SimplyYouthMinistry.com Articles

mountain biking & discipleship

For years I've had buddies tell me, "You've got to get into mountain biking...it's amazing! You'd love it! A lot of ex-athletes wind up doing it." My usual first response is, "Who you calling an EX-athlete?" But my second response was always, "I'm too busy with my own kids' sports to have one of my own." That would usually shut them down for another year or two before they'd come back with that maniacal look and say once again, "Dude, you've got to try it."

A couple months ago my doctor didn't tell me to begin mountain biking, but he did say, "You've better find some type of exercise program that you like or you're going to die." (I'm not sure those were his exact words, but they're close.) Then, I was dumb enough to tell my wife what my doctor said and she told me, "If you don't find an exercise program you like, I'm going to kill you before you have a chance to die." So with that external motivation I sent an email to some mountain-bike friends and asked if anyone had a spare bike I could borrow to get me started-they all replied in similar language, "Dude, yeah...awesome!"

So as I sit at the keyboard, I have less than one month under my belt into the "world of mountain biking." I now own a bike (bought it from a friend); I also have a helmet, shoes, clothes, gloves, and most of the gear "required" for this sport. Basically, I have everything needed except for the cardiovascular condition, the needed skills, and the coaching.

After my first ride I realized mountain biking is not like the bike riding I did as a kid. It's not "jump on your bike and ride all day." It's much different! In addition to the extreme terrain there are so many moving parts that add to the confusion: 3 front sprockets, 5 or 6 back sprockets (I can't remember), 2 brake levers, and 4 shifting systems. I can already feel my cardio condition changing, but I desperately need the coaching to get answers to my questions.

You may be thinking, "Does this have anything to do with youth ministry or has Doug lost all blood to his brain?" Well, here comes the youth ministry connection. On this morning's ride I began to think about how little I know about this new sport/hobby. I really need a coach. I have so many questions. I'm not sure when to shift on the hills. I apparently have a tubeless tire that I wouldn't know how to fix if I got a flat. I have front shocks that need to be adjusted based on the terrain and I don't have the slightest idea what to do. I fell off my bike today because I couldn't unclip my shoes from the peddles when my chain came off the sprocket. My list of "how to" questions could fill up the page.

As I was riding and wishing for a safe and caring riding partner/coach I began to think about the teenagers in our ministries. What are we doing with all their questions? Do we even know the questions they're asking? Or do we assume they'll catch everything about Jesus as they begin their ride with him?

Like I need a riding coach, teenagers need a Jesus coach. While mountain biking is much more complex than "jump on a bike"...so is following Jesus much more complex than a simple "come to church." For a month I've been riding every day, tinkering around at the local bike shop, reading magazines and Web sites to try to find coaching tips, downloading trail guides to my iPhone, and asking a lot of questions... And I'm still confused, frustrated, and wanting someone to coach me. I want someone else to care enough to care about me.

Could it be that our youth ministries have become good at getting teenagers to come to church... but we're not so good at coaching them on how to walk with Jesus? Then, if they don't know how to walk with Jesus, they graduate from our ministry and graduate away from church. Do the kids entrusted to your care (as a youth pastor over several or as a volunteer over a few) know that you want to coach them in the ways of Jesus? Do they leave your youth ministry knowing that there is a caring, loving and available adult who wants the best for them? Who won't laugh at their questions? Who will walk beside them as they struggle and fall? If so...great! Way to go! Those teenagers are blessed. But if not, what might need to change within your youth ministry and your personal leadership style so teenagers will know that they're not a number to be counted or a seat-filler, but rather a young follower of Jesus who needs a little help with the call of Jesus to "follow me"?

Jesus spent most of his time with the few. Yes, he spoke to and fed the masses, but his most common audience was the few. Who are the few that need you right now? They don't need to be invited to church, they need you...coaching, listening, loving, and caring you. Walking with Jesus is an adventure... but it's one that requires more help and coaching than we're probably aware of.

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things are still lookin' pretty good!

Okay, I'm going to admit something: I sorta like the fact that we are in a recession and that times are tough. Now, I'm sure part of the reason for my "upbeat" attitude is due to the fact that I haven't faced any real financial hardship during this period...I still have my job, my home isn't in jeopardy and I still drink way too much sweet tea from Chick-Fil-A.

