Southside COC Youth

Ashes to ashes we all fall down...

2006-08-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

The summer is over. Well, close enough that it makes no never mind. I am gone. However, I feel that I can say with confidence that I will return soon enough.

When you are in the thick of things it is hard to analzse your situation appropriately and fairly. When you step out of them and are given a little perspective your understanding can take a major turn.

I should not be surprised by this truism in the slightest as I have experienced it myself many times and shared it with many others. I am very much more like an Israelite wandering in the desert that I should like to admit. I am taught powerful lessons and then forget them as quick as they come.

This summer has taught me some powerful lessons and when it is looked back upon in terms of Christian growth, lessons learned, and the works of God, I can say with confidence that it was good. If you were a part of that goodness I hope that you will not forget your lessons. If you saw that goodness from a distance then I hope that you will henceforth endeavor to make yourself a part of the goodness. If you did not see the goodness then I hope that you will forgive me, allow your eyes to be opened, and start searching goodness out.

CM

Finally, brothers,: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Two-Thousand Six Point Five

2006-06-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

June will be over in 10 hours. The second half of the year is about to commence. You never see time passing until you look backwards. As an example, I wouldn't have said it had been three weeks since I posted on here...but that just shows how much I know.

It is time for a quick update on some of the stuff that the youth group has been involved in over the last few weeks. Here is a brief synopsis:

Service Projects: We have been involved in four different service projects, two of which were pretty major.

1. We did some gardening work for Darrell & Jo Ward as well as cleaning out their gutters. The work involved pulling weeds and spreading mulch in their flower beds. The weather was blessedly cool and not entirely back breaking for which we were very thankful.

2. L.I.N.K. -- Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen is a ministry operating downtown and manned by volunteers from a number of different congregations around Lawrence. It is a growing and important ministry through which God provides for the poorer residents of Lawrence. We had a slow day and fed over 140 individuals. I believe that the kitchen is open every day of the week which means that over 1000 meals are served every week. A number of members of the youth group were on hand to perform various tasks such as cleanup, cooking, serving and smiling. It is the second time that I have been involved in the LINK ministry and am very thankful that I had the opportunity.

3. Paola, KS. -- Marshall Sayre's aunt & uncle live in Paola, KS, on a small farm. They have four kids, three of whom are triplets and all of whom are under 4 years old, so I am sure everyone can imagine how hard it is to get any work done. Over two days the youth group gathered early in the morning on their farm to pull fencing and stain their back deck. All together we worked 22 hours, erecting about half a mile of fence and double coating their deck with stain. The Sinclair family was very thankful and even made a big donation towards future youth events.

4. Tall Grass Christian Camp -- This week the youth group spent three days (two nights) camping at Tall Grass Christian Camp. We spent our days doing work on the main lodge and landscaping to help to prepare the camp for use (should be ready in the fall). We cleared and marked a half mile trail from the lodge to the river, we helped to install the windows on the main lodge, we cleaned up the work site (which resulted in a massive pile of debris and an even more massive bonfire) and set up three sites for future campers to use. The work was hot, the bugs were big and numerous and we lived in constant fear of the magical fruit. I am happy to report however that their were no real injuries--save a minor incident with a crawdad--and all of the work got done. Good work everyone.

We are now three weeks away from camp and things are only going to get more busy. I will try to update as regularly as possible.

Peace out.

-CM-

If you are crowned Miss America, what will you work towards?..."Peace on Earth!"

2006-06-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Today I read a blog published on FoxNews' website regarding the recent death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq. The blog was written by a Catholic Priest living in Rome named Father Jonathan Morris.

I encourage you to read it and reflect. Zarqawi Is Dead. Should We Rejoice?

