will be $160. The cost includes lodging, food, recreation at Snowbird, and skiing at Cataloochee Ski Mountain. Sign ups will start Wednesday Oct. 7 and will close out Oct. 28. Due to the cost of the trip, we are requiring a $50 non-refundable deposit in order to sign up.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Our Part in the Great Commission



This week Pastor Shane talked about the Great Commission and what the youth can do to bring it together.


Jesus came and told the disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18


5 Areas in Student Ministry:

  1. Reach the Lost (witness to those that have not accepted Jesus into their lives, invite friends and family to church, witness at schools)

  2. Connect Students (go to Sunday School and Small Groups...learning about each other while getting to know God and His Word)

  3. Grow (going to DNow and Snowbird...getting deeper into the Word of God)

  4. Serve (doing something for others in Mission Serve, Sound Ministry, Greeting Team)

  5. Honor God (putting God first in our Talents, Gifts, Treasures)--The Most Important Commandment: ...Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength...Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:28-31

Memory Verse of the Week:

In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1


Next Week: Pastor Shane will be starting a new 5 week series on "All My Belongings"


Upcoming Events:

  1. Judgement Journey- Friday, October 16th...will leave church @ 6:00 pm ET

  2. Winter Retreat (Snowbird)- December 31-January 2, 2010

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Youth Fund Raiser

Hey Everyone. Wow what an awewome weekend at 3DNow. God is so good. Building 429 and Todd Agnew were amazing. I want to remind everyone that our luncheon fund raiser is this Sunday Oct. 4 after church. Please make plans to attend and help out.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

H.A.B.I.T.S. SERIES


Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through the last teaching in a 6 week series on H.A.B.I.T.S.

  • H - Hang Time with God (spending time with God)


  • A - Accountability (being held accountable/responsible for your actions/sins)


  • B - Bible Memorization (planting God's Word in your life)


  • I - Involving Yourself in the Church (doing something for others)


  • T - Tithing (giving God 10% of the best that you have)


  • S - Studying the Word of God ( getting in and meditating on the meaning of God's Word)

What Studying God's Word Can Do:

  1. Applying God's Truth guides us through life. 2 Timothy 3:16

  2. Knowing the Bible brings a deep joy. Psalm 19:8 The Bible is God's Love Letter to you. We should be excited about his love letter to you. God loves you more than anyone.

  3. Living by the Bible makes you wise and successful. Joshua 1:8

  4. Feeding on the Bible nourishes our soul.

Notes:

~All Scripture is God breathed!


~When we apply God's Word, he guides us. Psalm 19


~When living by the Word, the book of James gives us a caution in James 1:25-26.


~Make a decision to read, listen and obey God's Word-- These habits will change your life!

Monday, September 21, 2009

H.A.B.I.T.S. SERIES


Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through the 5th teaching in a 6 week series on H.A.B.I.T.S.


  • H. - Hang Time with God (spending time with God)

A. - Accountability (being held accountable)

B. - Bible Memorization (planting God's Word in your life)

I. - Involving Yourself in the Church (doing something for others)

T. - Tithing (giving God 10% of your best that you have)

If our attitude is right, we will give in our right mind. Be a cheerful giver and not give grudgingly.

~Studying Exodus 35:20-24...So the whole community of Israel left Moses and returned to their tents. All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments. Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold--brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord. All those who owned the following items willingly brought them: blue, purple, and scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth; and tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather. And all who had silver and bronze objects gave them as a sacred offering to the Lord. And those who had acacia wood brought it for use in the project.

Exodus 36:4-6...Finally the craftsman who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, "The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!" So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: "Men and women, don't prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!" So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings.

Question...What would happen if we gave God above and beyond our 10%? What if we gave and kept giving until we had enough to do the jobs that needed to be done? Think of the possibilities!

Lessons About Our Resources:

  1. Everything we have is a gift from God. (we forget EVERYTHING comes from God) Deuteronomy 8:10
  2. We are to give God back the best we have. Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:8-12 (give God your 1st and best)!
  3. We should give generously to God. 2 Corinthians 9:6

Notes: To give beyond the tithe is called an offering. Your tithes should be given to your local church.

3 T's:

  1. Time (giving God 10% of 24 hrs. is 2 hrs. 15 mins).
  2. Talent (giving God the best of what you do best)
  3. Treasure (giving God the best of what you have)

Thursday, September 10, 2009

H.A.B.I.T.S. SERIES



Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through the 4th teaching in a 6 week series on H.A.B.I.T.S.
  • H - Hang Time with God (being with Him and spending time with Him)

  • A - Accountability (holding you accountable) Matthew 12:33-37

  • B - Bible Memorization (planting God's Word in your life) Psalm 119:10-11

  • I - Involvement in the Church (how you can help others) Acts 2:42-47

Why Should We Be Involved in Church:

  1. Community...Hebrews 10:25
  2. Strength...Proverbs 13:17
  3. Ministry...Acts 2:44
  4. Guidance...Hebrews 3:13

Benefit: God never wastes a hurt.

