SimplyYouthMinistry.com Articles

Good Curriculum Makes Volunteers Better

As a parent, it’s always tempting to want to talk about the successes of my kids and show photos and generally talk about how wonderful they are (if you’re not a parent, you probably can’t relate to this feeling—sorry). As I prepare to write this short article, I feel the same way about our new baby that we finally birthed this summer. The final two years of our six-year teaching curriculum—called LIVE—launched last month (we’ve had 4 years available for 9 months). As much as I’d like to brag about LIVE and show it off, you can poke around the product yourself (http://live.simplyyouthministry.com/) and see why over 1500 churches are excited about its flexibility, ease-of-use, affordability and biblical quality.

Whether you use our curriculum or one of the other good ones that are out there, here’s why I’m a fan of good, easy-to-use curriculum… it’s volunteers. Here are three benefits that volunteer youth workers receive when we provide them with good curriculum for leading their small group or Sunday School class:

1. It makes volunteers confident

The number one fear that I hear from potential volunteers is, “I don’t know the Bible very well.” I obviously want men and women to have a desire for God’s Word, but they don’t have to have a Bible degree to be a good youth worker. When I put solid, biblical curriculum into their hands they will have a solid foundation to begin with and don’t have to begin their preparation from scratch. There’s so much fear that volunteers live with when they enter a room full of teenagers with questions, that any help we can give them to help them teach the Bible and answer questions is a great resource to aid these caring adults.

2. It makes volunteers available

The essence of this point is what Simply Youth Ministry was built on… from Day 1, I wanted to be able to provide youth workers with resources that work so they can spend less time creating them and more time with teenagers. This is the same principle that appears when volunteers are given good material that is easy to use. Here’s what I mean, if a volunteer can give me three hours a week, I’d much rather have those three hours spent in relational youth ministry with three different teenagers than to have the volunteer locked away in his/her study preparing for the week’s lesson. They can’t do that if the material isn’t good and easy to use.

3. It makes volunteers team players

This is definitely more of a personal opinion than a fact, but I personally like all of my volunteer leaders being on the “same page” with what we’re teaching our teenagers. There were years when I allowed volunteers to teach “whatever was on their heart” and it became chaotic and the quality was dependant on the teaching skills of the volunteer. When I would prepare to teach my weekly message, I really had no idea of what our students were learning in their small group. Now, because we’re all discussing the same material, it’s better for our volunteers, it’s better for our teenagers, and it’s better for me. I feel like we’re all heading in the same direction.

Three Things I Think About Every Summer

As another summer draws near, our junior high ministry is gearing up for beach days, overnight trips, summer camp and all the usual summertime activities. Because it’s so easy to slip into a “lazy days of summer” mentality, I make sure to remind myself of a few important things that, if neglected during the summer months, set me up to lose in the fall.

1. Remember, at least 1/3 of your students are new! For us, because we’re a 7th/8th grade ministry, a full 50% of our students are brand new at the start of each summer! That’s 50% of my attendance that have no history with our junior high ministry…they don’t know our routines, they don’t know our leaders, they don’t know our “culture.” Summer is a very strategic time to help the new students in your ministry begin to feel at home.

2. Remember, for a lot of parents this is their very first experience with youth group! The oldest child in a family, who is entering your junior high ministry, is breaking new ground; no older sibling has gone before him/her so Mom and Dad are likely extra excited, extra nervous, extra cautious, extra…everything! Take extra time with these new parents to educate them, answer questions, and introduce them to where to go for answers to questions.

3. Remember, junior high ministry is all about relationships! If you are too busy planning an amazing summer schedule of activities to actually spend time with students and parents, I think you are missing the point! Consider planning a “cheap and easy” summer calendar that requires less organization on your part, and less pre-registration/early bird rates/down payments on parents’ part. This will free everybody up to enjoy summer the way it was meant to be enjoyed!

building community through small groups

Think small. I don't care how large your group is, think small . Frankly, students are not as impressed with a large youth group as adults are! Students have a need to feel a sense of belonging more than they have a need to be identified in a large youth group. I believe the best youth ministries all have a solid small group strategy. This week I had lunch with Ned Brines. Ned was in my youth group at the same time as Doug Fields. As we talked about his experience, he remembers much more about the small group he was in with Doug, Craig and I than he does about any of my Bible studies or special youth group activities. Part of a youth group experience is to develop a long lasting love for God and a need for community. Small groups do that more effectively than a large, sometimes not very personal group meeting.