More Americans, especially the ones who read FoxNews need to consider Father Jonathan's words in light of their own feelings. His words struck me as the voice of God in a troubled generation, so I felt the need to write to him to express my thanks and agreement:

Father Jonathan,

Your words cut through the politics and passions surrounding this new World War like few I have heard in the public circle. That Zarqawi was a twisted human being is plain to see even for the most obtuse observer. That his destruction is a step towards bringing peace to a troubled world is less sure, but seems fairly likely. However, standing in judgment and vocalizing our hatred through rejoicing over his suffering is a step in the wrong direction. It is a step towards being like the OsamaÂs of this world who rejoice in terror and pain.

I fear that Americans are becoming as hungry for the blood of terrorists (and Muslims in general) as the terrorists are for the blood of Americans. Such a situation leads only to continued war and violence. I encourage my brothers and sisters in the faith to pray not only that the American and Allied troops will rest peacefully tonight and wake to a new morning full of life, but that they will pray for safety and peace on those our troops are fighting against.

As a nation, we need to be praying not that we will win the war, but that the cause of the war will cease to be. This is not a war that can we won with bombs and bullets. Thank you for your words of insight and peace.
regards,
Christopher Malan

This week in the news...

2006-06-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

Much has happened since the last post which Miles so handsomely adorns:

Friday the 2nd, the youth group got together and played mini-golf in Topeka. We broke up into three teams and competed for the individual low score and the team low score. Well done to Leslie West for shooting a 6 over par. She even beat me out by two strokes. (That darn clock...)

Saturday the 3rd, we had a different kind of fun. It involved pulling out tree stumps, painting a shed, and assembling some cabinets. By different kind of fun, I mean hot and sweaty, splintery and back breaking. What is interesting about that kind of fun is that you never walk away feeling that you wasted your time. I for one ached in fifteen different places and had a blister the size of a quarter on my palm, but I felt fulfilled. That's why Solomon said: "It's good for a man to work with his hands."

Saturday the 3rd was also fairly special in that it was Jeremy Smith's 19th birthday. That he survived 19 years as the son of Margie Smith is nothing short of a miracle. Happy birthday Jeremy and good luck with counseling at White River.

Monday the 5th, four of the youth group kids assembled at the Shinkel's house to help paint the master bathroom, clean windows throughout the house, and distract the kids. The windows are clean and the kids were distracted. The bathroom might need a second coat and a little TLC around the edges, but we did a reasonable job for a bunch of amateurs.

Tuesday the 6th, old faithful and I cleaned gutters, fixed doors and ate cookies with Ione Sells. For those of you not there...a.k.a. everyone...you missed out on some sweet cookies. Even though it was only the two of us, we were done in 48 minutes. [Had there been 4 it would have taken 24 minutes and had there been 8, perhaps only 12 minutes...you can do the math. The point is, for 12 minutes work you could have enjoyed Ione's famous cookies...too bad for you.]

Wednesday the 7th, we had a second shot at KFC (Kids for Christ). Last week was just a try out. This week was the real deal. We had 13! kids at the Church building for lessons, activities, dinner and games. Our lesson of the day was that we should obey our parents because it makes them happy. We talked about different emotions that we have and that our parents have those same emotions. We talked about how different actions make us feel and how different actions make our parents feel. We decided that when we disobey our parents and do not help them, it makes them feel sad and angry (which are bad emotions). We also decided that when we obey our parents and help them with things, it makes them feel happy and surprised, excited, thankful, etc...(which are good emotions). Since the golden rule says: "Do to others as you would have them do to you," we decided that we will do those things for our parents.

Wednesday the 7th & Thursday the 8th, I got to Bible study with Shelby, Angel, Lindsey, Marshall, Alyssa, and Alex!!! What a deal!!!

Tomorrow I get to have my first study with Alyssa's friend Katie and then I get a double scoop of Marshall and Alyssa all over again!

I have not put photos up yet, but when I do, you will find them at www.flickr.com/photos/cmalan

-CM-

It's not all about the BIG kids...

2006-06-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

That's right, you heard it from me: "It's not all about the BIG kids."

