Connexion Youth @ Trinity Park

2012 Summer Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Sat, 26 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

SUMMER BREAK IS HERE!!! You should receive the 2012 Summer Calendar in the mail. Both June and July with event details on the back and necessary forms for 2 different trips. Extra copies are available in the youth room.

Pursue - 2 Week Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Pursue: the act of going after something with intensity and urgency. Think about a police car chase or a lion chasing down their prey. There's nothing subtle or casual going on. If they do it halfway, then they surely won't catch what they're going after. That is what we've talked about for the last 2 weeks.

Week 1 - Three Stories about Pursuing Honor

1. Looked at Rejection of Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth – he couldn’t preform miracles for them because they didn’t believe or honor him. Read the story in Mark 6:1-6.
How do we limit Jesus’ ability by our lack of faith?
Some answers shared:
-We reject him by not knowing what he's capable of. Need to know character of Jesus and Bible better.
-Not taking small and big prayers to him.
-We don't bring him up to those who need his forgiveness.

2. Looked at honoring all parts of the body of Christ and their gifts. What do we sometimes ignore or not give enough honor to? Read the passage at 1 Corinthians 12:21-26
Some answers shared:
-As Christians, we put certain gifts above others. Like leadership and being up front of people and possibly ignore the servants that do things unnoticed.

3. Looked at honoring God by living as ambassadors for him and living above reproach (not leaving any doubt to question if we are living for Christ around others).

Where do we not live above reproach? Read the passage at 1 Peter 2:11-12

Some answers shared:
-Anger, laziness, selfishness.

*Romans 12:10 tells us to: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (ESV)

Week 2 - Pursue Your Goal

This week we are pursuing individual challenges for each of you – going after them with intensity like a lion chasing their prey. Summer Goal so you have something to go after.

Each one of you personally found our what to pursue and we prayed for the resolve and accountability to accomplish these pursuits!

Duct Tape Headband

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Yeah, sometimes we do play some fun games. Even at the expense of having a few hairs ripped off our heads. This was duct tape relay and involved forks and cheerios. You had to be there.

We had some great talks and prayer last night discussing the issue of honor. 2 Week recap will be out at the end of next week.

Story of God - Final Week

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:05:00 +0000

We have finished our 10 week series on the Story of God - comprising the entire Bible into 10 weeks and seeing how all parts tie together in one BIG story was the goal!

Final Week Notes:
We looked at the story from Luke 9:57-62 to show that there is a high level of commitment to following Jesus. People like to make excuses of things that aren't as important as following Christ like earthly possessions, comforts, inheritance, money, or relationships.

Luke 14:33 - Jesus said, “Any of you who does not give up everything they have cannot be my disciple.” In other words, you can't let anything else be more important in your life if you're going to follow Jesus and live like he did (the definition of a disciple).

We also talked about the day when Jesus returns and we will be RESTORED and spend eternity with him in a place free of sin and corruption - but ONLY if we have rejected our sin and selfishness and let Jesus rule in our heart and lives. What that means for us NOW is that we are Christ's ambassadors to the world (read 1 Corithians 5:18-20 here) to spread this message

10 Week Recap - God's story can be broken down in to 4 key parts
1. Creation
2. Fall
3. Redemption
4. Restoration

We also handed out this acrostic to help remember the story. Since we covered SO much more than just what is below you should be able to add parts to each as you share your faith. Go to http://www.dare2share.org/thecause/gospel-journey-tools/ to watch a 7 minute video to help with this as well and focusing on asking good questions and listening to others as you ask questions.

God created us to be with Him.
Our sins separate us from God.
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.
Paying the price for sin Jesus died and rose again.
Everyone who trusts in Him has eternal life.
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.

On the back of your handout you then were to put:
1. Your personal story of how God saved and continues to work in your life. Every story is powerful.
2. Questions you could ask someone (such as "What are your spiritual beliefs, what do you think of Church/Christianity" What are your thoughts on Jesus? Have you ever thought about Christianity as a relationship with God and not a religion" What do you think happens when you die? Why were we created? Etc.Etc.
3. And anything from the 10 weeks that help fill in the gaps for the GOSPEL acrostic above. Maybe it's talking more about Jesus' miracles and teachings (parable of lost son for example), or perhaps more details about Adam and Eve and how they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and were separated from God or just sharing how God is both merciful and just.

Now Go Make Disciples by living out your faith and sharing God's story!!!!