But I've been reminded of something over the past year that may be a lesson our students could use, too: Things are still lookin' pretty good! I don't know the social-economic makeup of your youth ministry, but I'd be willing to bet that even if families in your church are being hit hard during this downturn they are still fairing much better than the vast majority of the human beings on this wonderful planet.

My family recently had to adjust a few things in our lifestyle to accommodate for a change in household income. We really didn't have to cut back much....a movie here, a weekend away there. It was a great opportunity for our family to focus on how good God has been to us, how much "stuff" we have and the lifestyle we take for granted.

Tough times are always a great time to help students focus on the stuff that really matters!

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why porn might bring this culture down

Pornography, perhaps more than any other issue of today's culture, has the greatest chance of bringing down the morals and values of this generation. Studies tell us that the greatest new users of pornography are 12- to 17-year-old boys. The girls, however, are catching up. All the while, the multi-billion-dollar pornography industry is reaching into the souls of this generation and wreaking havoc. It powerful enough to snatch any kid in any house today.

A 13-year-old boy at our church was looking for a new baseball glove online. A large sporting-good chain in our area is called Chicks Sporting Goods. We all call it "Chicks" for short. He innocently typed the word "chicks" into a search engine, thinking he was going to find the store's new baseball glove collection. What he found was pornography sites, and plenty of them. His first exposure to porn took him on a journey that caused him to daily, sometimes for hours at a time, look at awful porn. This was a good kid, from a strong family, with high morals, and he just got caught in the maze of porn addiction. When the family found out (they began to suspect something when he was on the computer in the middle of the night and his grades were dropping), they did the right thing and got their son help. However, that young boy will have thousands of vivid images stored in his brain and subconscious.

One of the many problems of viewing pornography is that your mind takes a picture of the image. And sadly, millions of young people today have very inappropriate images stored in their minds. Pornography is extremely addicting, and for many it can escalate. Here are the stages of pornography addiction progression:

1. Viewing pornography

2. Addiction

3. Escalation

4. Desensitization

5. Action out sexually

In today's world, kids cannot help but see very unhealthy sexual images. As youth workers, you can help kids see the negative consequences of viewing pornography.

Information on the effects of porn is very prevalent today. I don't need to add much more on the subject, especially when you can find great resources if you are looking for this kind of information. Needless to say, pornography is fantasy. Fantasy and pornography are closely related links to sexual addiction. Pornography is a tool for going beyond reality, and once used, it is difficult to live without. Sadly, sexual addiction among young people is growing and for many, it becomes a strong obsessive compulsion similar to the intensity of alcohol, drug, and gambling addictions. Sexual addiction breaks families apart, causes people to view the opposite sex as objects, and tears at the very moral fiber of really good people. That's why as youth workers, we must sound the alarm with our kids about pornography, clearly communicating to them about its dangers.

The Pure Foundation Series:

The Purity Code (Ages 10-14)
The Purity Code Audio Resource
Accept Nothing Less: God's Best for Your Body, Mind and Heart (Ages 14+)
Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality (for parents)
Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality DVD Curriculum Kit (for parents)
God Made Your Body (ages 3-5)
How God Makes Babies (ages 6-9)

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so old it's new: part 1

It seems that a lot of pastors and ministers use the early church as the ultimate model of what the church should be today. And honestly, I'm one of those pastors. What did it look like in its purest form? But I'm also the guy who thinks that the church of today has brought some great additions to the table. There need to be key underlying principles from scripture that we creatively build upon, in order to reach a culture today that is much different than the culture of Jesus' day. So here's your assignment before going any further with this article: Read Acts 2:42-47. Now on to the principles.

First of all, it starts with devotion. The Greek word for devoted actually reflects that they kept on devoting themselves to these key things. It wasn't a one-time devotion to key things, never to be visited again. Rather, they were devoted and continually devoting themselves to the following:

The Apostles' Teaching-What would the apostles teach? If we look at Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, we see how he quoted the Old Testament in his message. It's what Jesus would teach. It's what the disciples would teach because they learned how to do ministry by being ministered by God. Today we need to have a commitment to teach the Bible. Topics are good and helpful, but there's also a need to teach through books of the Bible. It was scary for me to hear a Bible professor at my old college tell me that the students he comes across in his Bible classes are pretty much biblically illiterate. We need to be teachers of the word-not just of the topics that will bring a crowd but also the teachings that will cause the crowd to become true disciples of Jesus.