The little kids get some attention too. Especially now that we have again commenced Kids For Christ (K.F.C.).

First, the history behind the name:

One day, Marshall was sitting in my office and we were discussing the possibility of developing a weekly class/time/group for the younger kids. Marshall said, "We can call it Kids For Christ." I replied, "O.K."

...and there you have it.

This week, we read the story about the cripple beggar at the gate called beautiful and we learned a song about a man who went "walking and leaping and praising God!". We related the beggar asking for money but getting Jesus to the times when we want to do something that is bad (because it seems important at the time) but instead we wait and are good and are rewarded with something even better.

For some more pictures, click the one below:

-CM-

Summer Service Projects!!

2006-05-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

Summer service projects are again underway!!! We started on Monday and we are already two deep--many many more to come.

Thanks to all of the people who came out to the Denton's place to work on the house and the yard (in spite of the rain and the lightning) and also to all of the people who helped at the McKinney's place. We got a lot done at both homes and the respective householders are very very appreciative.

No one died, there were not even any major injuries. This good deed business is not so bad after all. Keep it up. I love you and appreciate you all!

-CM-

Click the photo too see more service project images...

When will we be serving???

2006-05-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Refer to my previous post about service projects - here is more information (dates & times).

Smokey & Christy McKinney -- May 29th 9:00AM -- Tilling Soil & Planting Bushes
Helen Denton -- May 30th 9:00AM -- Cleaning Gutters & Garden Work
Brad & Kelly McPhail -- June 3rd 9:00AM -- Paint and Clean Shed & Remove Stumps
[Jeremy Smith's Birthday!!!]
Mike & Sonya Schinkel -- June 5th 9:00AM -- Paint & Clean House
Ione Sells -- June 6th 9:00AM -- Clean Out Basement & Garden Work

!!!ALSO!!!
Plan on making June 19th-23rd available to camp out & work out @ Tallgrass.

!!!ALSO!!!
Remember that we are planning a BBQ & Volleyball night this coming Saturday from 5:00PM onwards. It will be at Clinton Lake, Overlook Park. Be there and bring a friend.

Loving Service in the Pipe Line

2006-05-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

In terms of service projects, this is what we have lined up*: We had a lot of fun and grew a great deal through our participation in service projects last year. Let's work hard to make this year even more of a success. At the moment, service projects are planned for Mondays & Tuesdays every week until we run out...unlikely.

Mike & Sonya Schinkel -- Painting & Cleaning
Helen Denton -- Cleaning Gutters & Misc Garden Work
Ione Sells -- Cleaning Gutters & Misc Garden Work
Brad & Kelly McPhail -- Clean & Paint Shed
Darrel & Jo Ward -- Misc Garden Work
Annie Wright -- Paint & Misc Garden Work
Dave & Mary Beth Petr -- Dig, Sand & Mark a Volleyball Court!
Smokey & Christy McKinney -- Till Soil & Plant Bushes

*times & dates aren't set yet, but they will be soon!

Fun & Games in the Pipe Line

2006-05-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

In terms of the fun days & activities, this is what we have lined up*. Remember that in addition to you having fun, these times are about growing closer together and growing the group--so bring your friends!!

May 27 -- BBQ/Picnic @ Clinton Lake w/ Volleyball
June 2 -- Driving Range
June 9 -- Mini Golf
June 17 -- Boat & Beach Day @ Clinton Lake
June 30 -- Murder by BBQ @ Smith's House

*times, plans and dates are subject to change at any time...gotta keep you on your toes!!!

Christian Nudity...

2006-05-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

If you were given one opportunity to come into the presence of God--one appointment in the supreme date book--what do you think you would want to wear? Would you hunt for the perfect suit? Would you spend your life savings on the finest gown? Would jeans and a t-shirt fit the bill?

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Gen 2:25

I think that I would go naked.