Doug and others have written great material on the strategy of small groups. Let me list a number of small group tips that really make a difference.

� Include everyone in the discussion whenever possible.

� At the beginning, let everyone in the group talk, they need a victory. Have them share a non-threatening piece of information about themselves in the group.
� Four in a group is best, and include them in the conversation.
� Be aware of new people, and include them in the conversation.
� Remember that small groups often raise the tension level (because people can't hide).
� Move from light to heavy discussion.

� Ask "I feel" rather than "I know" questions.
� The best questions do not have right or wrong answers.
� The longer the group is together, the better they will feel about the group.
� In a small group, it's easier to share, pray, encourage and be personal than in a larger group.
� Do not allow one person to monopolize the conversation.

� Write out discussion questions.
� Avoid any put-downs.
� Discussion questions should be answerable.
� Affirm people for what they are saying.
� Allow people the right to pass and not share.

� Create a casual and relaxed atmosphere.
� Don't always expound on the answer yourself.
� Call people by name.
� Let everyone take a turn at running the group.
� Eye contact and body language are important for the leader.

� When you ask someone to read, make sure he or she is able to read out loud or else don't ask them.
� Get your group in a comfortable atmosphere where everyone can see each other's eyes.
� Request confidentiality in the group.

I hope that gives you some helpful ideas to pass on to new small group leaders. Going small is big! Thanks for your leadership to make it happen.

the power of small groups

I'm going to be honest; there are times in youth ministry when having a large number of students is better. I'm writing this article while on a mission trip in Mexico and the work we have been asked to help with requires many hands. Last night while walking on the beach, an impromptu game of Red Rover became one of our evening activities. It might not have been as fun if it was with just a few people. In our weekend services, I love singing and worshiping with a large group of people. It sounds better than I ever could sing by myself. The more the better! However, while there are times where more is better, there are times when smaller is even better, and healthier. Growing deeper, sharing life together, becoming more intimate, real, honest and open really comes from the power of small groups. Again, I will be honest and say I want our ministry to grow as we reach more students, but I don't want us just to steer a herd. I want us to be healthy and connected. Small groups have been an effective tool in helping us achieve this. Here is how small groups have helped us become healthier:

Small Groups Build Community

One of the most important things for a student is their desire to belong. They don't just want to be another face in the crowd; they can do that just by walking down hallways of their high school each day. Students want to be known and cared for. When a group of five to eight students come together, it creates an opportunity for students to listen and talk to each other. When someone is not there, the rest of the group takes notice. Two years ago we started a new small group with students who were part of the 40 Days of Purpose Campaign. Today that group of students is a very close group. They gravitate towards each other when we have other events, they have each other's cell phone number so they can keep in touch during the week, they share their problems with each other, and when they are with other people they share some of their funny stories from their time together. What is neat is that while it would be easy for them to become a clique within our ministry, they have continued to invite other committed students to be part of their small group. They became a model to other students for what authentic fellowship is.

Small Groups Help Students Process the Tough Stuff

I know I can't answer all their questions in a twenty-minute message each week. While teaching and instruction is important, there needs to be an outlet to wrestle with the things we are talking about. Small groups allow students to dig deeper with others who are just as confused as they are. About two years ago, one of our female volunteers wanted to start an intense small group that was based on helping girls work through issues like purity, self-esteem, inner beauty, and other issues that were important for becoming a godly woman. The group met for twelve weeks, and required a commitment to attend each meeting during that twelve week period. During those twelve weeks, the girls quickly learned that it was ok to ask the questions about sexuality, or share the feelings and struggles they had about faith issues. This small group created a platform for these girls to say I doubt, or I don't understand, while it gave us a platform to say Let us teach you. At our weekly meetings, I know that there are many students who come because their parents make them. Students come to small groups on their own accord because they want to learn more, and grow deeper.

