This past Sunday (1.9.11) was our first Sunday back at GPS after a two week break for the holidays.
As as Student Pastor, I am fully aware of how important it is to kick off the new year with huge momentum by putting your best efforts out there to keep the flywheel moving.
That was my plan until the Wednesday before, I lost my voice. Like, lost it so bad that all I could muster was a whisper.
No bueno.
This was bad on about 32 different levels.
What am I going to do now? I can’t find a speaker this late in the game!
Friday, as I sat on my son’s couch and watched him play Tiger Woods 2010 on his XBOX, a thought hit me:
“What would our world look like if every Christian lost their voice?”.
That thought became a serious question which led me down a path of what that question was really asking.
So, instead of finding a speaker, I preached a simple sermon opening up this question without saying a word.
I recorded this video and played it to my GPS students. It was a powerful service and it was clear why God allowed me to lose my voice. It was to show me, once again, the power isn’t in the messenger but in the message.
I want 2011 to show me speaking much louder through my actions than with my well crafted words shot from behind a music stand on a Sunday morning.
What about you?
Question: If you lost your voice, how would you communicate the Good News to this world?
I started a new series called “Check Your Head” centered around one main verse in in Romans where it says:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you THINK. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2
I think too often, as Jesus followers, we believe God is more interested in behavior modification than in changing the way we think but this passage says the opposite!
If we allow God to transform us into a new person by changing the way we think, our behavior will follow.
This sermon, in our GPS series, digs into strongholds and what it takes to be free from them.
Question: Do you believe that if your thinking changed your behavior would reflect that change?
In light of the rash of student suicides in our schools locally, I sent this urgent email to my youth workers today.
I wanted to share it and challenge my blog readers to step up and do the same this weekend because, sadly, no school is exempt.
The main kid who is interviewed in the news piece below, Deikitsen Wolfram Lupus, hung himself on September 29th along with another girl the week before. They both belonged to a group called “Wolf Pack”. Why aren’t these kids in our youth groups? What is it that is keeping them from feeling welcomed? Shame on us if our ministries would communicate anything other than the love of Jesus, our only hope.
Here’s the charge I gave my awesome youth workers today:
“I hope you’re about to have a great weekend!
As we all know, there are some very serious issues facing our students through what is happening at our schools.
It can seem overwhelming and leave us youth workers feeling helpless and small compared to the huge issues facing our students.
If we were just a social organization, I’d say that is an accurate perception. For us, this isn’t the case.
Mark 9:23-24 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
If we only walk by sight, this battle is indeed too big for us to fight but we walk by faith and that is what I’m asking of you this weekend.
If you would, pick a school closest to you and spend 20 minutes walking and praying over that school. I would encourage you not to just pray in a general sense but specifically against the spirit of confusion, lies, idolatry, suicide, fornication, lust, pride and rebellion.
Prayer isn’t our last resort but is our most effective weapon against things unseen.
I encourage you to read Ephesians 6:12-18 before doing this in order to remember who our enemy really is and how we fight.
Thank you for loving students in a real way as you fight on their behalf this weekend.
Love you all-
Dave”
Ephesians 6
12 For we* are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.*16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.*17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.*
19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.*20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
