Teach with your life!

First thanks to all the parents that came out last night! I can't tell you what a meaningful time I had last night getting to share in the goodness of community together as families. I am grateful for each of you! And so blessed that God has done good work in our midst this past year! And looking forward to this year! 

Our mission at PGUMC youth is to be a place where Jesus abides. We want to cultivate an environment where youth are loved, encouraged, and inspired!

This isn't a new idea but should be the reality. It is the precedent Jesus set and it is the one we try to fall in line with everything we do from youth group to Great Wolf Lodge to serving others. I realize that when we recognize that we are loved and valued our potential is at it's greatest. No circumstance or difficulty can get us down. And at the end of the day when youth are apart of the UMYF community I hope in some sense they feel loved and encouraged.

Our theme verse this year is from 1 Timothy 4:12 here is how it reads in the message, "And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity... Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them."

The temptation for youth is simply to buy into the idea that they are not worth much to the world since they are a kid or their lack of achievement. But the bible says despite these realities that we are to stand up and set the example. To be a leader. And we do this even when people look down on us.

I am always reminded when facing difficulty that it is the depth of our character that defines our outcome in whatever situation. And I believe this about our youth that they can be great leaders at their school, on their sports teams, with their friends and at the end of the day continuing to cultivate an environment where Jesus abides.

the Perfect Christian Family

I wonder what the Perfect Christian family looks like. Is it a family that has everything together? Their kids perfectly obey them? Are they always happy? Is it one where the family sits down together to pray and read scripture? This is way to perfect! Yet somehow this has become the standard bearer for a lot of Christian families. So families who are hurting and struggling find themselves in the midst of trying to hold it all together so they can look "perfect." Yet this is so often the image for which we strive. But what I read in the bible is about families following God in the midst of their messiness.

 You would have thought that the first family (Adam and Eve) had some freshness and might have lacked the craziness of the modern day family. Cain and Abel who are Adam and Eve's first children ended up having a not so happy story. Cain gets mad at Abel and leads him out in to a field and kills him. Great! The first families kids literally kill each other.

 And then one might assume that Jesus was the best and sweetest child in the world. Yet in Luke 2 a story is told where the family makes a journey to Jerusalem. Then the family leaves with a big group of people and Mary and Joseph days in to the journey realize that Jesus is not with them. All the while 12 year old Jesus is teaching back in Jerusalem and everyone is amazed except his parents! This is what Mary and Joseph said to the savior of the world, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We've been looking for you?" Even the Son of God has family issues! Jesus' relationship with his family and his calling were at often times at odds.

 Last Sunday we talked about that a healthy family brings life. In the ten commandments it says that if you honor your father and mother your days will be long! Now a healthy family is not what I described above. It is far from it. No a healthy family recognizes that we all have issues to sort through just like any other family. Scripture teaches that we share in each other sufferings and bare one another burdens. This is what Jesus did on the cross. And it through this way that we find life. Not by hiding behind the illusion of so called perfection.

My Parent's Are Driving Me Nuts!

I am so excited about what God is doing in the life of our youth ministry and super excited to share in that life in 2013 as we look forward. I hope you have had the chance to read our Summer Mission Trip email. There is nothing sweeter than serving others in the name of Jesus. We will take sometime at our Parent/Youth Potluck to shed some more light on upcoming mission trips and other events in 2013!

We are starting a new 3 week series called "My Parent's Are Driving Me Nuts!" We will be looking at how loving Jesus and being a good son, daughter, brother, and sister go hand in hand. But at the same time this might be the toughest task for a youth! I know it was for me as I reflect growing up in my family. 

I didn't grow up in the picture perfect family and I am guessing that most of you didn't as well. And I don't believe such a family exists! 

My role in my family at it's worst was me not doing my chores, back talking, yelling, throwing tantrums... basically all the things involved in not making life fun for my parents. And at its best my parents were there for me... comforting me and being for me when life seemed to be crashing down. They were my biggest fans. 

Learning to love my family (and who God created my parents to be) and learning to listen and be patient I can say by far have been the HARDEST spiritual disciplines to learn. Hopefully we can make some traction with the youth in the next three youth groups. 

Here is the topics for each week: 

1. Family is the greatest metaphor for life

2. Are you apart of the solution or the problem

3. God heals our pain: how we deal with pain in the midst of our families

Looking forward to journeying alongside your youth!