Story of God Series Update

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:32:00 +0000

Here's an update from the last 3 weeks of our Story of God series.

Week 7
-Jesus was performing miracles and disciples were surprised. They were still having trouble understanding the power that Jesus possessed as the Son of God.
-Jesus continued to talk about "the kingdom of God" and that it can be a present reality as we know and follow him. The body of Christ (all believers) are the kingdom of God! He also explained that it's difficult to be a part of the kingdom of God and that we must be born again and die to our old way of living in order to be a part of the kingdom.
-The Parable of the Lost Son (read the story here) was a story told by Jesus to demonstrate his love for us. He welcomes us back when we turn from our mistakes and come home. He doesn't condemn or seek to punish us. Rather, as we strive to live the best life possible he offers us grace and mercy.
-Do we offer that love and forgiveness to others around us? Have we fully accepted God's love by seeking forgiveness and returning home to God?

Week 8
-Jesus dies on the cross and is resurrected 3 days later as a sign of God's new covenant with man. Because God is a just God there must be something to atone for our sins. Yet, because God is a merciful God he provides that atonement/sacrifice through Jesus Christ. If we take Christ as our Savior and follow him, then we are forgiven of our mistakes by the fact that Jesus' death has that power!
-After raising from the dead, Jesus spends 40 days on Earth teaching his disciples and providing a witness that he is alive.
-Jesus offers the Great Commission (read it here) to help all his followers understand what we are to do as followers of Christ: Go and make more disciples and help them understand the way!
-The Holy Spirit is left for believers to help accomplish this commission. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside us and direct us in our lives.
-Disciples make disciples. Multiplication is what God calls us towards. Don't keep your light to yourself.

Week 9
-We discussed the formation of the early church. It was marked with great selflessness and people gave freely to each other and helped those in need. Everyone considered their possessions not to be theirs, but to be everyones. The Gospel of Jesus Christ spread as they lived out Acts 2:42-47 (read it here).
-Over time some churches got off track as they got selfish and over indulgent. They had petty arguments, partied, argued over who was holier, and brought divisiveness into the church. They forgot the teachings of Jesus. As a result, Paul had to remind them and keep them on track. Most repented of their sinful mistakes and Paul continued to encourage, train, and instruct churches that he planted through the Mediterranean area.
-We discussed how today we can have the same problems when Christians stop focusing on the right ways to live for God. What petty things distract you from being more focused on spreading God's love.

30 Hour Famine Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:14:00 +0000

A great weekend of learning about the issues surrounding world hunger and extreme poverty.
Building Cardboard houses.
Serving at Training, INC - which helps erase poverty by doing job skill training.
Plenty of games, worship, and spending time understanding world hunger and what the Bible says about it.

Monday, April 29th update: Nearly $1,100 was raised to help solve world hunger!!!

May Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:04:00 +0000

The final month of the school year.
We will be finishing up our "Story of God" Wednesday series.
Check the bottom of the calendar to see upcoming special events for this summer.

30 Hour Famine - April 27-28

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:45:00 +0000

The 30 Hour Famine is fast approaching.
Make sure you get the forms and fundraising packet from Phil.
Registration deadline is Wednesday, April 18.

Here is a one video and another to give you a better understanding of the issue of world hunger. These are also shown below (email subscribers may have to click link)

What is the 30 hour famine?
Fame Frequently Asked Questions
Famine Parent Info
Famine Hunger Facts

Youth Room Mural

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 19:57:00 +0000

Over 50+ hours to create.
Amazingly awesome.

College Guest - Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Last night we had a guest speaker, Jennifer - a current Junior at Ball State, share some of her story. Hard to recap everything but below are a few key points and most of what Jennifer had typed up in advance to share. Obviously, some other things naturally came up that weren't written out in advance.

Key Points:
1. Jennifer thought she had a "real faith" while being a good kid in youth group. But, she was tied up in looking the part and getting recognition from others for being the committed Christian and good student.
2. She served and went on mission trips and other activities because she knew that was what she was supposed to do. It wasn't attached to her heart or God.
3. College was and is a pivotal time. At first, she got off track, but later realized her need and a few key moments "woke her up," including a Bible Study.
4. Consistent involvement and community with Christians keeps her from:
-A. Slowly giving in to the temptation around her.
-B. Accountability and support
-C. A vibrant faith that helps her learn who God really is and what it means to share your faith (something the college ministry she is involved in (Cru) without being scared or overly in someone's face.

