Well, Yesterday, and on Wednesday night we started a new series that we will be doing in Youth Worship all throughout the summer on the book of Habakkuk! The series came out of the Village Church, which is the church that Matt Chandler leads. It was incredibly eye opening to me as I was listening to it each week, and I knew the Lord wanted me to take our students through this often overlooked book!
Yesterday, we looked at how dangerous it can be when we are silent with God, and with one another. What I love most about Habakkuk is that he was honest with God. What would your life be like if you were just honest with God, and with one another? Truth is, our lives would be radically different!
The truth is that God wants us to be honest with Him, even in the times when we are frustrated and upset with Him, He would rather we tell Him, and be honest, than try to hide and cover up something that is impossible to cover up before the Creator. He sees all, knows all, and is in all...that's just who He is.
So just a simple blog post about being honest with God, and one another. So a simple question to end this post...are you honest with God? Are you honest with people? Focus on the Cross, and honesty with God will be one of your favorite things to do!
Be Blessed,
Toes
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, June 20, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday Morning Recap
Well, it's Monday...it came again. It's like once every seven days, it happens again, and let me tell you, I am not a fan of Monday's. However, after a great Sunday, and an awesome dinner with my wife, and two of our students last night, it was easy to hop into the bed early, and get some seriously needed shut eye. It felt good to wake up this morning early, and head to the gym...trying to get myself back on track! It's going to happen!
Anyways, to recap yesterday, it was an incredible day with our graduates. The class of 2011...a very special class in our church. They will be truly missed. They're not the most outspoken group, well with the exception of one or two, but they were incredibly influential in so many ways. They will be greatly missed.
I challenged them from the book of Colossians on what to do now, now that they have graduated, what is next? Colossians 2:6-7 provides great insight on this question! If you'd like to hear the message, you can listen to it on iTunes, or at this website: www.northsidebaptist.org/belong/students. To briefly sum it up, I challenged them to walk in Him. It is now their time to make their faith their own. They can only live off of their parents faith for so long, and it is now time for Jesus to become real to them. For all of His mercy, His grace, His goodness, His glory to be revealed to them, and become real to them. I challenged them to know that God is enough, and He is always with them. Then we challenged them to continue to build off the foundation that has already been laid...we have done our best to lay the foundation of the scriptures in their lives, and its our prayer that they would build off of that daily. Read the Word. The Word can only change you if you read it! Study it! Memorize it! Live it! Love it! Nothing has changed my life more than an active love relationship with the word of God. Think about a love relationship in your life...how do you handle it? You pursue it. You think about it. You spend time trying to be with him/her. You are constantly doing anything you can to love that relationship- and that should be our attitude not only towards Jesus, but towards His Word as well. We should always be in a love relationship with His Word.
You want to see Jesus radically change your life, and your world? Read the Bible! It will change you!
Graduates, you are amazing. We are proud of you and we love you! Praying for you that God would do great things in and through you!
Be Blessed,
Toes
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Anyways, to recap yesterday, it was an incredible day with our graduates. The class of 2011...a very special class in our church. They will be truly missed. They're not the most outspoken group, well with the exception of one or two, but they were incredibly influential in so many ways. They will be greatly missed.
I challenged them from the book of Colossians on what to do now, now that they have graduated, what is next? Colossians 2:6-7 provides great insight on this question! If you'd like to hear the message, you can listen to it on iTunes, or at this website: www.northsidebaptist.org/belong/students. To briefly sum it up, I challenged them to walk in Him. It is now their time to make their faith their own. They can only live off of their parents faith for so long, and it is now time for Jesus to become real to them. For all of His mercy, His grace, His goodness, His glory to be revealed to them, and become real to them. I challenged them to know that God is enough, and He is always with them. Then we challenged them to continue to build off the foundation that has already been laid...we have done our best to lay the foundation of the scriptures in their lives, and its our prayer that they would build off of that daily. Read the Word. The Word can only change you if you read it! Study it! Memorize it! Live it! Love it! Nothing has changed my life more than an active love relationship with the word of God. Think about a love relationship in your life...how do you handle it? You pursue it. You think about it. You spend time trying to be with him/her. You are constantly doing anything you can to love that relationship- and that should be our attitude not only towards Jesus, but towards His Word as well. We should always be in a love relationship with His Word.
