3dyc: Day 2

This has probably been one of the best 3dyc's in recent years. God has moved in our group in pretty incredible ways. We started in the morning with an awesome time of worship. Not only did we sing, but we spent time in silence, creating things out of modeling clay, and writing things that have become labels for us on masks and nailing them to the cross. We learned that worshiping God can look completely different than what we've thought in the past.

We had a team compete in the volleyball tournament. They made it close to the finals on our court. The students had a lot of fun cheering each other on.

In our evening session, Jon McCallon taught us that when we are in Christ we have great power. Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." Jesus also promised His disciples that by His leaving someone greater (the Holy Spirit) would come.

We often feel that it's up to us to change. But Galatians says that the fruit of the Spirit is... It's the Spirit that produces the fruit. Our part is to simply surrender ourselves to Him and He will begin to change us from the inside out. We aren't changed by just working harder or longer, but by giving our lives to God.

Our small group time was powerful tonight. We simply shared what God has been speaking to us this weekend. We heard testimony after testimony about what God is revealing to our students about themselves and who they are in Him. It seems that the group has drawn closer through this experience.

Pray that students would be able to take these commitments that they've made and live them out back home. The challenge is to continue to follow God in our messy lives. God has began the work, and our students have responded. Pray that they would continue to surrender to His Lordship in their lives.

3dyc: Day 1

It was a great first day at 3dyc! We arrived safe and sound, got in our rooms, and headed for lunch at Wendy's. We had two dodgeball teams compete in the dodgeball tournament. One of our teams lost pretty early (the one I was on), but one of our teams came close to making it into the final round. We had a ton of fun cheering each other on.

The worship team, Before Morning, was awesome! They have a passion for worshiping the Living God who created the stars and gives us breath. They encouraged us to be excited about our God who has given us all we need and more!

Our speaker, Jon McCallon, has been awesome. The theme for this year is Inside Out. Jon used a fruit that he learned about in Costa Rica. When you look at it from the outside it looks normal. But when you crack it open it looks pretty gross, kind of like monkey brains, which is the name of the fruit. But apparently this fruit is the most amazing thing Jon has ever tasted. When God comes into our lives, he takes our lives, which might look like a mess, and makes something great.

God wants us to bear good fruit. By bearing good fruit we bring glory to God. But, so often, our lives are a mess. God needs to work on us from the inside first. Then, by cleaning up our inside, our actions will glorify Him. We can't do anything to clean our insides. It all depends on Jesus. Without Him there is no hope.

I believe that God is doing amazing things in our students already. Pray that God will continue the work that He started and that our students will make decisions to follow Jesus, not only here at 3dyc but at home as well. We have a couple more sessions tomorrow, as well as a volleyball tournament and some other fun. I'll post more tomorrow night, as well as some pictures. I'll try to keep you up to date on our Facebook Page, KLMC Youth, throughout the day tomorrow as well. Stay tuned!

-Norm

3dyc 2013

Most of these details have been out in one form or another, but we might as well gather them all in one place. So here are the details for 3dyc:

3dyc is held at the Grand Wayne Center in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Leaving: Saturday December 28, 7 am slow time. We will meet at the church. Parents/guardians are encouraged to stay for a minute for prayer time, last minute details, and to get the adults' cell phone numbers.

Getting Back: Monday December 28, About 1 pm slow time. We will use the adults' cell phones to make calls confirming that time on the way back home.

What to Bring
-Bible, notebook, pen
-A couple changes of clothes
-Soap, shampoo, toothbrush/toothpaste
-Extra money for merchandise or ordering pizza (optional)
-Camera
-Watch
-Breakfast bars/food for Sunday and Monday

What Not to Bring
-Cell phones (The adults will have cell phones. We will provide the numbers when you drop of your teens on the 28th)
-MP3 players and other electronics
-Weapons (knives, guns, etc...)
-Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes

Bringing any of the things on the "not" list could result in the item being confiscated and even a trip home (at the parent's expense). Please do not bring any of these items. Our adults will have cell phones in case of emergency.

I'm looking forward to a great time of hanging out and hearing from God! If you have any questions, feel free to email me (no.more.name.calling@gmail.com) or call me (574-586-2201). See you soon!

-Norm

Girly-Burly, Pizza, and Leadership

I still can't believe that school has started and VIBE is in full swing! Where did the summer go? We have a full slate of activities coming up.

Girly-Burly (September 20-21)
In the past we have separated the girls (Girly) and the guys (Burly) to make two separate retreats. But this year we are putting everybody together for one epic weekend! We'll be staying at Epworth Forest in North Webster, IN. There will be plenty to do there to keep busy, and we might even introduce some new outdoor style games.  Here are some more details:

Cost: $25
When: September 20, 4:00 pm - September 21, 4:00 pm central (slow)
Bring: Bed linens, shower supplies, clothes for outdoor activities, Bible, notebook, writing utensil, camera
Don't Bring: Cell phones, MP3 players, other electronics

We'll meet at KLMC at 4:00 pm and provide transportation. The cost covers dinner Friday night, breakfast and lunch Saturday, and lodging. Click here to download the permission form (due September 15).