Read Jennifer's answers below (underlining done by Phil):

1. Give us a little bit of your background (Family life, growing up, things you were involved with in high school, level of involvement in church and youth group, etc).

I’m the oldest of 5, including my twin brother. I went to church with my family every Sunday growing up. I was baptized when I was around 9. I thought I was a good person with a good life.

I got my satisfaction from being good and well-liked. I was in the top 10 of my class, took AP classes, played tennis, did Eco club, NHS, SHS, and was really involved in my youth group and church.

2. Share where you were spiritually when you got to college?
I went on mission trips and did service clubs all through high school, but everything I did was to maintain my own image. If people thought of me and thought "She's so smart" or "She's so good" I was happy. That’s really where my faith stopped. I did good things so that people would think I was good, not out of love for God, and I certainly didn’t have any desire to share my faith other than to let people know I was a Christian so they’d think I was good.

3. What happened, or didn’t happen your freshman year, that caused you to lose focus on your relationship with God?
When I came to Ball State, I was no longer at the top of the class. People didn't know me at all, let alone think I was a good person. There was no one to affirm me or make me feel good about myself. I was just like everyone else. On top of that, at the end of my senior year my parents started getting a divorce. I felt like any security I had from my family, friends, or school had all been taken from me. I finally realized how alone and empty I felt. I wanted to get involved in a Christian organization because that’s just who I thought of myself as, but after going to 1 Cru meeting it rubbed me the wrong way so I gave up and for the most part didn’t go back. I had no community like before, so no one cared if I went or not, so I didn’t go and my faith really fizzled out.

4. Looking at your Christian or youth group friends from high school, how are they doing? Why do you think they’re struggling with spiritually? (Was their faith never real? Too much temptation? Selfishness? Desire to “live it up” during college? Poor preparation? Bad parents?)
It’s really all across the board. Some of them just went to youth group/church because that’s what their family did, but it was never really personal for them. A lot of them went to college they just abandoned their faith to have “fun.” The one that really breaks my heart is the ones who party and still try to live for God. A select few of them are actually growing and doing well in their faith. I know the girls are struggling with trying to find love, either in boys or whatever else. I’m not sure about boys! We’re all just trying to find a place to belong, something to do with our life, and someone to share it with.

5. What was the toughest part of transitioning to college?
The toughest part was definitely the lack of community. I went from having friends in youth group and going to a church where everyone knew and cared for me to university where I was starting over from scratch. It also made it hard that I didn’t know where to start looking, either for Christian groups or for churches. Not having a car meant I could only go to the church right off campus, and I didn’t like that one so I hardly ever went.

6. What got you back on track?

Still wanting to be the good "Christian" girl, when I went home for the summer after freshman year I joined a Bible study. I started realizing that all I was using God for was to make me look good, but he wanted to do so much more than that. He wanted to heal the hurts I felt from my family, give me joy, and give me purpose. It really was God that opening my eyes that got me back on track.

7. Talk a little bit about your experience with Cru.

When I came back to Ball State after that summer I got involved in a Bible study with Cru. I still didn’t really like Cru or even my Bible study, but I had friends in Cru and knew I wanted community. I went to Cru’s winter conference that year and I saw probably for the first time that God was so much bigger than I had been giving him credit for. I began to see what it meant that Jesus DIED for me. That the God of the universe who I had been using to get ahead and paying no real attention to had come in the flesh and died for me. That is some huge love. So I asked God to show me his character. I wanted to know and be changed by his love, not just talk about it. And lo and behold, the series at Cru that semester was about God’s character. I went ever week and took notes. I also started meeting with my Bible study leader, a Cru staff woman, and a friend of mine to sort of relearn the basics of my Christian faith.

I started feeling like I should go on a summer project, which is basically a mission trip focused on discipleship and evangelism, but I put it off a long time because I was scared. Finally my friend called me out on that, so I applied. I then proceeded to get accepted, raise support, and had the most awesome summer of my life. I could talk on and on about what God taught me in Ocean City. J This year I lead a Bible study of freshmen/sophomores in one of the dorms, and I’ve started discipling a girl too! It’s been so crazy and amazing! This summer I’ve just been accepted to go on a summer project to East Asia!

8. Things you would tell the high school version of you.

Oh man, so many things!
It’s not about you.
Stop trying to impress people.
Don’t be so stressed about planning out your life.
Let God be God. You are beautiful and loved.