You want to see Jesus radically change your life, and your world? Read the Bible! It will change you!
Graduates, you are amazing. We are proud of you and we love you! Praying for you that God would do great things in and through you!
Be Blessed,
Toes
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, May 20, 2011
Class of 2011
Each year, in a youth pastor's life, comes a time when they have to say goodbye, good luck, and thanks for being apart of our ministry to several students. That time has arrived for myself, and our ministry. This Sunday, we will be honoring our graduates of the class of 2011. I wanted to dedicate this post to them, and let them know how proud I am of them, and how excited I am to see what God is going to do in their lives over the course of the next several years, and many years to come.
This is going to be short and sweet, but please understand, and know: I am very proud of you, it has been an honor to serve you, and do life together with you for the past two years. You have been a blessing to have around our ministry, and each of you has added so much to our ministry. I am so excited to see what YOU are going to do for the Kingdom.
My encouragement to you is this: Stay strong, hold the faith, and lean on Christ in all things. Never trust yourself more than you trust Him. Never allow your pride to overshadow what Christ, and His grace is doing in your life. Never neglect your Bible reading time, always get in that Word, consistently. Pray, pray, pray, and when you think you've prayed enough, pray some more. Allow the power of His Word to change you, daily. Become more like Him, and less like the world. In the good times, praise Him, seek Him, and love Him. In the crappy times, praise Him, seek Him, and love Him. In all things, HE IS ENOUGH AND HE IS WORTHY. NEVER FORGET THAT!
Thanks for all you've done for me, and for our ministry, you will be missed.
Love you guys, and Congrats!
Be Blessed,
Toes.
This is going to be short and sweet, but please understand, and know: I am very proud of you, it has been an honor to serve you, and do life together with you for the past two years. You have been a blessing to have around our ministry, and each of you has added so much to our ministry. I am so excited to see what YOU are going to do for the Kingdom.
My encouragement to you is this: Stay strong, hold the faith, and lean on Christ in all things. Never trust yourself more than you trust Him. Never allow your pride to overshadow what Christ, and His grace is doing in your life. Never neglect your Bible reading time, always get in that Word, consistently. Pray, pray, pray, and when you think you've prayed enough, pray some more. Allow the power of His Word to change you, daily. Become more like Him, and less like the world. In the good times, praise Him, seek Him, and love Him. In the crappy times, praise Him, seek Him, and love Him. In all things, HE IS ENOUGH AND HE IS WORTHY. NEVER FORGET THAT!
Thanks for all you've done for me, and for our ministry, you will be missed.
Love you guys, and Congrats!
Be Blessed,
Toes.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith
Well, my first wedding as the officiant is officially in the books! It was an incredible time of worship, commitment, and celebration of two people's love for one another, and for our creator. It was in a beautiful setting, with beautiful families and friends, and I was honored to be apart of it. I will be honest, I was incredibly nervous. I usually do not get nervous speaking in front of people, ever, no matter who, or how many people...however, someone's wedding day is a completely different idea than preaching! If I screw up while preaching, or really blow it, I get to try it again next weekend, however, with a wedding, for these people, it's their only shot! Therefore, the pressure was on! Prior to the wedding, I found myself making joke after joke, I guess to keep the mood loose, and my mind off the magnitude of the opportunity that God has provided me with, and my friends had entrusted to me!
Well, the time came, and the door opened, and it was time to make our way to the banquet hall where people were waiting, and expecting a beautiful ceremony! And you know what, that is exactly what we gave them! Michael and Megan, and their families, and friends, did amazing! It was beautiful!
To one of my best friends, Michael (not sure you'll ever read this) but it was an honor to be apart of your special day. I am incredibly proud of you, and proud to be your friend bro. Megan, (who probably will read this), you looked beautiful, and Michael is incredibly blessed to call you his wife! \
To the both of you, we are praying for you, always here for you, and remember- never lose that joy of your first date! :) Proud of y'all! Thanks again for allowing me to share in your day! Love ya'll!
Be blessed,
Toes
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Well, the time came, and the door opened, and it was time to make our way to the banquet hall where people were waiting, and expecting a beautiful ceremony! And you know what, that is exactly what we gave them! Michael and Megan, and their families, and friends, did amazing! It was beautiful!
