Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Owling Week!!!!!
This month at Epic features "The Battle" which is a competition between our community groups. This year we are giving the groups an assignment each week to get points. This week features Owling! Every student can bring one picture with as many people owling in it as possible. They get points for every person owling in the picture. They also get points for bringing their Bible, a guest, buying an epic tshirt and wearing that tshirt on Wed night! The Battle has begun and it's getting intense! If you don't know what owling is here is a pic of my associate youth director, he has perfected it!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday Night Recap
Last night at Epic we started a brand new series called Shut Yo Mouth. Between both campuses we saw 10 students give their lives to Christ, thank you Jesus! Here is an overview of the message:
Title - Is it ok to cuss?
Ephesians 4:29 says Don't use foul or abusive language.
Cussing or any faul and abusive language is a sin. If we struggle with controlling our tongue here are 3 keys to changing our language (during this whole time I preached with a cow tongue in my hand):
1. Ask and allow God to change your heart. - Basically if we have a tongue issue it's because we have a heart issue. Something needs to be healed and restored.
2. Don't listen to media that is filled with foul and abusive language. We speak what we think and what we allow into our ears will affect our thoughts which then affects our speech.
3. Have a game plan. - There is no quick fix, faith without works is dead, we gotta believe and WORK at it!
- To help our students have a game plan we are going a 30 day clean up your language challenge. We gave them a wristband with the scripture Ephesians 4:29 on it, every time they cuss or use foul or abusive language they have to switch the wristband to their other wrist. We are praying they do this enough it will really make them aware of the words they are using and change it to the point they are rarely switching the wristband.
All in all it was a great night and I'm believing God's going to use our students tongues to bring life not death.
Next week's message is titled Don't Be A Snitch!
Title - Is it ok to cuss?
Ephesians 4:29 says Don't use foul or abusive language.
Cussing or any faul and abusive language is a sin. If we struggle with controlling our tongue here are 3 keys to changing our language (during this whole time I preached with a cow tongue in my hand):
1. Ask and allow God to change your heart. - Basically if we have a tongue issue it's because we have a heart issue. Something needs to be healed and restored.
2. Don't listen to media that is filled with foul and abusive language. We speak what we think and what we allow into our ears will affect our thoughts which then affects our speech.
3. Have a game plan. - There is no quick fix, faith without works is dead, we gotta believe and WORK at it!
- To help our students have a game plan we are going a 30 day clean up your language challenge. We gave them a wristband with the scripture Ephesians 4:29 on it, every time they cuss or use foul or abusive language they have to switch the wristband to their other wrist. We are praying they do this enough it will really make them aware of the words they are using and change it to the point they are rarely switching the wristband.
All in all it was a great night and I'm believing God's going to use our students tongues to bring life not death.
Next week's message is titled Don't Be A Snitch!
Friday, September 2, 2011
School Lunches Pt 3
School lunches are a major part of our strategy to reach students for Christ, here are some benefits of going to school lunches:
1. We get to build a relationship with the school, community and their administration. I once had a principal tell me that a new family asked him about any good churches in OKC to attend and he suggested People's Church because of our presence we had on their campus. He told me he didn't even suggest his church because he's never seen their youth pastor there. We have also been contacted by schools when tragedies hit to help, this wouldn't happen if the school didn't know about us.
2. It's a great way for our students to introduce their friends to their pastor and to give their friends a little glimpse of Epic. The reality is as youth pastors we are the face of our ministry since every week they hear us teach for 15-45 minutes depending on how long winded we are, lol.
3. It's a great opportunity for me to meet new students and then remember their names when they come to Epic and personally welcome them. This is huge, like the Cheers song says "everybody wants to go where people know their name."
4. I'm a walking billboard reminding students who have been missing at Epic that we miss them and hope to see them soon.
5. I'm a walking billboard for Epic in general, one of the questions I get asked the most is "who are you?" They are thinking who is this old bald white guy, but out of their mouth comes "who are you?" Every time I answer that question I introduce students to our student ministry.
6. I empower my students to invite their friends to Epic. Many times when students introduce me to their friends they follow the introduction by saying "you should come to my church tonight" and I say "yeah we would love to have you."
1. We get to build a relationship with the school, community and their administration. I once had a principal tell me that a new family asked him about any good churches in OKC to attend and he suggested People's Church because of our presence we had on their campus. He told me he didn't even suggest his church because he's never seen their youth pastor there. We have also been contacted by schools when tragedies hit to help, this wouldn't happen if the school didn't know about us.
2. It's a great way for our students to introduce their friends to their pastor and to give their friends a little glimpse of Epic. The reality is as youth pastors we are the face of our ministry since every week they hear us teach for 15-45 minutes depending on how long winded we are, lol.
3. It's a great opportunity for me to meet new students and then remember their names when they come to Epic and personally welcome them. This is huge, like the Cheers song says "everybody wants to go where people know their name."
4. I'm a walking billboard reminding students who have been missing at Epic that we miss them and hope to see them soon.
5. I'm a walking billboard for Epic in general, one of the questions I get asked the most is "who are you?" They are thinking who is this old bald white guy, but out of their mouth comes "who are you?" Every time I answer that question I introduce students to our student ministry.
6. I empower my students to invite their friends to Epic. Many times when students introduce me to their friends they follow the introduction by saying "you should come to my church tonight" and I say "yeah we would love to have you."
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wednesday Night Recap
Last night at Epic we concluded our series Be The Change. The title of my message was To Be The Change We Must Introduce People to Jesus! My text was 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Here's a quick overview of my points:
1. Get hype about Jesus - We talk about the things we are excited about. If we aren't excited about Jesus we aren't going tell others about Jesus or invite them to church where they can meet Jesus.
2. Be a bringer - the greatest chance of getting someone to come to church is by bringing them to church. I challenged the students to do everything possible to fill the vehicle that brings them to Epic every Wed.
3. Be strategic - Paul was all things to all men to win them to Christ. I challenged our students to learn their friends and will help get them to church. I also challenged them to take advantage of everything Epic does.
Next week Wednesday Connect (our family ministry) starts and we are expecting a great harvest for the fall. Our students are prepped and ready to be the change in their schools and in OKC. I'm super excited for all the miracles and everything God is going to do!
We are also giving away free Epic wristbands next week so don't miss it!
1. Get hype about Jesus - We talk about the things we are excited about. If we aren't excited about Jesus we aren't going tell others about Jesus or invite them to church where they can meet Jesus.
2. Be a bringer - the greatest chance of getting someone to come to church is by bringing them to church. I challenged the students to do everything possible to fill the vehicle that brings them to Epic every Wed.
3. Be strategic - Paul was all things to all men to win them to Christ. I challenged our students to learn their friends and will help get them to church. I also challenged them to take advantage of everything Epic does.
Next week Wednesday Connect (our family ministry) starts and we are expecting a great harvest for the fall. Our students are prepped and ready to be the change in their schools and in OKC. I'm super excited for all the miracles and everything God is going to do!
We are also giving away free Epic wristbands next week so don't miss it!
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