9. Advice for graduating seniors about beginning their college experience
GET INVOLVED IN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. That is so crucial! Find somewhere immediately. Don’t wait to get settled in. The first few weeks are when you can try out tons of different organizations with no strings attached, so do that. You can make good friends in those first few weeks. Get involved in a Bible study. Find a church.

Story of God - Week 6

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:51:00 +0000

A few key points from Wednesday night:
-Jesus fulfilled 60 major prophecies from the Old Testament in regards to the Messiah (for example: born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, resurrection, etc). The statistical odds of 1 person being able to fulfill just 8 of these 60 prophecies is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. Yep, not a typo.

-God publicly identified Jesus as his son on multiple occassions, including Jesus' baptism, which was to set an example for us.

- Jesus was both fully human and fully God. He had human limitations (hunger, pain, etc) but through the power of the Holy Spirit was able to perform miracles and testify to the truth that he was the son of God.

-Satan tried to test Jesus to trust in himself instead of God, his faith in God, and to glorify someone else instead of God. Jesus responded with scripture even as he was weak from 40 days of fasting. In our past stories, many people gave in to Satan's tricks (see Adam and Eve).

-The Holy Spirit was very active in our stories (Virgin birth, Jesus' baptism, Jesus' miracles).

What if we let the Holy Spirit take the lead in our lives?

April Calendar & Info

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Pick up your hard copy in the youth room.
March was a low key month, but April has plenty of great opportunities!

April 3 - Pack Easter Eggs for the Egg Hunt

April 4 - Arby's Mission Trip Fundraiser

April 7 - Egg Hunt at Trinity Park

April 22 - Parent and Teen Mission Trip Meeting & Lunch

Apirl 27 & 28 - 30 Hour Famine

Story of God - Week 5

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:05:00 +0000

-We finished up the Old Testament by reviewing the history of the Israelites and the fact that they often desired God to save them (Example: from Pharaoh and the Egyptians), but then when God did deliver them they would lose focus on following God and become selfish and even start to worhsip false Gods.

-God gave them the 10 commandments and other laws to help them live the best life, but they often lost focus of the reason behind these instructions.

-We also discussed that the wages of sin are death and because God always does what is good, right and perfect, he could not overlook their sins and the ultimate punishment for sin was death, so the Israelites had to sacrifice animals to cover their sin.

-The Israelites also wanted an "earthly King" that they could see and God granted this to them, though this didn't turn out to well most of the time!

-Many prophets foretold of the Messiah's coming and details about who and how he would live.

-Lastly, we looked at the parallels between the 10 commandments and the statements of Jesus that raised the bar on the heart behind following the 10 commandments. We finished by watching this short video about making sure we live our lives to the fullest in glorifying God, not out of obligation, but because we desire to make known to all.

Lesson Recap - Story of God Week 4

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Wednesday night we looked at the story of Abraham and how God blessed him.
We then took time to realize our individual blessings and then challenged and prayed in groups and came up with ways we could use the blessings God has given us for other people. God does not bless us for our own self-indulgent purposes. He does it so we will spread God's love and hope to others.

God should ultimately decide and declare the right use of our lives, talents, time, and energy.

Here's a brand new music video from Manic Drive discussing if we really are willing to save others and use our blessings for God's purpose or if we'll hold on to tightly to less important things like our time, money, and energy for our own pleasure.

Remember, God desires to bless his people.

Would it be easier or harder to let God decide the right use of your life?
-Easier because you know you’re following God’s will?
-Harder because it takes more effort to focus on God’s will?

What would have to change?
-More time knowing God's word and listening to the Spirit's direction.
-How you let people direct your life.
-More submission. Not laughing at God’s plan like Abraham did.
-Less worry about “tower of babel” prestige and recognition, money, etc.
(There’s nothing wrong with making $, but that means God is entrusting YOU to do a LOT WITH IT.) To whom much is given much is expected. Those who can be trusted with little can be trusted with much.

March Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:07:00 +0000

March is almost here! Happy Leap Day (February 29)!

Story of God Week 3 - Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:39:00 +0000

Last night we looked at two stories. Cain and Abel from Genesis 4 and Noah and the flood from Genesis 6-9.