  • "Every member is a minister and every minister should have a ministry."
  • Where there is community, there is difficulty. We need to minister to those that hurt.
  • We need to make it a habit to be involved in church.

Note: See You at the Pole on September 23, 2009 @ 7:30 am at the flag pole at RCMS and RCHS ... Pastor Shane wants to see you there!

This week's memory verse: Jesus told him "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Monday, August 31, 2009

H.A.B.I.T.S. SERIES

Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through the 3rd week of a 6 week series on H.A.B.I.T.S.
  • H - Hang Time with God...hanging out with Him...studying His Word
  • A - Accountability...holding you accountable...Matthew 12:33-37
  • B - Bible Memorization...learning the power of God's Word...Psalm 119:10-11

Bible Memorization...in church we expect to be changed....His Word is life changing!

Reasons Why We Don't Memorize Scripture:

  1. It's too hard.
  2. I have a poor memory.
  3. I don't have time.
  4. I can just look it up.

Goal: Not about how many, but how close.

Benefit #1: Keeps us from Sin... Matthew 4:3-10

Benefit #2: Discern right from Wrong... Hebrews 5:13-14

Benefit #3: Witness to Others... 1Peter 3:15

Success is trusting in Him and Him alone!

Memorize Psalm 119:11... I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Coming Wednesday: Involving Yourself in the Church

Monday, August 24, 2009

National "Truth For Youth" Week

Hey Students and parents of students. This week AFA and Revival Fires International are wanting to place a Truth For Youth Bible into the hands of teenagers who will distribute them to the lost students in school. This week you can order a free Bible to distribute to a lost student by going to http://www.thetruthforyouth.com/tfy_bibles_2009.asp or call 1-800-733-4737. This evangelistic effort has resulted in more than 350,000 Bilbes being given away in school and more than 2500 young people sending in decision coupons, emails or letters confirming that they have surrendered their hearts to Christ.

Friday, August 21, 2009

H.A.B.I.T.S. SERIES

Wednesday, Pastor Shane took us through the second week of a series on H.A.B.I.T.S.

  • H - Hang Time with God...hanging out with Him...studying His Word
  • A - Accountability...holding you accountable Matthew 12:33-37

Accountability-- There are 3 Relationships that helps set up accountability in the church today:

  1. Find a Mentor...a counselor or teacher... that trains up those that need help; your Mentor should have a Spiritual Commitment. Proverbs 13:20
  2. Find an Accountability Partner...the person should love you but not be impressed with you. Proverbs 27:17
  3. Be a Mentor! Students need to find a mentor.

Next Week: Bible Memorization

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

See You Tonight!!!

We are excited to have the church praise band back to lead us in worship tonight. I know that a lot of you have missed this. (We need to have a contest to give them a name!) Tonight we will be looking at the "A" in our HABITS series. You can't do church alone. We need each other to lift each other up and encourage one another. Look forward to what He has in store for us tonight.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

HABITS

Hey SRBC youth. I hope every one's first week of school has been good. This week we will start a new series called HABITS. Just like in school we learn to grow intellectually, in our spiritual walk we should also want to grow. Our desire is to see each of you grow in your walk as a Christian. That is why we are going to take the next six weeks and concentrate on HABITS. We want to give you some tools to help you develop life long habits to grow spiritually. See you Wednesday night!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Youth Camp-Out



Tonight the youth guys will have a camp-out at the Saufley's. Everyone will meet at Silver Run @ 7:00 pm (ET). A fun filled night with fellowship, swimming, games and sleeping under the stars awaits them. God bless you!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Last Night at the Concert of Prayer






Last night we kicked off the new school year with the Concert of Prayer.


  • The purpose of Concert of Prayer is for the youth to refocus on the importance of prayer and our relationship to God.

Pastor Shane led us into prayer, Deric led us into Worship and students read Scriptures; all in a candle light service.


  • 1 Salvation


  • 1 Admission of Sin in Life needing Restoration


  • In Unity with Making Commitments to Stand for God in Schools


Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Concert of Prayer






Concert of Prayer is tonight at 7 pm. Deric will lead us in Worship. There will be sign ups for ministry jobs after Worship. Invite your friends to come and join in on the fun!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts




Click on the title link (Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts) to find out what are your Spiritual Gifts and how can you use them to help others.