Pizza Fundraiser
This year we will be flipping some of our fundraisers around and trying some different things. That means that the Pizza Fundraiser will take place during the fall, and we will push the Fish Fry to the spring. All of the proceeds from the Pizza Fundraiser will go towards your student account which will help pay for our winter conference and other youth events (like Girly-Burly or the mission trip). The fundraiser will take place on October 19, which means that all of the pizza forms need to be in by October 6. Make sure to get plenty of forms at VIBE this Sunday.

LEAD 360
One thing that I believe VIBE has accomplished is ministering to students. We get to see students grow spiritually as they connect to the youth group. It's an awesome thing to see a student grow from a squirrely seventh grader to a spiritually engaged twelfth grader. And our adult leaders are a huge part of that growth process.

But as I've looked at how we do things at VIBE I've become convinced that it is students involvement in leadership that will take it to the next level. Students are in school, sports, band, and work with their peers. They understand how their classmates think. And I believe that students can lead their peers into a deeper relationship with Jesus. LEAD 360 is all about students leading their peers. Students will be responsible to plan VIBE, from the teaching times to music and games.  They will also be planning some service projects, teaching through drama, and following up with their peers outside of VIBE.  There is an application to fill out to join LEAD 360. Click here to download the form or pick one up at VIBE.  Our first meeting will be on Sunday, September 15 at 10:45 a.m. (after second service). Make sure to have your form in by then.

Well, I think that's all.  Don't forget that we resume VIBE this Sunday at 5:45 central (slow).  Boom-shaka!

VIBE Discussion Part 1

I started to share what we had talked about at VIBE on 5.5.13 on the last blog.  If you didn't catch it, or you need a reminder of what was said, you can read up by clicking here.  I didn't get to write last Thursday, or this past Tuesday, so I'm going to try to stuff as much as I can in the next couple days.  We broke up our first discussion of homosexuality (and really, sexuality as a whole) into three parts.  I will write out the first part on this post, and a second and third parts sometime later this week/weekend.

Plan/Design

The first part of our discussion centered on God's original plan.  We asked the question, "How did God design sex to work?"  In order to answer that question we need to go back to the beginning: Adam and Eve. When God looked at Adam He realized that something was missing.  Sure, Adam had a perfect relationship with God, but there was a missing piece.  So God put Adam into a deep sleep, took out a rib (not so much a physiology lesson), and created Eve.  After seeing Eve for the first time, Adam says:

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."

When Adam saw Eve he realizes that she is a part of him, that she was taken from him.  His body and flesh was used to create this person.  And as long as they are apart it's as if a piece of him is missing.Genesis then tells us:

"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh"

From the beginning God created boundaries: safe sex happens in a committed relationship between one man and one woman.  The boundary isn't God restricting us but telling us how He created us.  Since He is the Creator, He knows our bodies best.

But the fall happened, and now everything is distorted.  How we see and partake in sex is distorted.  And it's not just people who are attracted to the same gender.  Lust, adultery, and premarital sex are all part of that distortion.  We take what God created to be a great thing and sometimes make it into what it was never meant to be.

I would contend that people who are heterosexual struggle with sexual sin as much as those who are homosexual.  It's because the design has been broken by sin, and now we are dealing with the consequences.  God's perfect plan is distorted by us.

That concludes Part 1.  Be sure to check back for Parts 2 and 3.

Facebook, Girly-Burly, Last VIBE, & the Last VIBE

I want to start off by saying that I realize it has been a long time since there has been a post here.  I apologize for that.  If you use this blogger for the latest VIBE news, I would encourage you to follow KLMCYouth on Facebook.  It is updated more often.

Girly-Burly (May 17-18)

This event is coming up fast!  It is for High School students only (our Jr. High event was last weekend).  This event is called Girly-Burly for a reason: the girls do their thing and the guys do theirs.  The girls are going to be going to Super 8 in Plymouth.  This is a time to just hang out and talk about some issues that face teenage girls.  Make sure to bring your swimming-suit (KLMC Youth appropriate: one piece or tankini that covers the belly button).

The guys are going to Rice Woods to do burly things (start fires, tie knots, and wrestle bears).  This will be a great time of hanging out, roasting hot dogs, and sharing what God is doing in our lives.

The registration forms and money ($20) are due this Sunday.  Since we don't have VIBE this Sunday, make sure to bring the forms and money to church in the morning.

Last VIBE & the Last VIBE

We had a great discussion this past Sunday.  With all of the different voices talking about and arguing about the issue of homosexuality, we thought it would be appropriate to address the issue at VIBE.  I was very impressed with the atmosphere of the discussion.  But I think that we still need to spend more time on the subject.  So, our last VIBE is going to be a followup to the last VIBE...you trackin'?  