Fellowship-Eugene Peterson's take on this concept of fellowship is "the life together." Awesome. In a time when "church-shopping" is the craze, the thing that's lost by so many is the life together. I am not against Christians going to other churches to worship with other believers, but I'm concerned that the idea of having a church-home has been replaced by the church with the coolest events. We need to be purposeful in creating opportunities for true fellowship to happen within our ministries instead of only experiences to be had.

The Breaking of Bread-I understand that there are a couple of different interpretations of what Luke meant when he wrote these words down. Was he speaking about communion? Sharing a meal together? Honestly, I think both work, but I lean toward this referring to sharing communion together: to share the love feast and to continually remind themselves of Christ's sacrifice for salvation. It can mean the sharing of meals (which we actually see later in the passage), but since it's mentioned later, and that this was something that they devoted themselves to, I lead toward it being communion. So in response to this, we set up communion for our high schoolers to take every Wednesday night during the worship service. And every week, students are going over and remembering the sacrifice of Christ.

Prayer-And what can I say about this to expand on it? Nothing. Prayer is a necessity, not an option.

These are the four key things that the early church devoted themselves to as they began this journey with Jesus as the church. These principles are just a relevant today as they were back in the day, even for youth ministries. Let's let the creative juices flow as creatively as the Creator, but let's not lose the foundational pieces that make the experiences have substance and the activities have eternal value. We want God's kingdom to be affected and for people to become true disciples of Jesus instead of experience-chasers and mere believers in God.

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does it always have to be a sermon?

Kurt's article really got me thinking about how I view the "teaching" piece in ministry. I truly understand the importance of teaching junior high students God's word...and I know that Kurt has taught some amazing Sunday morning messages that have seriously impacted student's lives. However, I think we need to break out of the mold of "teaching" only coming in "message" form from the junior high pulpit...and think of the teaching piece as something that can happen at any moment or in any place with students.

I have been to countless youth ministry seminars and heard a number of student testimonies that state this fact over and over....."I don't remember any messages my youth pastor gave" or "I don't remember any small group lessons that my leader taught"...BUT..."I do remember the relationships I built...I do remember my youth pastor driving me home and talking to me about God...I do remember my leader being there when my parent's divorced...and so on and so on. I truly believe that some of our best teaching moments don't have to be in the form of a prepared message. Sometimes, it's just be willing to journey with students and TEACH along the way.

So, here is what I am thinking....how can we teach junior highers outside of the "norm" teaching times? How can we journey with them and teach them in the midst of their life moments? How can we use the relationships built in our ministries to become powerful teaching tools? I really believe that some of the best teaching...is done through strong, trusting relationships with leaders.

What are some ways that we can be teachers in student's lives outside the "the normal" teaching platforms.

Time can be serious teaching tool...
Make the most of your time with students. Whether it is a trip to the store or Taco Bell, recognize that your time together can be full of teaching moments. Ask questions, experience & share life together ....TALK. So many teaching moments arise in everyday life situations. Now, I don't spend every waking minute with students....I definitely have boundaries in this area...but I do try to make the time I do spend with students worthwhile. Student + Time = Opportunity to teach.

A good listener is a good teacher...
If you are around students, I guarantee there is a teaching moment waiting to happen. Listen and observe your students...just by watching them talk and interact with one another you can learn about areas in their life where they need instruction. Pay attention and respond. For example, I overheard a group of girls at youth group on Sunday talking about another girl in our youth ministry. Let's just say they were not affirming her....they were in total girl mode viscously talking about this other girl. One of the girls talking was a student leader and a girl I knew very well. Later on, when I drove her home, I asked about the conversation. She was defensive and embarrassed trying to explain to me why her words were warranted. This was a teaching moment...we had a long conversation about words, gossip, etc. Even though we didn't resolve anything in the car...we had a great talk and there was an opportunity for guidance and teaching. Just by observing a simple situation...a teaching moment came to light and some seeds were planted in a student's life.

Let your example speak for itself...
In Kurt's article he talked about the power of sharing stories...I love this point. But lets take it a step further....your life story can be a very powerful teaching tool in the lives of students. Share not only your stories, but who you are with students. The way you follow God, pray, interact in friendships/marriage/ relationships, respond to conflict, grow, fail, and so on and so on. I think students can learn so much from just watching us live life. They don't want to follow and learn from perfect youth workers they want to follow authentic, imperfect people. Expose students to your faith...the way you follow God. Teach them and show them through your own journey. Tip: Make sure that you set boundaries for yourself in this area....your students don't need to know everything. There is definitely a line of appropriateness.

