Passing the Torch: We Need Each Other

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I want to take the time to comment on and article written by Mark Howard for The Rooted Blog. I see a theme of mutual need between student ministry and the corporate church body that has been inadvertently skewed beyond recognition.
Across the board, the current state of student ministry in the church is a wide range. Some churches get it and are really reaching the next generation. They are speaking the Gospel in a way teenagers understand and see as legitimate. Other churches (and maybe the majority) are woefully lacking in connecting with the next generation. And I mean woefully! When student worship and teaching can become synonymous with “crazy time”, something has gone awry. In a stage of life when are teens are starved for guidance and direction, do they think church is a place to come just for laughs?
Given the circumstances, it’s no surprise that many youth are restless, insecure, jaded, and desperately searching for meaning to explain all the hurt and suffering they see around them, meaning for their very existence. Sadly, many within the church offer nothing more substantive than the vaporous teachings of the world. In some churches, “youth group” has become synonymous with over-the-top games, entertainment, and shallow teaching. They are told, yes, life here on earth is a mess, but don’t worry, one day you’ll die and go to heaven. There things will be right. In the meantime, want to see how many marshmallows I can stick in my mouth?
(that last quote cracked me up…chubby bunny, chubby bunny…)
Do we really believe the faith of our youth is so pointless that the best God has for them now is a temporary escape from the world on Wednesday night and Sunday morning? This sort of ministry just reinforces a belief in the meaninglessness of this life.
The church should be a lighthouse of hope, contrary to that lie! Life is not meaningless! Amidst the rising teen suicide rate, we should be shouting that there is real hope. That hope is not some mystical belief, but a person; Jesus Christ.
What student ministry needs to focus on is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul says is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe!
I am firmly convinced that what today’s youth need most is the gospel of Christ Jesus the Lord. He is the one in whom the fullness of God is found, and he’s the one in whom we are filled (Col 2:9-10). Moreover, he is the one who gives meaning to this life.
Are we showing teenagers Jesus? Anything else that we turn their attention to is a lesser thing. Jesus is the pinnacle from which our gaze must not move. So how do we see Jesus?
Where is Jesus found? In the worship of his people, the church. As others have said, the way we come to know Jesus is through the means he gave us: Scripture, true Christian fellowship, the sacraments, and prayer. These are the practices that by faith renew their minds in such a way that enables youth to view and live in the world with purpose and meaning as followers of Jesus. These are the practices that by faith force youth from their technologically imposed isolation, discourage their entitlement, and lead them to a spirit of humility and repentance. These are the practices that by faith expose their dependence on Jesus and remind them of their need for grace.
Student ministries must not separate themselves so much from the cooperate body of believers that teenagers do not regularly see the Body of Chirst in action. They need to see adults worship. They need to partake in the Lord supper (and be taught the meaning behind each part). They need to see prayer at work in the corporate setting.
When we segregate the teens so “they can do their own thing”, we send a contradictory message to them about what it means to be part of the body. “Church is just for adults” can be subconsciously learned after years of practice. And we wonder why college and young singles 18-25 are M.I.A. (missing in action) from church? If what is happening is truly important, why would we not want to raise up the next generation to understand and carry on that importance?
This article is a great reminder that the teenagers need the church, and the church needs teenagers. We cannot except the inadvertent teaching that church is just for adults. No, we need to put our focus squarely on Jesus and show that true meaning and purpose is derived from Him, and it is applicable for all ages. Teens need to see and believe that, just as adults need to see and believe that.
Your fellow worker in the field,  Adam
Lets finish off with an appropriate song from Sanctus Real: We need each other

Saturdays with C.S. Lewis

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The weekend is here. I hope you enjoy some rest and relaxation somewhere in your day. Today brings a new series I want to introduce to my readers.

Saturdays with C.S. Lewis

Each Saturday as you peruse your favorite blogs and Facebook interests you can stop in here for a look at one of the most eloquent laymen ever to speak and write about Christianity. C.S. Lewis was never a preacher or a pastor. He was never employed by a church or enrolled in theological education. In fact, Lewis described himself as the “most reluctant convert” to Christianity.

C.S. Lewis was an English professor at Oxford University. After converting to Christianity as a 33 year old, he thoughtfully began to apply his faith to real life. His craft was literature, therefore he began to use his craft for the glory of God. (Just as we all should bloom where we are planted and honor God with whatever talents He has given us.)

Lewis wrote fiction and non-fiction, and is well respected for both. He knew how to connect with real life and communicate with his readers as if they were old friends.

Why do I read and respect C.S. Lewis?