Over the next couple weeks we will do a series of posts on the blog about what our discussion included.  It will be a three part series, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.  My goal is to get the first part done by this Thursday, part two by next Tuesday, and part three by next Thursday.

Well, that's enough for now.  Boom-shaka!

Love Well

Have you ever tried to make a "to do" list for your faith?  Have you ever tried to work to become a better Christian, a better follower of Jesus?  What are those things that we try to do to become more "Christian"?  Often it consists of reading the Bible, praying a certain amount of times, telling others about Jesus, not smoking, drinking, or dating those who do those things.  I can keep going, but you get the point.

It's not that those things are bad, but when I start making that list so that I can check-off my Christian activities I quickly become frustrated.  I often get to the end of my day and realize that I forgot to do something, or I did something that was a "what not to do" on my to-do list.  Then I feel like I'm further away from God than when I started my day, and I have a tendency then to pull away from the people and community who will draw me near to God.  It's a vicious cycle where I do something "wrong", pull away from God, then do something else "wrong" because I'm further away from God.

It's not that those things are bad.  Reading the Bible, praying, and staying away from harmful things are all good things.  But when we make that our faith then we become frustrated, like we are a hamster on a wheel running to nowhere.

In Bible times, a sign of whether you followed God or not was if you were circumcised.  I know that seems totally weird, but that was on the top of every God-followers checklist.  Then Paul came around after Jesus had died, rose again, and went to heaven.  Paul was telling people that no longer is being circumcised the true mark of a Christian.  People were flabbergasted by his statement.  Basically he was saying, "Get rid of your checklist because it's pointless."  He says it like this in Galatians 5:6:

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.  The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

The only thing that counts...wow, that's a lot easier than my checklist.  There's only one thing on Paul's checklist: "faith expressing itself through love."  What if at the end of the day we stopped asking ourselves, "Did I pray, read my Bible, stay away from the things I was suppose to stay away from," and we started asking ourselves, "Did I love everyone I came in contact with today?"  Because, after all, that is the true mark of a Christian.

Love well today.  Seek out the broken, the depressed, the loners, and love them.  Love your siblings (in word and action).  Love the prep, nerd, jock, and misfit that are in your lunch room.  The other things on your checklist are pointless without getting this one thing right.  So, how well are you loving others today?

Boom-shaka

Life Hurts...so where's God?

We don't have to live very long to see that life hurts.  We don't have to look very far to see that the world can be cruel, evil, and unfair.  We were reminded of this just weeks ago in a little town called Newtown, CT.  That event, along with other current events and disasters (Hurricane Sandy/Katrina, divorce, disease) has left people asking the question, "Where is God in all of this?"

You may have gone through your own crisis recently.  Something may have made you ask that same question of God's existence.  If God is really all-powerful and all-loving, then how could pain, suffering, and evil be in this world (a world that He created)?  It's a valid question, and one that we are going to focus on at VIBE for the next few weeks.

I hope that this time together will help us all to heal.  We all have some sort of pain or suffering that we have endured, and those wounds need to heal.  If they don't heal they will be like that nagging scab that keeps reopening.  It becomes painful, annoying, and a constant reminder of the cause of the wound.  I hope that, if you are in 7th-12th grade, you will join us this Sunday night at 5:45 central (slow) time to begin this discussion, "Where is God When Life Hurts?"

The Jerusaelm Project

Every year our youth group is involved in missions work.  We have done all kinds of projects and worked in all kinds of areas, from Jamaica and Mexico to Oklahoma, St. Louis, and Pennsylvania.  We've also organized mission work to be done right here in our area.

Our strategy is based on Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  We break down our mission trips three ways and have a three year rotation for those experiences.  We have participated in, as you read, international mission trips.  These are our "to the ends of the earth" trips.  We have also participated in "domestic" or "state-side" mission trips.  Those trips are our "Judea and Samaria" trips.  Each of those has been unique and incredible.  But my favorite mission projects are those that take place right here; we call them "The Jerusalem Project".

I think there's a reason why Jesus' call was to first be His witnesses in Jerusalem.  If we aren't willing to show the love of Christ here at home, then why should we get the privilege to travel far away?  It starts at home.  Five students took part in our first Jerusalem Project, and each one has said that it was one of the best experiences they ever had in youth group.  There's something special about having and showing compassion for your neighbors.

The Jerusalem Project will be June 16-21 (the same dates as VBS, which we help with).  That sounds like a long time from now, but there is so much to do in preparation for that week.  We start training this month so we can be prepared mentally and spiritually.  There is also a need to raise support for the week.  Because of that, each student participating needs to be committed by this Sunday at VIBE (January 13).  You can find some more information, as well as a PDF of the commitment form at our website (www.klmc.us>youth).

I really hope that you consider taking part of the Jerusalem Project.  If you have any questions feel free to contact me by phone, email, or Facebook (or you could leave a comment here).

Boom-shaka