Cain & Abel
-Cain's offering was rejected by God because it wasn't Cain's best and wasn't from his heart.
-Cain was jealous of Abel because God accepted his offering that met God's standards.
-Cain killed his brother Abel and tried to hide the murder from God.
-Because God is just, Cain was punished. However, God is merciful and God did not take Cain's life.

Questions:
1. How do you react when you feel unaccepted? Do you complain, quit, or try harder to do the right thing? Cain complained and went with revenge.

2. What we learn about humanity in this story?
-We try to hide from our sins (just like Adam and Eve in the garden).
-We get jealous.
-We have the choice to do what is right, but sometimes don't listen to God.

Noah and the Flood
-The entire human race was completely evil ALL the time. Except for Noah, who with his family, were spared by God because they were in a close relationship with God.
-The flood washed over the earth and only the animals and people on board the Ark were spared.
-Immediately after exiting the ark, Noah made a sacrifice to God.
-The rainbow was God's covenant to not flood the entire earth again.

Questions:
1. What saved Noah? His obedience. God provides a way for those who follow his will.

2. How does God feel about humans?
-Disappointment and anger that we corrupt ourselves.
-Compassion to save Noah and humanity and the promise not to flood the entire earth again.

3. What do we need to do to be more obedient and productive for God?
-Look at how we use our time, talents, money, career, relationships. Do we trust and let God lead us in all these aspects of our lives? Or do we get selfish, complain, make excuses, and complain?

Ultimately, our choices reflect our level of trust and obedience. More on this in the following weeks as we look at Abraham and Moses and the concept of idolatry.

Valentine's Dinner Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:19:00 +0000

This says all that you need to know!
Great job!

Story of God - Week 1 and 2 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:26:00 +0000

We started our series on “The Story of God" (Covering the key themes that connect the entire Bible into 1 big story (an 11 week series) and discussed the reality that everybody has a view on 4 key things. We'll discuss them in the following weeks.

Creation – How everything came into being. What is our purpose?
Fall – The world isn’t perfect. Why isn’t it perfect? Who’s to blame?
Redemption – What rescues us from the broken/fallen world?
Restoration - What will the world look like when all is as it should AND who/what will be the focus of the world?

God has given us the answers. It’s our job to fully know them so that when we ASK others what they think we can help them process where they got their answers and any missing gaps in their views.

There is much distortion of the truth in our world. Asking good questions and helping people think through what they really believe is vital. Don't just share what you believe. First, ask them questions and see where they really have got their information. Often, they don't have a good reply! There are many ways to have conversations and interact with people you do know and asking them thoughts on what it means to be a Christian or why does the world exist or how can we be saved or what are we here for or how the world will end.

Week 2 Recap
Hard to summarize what we talked about on Wednesday into something short and sweet. But I'll try.
1. We were made in God's image (don't think physical, but more in terms of characteristics such as understanding morals, ethics, relationships, having rule of the Earth that God gave us).

2. God had a close relationship with Adam and Eve. He walked with them daily and showed them the best and most fulfilling ways to live. THIS WAS AND IS THE PURPOSE FOR MANKIND! To be close to God and understand his best way for our life!!!

3. Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil because the devil tricked them, they wanted to have more power, and they were selfish and lost focus. We do the same when we get selfish, look for temporary pleasure, or hide or ignore God. Adam and Eve didn't trust God's instructions!

4. Because God is holy and just and can not be in the presence of sin, there must be consequences for rebellion. Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden and had to work to provide for themselves (among other things). God's grace was displayed by not destroying Adam and Eve. God is both merciful and just.

Eccelsiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Pretty short summary for an hour lesson!

Rock & Worship Roadshow Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Thanks to youtube, here are a few videos from The Rock and Worship Roadshow.

10th Ave North - You Are More

Lecrae - Don't Waster Your Life

Disciple - Rise Up (this wasn't from Indy, but it has the guitarist doing the backflip from atop the speakers!)

Friends - Week 4 - Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:14:00 +0000

Last night we wrapped up our series on Friends by talking about Identity.

Musician Sarah Kelley was talking at the end about her own self-hate she had for herself when she was in high school. Do you think that’s a problem today for high schoolers? (Many answered yes due to who they hang out with, how others treat them, bad parents, and so forth)

Remember her advice – patience with ourselves, keep a journal, think about our like and dislikes, worship God through it all (when you dwell on self-hatred you are dwelling on yourself! When you are worshiping God you are looking for answers from the Holy God who can help get you through anything).

Turn to the right people for support – not a boyfriend that is trying to help you commit suicide as Sarah had!