Disagree? Seems to me that God made us to be naked. When Adam and Eve walked in the garden with God, their birthday suits were good enough for God. They did not cover up, they did not put on makeup, they did not have gel in their hair--they were completely open with God.

It was only when sin entered the picture that people felt the need to hide from God. It was only when people felt guilty that they felt the need to have something to shield themselves from one another. It was only when ashamed that God's creation could not stand to be looked upon.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:13

Funnily enough, there is no shield that will prevent God's gaze from piercing our souls. No amount of finery or deception, no amount of whitewashing or decorating will change the fact that God knows us. Shields don't work for those who cannot keep themselves alive (PS 22).

Our masks only help us to hide from one another. They even help us to hide from ourselves. It is easy to forget your brokenness when everyone around you is telling you how perfect you are. Kings always serve as a great example of the danger of facade. Though they are nothing more than men, their sycophants elevate them to the level of deity. Who will call down a god? Who will catch the divine in error? Saul started in humility but died in pride. David started in humility and stumbled in pride, but fortunately Nathan had the courage to call down a god. Solomon started in humility but quickly found pride...he may never have fully recovered. After Solomon there was rarely a king of the Jews that displayed any kind of humility or righteousness. They looked glorious in their robes and palaces, but they were simply whited tombs.

We see the same delusion in our kings of today, our sports heroes, our movie stars, our politicians and musicians. They have a false aura built around them that in no way represents who they really are. The greater the disparity between their naked selves and their public clothing, the greater their moral and spiritual decay tends to be.

Clearly I am not speaking simply of clothes in the traditional sense of the word--but those are included. Too often Christians fall into the trap of superficiality. Too often we content ourselves with outward appearances and elevate wrapping above the contents. We do so by wearing suits on Sundays, by sticking hollow fish on our bumpers, by wearing crosses around our necks, by always being at church, by hating Charles Darwin, by hiring a youth minister, by having a meeting, by contributing money to the Church, by singing songs in four-part-harmony, by offering a free lunch to people who don't really need it. Too often we get really busy and don't get anything done--like those guys that made the Emperor's new suit.

Do we need a child to remind us that we are naked?

Why not just beat him to the punch and take all your clothes off now? Why not take off your makeup and show us your blemishes? Why not slouch a little bit and uncap your teeth? Tell the world that you are not actually perfect but are trusting in God to make you that way! Until you can accept that, perfection will elude you. Until you can humble yourself, take away the fig leaves, strip naked, stand in front of the mirror and ask God to be your intimate friend again.

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
Your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor,
you who practice deceit.
You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.

You love every harmful word,
O you deceitful tongue!

Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.

The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at him, saying,
"Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!"

But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.
I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

Psalm 52

Change and Present Greatness

2006-05-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

"To come into the living presence of God is to change!" -- Richard Foster.

How can God "walk with me / and talk with me / and tell me I am his own" if I never have five minutes for him? How can I expect to hear his voice when Snoop vs. Eminem is blasting my stereo, MTV is flickering in the corner of my eye (MTV2 too, if I have picture in a picture) and I am chatting to my friends on my cell phone & AIM? Doesn't sound too probable...

Sure, God can use a big voice, but if he did he would probably blow your mind. Most of the time, God communicates with us the way he spoke to Elijah in the midst of his despair. Not with the thunder and lightning we THINK we need, not with the fire from heaven to consume our enemies that we THINK we want--God comes to us in a whisper, in a small voice to set us back on the path. He gives us counsel and comfort, he reminds us of everything we have been taught. He guides us in HIS right way.

And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. 1 Kings 19:9-13

When Elijah even though the ground was still shaking, the trees were still crackling with fire, and the wind was rustling the leaves, Elijah was attentive for the voice of the LORD. When he heard the voice of the LORD. That takes discipline, it takes knowing what to listen for, and it takes knowing God intimately.

