Amplify

We are beginning a new series called "Amplify".  This series is all about things that can amplify our faith in Jesus.  Most of the time the things that amplify our faith are things that we look at as bad things.  For example, doubt is something many students struggle with.  I am a big believer that when those doubts are talked about in a healthy way with healthy adults guiding students, these doubts can give us a deeper faith in Jesus. 

This Sunday evening we will be talking about how our past can help us have faith today.  A lot of students wonder if God cares, if God is there for us?  We must show students that what has happened already can  help us today.  We will be looking at the story of the Israelites as they trust God and then not trust God and go back and forth many times.  We can learn that what God has already done in the past can amplify our faith in the present.

Then we will talk about why we celebrate Easter.  It's not because Jesus died, it's because he rose again!  We celebrate a living breathing God and that makes a huge difference when it comes to our faith.  We aren't trusting someone who lived and died or something, we are trusting in a person who lived, died and then rose again so that we can have a fulfilled life. 

Flipped

Have you ever had a moment that made you stop and think, "Wow, this changes everything"? Maybe it was finding out you didn’t make the team or that your parents were splitting. Maybe it was finding out you're good at something or bad at something you didn't expect. In these moments our lives change direction quickly. The funny thing is nearly everyone who met Jesus had one of those moments. They came in with a plan, a direction, an identity. And as soon as they spent any time with Jesus, those ideas were turned upside down. And, as we look at four of these stories, we find that an encounter with Jesus has the power to flip our lives as well. 

I think most people would agree that one of the more terrifying parts of parenting teenagers is the risk factor. They grow up and the stakes are raised. Their freedom increases but so does the potential fallout from bad choices. Parents are regularly faced with decisions on when to allow their students to forge their freedom and when not to. Unfortunately, parents can tend to be overprotective in situations that they may not really need protection from—and in the name of safety we may be inhibiting them in a way we never intended.

In his blog post, How to Help Your Kids, Live Out Their Story, author, speaker, and dad, Carey Nieuwhoff explains the benefits of letting go of control and trusting God with their story.

My grandfather and grandmother did something amazing. They let my dad live his story, not theirs. They gave up control, protection, and let God write a story in my dad’s life that was independent of their own.

My dad is one of my heroes. He actually did build a new life (in another country), not just for him, but for many others. He was not only a great father, but he ran a company for years, served his entire life in the local church and has left a great legacy of character for his kids and grandkids.

I’m so glad my grandparents swallowed hard and let their son pursue his vision. So, now the question.   

Would you?

In an era of overprotective, slightly controlling parenting, I wonder how many stories like my dad’s aren’t being written. Not because kids aren’t ready to write a story of their own choosing, but because parents are too afraid or unwilling to let them go or take risks.

Great plot lines invite things like drama, risk, mission, and calling. All the things that make parents gulp (and gasp).

And by the way, my dad did see his parents again. He eventually had enough money to go back more than a few times. I even went to Holland with my dad to meet them before they passed away.

As you think about how you might help your kids connect with their own story, here are three things to remember:

1.     Prepare yourself now to release them one day.

2.     Understand that God has your kids on a journey from dependence to independence.

3.     Let them lead (without rescuing them) today to prepare them for tomorrow.

Is there anything you need to let go of today to help create a better future for your child?

From How to Help Your Kids Live Out Their Story, http://orangeparents.org/how-to-help-your-kids-live-out-their-story/

 

What is Happening

Hi all!  This past Sunday we began a brand new series titled, Entourage.  This series is all about friendships, there is a lot of research out there that friends are the biggest influence on your student's life.  This is a very important topic for students from grades 6-12.  The goal of this series is to understand what it means to be a good friend and the ultimate picture of a good friend is Jesus.  This series is broken into 3 lessons:

Lesson 1:  This lesson introduces the topic that we are talking about and focuses on what it means to be a good friend.  We focused on the friendship between Jonathan and David from the book of 1 Samuel.  We realize that before we can have true friends we must first learn to be the friend that we would want to have.  The bottom line is, when it comes to friends, make it less about me and more about we.

Lesson 2:  This lesson is all about the "drama" that students experience within their friendships and relationships.  We will be talking about how it is better to win the friendship rather than win the argument.  As friends we need to place the person over our own desire to be right.  We will be focusing on the story of David and Absalom in 2 Samuel.  The bottom line is, when you have conflict, win the friendship not the fight.

Lesson 3:  This lesson is about our inner circle of friends.  These friends are the people that are closest to you, the ones you trust.  We will be focusing on the story of Rehoboam in 1 Kings and Proverbs 13:20.  The bottom line is, your friends can either make you or break you.  Friendships play a huge role into your future and who you become.  We must learn how to pick our friends wisely.

I'm really excited about this series as I think this is something many students need to hear.  Along with this series, your student will break out into a small group with other students their age and gender to talk more in depth about this.

What you can do at home: talk with your student about friendships and what makes a good friend and what makes a bad friend.  Invite your students friends into your life a moment, this may have a bigger impact on them than you may think.  Last, invest in them.  You as a parent have a unique opportunity to not only invest in your own students life but also their friends.

Challenge: Spend some time praying for your student's friends.

Student Ministry

Welcome to the blog of Student Ministry at Crossroads Church!  This is a place for you, as a parent, to find out what is going on with CSM, what we are learning and other resources that you may find helpful in your daily life. 

As a church, our job is to partner with you, the parents.  That is the purpose with this blog to set up a way for us to communicate with you about what your students are learning and what activities are coming up. 

Our heart is that this is just the beginning of partnering with you as we try to influence a younger generation to know and understand who Jesus is and what it means to follow him.  The most effective way to influence this generation is by combining our influences at the church and at the home.  Each series we do will also have a part that is designed for parents to engage their students with what they are learning.  This blog is where you can find that information.

Continue to check back on this blog to learn what your students are learning and how you can engage your students on a day to day basis about what they are learning.  We are constantly praying for you and if there is ever anything we can do for you please let us know!

Grace and Peace