Sean also mentioned 4 principles for building relationships…

1. Take an honest look at your own life. Who do you really want to be and act as?

2. Have realistic expectations. BFF’s aren’t usually made over night. Neither is “true love.”

3. Be a good friend. Don’t always look for what you can get out of a relationship, but what you put into it.

4. Ask God for a true friend. If you’re centered on God’s will, then it will help you in the searching process and you won't compromise what you want in a friend just for the feeling of having another friend.

I’m guessing that at some point in life everyone has been labeled something…

Somebody’s brother or sister, based on your intelligence, looks, activities…who knows. But that can't be where your identity comes from.

We broke up into groups of 3-4 and studied these verses.

Ephesians 2:10 – God has created us for the purpose of doing good. We’re his “work of art.”

Philippians 1:6 – God has begun to work within us, and he’ll keep at it.

Psalm 139:13-14 – God has knit us together, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Romans 12:5-6 – We are part of the body of Christ; we have different gifts.

Colossians 3:12-13 – We are loved and forgiven. We need to show love and forgiveness to others.

Matthew 5:14-16 – We lighten up the world with good deeds and praise.

1 Corinthians 3:16 – We are God’s temple. The Spirit lives in us.

Genesis 1:27– We have been created in God’s image.

We finished up with our Prayer Cards
1. Your request for someone/something else.

2. A specific action – that because of you who are and based on these verses, you want to put into action this week. For example: how will you show love and forgiveness? What good deeds will you do? How will you honor God with your body as his temple? Looking for a specific! Whoever gets your card will pray that you accomplish it and hopefully even ask you if you did it!!!

3. Let’s review the 4 weeks of friends, then I want you to write down which of the 4 themes that you need prayer for. A. Loneliness (Samaritan woman) B. Peer Pressure (wicked, sinners, and mockers - choose friends wisely – choose areas/times that you can help others without succumbing to temptation. C. Comparisons (disciples, valuing each other) D. Identity
To see all 4 lesson recaps of the Friends series click here.

February Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:08:00 +0000

Friends Week 3 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:16:00 +0000

Topic: Comparisons
So, these 12 disciples had 3 years with Jesus and had some ups and downs in “getting what it meant to follow Christ.”
+ Dropped all they had to follow him when Jesus asked them to, left family, job, etc.
- Misunderstood that Jesus would die for them as a way to conquer evil and sin.
- Fought with each other (jealousy, pride).

- Said they loved Jesus to his face and would rather die then deny Jesus, then Peter later denied him 3 times for fear of persecution.
- Doubted Jesus’ resurrection (Thomas had to put his finger in Jesus’ hand).
- Struggled to believe (Peter walking on water, feeding of the 5000, etc).

- James and John asked for special authority to sit next to God (Mark 10:35-45). Jesus’ response was to that if you want to be great….be a servant just as I, Jesus, will soon be.

-Jesus post-resurrection – forgives Peter for doubting him and (John 21:15+) essentially tells Peter that you will die for the cause of the kingdom and to glorify God. Peter’s response…well are the other disciples going to die for you also? Jesus essentially says “what’s it matter to you – you follow me and they’ll do what’s in store for them”

+ Jesus repeatedly taught them through parables, prophecy, quoting the OT, and giving them commandment and empowering them.
+ Through the Holy Spirit they performed miracles, led people to Christ, and spread the Gospel.

A lot of times we view the disciples in 1 of 2 ways:
1. The disciples were the greatest ever
2.They were a bunch of bumbling, idiotic teenagers

The reality is they were regular people who trusted in God, had moments where they didn’t get it, but ultimately came around (except Judas) and changed the world.

Jesus stayed on Earth for 40 days not only so people could witness that he rose from the dead….but also to make sure the disciples “got it” and knew what to do next. The days of competition and comparison were over. They were all entrusted and had unique roles.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father ,Son, & Holy Spirit, teaching to obey everything I have commanded…”-Matthew 28:18-20

Acts 1:8 – “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.” -The Holy Spirit was with the disciples to enable them to do this now that Jesus was ascending to heaven.

When the disciples stopped worrying about comparing which was greater than the other and fighting they were able to do amazing things for God's kingdom.