God designed us with intimacy in mind. Back in the day before we messed things up, God and Adam would walk together in the garden and enjoy the cool of the afternoon. Then Satan did his thing, humans followed suit, and the rest is history. From that point on only a very select few were able to enjoy such an intimacy with God. Moses comes to mind more than any other (he was said to be friends with God) and to get that relationship he had to be the most humble man ever! (Num 12:3)

I am the good shepherd. My sheep follow me because they know my voice. John 10

Jesus is the good shepherd, but if we do not know his voice, how will we know where to go and how will we be able to follow him? Knowing his voice requires training the ear. Can you recognize a singer without recognizing the song? I can pick David Bowie 99 times out of 100. When your parents or your best friend call you, do you know them by voice? How much time do you spend listening to that voice?...probably a lot more than you spend listening to the voice of God.

Sure, it might be a different voice, but you just have to practice listening differently. That is what meditation is all about. It is about blocking out the distractions, the things of life and the things of this world--the screens that Satan throws in your path--so that you can focus on God. It is not an Eastern detachment and escapism that the Christian meditator seeks, but simply an unobstructed view of God. It is certainly not enough to just empty yourself when meditating. Jesus says that if all you do is empty the evil spirits, they will leave for a while but come back with interest. (Lk 11) No, you have to empty yourself of the bad and fill yourself up with the good...and there is only one righteousness superstore in town. G.O.D. Inc.

So what is the difference between prayer and meditation then? The answer is, not a great deal. Specifically, prayer is the part where you are talking with God. Meditation is less formal, perhaps more rambling, relies more on the guidance of the Spirit, is involved with emotion and introspection, and is actively seeking the presence of God. The margin between meditation and prayer is so narrow, that I think 1 Th 5:17 & Eph 6:18 are probably talking about meditation rather than strictly prayer. The really great thing about meditation is that it can be both formal and informal, both scheduled and impromptu, both finite and ongoing. One can have micro-meditations while working (though they will be insufficient) and one can have mega-meditations on Memorial Day weekend (though it requires the micro-meditations which put you in the right frame of mind). However you do it and whenever you do it, you can do it always...continually.

And the purpose of meditation? To prepare your soil for God's work. Meditation helps you to make your heart and mind a fertile ground for the seed of righteousness which God has planted in you. It does so by making God's presence felt in your life and by training you to hear his Spirit's counselling guidance. Once you come into the presence of God, once you become his sheep who knows his voice, you cannot help but be changed by his majesty and his great love.

My challenge to you: take the time to meditate. Look for God in Creation, look inside for ways to be closer to God, look for God in a scripture, or look for God's work in the events of your life. Speak to God with your heart. Lay your burdens at his feet and take as many blessings as you can carry.

From page A to page Z

2006-05-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

All of us have at one time or another had a vision of ourselves as we would like to be. It may be in a quiet moment, it may be while day dreaming, while mowing the yard or sitting in school. We have all played out a story in our minds in which we were every bit the person we want to be. Unfortunately, very often our thoughts then turn to the person that we are, right now, in reality, and we see a vision that is not so pleasant. We see a person who is flawed, with bad habits, undesirable characteristics, and a life with hidden and recurring sins.

Though many have thought about the differences, few have taken the time take a pen to paper and write down their vision of themselves now and their vision of themselves for the future. If they did, they might be able to determine what it is about them that they would like to change. They might more easily be able to determine what their strengths and weaknesses are. They may find that the differences are quite significant or they may find that there is really not that far to go. Either way, they would be one step closer to actually being the person of their vision, rather than simply wishing it.

If we do make it so far as to write down and analyze the differences between ourselves and our potential, usually we are in the unhappy situation of determining that getting from page A (where we are) to page B (where we want to be tomorrow) is just about insurmountable, let alone getting to page Z (our ultimate vision of ourselves...Christ like?). It is therefore quite often the case that at about this point we will close our journals, scrunch up our paper, throw down our pen, and busy ourselves with something meaningless but distracting. "Perhaps I won't think of it again for a few weeks..."