Because every time I pick up one of his books 1.) he makes me think. But not just to think about the topic at hand, he trains me to think. My christian worldview is honed and sharpened whether I am traveling the battlefields of Narnia or debating the issues in Mere Christianity. Next, 2.) he makes me deal with today. Even though he wrote in a day with no blogs, Facebook or Twitter (I’d love to hear Screwtape’s take on social media) his keen eye for the heart of the issue cuts through the cultural differences and speaks to universal principles that transcend time and space. The truths of Christianity are just as true in 1941 with WWII raging as they are in 2012 with all of our current issues. Lewis reminds me to speak to our day in a way that is articulate, thoughtful, and respectful. And lastly, 3.) he is simply a joy to read. His style and flow are the work of an artist. He connects with the child as easily as the scholar. On this point I will note that while his style is intoxicating, not all is theologically correct.

I even believe he is downright wrong on some issues. This drives home the fact that we cannot be blind followers of any man. We are to follow the Lord Jesus alone. While I think Lewis has so much to offer this new generation of believers, we filter everything through the lens of scripture. When Lewis doesn’t jive with God’s Word, we see that for what it is and choose to bring every thought captive to Christ. For example, Lewis, in the final Narnia series book, The Last Battle, leaves the door open to the possibility of people entering into heaven through other faiths. I understand this to be totally wrong. Recognizing this flaw I do not discard the entire Chronicles of Narnia, but am reminded that our theology informs our fiction and not the other way around. God’s Word alone is authoritative in describing entrance into His family.

Each Saturday we will enjoy snippets from C.S. Lewis together. Through his quotes, imagery, and arguments we will see that Lewis is spiritually profitable for this generation as much as he was for his own. I look forward to hearing your comments as we open the treasure trove of the life and works of C.S. Lewis.

Your fellow worker in the field,  Adam

Top 10 Questions Teenagers MUST Be Ready To Answer About Their Faith

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In an article posted on christianity.com (linked HERE) written by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, ten great questions are brought to the table and discussed from a youth perspective. Teenagers NEED to be able to answer these tough questions in our day of skepticism and peusdo-spiritual moralism. Can you tackle these hardball questions for yourself? If you can’t, its time to brush up on them because these are typical questions for the rising generation.

  1. How can you know anything is true for sure?
  2. Is God a human invention?
  3. Doesn’t the Big Bang disprove Creation?
  4. How can an intelligent person not believe in evolution?
  5. How can you trust the Bible when it has been changed and corrupted so much through the centuries?
  6. Hasn’t modern science pretty much disproved the Bible?
  7. Who even knows if Jesus ever really existed?
  8. Don’t you think Jesus could have been just a good teacher who didn’t intend to be worshiped as a god?
  9. Do you really believe that Jesus literally rose from the dead?
  10. How can YOU believe in that stuff?

If you want to sharpen your skill for answering tough questions like these, do your homework! It is not an accident that some christians are well prepared to give a reason for the hope that they have.

That is exactly what 1 Peter 3:15 is pushing us toward when it says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Are you prepared to answer the questions of our day? Are we preparing teenagers to be able to speak articulately about their faith? Check out this article and know what you believe!

How to Backslide in 9 Easy Steps

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Tim Challies recently wrote this great article gleaned from the wisdom of John Bunyan’s classic work, Pilgrim’s Progress. He outlines how to progressively distance yourself further and further from Jesus Christ and a relationship with God. Bunyan’s own words are provided to illustrate each point.  Here is how to backslide in 9 easy steps:
  1. Stop meditating on the gospel. “They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.”
  2. Neglect your devotions and stop battling sin. “Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet prayer, curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.”
  3. Isolate yourself from Christian fellowship. “Then they shun the company of lively and warm Christians.”
  4. Stop going to church. “After that, they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like.”
  5. Determine that Christians are hypocrites because they continue to sin. “They then begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some of the godly, and that devilishly, that they may have a seeming color to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmities they have espied in them) behind their backs.”
  6. Trade Christian community for distinctly unChristian company. “Then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves with, carnal, loose, and wanton men.”
  7. Pursue rebellious conversation and fellowship. “Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret; and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their example.”
  8. Allow yourself to enjoy some small, sinful pleasures. “After this they begin to play with little sins openly.”
  9. Admit what you are and prepare yourself for everlasting torment. “And then, being hardened, they show themselves as they are. Thus, being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own deceivings.”

New Visual Theology Graphic: One Another

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I have uploaded a new graphic to the Visual Theology tab as it has been published by Tim Challies.  “One Another” is a graphic attempt to show all the textual occurrences of the phrase…you guessed it…one another.  Here we get a taste of the sweeping scope of how christians are supposed to interact with each other, and how we are not supposed to interact.  Click the picture to see the full size version.  Check out all of the visual theology info-graphics in the tab above!

Thanks Tim! You are the man!

God is NOT Dead! [and resources to back it up!]