The comparison temptation happens today in your:
School - Clothes, grades, athletic ability, physical features, future college or major, who your friends are, what activities you’re in,
Home - Sibling rivalry, getting defensive when you’re asked to do something that may be more difficult than whatever your sibling was asked to do
Church - Who drives what, who gives $ or time, who has the best behaved kids, whose church is “doing more,” who knows the pastor the best, who gets to play in the band

All these things keep us off of the focus of serving God and building his Kingdom. Get away from comparisons and use what God gives you.

LUKE 21:22 “What is that to you (what others have or will do)? You must follow me.”

Luke 16:10
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…”

Whatever God gives you is what God believes you can do at that moment, continue to use that and he’ll give you more opportunities to serve him.

Friends Week 2 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Friends Week 2 Recap - Peer Pressure
Quote from the video "I think that the friends you hang around have a lot to do with the things you end up doing.”

READ Psalm 1:1
3 Things
1. Don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked – don’t listen to their advice
2. Stand in the way of sinners – “Way” means road or path here. This means spending to much time together on their turf.
3. Sit in seat of mockers – Just because they invite you to their table to do what they do doesn’t mean you should follow suit.

You don't have to give up or alienate yourself from your friends who may be living a life that is contrary to what Jesus shows us (drugs, premarital sex, gossip, etc). You just need to choose wisely when you are around them (during school, practice, public places and not when they are engaging in illegal or immoral activities) and try to show them how you're changed through Christ.

Each line raises the bar.
Wicked – don’t care about God’s ways
Sinners – actively break God’s rules
Mockers – talk openly about how stupid it is to follow God’s guidance

Proverbs 13:20
“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
-Even if you aren’t listening to their advice you can still suffer by being around the wrong people AT the wrong time.

READ Psalm 1:2 – What does a blessed person do instead of hanging out with mockers?
-Meditates on the law of the Lord day and night (What does God’s word say for me, what does God have in store for me, how can I live out my faith and his mission for me, with HOLY SPIRIT guiding). Recognize things that take away your focus from him!

Lastly, realize negative peer pressure can come from Christians as well.
1. Devoted Christians (Positive) - they dig deep, ask hard questions, and continually push to be closer to Christ and living out his mission. They aren't perfect, but they hold each other accountable and seek forgiveness when they sin.
2. Compromisers (Negative)- they make excuses for why they aren't committed more to Christ or his movement (the church). They ignore parts of scripture so they can live the way they want. These people are dangerous. A few of these in your life is okay as you can help build them up, but you need more of #1 than #2 in your life.

Imitator vs. Follower

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Recap from today:
We like to say we follow Jesus - but following doesn't always mean we act like Jesus. Sometimes it only means we are aware of what Jesus has done.

Ephesians 5:1-2 says we are to "imitate" Jesus and live like he did.
Rely on the Father's guidance, aim to live a sin free life, spread the message of salvation, and seek out ways to love those who need it most. There is only 1 way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. If we imitate Christ, then we will have opportunities to lead others to Christ as they see Jesus in us.

We watched this video to talk about how close an imitation can be. He sounds just like Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam.

Friends - Week 1 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Connexion Student Ministries!!!) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Friends Week 1 - Loneliness - Recap
Passage: John 4 - Woman at the Well
God works in a woman who is lonely, an outcast, and someone, who in that culture, would never be talked to by a Jewish man (Jesus). The result = she brings more people to come see Jesus and many more believe.

A couple key points from the talk
1. Don't surround yourself with people who reinforce negative traits just because it may be easier to hang out with them.
2. You can be that one person to show love to someone who is lonely. You can point them to Jesus.

Our Prayer
1. Thanking God that he is there for us when we get lonely.
2. Relationships – that we choose wisely and uplift each other
3. God reveals to us someone we need to befriend (think of that person NOW) – contact them before you get to school if you can….start building that friendship now! Pray pray pray.
4. that collectively, we are a welcoming group, caring about all of us.

Jeremiah 31:3 – Lords’ love for us lasts forever
Isaiah 41:10 – Lord is with us and helps us. We need not fear.
Romans 8:38-39 – Nothing can separate us from God’s love
Isaiah 55:6-7 – Lord is near to us, offers pardon for our sins
Romans 5:8 – God loves us even though we are sinners
Psalms 103:12-14 – God forgives us, has compassion, and understands our situation.
Isaiah 40:29-31 – Lord gives us strength to SOAR
Hebrews 4:15-16 – Jesus understands what it’s like to be human (experienced all humans could)
Psalms 23:4 – Even in a dark valley, the Lord is with us.