The trouble is that we are quite right to think that it is impossible to get from page A to page Z. We are fallen, corrupted, imperfect, damaged and incapable of self-correction. No matter how hard we try, no matter how hard we exert our own will, the result will always be a wretched state. When the imperfect is put to work it invariably produces imperfect results.

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" Rom 7:21-24

Paul appreciated that righteousness comes from God in all ways. Both in terms of an objective righteousness (that God forgives our sins and does not see their stains on us because of the blood of Christ) and in and in terms of a subjective righteousness (that the sinful nature within us is put away and is replaced with the righteous nature of God). He appreciated that even the most dedicated man being broken as a result of sin cannot escape sin on his own, neither the results of sin nor the commission of sin. It is God that provides a way out of the Devil's temptations (1 Cor 10:13) and God that makes us stand (Rom 14:4).

Righteousness is very much like a tree with the potential to produce a great deal of fruit. A farmer might plow an area of soil, he might weed, fertilize and water, but once he plants the seed he can do little more. All that the farmer can do is wait and hope that the seed will grow. He can continue to water, weed and fertilize, but he has no ability to make the seed grow, that comes from God.

God has already planted a seed of righteousness in us. He does so when we take on his Son. Unfortunately, we do not immediately become the most receptive soil. In fact, it is not simply a matter of time before we become such soil. We probably start out pretty barren, hard and unaccommodating for the seed of righteousness and if we do not take steps, like the farmer, to turn our soil into a welcoming place for that seed, it will remain nothing more than a seed.

Our job then is not to turn our pages from A to Z. Our job is not through force of will to change from imperfect to perfect (as if we could). No! Our job is to tend our soil, to make a place in our hearts and minds where the seeds of God's righteousness have an opportunity for growth. Then we will gradually see, like the growth of a tree, the changes from the vision of now to the vision of Christ.

Now we say "what a wretched man I am!", then we will say, "thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

How do we go about tending our soil? That is where the Spiritual Disciplines come in...

Toil in the Summer Sun

2006-05-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the title is not as inticing as the former one, but trust me--it's more rewarding!!!

That's right ladies and gentlemen, the summer has returned, and with it everyone's favorite summer pass time--SERVICE PROJECTS!!! (please hold your applause for the end)

I feel that service projects defined our group last summer. They led to a lot of spiritual and mental maturity among us (not to mention some sweet muscles) and were a blessing to bunches of people. We were the hands, feet, and voice of God last summer and there is no doubt that we can do even more this year. Schools break up in three weeks and I would like to see us hit the ground running. Following is a list of activities which we can get involved in to minister for God and make a difference in both our family and our community:

1.God's Gardeners...you know the drill
2.L.I.N.K...Lawrence Interdenominational Noodle? Kitchen [Not sure about that N]
3.Work at Tallgrass...This one will get its own post!
4.Community trash brigade..."making Lawrence beautiful one beer can at a time"
5.Visiting the Elderly
6.Visiting the Orphans
7.Habitat for Humanity...ever just want to build a house?

I will stop with seven, something Biblical about it. If can think of any more ideas and have a suggestion, please comment and let us know.

!!APPLAUSE!!

Fun in the Summer Sun

2006-05-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

We have a plan for fun and games this summer. Being a clergy-man, I can't help but think about anything we do in terms of evangelism/outreach possibilities, so here it is:

We will have one activity every week (once school is out) that is purely for fun and socializing. You might look upon such an idea with scorn as an outreach tool, but do not judge too quickly. It has been my experience that the most effective way to get people to fall in love with Jesus is for them to fall in love with people who are Jesus-like first. That's right--they love their way into the church...what a novel concept. It will be an event that you can invite your friends to which will carry no "churchiness". That way it will be easy for us to invite them and it will be easy for them to accept. Once they come along, they can't but fall in love with us (you are mostly pretty loveable) and the next logical step is for them to become involved with what you love the most - J.E.S.U.S.