To one of my best friends, Michael (not sure you'll ever read this) but it was an honor to be apart of your special day. I am incredibly proud of you, and proud to be your friend bro. Megan, (who probably will read this), you looked beautiful, and Michael is incredibly blessed to call you his wife! \
To the both of you, we are praying for you, always here for you, and remember- never lose that joy of your first date! :) Proud of y'all! Thanks again for allowing me to share in your day! Love ya'll!
Be blessed,
Toes
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, May 13, 2011
A friends wedding !
Well, as I sit in the airport today waiting for a flight to Columbus, OH, I am reminded of the grace and mercy God continually shows me in my life! I am heading home to perform the wedding of one of my best friends from high school, Mike Smith. It is a completely humbling experience to be asked to perform their special day as they enter into their marriage. As I sit here with my lovely wife, it reminds me of our wedding day just under two years ago! I remember the nerves, the anxiety, the stress, the joy, the laughter, and the love that was celebrated at our wedding! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for Mike and Megan, but to y'all, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me to be apart of your special day! See you in Ohio peeps!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, March 4, 2011
DownLine Mens Summit Recap 4
Loved this final session by Chandler!
DownLine Summit Final Session
Biblical Pragmatism
Matt Chandler
Matthew 5:13-16
- One of the problems we find in evangelical circles is an over emphasis of ONE thing at the expense of everything else.
Matthew 5:13-16- Most certainly is a passage on discipleship
- People do not like salt- they like what salt flavors
- Salt doesn't make people do crazy things- they want salt on something
- Salt on earth- what occurs when we hear the word of God and are transformed by the Word of God so that we live in such a way that we become light to the World
- Salt comes before light
- In our culture there is an obsession with acquiring more and more information that we have no intention of applying
- Christianity in the west has become a joke- "muslims are serious- talk about them, get yourself killed."
- We have information, but we do not have transformed lives-
- Anyone can spout information, but they have no life to point to
- If you have information, but not transformation- it is worthless- throw it out to be trampled on by men
How did we get here? (a place where we have information but not transformation)
1. A unnecessary emphasis on width over depth
- When people do not apply what they know, its hardening to the truth
- Can't teach people who can't add to multiply
2. Absolute lack of authentic community
- Two things we always need: 1) encouragement and 2) Rebuke
3. Lack of submission to and understanding of Biblical Authority
4. Overemphasis on light
- proclamation without transformed lives ends up being trampled on by men
5. We have no idea how people change because we live in a culture of speed
- Spiritual growth is not a super highway
- "It's climbing everest in your underwear"
- People grow like children- you can't see it, but you can measure it
If all we did here is get information, then we are guilty of the very problem that is eroding away what we want to see happen in the lives of the men we pour into!
When all said and done, WE WIN! The glory of God covers all the earth!
Be Blessed,
Toes
DownLine Summit Final Session
Biblical Pragmatism
Matt Chandler
Matthew 5:13-16
- One of the problems we find in evangelical circles is an over emphasis of ONE thing at the expense of everything else.
Matthew 5:13-16- Most certainly is a passage on discipleship
- People do not like salt- they like what salt flavors
- Salt doesn't make people do crazy things- they want salt on something
- Salt on earth- what occurs when we hear the word of God and are transformed by the Word of God so that we live in such a way that we become light to the World
- Salt comes before light
- In our culture there is an obsession with acquiring more and more information that we have no intention of applying
- Christianity in the west has become a joke- "muslims are serious- talk about them, get yourself killed."
- We have information, but we do not have transformed lives-
- Anyone can spout information, but they have no life to point to
- If you have information, but not transformation- it is worthless- throw it out to be trampled on by men
How did we get here? (a place where we have information but not transformation)
1. A unnecessary emphasis on width over depth
- When people do not apply what they know, its hardening to the truth
- Can't teach people who can't add to multiply
2. Absolute lack of authentic community
- Two things we always need: 1) encouragement and 2) Rebuke
3. Lack of submission to and understanding of Biblical Authority
4. Overemphasis on light
- proclamation without transformed lives ends up being trampled on by men
5. We have no idea how people change because we live in a culture of speed
- Spiritual growth is not a super highway
- "It's climbing everest in your underwear"
- People grow like children- you can't see it, but you can measure it
If all we did here is get information, then we are guilty of the very problem that is eroding away what we want to see happen in the lives of the men we pour into!