Small Groups Help Students Form A Deeper Level of Trust for Each Other

Small groups create a sense of intimacy that no other programs provide. We see this when the walls of security that students build around themselves come down in a small group setting. This usually happens when one person shares about the junk or struggles in their life. In an instant other students hear one of their peers become transparent and real. Perhaps those students are going through the same thing as what the person shared and they relate because they have experienced the same thing. In a large meeting, students will not share as much as they do in a smaller setting because it is not safe. Safety comes from smaller numbers, intentional shepherding, a mutual permission that it is okay to share, and that information will not go beyond the ears of their group.

Small Groups Help Students from Falling Through the Cracks

Sometimes I think we (as youth workers) talk more about this in theory than we do in practice. We do not want to accept that we were not able to provide what a student desperately needed. I must admit we have not been perfect in keeping students from falling through the cracks, but small groups have helped become better at avoiding that pitfall. There have been times when a student has come to our weekly meetings either on their own or with a friend and they got through the night with as little as a hello. In some ways we are intentional about that because don't want to create a place where students feel like they are being sold something. But as they become a regular attendee, I want them to get connected because I can't personally meet all the needs of my students. Small groups help us keep track of students and make sure they get more than just a How are ya! each week. We have small group leaders who are responsible for checking in with students, spending time with them, and helping make our ministry a place where every student actually does belong. In our junior high ministry, we have incorporated small groups into our weekly program. We divide them up by age and gender and use the time to debrief the message. In addition, each small group leader is responsible for being in touch with their students during the week, as well as meet for special events throughout the year. These small groups also serve a long term objective by priming the pump for when our junior high students move into senior high, which is where we expect them to engage fully in small groups.

We are certainly not perfect in the area of small groups. But I believe they help us fulfill the purposes of fellowship and discipleship quite well. If you are thinking about incorporating small groups in your ministry, or if you are looking for a little encouragement, here are a couple things I have learned along the way:

1. Begin With A Few Students

I admit I was intimidated when I talked with other youth workers who had many small groups, many leaders and many students participating in them. We started our small group ministry four years ago with three students. It wasn't rocket science; we just began with who we had, and who was willing to commit to building community within a small group. Each year we have an increase of students and have built a few groups that meet regularly. That is what is great about small groups, they are meant to be small! If there are just a handful in your group who have some interest, get your stake in the ground and start with them. John Maxwell says, Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. The takeaway here is not that your ministry should be done poorly, but that we may not have a fine tuned machine and there is a value in small groups that can be built on over time. Sometimes just starting a small group is the biggest obstacle.

2. Be Thoughtful When You Add More Groups

This year one of our small groups grew to over a dozen students in regular attendance. It was great having that many students involved, but I began to notice that some of the more outgoing students would do all the talking, and the more reserved students would not speak or share. When this happened I realized that we were defeating the purpose of small groups. My experience has been that a group of six to eight students should be the maximum amount of people grouped together before that group loses its intimacy and effective sharing. This was a great time to divide that group in half, and start an additional small group.

3. Use Some of Your High School Leaders to Help Lead Small Groups in Junior High

I'm a firm believer that we need strong adults to mentor students if we want healthy ministries. But there have been times where I have used some of our high school students as small group leaders in junior high. The beauty of this is that those students who understand the value of small groups (by being in a small group of their own) can communicate and model that value to younger students. I experimented with this one year because we were short a small group leader. To be honest, that student was a better small group leader than I was, but I was able to invest in one (the high school student) in order for them to invest in a few.

4. Let Other Students Be Your Advertising

When we first began small groups, I wanted everyone to be involved. The problem was many of our students lead very busy lives and did not see the value in taking the risk of adding another thing in their hectic pace. Over time, it was the students who were already part of the small group each week who encouraged other students in our ministry to give it a try. Occasionally we will have dinner for those who are coming from a practice or rehearsal before a meeting. Also, students give each other rides and even correct each other's homework at the end of their group in order for them to come.