Here are some of the ideas that you suggested would be fun to do:

1.BBQ/Picnic in the park
2.Boating Day on Clinton Lake
3.Driving Range
4.Games Nights (at the church building or someone's house)
5.Horseback Riding
6.Movie Nights (at the church building or someone's house)
7.Oceans of Fun!
8.Paintball Day
9.Putt Putt
10.Swimming Day

Of course we will do more than that this summer (including some hard work), but this list is a start. Leave some comments with your own ideas...the sky's the limit.

My Exhortation: That You Continue to Grow and to Mature

2006-05-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

Let us stop going over the same old ground again and again, always teaching those first lessons about Christ. Let us go on instead to other things and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be. Surely we don't need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God; you don't need further instruction about baptism and spiritual gifts and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

The Lord willing, we will go on now to other things.

There is no use trying to bring you back to the Lord again if you have once understood the Good News and tasted for yourself the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, and know how good the Word of God is, and felt the mighty powers of the world to come, and then have turned against God. You cannot bring yourself to repent again if you have nailed the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to mocking and to public shame.

When a farmer's land has had many showers upon it and good crops come up, that land has experienced God's blessing upon it. But if it keeps on having crops of thistles and thorns, the land is considered no good and is ready for condemnation and burning off.

Dear friends, even though I am talking like this I really don't believe that what I am saying applies to you. I am confident you are producing the good fruit that comes along with your salvation. For God is not unfair. How can he forget your hard work for him, or forget the way you used to show your love for him-and still do-by helping his children? And we are anxious that you keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, so that you will get your full reward.

Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience.

Hebrews 6:1-12 (The Living Bible)

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We spent much of our time last summer talking about how one goes about becoming mature: trusting God, trusting your brothers and sisters, having a spirit of unity, knowing how to forgive, putting on the armor of God. Just like the Hebrew writer said, we've been over the first lessons of Christ. It is time for us to take the lessons and apply them to our lives so that we can become strong mature Christians "as we ought to be"!

That does not mean that we will stop studying or stop learning. For every day of our lives there will be something to learn, or some way that we can come closer to God. However, it does mean that we need to start applying the things that we have learned to our daily lives. We need to be praying continually, we need to be armoring ourselves with the full armor of God, we need to know what Jesus really would do--and do likewise, and we need to be mature Christians who can see the snares coming and avoid them.

The blessing of being in Christ comes with responsibilities and dangers. We get to enjoy a relationship with the Most High God, but we also have the ability to lose the most precious relationship there is. The Hebrew writer warns us in this passage that we need to be very careful to be sure of our faith. God does not take kindly to traitors and will not stand for his son being praised and then held up to scorn. Remember that "no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Our faith in Christ is a serious business. It is not something to be played at or toyed with. If we have decided to take on Christ, then we have decided to take him on in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, till death do us part. Should we decide that we do not need his Spirit, we are as good as dead.

I have seen the blessings of God falling on all of us. They fall in different ways--some are obvious, some are subtle--for each of us they are many. Like the land owner who left money to his servants, God will require a return on his investments in us. That return need not be dramatic and mind-blowing, but it should come back with interest. God is a pretty good farmer, so when he sows seeds, he expects some growth. If his blessings do not produce fruit in us, it is quite possible that he will churn up his field and throw out the poor crop.

Like the Hebrew writer, I write these things as food for thought. I believe that each of us is a fruitful tree and my desire is that with your help we will all produce a greater and greater crop. God loves you like the most doting parent--he will see your hard work, he will see your devotion, he will see the way your poor out your life, and you will be rewarded!

I too am anxious for your faith, that you keep on loving one another and all those you meet. Two-thousand years later, I too pray for your strength and patience, that you might receive the reward of sons and daughters in Christ.

-CM-