New Bibles

New Bibles are always exciting. I probably have more Bibles than any one person should have. This past year I have switched over to using the ESV version of God's Word. I read it for my devotion time and I have preached out of it when I get the opportunity to teach from the pulpit. Up to this point I have been pretty much the only one around me who has made this translation transition. However, the most amazing thing has happened over the past couple of weeks. Some of the guys in our youth group have bought new bibles. Now, knowing that some of your high school guys went out on their own to buy new Bibles is very exciting ,and you have no idea how wonderful it is to know that they did this. But, to top off that excitement, the guys decided that they would all get ESV versions. :)
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that we are going to make the full switch in JOLT to ESV. Currently, Leslie is doing the teaching anyway, and she is fully confident in her NIV. I have a hard time finding words to describe how overwhelmed I was when I first heard that the guys all bought new Bibles. It is definitely a step of strength and faith to get your own Bible. It is truly a pleasure serving these young men and I cannot wait to see what God does through them this coming school year.

VBS week

Here at Grace it is VBS week. This can be a very exciting week for kids and a tiring one for the workers. However, it is definately a very important week. There are so many kids that come to hear about the Good News of Christ. I am praying that as a church we are meeting that need this week. The kids that come need to know how Christ loved them so much that He died for them on a cross. Come to think of it, we all need to make sharing this fact our passion. There is really no reason that all the people around us don't know about this. We all have the ability to share and give of ourselves in a way to make the saving power of Christ clear.
Be on the look out for a way to share Christ with someone today!

The Main Thing

My friend Gary over the years has constantly reminded me to "keep the main thing, the main thing". This has never been more true for me then over these past few weeks. We have just returned from taking 23 wonderful students to Coastal Carolina and serving our Lord there. With any trip there are many details to take care of and many situations that arise as you prepare to leave. To many times I worry so much about the details that I tend to forget that God is in control. I tend to put myself in charge and can sometimes miss the great things of the Lord and I can miss seeing the great work He does through these great students.
My prayer is that I will not miss His work. That I will not miss His doings here on the earth.

All We Have to Offer is Jesus

Last Thursday I attended the Related Leaders Conference at Riverside Church in Peoria. http://www.riversidepeoria.com/calendar/related-leaders.asp The keynote speaker was author Leonard Sweet. http://www.leonardsweet.com/ He talked about the Gutenberg Church in a Google World. It really challenged me to think differently about how I put together lessons and prepare for sermons. The thought that has continued to stay with me is this, "all we have to offer is Jesus, but that is everything." That makes so much sense to me, yet many times we look for church to provide so many other things. At the heart of it all is Jesus. He is the son of God and the reason for our being here on earth.
Leonard continued on by speaking about how the church is still stuck in the 1950's, or the good ol' days. We are in the year 2009 and the church needs to catch up or the church will cease to exist. I know my students here at Grace are very technological and enjoy using tech stuff to accomplish tasks. The counter to that is I know that God's Word is amazing and it doesn't need flash and dash to teach the truth. There is a fine line between just using technology to get attention and using it effectively to preach the Gospel of Christ to our world.
The conference reinforced to me that the Bible has got to be our preaching tool and that the scriptures are the living word of God and all we need to do is present it. Our God will do the work in the heart's of those that listen.

Making Tents?

I am in Minneapolis currently at a Tentmakers training. Many wonder what actually is happening up here, am I really learning how to make tents? The answer to that question is, "no". Tentmakers is a training institute where I am putting together a professional ministry plan, and a personal ministry plan. Today we spent alot of time on decision making and the proper steps in making a good decision. The one thing that stuck out to me is it helps to write down the choices and the criteria you are using to make your decision. I many times just make the decision and move on without really establishing criteria and looking at possible choices based on that criteria.
The other thing that has stuck out to me this week is how much I miss being home. I enjoy the time I spend every night with my family and the unexpected run-ins with students and their families while we are out and about. My family and JOLT family mean the world to me and I am excited to get home to see them all again soon.