Teaching moments are all around you....
You are ALWAYS teaching! What Kurt says about 1/3 of the time being dedicated to the lesson is really only partially true. The fact is your entire program is teaching students something.....that you care, that you'll listen, that you are glad they are there, etc. Whether you are at an event, a small group meeting, or your regular weekly meeting - let the all of the elements become teaching moments. You can find teaching moments in...

One on one conversations
Discussion Questions
The message
The music you listen to or lead
The games you play
Small group lessons you write
What stuff you hang on your walls
Etc.

Back-to-School History and Homework

The young man's comments left me scratching my head. I was cleaning up after presenting a seminar on today's youth culture when he approached me to say "thanks" for the information I had just communicated. "I want you to know," he said, "that I've returned to the high school I graduated from to do some after-school ministry with students. What you shared with us today has helped me to understand why kids are so much more different today than they were when I was in school." "How old are you?" I asked. "Nineteen," he said. "I just graduated from high school 10 months ago."

Like a snowball picking up speed and mass on a trip down a never-ending mountain, youth culture is changing at warp speed. With your teens heading back to school in just a few weeks, you need to be aware that the school youth culture they're heading back to is not the same as the one they left just a few short months ago. Everything is changing. To help you keep abreast of the world your kids live in, let me give you a short history lesson along with some homework.

First, the history. . . . history that will help convince you that every day your kids get out of bed, their world is new in some way, shape, or form. It all starts with the relative newness of adolescence as a distinct period of life and the concept of "teenagers" as we know it today. While there have always been chronological teenagers (humans aged 13 to 19), teenagers as we know and understand them in our contemporary situation are a relatively new development. There was a time - not long ago - when there were no such things as teenagers or a distinct youth culture, as least not as we know them today.

Believe it or not, it wasn't until 1941 that the term "teenager" was first coined and used, in of all places, Popular Science magazine. So where have teenagers and youth culture come from? Most people don't realize that teenagers as a distinct group are actually a social and economic invention. In 1930, teenagers didn't exist. In 1930, the concept of teenagers didn't exist. You simply jumped from being a child to being an adult. Only 50% of young people ages 14-17 were going to school. The other half were in the work force. An effort was made to get them out of the work force and into school so that they could get an education and so that jobs would open up for family men.

When the GI's came home after World War II, America experienced an unprecedented "baby boom." This growing youth population combined with extraordinary economic growth and opportunity in a mix that left marketers drooling. Lots of children and teens with lots of money to spend were too hard to resist. Those who had something to sell segmented teens away from children and adults, creating a distinct youth culture that was targeted with food, clothing, cars, books, movies, and everything else imaginable - all of it made and marketed just for them. By the mid-1950's teens had their own music that spoke specifically to their interests and experience.[1]

Unless you've been asleep, you know the rest of the story. Media and marketing have continued to create and reformulate a youth culture (on a daily basis) that now includes children and teens. Because our teenagers are growing through the change-filled years of adolescence, they are incredibly vulnerable to the youth culture's ability to shape their values, attitudes, and behaviors. The fact that there are a growing amount of competing messages coming at our teens from a variety of different directions, makes it that much more confusing, frustrating, and difficult for parents of teens to understand and connect with their kids. In effect, these changes have made "normal" adolescent development far more complex, added pressures and tensions to the process that never before existed, and widened the cultural-generational gap between teenagers and their parents.

Now, your homework. As a parent, you have been given primary responsibility for the spiritual nurture of your children (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9; Ephesians 6:4). Because you grew up in a world that's different from the world of your teen, you must view this calling as a cross-cultural missionary venture. As a result, you must work to stay in touch - like foreign missionaries - with the language and culture of your mission field. Here are three assignments that aren't meant to be burdensome, but helpful.

First, take the advice of the theologian who once said that every Christian should start their day with the Bible in one hand, and the newspaper in the other. In other words, you must begin your day spending time getting to know the One who has sent you, and the message that One has called you to communicate. Be sure that God's truth is coursing through your veins. Then, take the time to use your newspaper to get to know today's world so that you can communicate the Word's truths to the needs of your teenager and his/her world.