I'm not an expert in small groups, but I see the power of small groups in the lives of our committed students. I cannot communicate everything that we have learned, so if I can serve you by answering your questions, helping you solve a problem, or encouraging you in small groups, please send me an email and I will give you a call. Remember, it's about becoming smaller and healthier as you grow larger!

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

...

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.

the flying tomato and judgment day

You might not know this, but the words “U.S.A.,” “Winter Olympics,” and “domination” have never quite worked out to be in the same sentence. For the last 50 years, we’ve picked up a few medals here and there, but generally speaking, the competition has buried us in a blizzard of skill and athleticism.

That was then… This is now. World, meet Lindsey Vonn, Shani Davis, and, most impressively of all, Shaun White, also called The Flying Tomato because of his red hair.

In case you missed it, The Chairman of the Snowboard flipped out the “also rode”
competitors with a double McTwist 1260 (invented by him, not McDonalds) and a near perfect score of 48.4. I guess the only way to score a 50 with those judges is to leave orbit, circle the moon, and land a triple cork, all while singing “Oh Canada.”

It’s obvious to me that Shaun White goes way beyond wanting to win, because he has made his biggest competitor himself. No one wants to defeat Shaun White’s old scores more than Shaun White, and I can totally see him getting a 50 in the 2014 Olympics… can’t you?

Watching these events and awards ceremonies makes me think of the day that I hope to receive my own gold medal. It’s the day I will stand before the Judge, who will show me my own scores and, I hope, say, “Well done!”

I’m not talking about summer or winter games. I’m referring to the most important day of my life – Judgment Day:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The Apostle Paul wrote this verse with the ancient Olympics in Greece in mind, and the “judgment seat” he refers to was actually the podium where the judges sat to determine contest winners and give them rewards according to how well they performed.

So Paul is saying that the Christian life is an Olympic event and, just like Shaun White, your greatest competition is with yourself - your sinful nature against your spiritual nature. Even though your spirit desires to follow God’s will and reflect Christ, your flesh wants to you to crash and fall down the hill. It takes intense discipline and focus to beat that kind of competition – so intense, in fact, that only Christ the God-man could beat it.

Your performance here on earth is not a determination of whether or not you get into heaven… that deal was sealed when you trusted Christ for salvation. There is nothing that you can do to make your heavenly Father love you less or more than He does right now. Instead, this Olympic event is an evaluation of your commitment and follow-through to love and serve Jesus with every fiber of your being.

Here are some of the winning categories:

Are you studying the Bible and praying? Are you sharing the gospel relationally and relentlessly with your unsaved friends? Are you able to overcome sinful actions and attitudes through the power of the Holy Spirit? Are you plugged into a church and using your spiritual gifts?

These are the things the Judge wants to see in your life.

On that day, there will be Christians who will come to the podium, and after Christ reviews their life, they will have the look of sorrow and regret that you’ve seen on the athletes who have crashed. They will deeply wish they had done more for their Savior, but even in the midst of the disappointment, Jesus will “wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4) and lead them into eternal joy. And then there will be others who receive an evaluation of a life focused on serving Jesus Christ, and their faces will shine out joy and jubilation that could light up heaven itself.

So…how is your Olympic run going? Are you distracted and doubtful about God’s ability to use you in incredible ways? Have you forgotten to “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24)? Or are you soaring to new heights in your relationship with Christ?

The good news is that if you’re reading this, you still have a chance for victory! Take a lesson from Shaun White and the other Americans who went to the games, not just to compete, but to do their personal best. “They do it to get a crown [or medal] that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Remember, your biggest competitor in these eternal Olympics is you. Like every athlete, there is a side to you that wants to coast and just do the easy thing. Don’t listen to that voice. Rather, take this advice and dominate your sinful nature in massive fashion:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joyawaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;then you won’t become weary and give up (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT).

Because you already have God’s favor, go for the gold!

Flashpoint: Ignite Into Action

Ask your friends what they think motivates Shaun White to be the best and if they want to receive that kind of recognition. Share with them the good news Christ will proclaim to His followers on Judgment Day. Remember, it pleases your Father in heaven when you are faithful witness for the gospel and do your part in obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Accelerant: Feed the Fire

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12).

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat (Romans 14:10).

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

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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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