S.H.A.P.E. INVENTORY




S.H.A.P.E. Inventory

For a print out of your S.H.A.P.E. Inventory, click on the title link.


Personal Information
Name:____________________________________________________

“. . . Each one has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.”
(I Corinthians 7:7)



Spiritual Gifts


Spiritual gifts I believe I have: (see below)
1.
2.
3.

I feel I may have these gifts because:
1.
2.
3.

Spiritual gifts that communicate God’s Word:
preaching, evangelism, apostle and missions, leadership

Spiritual gifts that educate God’s People:
teaching, encouragement (exhortation), wisdom, knowledge



Spiritual gifts that demonstrate God’s Love:
serving, mercy , hospitality, pastoring, giving, helping, faith, administering

Spiritual gifts that celebrate God’s Presence:
healing, miracles, tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy

“God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose . . .”
(Revelation 17:17)
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
(Psalm 37:4)




Heart


List some things you’re good at and love doing:
1.
2.
3.

People compliment me when:



Abilities


“There are different abilities to perform service...”
(I Corinthians 12:6)The following are my strongest abilities:
1.
2.
3.

Other skills and/or abilities I’m learning and/or working on are:
1.
2.
3.

A few examples include:
drama, writing, speaking, artistic, photography, video, counseling, fixing, designing, computers, accounting, music, memory, tutoring/explaining, athletics, etc.


Personality


“No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like, except that person himself. ”
(I Corinthians 2:11)



This is how I see myself: (circle one of the two words for each comment)


1. Around others I am more: RESERVED or OUTGOING

2. My decisions are based more on: FACTS/THINKING or FEELINGS

3. In my relationships I tend to be more: DEPENDENT ON OTHERS or INDEPENDENT

4. My use of time is more: DETERMINED or SPONTANEOUS

One example of why I circled each of the above is:
1.
2.
3.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ”
(Romans 8:28)



Experience


My spiritual experience is (or how I became a Christian):




Some painful experiences that I’ve had:




A past experience I’ve learned from is:




S.H.A.P.E.


If I could design a specific way to serve God around my personal SHAPE, and I knew I couldn’t fail, it might be:

Friday, July 31, 2009

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH


Back-To-School Bash at Cottonton Baptist Church. Be at Silver Run Baptist Church Tonight --Friday night at 6:30 pm to ride the van to Cottonton. Bring dry clothes to change into! We will be Slip-n-Sliding, playing in a Volleyball tournament and eating. Come and celebrate with us!!!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Concert of Prayer

Next Wednesday, Aug. 5, is our annual Concert Of Prayer. Deric will be leading us in worship. Come join us and welcome the upcoming 7th graders. We will also end the evening with the job fair in the youth building. Still trying to learn how to do stuff in this blog. I will attach the spiritual gift test, when I find out how to do it....

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Summer Activities

We had a good time last night! Thank you, Saufley family! Pastor Shane finished up our study on SHAPE...

  • Spiritual gifts

  • Heart

  • Ability

  • Personality

  • Experiences

We encourage the youth to come out next week for a Spiritual Gifts Convention...aka Youth Job Fair. What is your spiritual gift? How can God use you to help others? Where can you serve in the church, based on your spiritual gift?

Monday, July 20, 2009

East Carroll, LA - July 12-18, 2009



  • East Carroll is the 2nd highest poverty county in the U.S.

  • 185 Participants

  • 13 Houses repaired

  • Countless Lives...Changed!

Friday, July 17, 2009

East Carroll, LA - July 12-18, 2009


Here is a blog from Mission Serve's web:
Today was supposed to be our half day of work with the night off, however the weather made us change plans so we worked a full day today. Today was a hot but very good day. Crews got out to an early start and were out working all day. Even though alot was done on the houses themselves, also alot was done as far as the ministry to the community. Many people from multiple groups were going to neighbors and homeowners in the area and witnessing to them and just talking to them about what they were doing here in East Carroll and why they were doing this. Alot of the youth found this very enjoyable. There were even some people who were ministered too that now come to the sites everyday and help clean up and help do what they can to help and then they usually sit in on the devotion and that is really cool to see these homeowners around the area so energized by what these youth were doing in the area. Some youth have gotten to know some of these people really well and I know that the youth have touched these homeowners' lives but also, I think the youths' lives have been touched by these homeowners.
http://www.servemg.com/

Sunday, July 12th - Mission Serve 2009


This was taken Sunday morning at 6:30 am. They were leaving for a 9 hour mission trip to East Carroll, LA. In this area, the people are at 40% poverty level. Silver Run's Youth Ministry will be roofing houses, painting, etc. This is an awesome mission for the Youth and for those in desperate need.