When all said and done, WE WIN! The glory of God covers all the earth!
Be Blessed,
Toes
Thursday, March 3, 2011
DownLine Summit Recap 3
One of my favorite lessons to teach and to listen to! This was one of my favorite sessions because it was taught by a layperson! A layperson is making disciples...what a concept! We have lowered the standards of a layperson, and this is an example of what should be the norm! Way to go, JB!
DownLine Summit- Session 6
JB Selecman
Multiplication- The Genius of Jesus' Strategy
The World: 7 billion people on planet earth
2.5 billion people have never heard the gospel
1 billion people do not know Jesus
95% of people are in the 10/40 Window
Every second 3 people die on planet earth without know Jesus Christ.
What's the difference between what they are doing and what we are doing today?
- Is Jesus the same: Yes
- Is The Holy Spirit the same: Yes
- Is the Bible the same: No, we have a completed NT.
Whats the difference? The Strategy
- See the masses through the man, and build the man to reach the masses.
The strategy was centered around one phrase: Disciple of Jesus Christ
Disciple:
Mathetes (Greek) (269 times in NT)
World visionary, world impacting, radically committed, learner, and follower, and reproducer of Jesus Christ.
Snapshot of the Early Church:
- Acts 2:41, Acts 2:47, Acts 5:14- ADDITION
- Acts 6:1, Acts 6:7, Acts 9:31- MULTIPLICATION
2 Timothy 2:2
4 Generations- Paul, Timothy, Faithful Men, Others
Strategic and Intentional Relationships
4 Concepts from 2 Tim 2:2
1. Heard- 2 Tim 3:10-11
- Doctrine: 2 Tim 1:13
- Conduct: Philippians 3:8
- Purpose: Philippians 1:21/ Galatians 2:20
- Faith: 2 Timothy 4
- Patience: 1 Thess. 2:18/ Acts 16:6
- Love: 2 Timothy 1:2, and 2 Timothy 2:1
- Persecution, Perseverance, and Sufferings : 2 Corinthians 11
Timothy did not just hear audibly from Paul, he experienced life on mission with Paul
2. Entrust
3. Faithful Men
- You cannot carve rotten wood
- Faithful Available Teachable
4. OTHERS
Be blessed,
Toes.
DownLine Summit- Session 6
JB Selecman
Multiplication- The Genius of Jesus' Strategy
The World: 7 billion people on planet earth
2.5 billion people have never heard the gospel
1 billion people do not know Jesus
95% of people are in the 10/40 Window
Every second 3 people die on planet earth without know Jesus Christ.
What's the difference between what they are doing and what we are doing today?
- Is Jesus the same: Yes
- Is The Holy Spirit the same: Yes
- Is the Bible the same: No, we have a completed NT.
Whats the difference? The Strategy
- See the masses through the man, and build the man to reach the masses.
The strategy was centered around one phrase: Disciple of Jesus Christ
Disciple:
Mathetes (Greek) (269 times in NT)
World visionary, world impacting, radically committed, learner, and follower, and reproducer of Jesus Christ.
Snapshot of the Early Church:
- Acts 2:41, Acts 2:47, Acts 5:14- ADDITION
- Acts 6:1, Acts 6:7, Acts 9:31- MULTIPLICATION
2 Timothy 2:2
4 Generations- Paul, Timothy, Faithful Men, Others
Strategic and Intentional Relationships
4 Concepts from 2 Tim 2:2
1. Heard- 2 Tim 3:10-11
- Doctrine: 2 Tim 1:13
- Conduct: Philippians 3:8
- Purpose: Philippians 1:21/ Galatians 2:20
- Faith: 2 Timothy 4
- Patience: 1 Thess. 2:18/ Acts 16:6
- Love: 2 Timothy 1:2, and 2 Timothy 2:1
- Persecution, Perseverance, and Sufferings : 2 Corinthians 11
Timothy did not just hear audibly from Paul, he experienced life on mission with Paul
2. Entrust
3. Faithful Men
- You cannot carve rotten wood
- Faithful Available Teachable
4. OTHERS
Be blessed,
Toes.
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