Second, read what they read, watch what they watch, and listen to what they listen to. Because of its pervasiveness, media is now the most powerful shaper of the values, attitudes, and behaviors of teens. What media are your teens engaging with, and what are they hearing/seeing/learning as they engage with those media? You can only know by checking it out for yourself. By getting to know your teen's media, you are getting to know your kids. Knowing their media will offer you great opportunities to discuss life in the light of God's Word. You will be able to affirm what they are learning that conforms to God's will and way, and challenge those things that don't.

Finally, spend time perusing the growing number of internet organizations and resources that serve to open your eyes to the changing world of today's teenagers. Check out the "parenting" section of the Lifeway website, the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (www.cpyu.org), and Homeword (www.homeword.com). All of these sites include valuable information on teenagers and their world that's updated daily, growing archives, and dozens of links to other helpful organizations that deal with every conceivable type of youth culture pressure and reality.

As your teen heads back to school, decide that you're going to go back to school as well. If you become a serious student of your teen's culture, your teen will find it easier to navigate the hallways of that culture in a manner that glorifies God.

Dr. Walt Mueller is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. To learn more about today's youth culture, visit them on the web at www.cpyu.org.

[1] To learn more about how teenagers and adolescence developed in the U.S. during the 20^th century, see Thomas Hine, The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager (New York: Avon Books, 1999).

start to move mountains in your life, ministry and family

On the bottom of every email send, I have written my life verse. Tonight, as I was typing my weekly email to my volunteer leaders, I just had to ask them: When was the last time you read the verse attached to my signature at the bottom? Then I asked them to go ahead, read it word for word. Below is what my valediction reads. Would you read it too? Skip to the verse. Really. Do it now. I'll wait...

Megan Hutchinson
Minister Life Hurts God Heals for Teens
At Saddleback Church: www.saddlebackfamily.com/lifehurts
Global Locations and Frequently Asked Questions: www.lifehurtsgodheals.com
Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, Ephes. 3:20 (NASB)

Do you believe it? I mean, do you really believe it? I do. And with all my heart. I've been thinking...

with 12 men, the Good News spread about Jesus Christ!
with one faith-filled woman, the entire Jewish nation was saved. - Thank you Esther!
a sprouting 12-year old shepherd boy would believe he would unquestionably defeat a giant because the Almighty One was him. - Go David!
a courageous prophet and judge would help bring victory over the powerful Siseran army unapologetically claiming 'it is God who has marched before us [in this battle]." - Deborah, you're a stud!
a former murderer - turned Jesus lover - would travel feverishly to start "church" as we know it today. - Paul, you're amazing!

The list goes on and one. And you know what? I want my name on that list. For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Heb 11:6 NASB) These men and woman were just like you and me. They were simple, complicated, gifted, broken, messy, talented, imbalanced and compassionate men and woman like you and me. BUT, they believed in the One who could do exceedingly, abundantly, beyond ALL that they would ask or think, according to the Power that resided within them.

Last I checked, God was in the business of moving mountains - in your life and mine. So, here are three questions for you to consider:

What stops you from really believing and claiming his power in your life, ministry, and family?
When is the last time you directly and authoritatively told the enemy to get lost?
Since there are no limits to what God can do, what small or big step would you prayerfully take next?

All I know is that six years ago God called me to help hurting teenagers at my home church and now around the globe. Is it a mountain far bigger than I can handle? You'd better believe it. Do I feel overwhelmed at times? Ahhh...yes! But do I passionately believe anything is possible in my life, ministry and family, when I believe? Without question - YES.

So, I leave you with Dr Seuss who so eloquently wrote in his best seller, Oh the Places You'll Go

So ...be your name Buxbaum or Bixy or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting
So ...get on your way!

We climb together,
Megan Hutchinson

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advice for dividing small groups

I'm always afraid to answer small group questions with a "this is how you do it" answer. Why? Because all small groups are unique and I'm not convinced there is "a" way to do it--there are several ways. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Breaking students into small groups is never easy.

2. Breaking students into smaller groups when groups grow is never easy.

3. You can lessen the pain when you use the term "launch" instead of "split" (i.e. "we'll be launching a new group out of this group because great things are happening in here."). Launch can be positive. Split can be negative.

4. Let small groups know from the beginning that "launching" new groups is an exciting thing. Tell them it's a real possibility when the size of the group reaches ___ number of students (___ = whatever you decide on).

5. There will be a natural decline in intimacy when students start a new group--that's normal. But, if the groups just started 2 weeks ago, most likely your groups haven't begun to scratch the surface of intimacy. The sooner the better is the time to launch the new groups.