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William Lane Craig expertly writes how current Christian philosophers argue for God’s existence in this Christianity Today article titled, God is Not Dead Yet.

AlbertMohler.com (the highly respected president of my alma mater, Southern Seminary) interacts with the controversial TIME article on this subject, titled Looking Back: TIME Asks, “Is God Dead?”.

AnswersInGenesis.com tackles the question of the reality of God in this article, Is There Really a God?

At the blog, GotQuestions.org, the article Is God Dead? articulates 5 points of logically progression people will fall into when holding this idea.

Offered at Amazon.com, the book, “God Is Not Dead” is described as “a fascinating guided tour of quantum physics, consciousness, and the existence and experience of God. University of Oregon physics professor Amit Goswami shows readers that God’s existence can be found in clues that the science of quantum physics reveals.” (I personally have not read this book to know the theological stance of the author, just FYI)

A book I do FULLY recommend is “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist”  by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. Here they argue that Christianity is not only more reasonable than all other belief systems, but is indeed more rational than unbelief itself. This volume will be an interesting read for those skeptical about Christianity, as well as a helpful resource for Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith.

On the Poached Egg Apologetics Blog I found an article titled “What is really behind all the skepticism” dealing with questions and doubts concerning the existence of God.

And last on my brief conglomeration of “God is Not Dead” resources, one of the best renditions of David Crowder’s song, rereleased by Newsboys, God’s Not Dead.

What other resources do you know on this hot-topic phrase?  Leave some comments below to share the wealth!

Why Every Student Ministry Should Honor Graduates

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This weekend has been graduation weekend around our city. Caps and gowns, ceremonies and parties. For a student pastor, this can be a busy time of year.

With all the pomp and circumstance, don’t miss the chance to greatly impact your seniors one last time before they face the challenges before them.

I believe all student ministries should honor their graduating seniors because it:

1.  allows us to celebrate with those who celebrate.

The church is a place to do life together. 1 Cor. 12:26 says, “So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” As seniors complete their high school careers, I make it a point honor them and show them the church’s support in a way that they will not soon forget! When statistics are miserable on church attendance among college freshmen, how terrible would it for a teenager to not feel loved or recognized by his or her own church just months away from that critical decision?

2.  it encourages the church and student ministry.

When the church DOES get the opportunity to celebrate with graduating seniors, the cooperate body is reminded that growth is happening! Children are growing into young men and women and along the way the gospel is transforming lives. Put the gospel’s work on display! Send a message to the upcoming students that perseverance has its rewards. Each year the student ministry gets a chance to see their peers move on with the church’s blessing. When affirmed in a public setting this encourages young and old alike.

3.  it reminds them where they have been.

Each year we have a Bible presentation in the worship service followed by a luncheon for the seniors and their families. We have a slideshow with each graduate from baby pictures up through their senior picture. (have the tissues ready, and don’t forget to burn a copy for all the grads) The reminders don’t stop with physical growth. Many of those picture are of retreats, church small groups, events we did together! We have build a foundation that can last. Colossians 2:6-7 focuses us on this. “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.” Take this opportunity to remind them of the truths they are rooted in. Remind them what they have been taught and to remain in HIM!

4.  it reminds them the trajectory they are on.

Colossians 2:6-7 makes it clear that we are to “walk in Him”. Because we are rooted, because we have taught the truth, stay on that coarse. College is hard on believers. It is even harder on weak believers who are trying to walk in their own strength, not “in Him”. As you challenge your seniors, be honest and real. They will face struggles. They will have opportunity to sin. But if they decide now how they will respond, they do not have to be another sad statistic. Trajectory is important. It doesn’t start in one senior recognition service, it begins in middle school. It works into everything you do, years before they are seniors. It is my prayer that the seniors I send out will be prepared for a life of Glorifying God and living out the Gospel.

Here are some of the things I do to make Senior Recognition Sunday a memorable experience:

  • I buy a good bible, one they will actually use and enjoy for many years.
  • I read the Gideon Bible Preface during the recognition service to remind the seniors (and everyone) that we don’t just give a bible because we are a church, but because it truly is a treasure and a guide for life.
  • I host a nice lunch and decorate it along the lines of a wedding reception.
  • I create a memorable slideshow of all the seniors. Be sure to return the photos when you are done with them. (I use a MacBook and it has some amazing looking themes you can use. You look professional.)
  • I get together a team of guys to grill steaks and chicken breasts. I don’t charge anything for the senior and parents, but charge $10 for all other family and guests. (sorry, you don’t break even…but that’s not the point).
  • I provide lots of intentional photo opportunities! Be mindful that this day is for the parents as much as for the graduate!
  • I pray over the graduates. I pray a strong and intentional prayer over their choices and futures.
  • I don’t make it last to long.  Make it nice, don’t drag it out.
  • I send thank you cards to all the people that help pull it off.  (decorations, cooks, servers, clean up crew…)
I pray you will honor your high school seniors this year and for years to come!
Your fellow worker in the field,   Adam

See-Through HD TVs and the Never Changing Message of the Gospel

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Technology is always changing. And I must admit, I love it. This new see-through HD TV looks amazing for sure! You can read this article about it if you want to learn more. It is easy to get caught up in the newest gadget or home necessity, but it will always leave you wanting. My personal testimony to this is when I got the sweet new iPhone 4…and a month later the iPhone 4S came out. With an ever-changing market we will always have more than enough temptation for materialism. But what can we count on to really last? Is there anything that will never change?

