As a boy, my father put my siblings and I to work around the house and yard, doing chores and taking care of family responsibilities.
As a member of a local church, there are similar responsibilities as those of a family.
Though I am not a parent and the teens who are part of our youth ministry are not my kids, my desire, and the purpose of this ministry, is to partner up with teens and their families and assist them in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, I am one person and cannot do this alone!
Whether you have kids or not, are married or single, you are needed! Consider helping out in the Youth Ministry and invest, nurture, and make an impact on teenagers.
It is our responsibility as a church to join arms!
I took this photo in Annandale, Virginia. Do you know where? Post your answer as a comment. The first person with the correct answer will receive a prize. Good luck!
Now watch the second recording from a different angle. Didn't it completely destroy your previous understanding of the situation?
Isn't our view of God much like these two clips? Our perceptions determine our reality. Usually, our past experiences shape the way we think about God and what He is to us. But that doesn't necessarily make it true, does it? A. W. Tozer said:
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."
Disclaimer: This post is somewhat different from the typical post you read on this blog. I'm not sure what your take on God is, and how you feel about the supernatural, or whether you even believe God exists or not.
As followers of Christ we have the opportunity to experience God in a way that is hard to explain to others who do not know Him. When a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit takes residence inside their body and becomes their comforter. [yeah, sounds a little eerie, huh?] Occasionally, I experience what some people call "God moments," where something unexplainable happens inside me, something that moves my soul, and awakens a new awareness of God's mercy, love, grace, or greatness. I am then reminded what a great God I serve, and can only thank Him over and over again!
There's a song puts me in this "God zone," and reminds me how small I am compared to Him. In 2005, Matt Redman released a song titled Facedown. The lyrics go like this:
Welcomed in to the courts of the King I've been ushered in to Your presence Lord, I stand on Your merciful ground Yet with every step tread with reverence
And I'll fall facedown As Your glory shines around Yes, I'll fall facedown As Your glory shines around
Who is there in the heavens like You? And upon the earth, who's Your equal? You are far above, You're the highest of heights We are bowing down to exalt You
So let Your glory shine around Let Your glory shine around King of glory, here be found King of glory
If you don't know what this feels like to have this "intimate experience" with Christ, then I urge you, like the psalmist writes, to "taste and see that the LORD is good;" (Ps. 34:8)
Teaching our teens to incorporate these five biblical elements into their lives: Nurturing (fellowship) - building relationships with other believers eXalting (worship) - honoring God through our life Discipleship - growing spiritually Evangelism- reaching unbelievers for Christ Ministry - serving God in our church and community
Disclaimer NXDEM Youth exists as a resource for teens, parents, families, and youth workers. This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. By posting links to external websites, I am not endorsing everything they have to say, but am simply offering them as a resource to you. I’m a human being and my blog reflects that humanity.