6. If your groups are "open groups" (meaning students can be added as they arrive) you'll always face this "problem" (what a great problem to have). As students in their small group grow spiritually, they will most likely reach out to their [lost] friends and invite them to join a small group. The only that I know to keep the numbers small and not disrupt the small groups is to change your philosophy to a "closed group" (meaning that once a group starts, it stays that number until the quarter/semester/school year is over (whatever you decide on)...and when a new student come, the student begins in a group that isn't "full". There are pros and cons to every youth ministry strategy.

7. Don't really have anything else to write here for #7...it's getting late (it's midnight) but it seemed like have 7 points would be a cool thing. Not sure if any of this is helpful...Oh, here's a thought; term your changes "experiments" and be willing to allow them to fail (who cares if something goes wrong--if it was an "experiment"). Learn from your experiments and begin to develop principles for small groups that you're passionate about and/or ones that work for your particular youth ministry setting.

christians are to the world as dwight Is to the office

One just has to sit back and admire the comic genius that is The Office. Week after week this program gives us a look into the real world of employment in unbelievably humorous and sadly accurate ways. In every episode there are money quotes, but I have to say that my favorite character is Dwight. Maybe it's just my sick and mostly misunderstood sense of humor, but I think Dwight brings a level of comedy to The Office that is largely unmatched.

Here is a sample platter of what I'm talking about

"In the wild, there is no health care. In the wild, health care is, 'Ow, I hurt my leg. I can't run. A lion eats me. I'm dead.' Well, I'm not dead. I'm the lion. You're dead."

"I come from a long line of fighters. My maternal grandfather was the toughest guy I ever knew. World War Two veteran killed twenty men and spent the rest of the war in an Allied prison camp. My father battled blood pressure and obesity all his life. Different kind of fight."

Jim Halpert: "Dwight, if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"
Dwight Schrute: "I can travel anywhere, except Cuba, and I will travel to New Zealand and walk the Lord of the Rings trail to Mordor and I will hike Mount Doom."

"I have been Michael's number two guy for about 5 years. And we make a great team. We're like one of those classic famous teams. He's like Mozart and I'm like...Mozart's friend. No. I'm like Butch Cassidy and Michael is like...Mozart. You try and hurt Mozart? You're gonna get a bullet in your head courtesy of Butch Cassidy."

The thing that strikes me about Dwight is that, even though people think he's a few hamburgers short of a Happy Meal, he still just sticks with his quirky personality and obviously different view of the world.

And then I thought, You know what? Christians in the world are a little like Dwight! No, not in the Looney Tune, legend-in-his-own-mind sort of way-rather that Dwight takes teasing, insults, and social rejection and sticks with who God made him to be.

And so should we, folks. You must remember that to say yes to following Christ is a simultaneous no to being accepted by the world. This is a promise from the very lips of Jesus Christ:

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you (John 15:18-19).

It's not that we should go out of way to be rejected; it's just that when you pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ, you get voted off the island.

Why? Because now you're no longer a part of the self-seeking, pleasure-driven, materialistic culture that permeates our entire world. Suddenly you're saying no to things that displease God, and probably coming off like you're better than everyone else. And even though you're not better than them-and you know that-others won't quite see it that way.

So at that point, you have two choices. You can back down on your commitment level and play Christian when there's no risk...or stick it out and find hope in these words from Jesus:

What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way (Luke 6:22-23).

So if you are feeling like a Dwight in "the office" of this world because of your loyalty to Christ, take joy in the fact that you're on the right team. You may not be the bomb-diggity with all the folks around you, but you can be sure that one day Jesus will look you right in the eye with a proud look on his face and say, ''Well done, my good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).

To me, that's worth being a Dwight for the rest of my life!

Flashpoint: Ignite into Action

Even though the world may reject us when we stand for Christ, there are always people watching us and looking for a hope that goes beyond this life. This week remember that when you stand for Jesus, God uses that to open people's heart to the gospel message. For a great example of this, check out this amazing story:

http://prayerfoundation.org/favoritemonks/favorite_monks_telemachus_coliseum.htm

Accelerant: Feed the Flames
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:32-40).
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10).

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41).

Lane Palmer serves as a writer for Dare 2 Share Ministries International (D2S) in Arvada, Colorado, a ministry committed to mobilizing teens to relationally and relentlessly reach their generation for Christ. For more information about D2S, please visit www.dare2share.org.

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