Resonate - Restore (pt. 2)

This last week at resonate we talked about the second theme from our tagline, relate, restore, renew.  Restoration is extremely important, especially as it relates to non-christians.  (If you missed it, here's part I).

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Not many people know this, but I had originally wanted to name resonate "parched."  After getting made fun of for a very long time by the other youth guys (who are still giving me crap about it), I decided to change the name to resonate.  They both have something in common - both are about the restoring power of the gospel.  In Isaiah 55 we get a picture of someones life without the gospel - a parched, dry and weary landscape.  The gospel, Jesus in motion, calls all those who are weary and thirsty to come to the waters.  Jesus echoed this same message in the gospels - come to Jesus to find restoration.  If you are hurting, sick, beaten and battered, come to Jesus and he will give your rest and acceptance.  His love can overcome being parched.  In John 10:10 Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  If we join the family, Jesus promises us a full life.  It may not be easy, but the process of restoration gives us a life worth living.  

If life is dragging you places you don't want to go, give up your hold on the world and let Christ give you life worth living.

Class Begins Today

Today I start taking concert choir at Pierce College five days a week.  It will definitely keep me busy!

Resonate - Relate (pt. 1)

Months back, after a fairly lengthy process, we chose Resonate as the name for our group.  We had seen it elsewhere and loved the energy and focus that we wanted to see in our young adults here at Bethany.  By now we have a cool logo with a tagline - what this means is that it's time to learn what resonateing is all about - starting with "relate."

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Relating and relationship are huge in the christian walk of each disciple.  Not only is a disciple building relationship with Christ, but also with those that they meet every day.  At resonate the focus is based on two questions.  First, how does Christ encounter disciples in their own lives, and second, how should disciples then encounter others?  To put it differently, it's the vertical relationship with Jesus, and then the horizontal relationship with others that are primary.  

Jesus spent all of eternity getting to know the Father, was sent to this earth to bring the gospel to all, and then spent three years building relationship with his disciples before he ever got the great commission. 

To many the idea of building relationship with the God seems scary.  After all God should be feared and when we fail Him, we feel nothing but guilt.  But Revelation 3:20 puts things in context for us, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."  This is great news!  If we simply want him, all we have to do is invite him!  Even if it's been 10 days, 10 weeks, 10 years, that doesn't matter to God!  If we invite Jesus in to our hearts, he will come and eat with us!  His desire is to know us, and be known by us!  And the way it describes relationship here with sharing a meal.  

So if we have this part down, if we are disciples and have relationship with Him, that's great, but the challenge I laid down to the young adults is that we can step it up a notch!  We can take the example of Christ, building relationships with his disciples, and with us, as an example of what we should be doing!  

So I've set the challenge.  We've prayed over our campus.   We've talked about reaching others with the gospel and now that journey begins.  It begins simply, with relationship.   With a conversation - one where we actually listen.  And over time, a relationship bathed in prayer, has more power to see the gospel enter in, than any other method.  

"Father may lives be changed through me.  Use me to build relationships with others for your glory."

Never forget...

9/11 is a big day.  Talking about and remembering what happened that day is important.  Sharing with the next generation (tactfully) is also huge.  I will never forget that day.  May God bless our country and our leaders and protect us!

What I've Learned So Far - 5 Keys to College Minstry

When I signed on for this job at Bethany Baptist Church, I knew it would be a challenge.  Ministering to college students and young adults is hard enough; throw in a hipster culture with a majority of people that aren't Christians, and you've got a recipe for failure.  Here's what I've learned so far:

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number 1.  It's not about success (or numbers)

Many ministries that I've seen over the years make ministries out to be about numbers.  Not only how many people are there, but success is also defined in terms of the type of person and how much they're involved.  The perfect student-ministry individual is there 5-7 days a week, looks hip and cool, has amazing talent in the arts or in music, and has a good "face."  What we should really be creating are students of depth regardless of who they are, that want to see kingdom change through the renewal that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring.  Imagine a ministry that if full of people that don't care how loud the music is, but instead are serving as Christ served.

number 2.  Be consistent

If you say that you're going to be there at 10:30, be there at 10:30.  The one time I have been late so far, I was late because the person I was meeting was always late.  Guess what?  He/she showed up 20 minutes early!  Time isn't the only way to be consistent though.  It's important to have a weekly meeting to start, and to have a regular rhythm to that meeting.  Young adults really desire depth of teaching and consistency based on excellence.

number 3.  W.A.I.T.

When I meet people for coffee or lunch I have to repeat this mantra that my Sr. Pastor gave us in church one Sunday:

Why Am I Talking.  'Nuff said.

number 4.  Move at the pace of relationship

This may come as a shock to some, but this principle is pretty new to me.  I'm an intellectual fixer.  I like to fix stuff - even people.  Be wary of such tendencies, and be wary of expectations for a cool, huge, worship-kick-butting ministry.  Move as a ministry at the pace of relationship.  Don't let a tendency for programming to push aside the need to establish and build relationship with your core, even if you have to sacrifice numbers to do so.  People want true connections.  Make sure to give them time and space to make that happen.

number 5.  Be about the Gospel

If your primary goal isn't being a part of the gospel resonating in the lives of these students and young adults, you're focussing on the wrong thing!  Keep the gospel central to anything you do.  Let every decision from office hours to worship songs to programming ideas be fed through the lens of the gospel.  If the idea or song isn't about reaching people with the gospel, you'll have to go back to the drawing board.  

Resonate with a Purpose

This past Thursday night at resonate we went on a little field trip.  We went out to dinner (Jimmy Johns is awesome) and then met over at the Pierce College campus.  It's in-between summer session and fall session so we had the place virtually to ourselves.  I wanted to share with you what I shared with my group.

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It's been awesome so far being a part of this journey as a college-aged ministry.  I've met dozens of people, played some ultimate frisbee, cooked lots of hot dogs at my house, gone to a ton of lunches, and even learned to play some new games along the way.  I'm so thankful for the people God is already bringing into my life through this ministry.  As we finished our last resonate of the summer, I thought it important to look around at the campus, and to look forward into the future of resonate.

The campus we were on was nothing special, but hidden behind the normal college stuff, I challenged them to see a grander picture.  One in which evangelism through relationship reigns and the gospel of Jesus Christ is delivered in a way that leads to restoration, renewal, and relationship.  If we were bold enough to let God use us in our normal, everyday lives, he would cause us to be instruments of grace to our friends and acquaintances.  It's a future filled with grace, love, hope and acceptance for a largely hope-deprived group of people.

My challenge to you is to let God use you in the same way.  Whether you're a stay at home mom, a work-aholic dad, or a retired soldier, God can use you wherever you are.  I pray that our souls would long for God and that we would love one another by laying down our lives, our relationships, our time, and our effort, all in the name of Jesus our Savior.

"My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:12-13 (ESV)