Yes.

Jesus says in Matthew 24:35, Luke 21:33, and Mark 13:31 that “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” You can count on the stability of Scripture.

So what are the “words” that Jesus is talking about? He is talking about the message of hope for a lost and dying world. This hope is the Gospel. While everything around us is always changing we never escape the sinfulness of this world and of our own lives. We need a Rescuer. We need something we can depend on.

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He is our hope and salvation. Because of His substitutionary death on the cross, taking the wrath of a Holy God, a way has been made for us to be righteous. Since we cannot be righteous on our own merits, we trust solely in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist we call out, “repent and believe”. This is the unchanging message that our generation needs to hear.

While technology will be cool for a moment, Jesus’ words will last forever. Let us focus our lives on what is eternal. Paul echoes this in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Your fellow worker in the field,  Adam

FREE Systematic Theology Class!

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Monergism.com is offering a FREE systematic theology class courtesy of Dr. Wayne Grudem. I personally have used Grudem’s Systematic Theology text for all of my systematic theology classes as Southern Seminary. I believe it is one of the best at outlining all of the critical subject matter in a amazingly biblical and thorough way. If you get this free resource I would also recommend having the book as a reference to follow along. But hey, who can pass up free!?! (oh but wait, you do have to cover the cost of shipping…man, they always get ya.) Still though, this tiny cost is way cheaper than the thousands I spent for 9 hours of seminary credit!

Click HERE for the link to this free resource.

His book, Bible Doctrine, is a “CliffsNotes” version of his full systematic theology (though a pretty hefty book in its own right). It is great for the nonacademic setting. This is effective as a book study for those who want to go deep into the doctrines of the church.

Below is a description of the CDs.

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Format: 3 Free MP3 CDs – These CDs will be mailed directly and we only ask that you cover the cost of shipping.

Availability: Due to High Demand, ships in 4-5 business days. Limit of one set of CDs per order.

Description: With the generous permission of Dr. Wayne Grudem, Monergism Books is giving away for free his complete class on systematic theology, a total of 119 class lectures.

The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories such as the Word of God, redemption, and Jesus Christ. This introduction to systematic theology has several distinctive features:
– A strong emphasis on the scriptural basis for each doctrine and teaching
– Clarity, with technical terms kept to a minimum
– A contemporary approach, treating subjects of special interest to the church today
– A friendly tone, appealing to the emotions and the spirit as well as the intellect
– Frequent application to life

About the Speaker:
Wayne Grudem is Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in Phoenix, Arizona. He holds degrees from Harvard (BA), Westminster Seminary (MDiv), and Cambridge (PhD). He is the author of over fifteen books including the bestselling Systematic Theology.

If I Were The Devil…

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In 1942 C.S. Lewis published a classic in christian literature, The Screwtape Letters. I have read this book several times and enjoy it more with each reading. It is a satirical novel written in the form of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior “tempter” named Wormwood. Lewis enters the mind of the enemy and shows the devilish strategies behind the seemingly routine life of Wormwood’s “Patient”. Through the negative vantage point of a demon’s eyes, we see the unpacking of important life lessons. We see the unfolding temptations and trials of the “Patient” in new light and gain understanding into our own lives and the spiritual impact of every event.

Although The Screwtape Letters is one of C.S. Lewis’ most popular works, Lewis reveals in the final pages that it was not easy to bend his mind in such a way. He claims it was “not fun” to write, and “resolved never to write another ‘Letter’.” (p.184)

I am reminded of this masterful piece of christian literature because of its similarity to an audio piece recorded by the well remembered talk radio personality, Paul Harvey.  Mr. Harvey recorded the below clip in 1965. It amazes me that whether we are discussing Lewis, published in 1942, or Harvey, aired in 1965, the principles of Scripture aptly speak to us today. Both mediums take the negative perspective and show us a fresh understanding of our times. They prophetically call us to examine our lives and our society under the standard of God’s Word.

It is my prayer that you would listen to this 2:54 clip, maybe go out and read some C.S. Lewis, and polish the lenses of your Christian Worldview through which we best understand reality all around us.

Your fellow worker in the field,  Adam