Christmas Cruisin' 2010, ya' dig?

Make plans to attend this year's Christmas Cruisin' event, brought to you by the entire decade of 1970. Get your fresh threads, trucker sunglasses, and permed-out hair ready because this will be outta' sight. Christmas Cruisin' is our annual RidgeStudents Christmas event and it gets more fun each year. Spend the whole night with us as we play games, eat great food, do a Christmas style scavenger hunt, and much more. Invite friends and make sure you bring those canned goods as well. The student with the most canned goods brought will receive a $25 giftcard to the store of their choosing. Prizes will be awarded for most friends brought, best costume and more! DY-NO-MITE! PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE BY WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15th! Where: The Ridge Church. Must register online here. When: Friday Dec. 17th 6PM - Sat. Dec. 18th 7 AM Cost: $20 per student + 2 canned goods What: Invite friends from school, get dressed up, and get ready for the most funky night of your life.

Forgiveness and Resurrection - The Apostles' Creed Part 5

“The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body...”

The essence of the gospel is the work of Jesus Christ. Christ has secured forgiveness through his death and resurrection. Our promise includes sharing in the richness of this state of forgiveness and resurrection. Forgiveness has the power to break the chains of bondage that weigh down the human soul. Only God himself can forgive sins as he is the one who is eternally offended by man’s transgression. Only he can remove the separation between man and himself. Man needs forgiveness. We do not need more knowledge or more enlightenment. Ignorance is not our problem, rather, sin remains the essence of man’s predicament.

Today man continues to deceive himself in thinking that no forgiveness is needed for his present state. Man is not essentially good. On the contrary, he is essentially bad. This does not mean that man is a bad creation nor does it mean that the physicality of mankind is evil, instead it is our thoughts and wills that carry the mark of dissipation. Scripture indeed testifies to the sinful state of mankind. While freely choosing to do many good things, man is incapable of amending his ultimate wound, that is, separation from God. Only God himself can and has done this in the body of his Son, Jesus Christ. 

Christians believe in forgiveness for we have been forgiven. Forgiveness is a state of  reality for a believer in Christ; we have entered into the realm of being forgiven. We are constantly being made new by the work of the Holy Spirit which will culminate in the bodily resurrection of believers to reign one day alongside our God and Lord for God’s dwelling place is with mankind. The Christian hope lies not in soul-body dismemberment but rather in the full realization of our bodies into a glorified state. Christ’s resurrection inaugurated this event. 

The forgiveness of sins and the resurrection of the body are two realities for the life of the believer. We don’t have forgiveness without the resurrection. Our hope is built on this; that our sins are forgiven and that we will at one point in the future be resurrected unto new life. Imagine a complete, whole, and idealized life where there is no crying and there is no pain. Envision a life with no disease or cancerous intrusions. As believers, our lives do and will mirror that of the Savior. For we have died and been buried through the work of Christ, we too will be share in the resurrection of Christ Jesus. This is the gospel in which we take confidence. Without the forgiveness of sins and resurrection, there is no gospel.

The Church, The Holy Spirit, and the Saints - The Apostles' Creed Part 4

“I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints...”

As Christians, we believe in one God. As we believe in God the Father, we also believe in the Son. As we believe in the Father and the Son, we also believe in the Spirit. Neither one is the same yet they are all God. This mystery has been believed by Christians since the beginning. Yes it is a mystery yet this is how God is shown forth in Scripture. We believe God is one, yet we believe he exists as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This line completes the trinitarian view of our God. So what do we believe about God the Holy Ghost?

Scripture says he is our helper, guide, guarantee of salvation and is the sparkplug for our growth into holiness. The Spirit always points the way to Christ, he is not a team player. Without the Spirit in your life it is impossible for you to be a Christian; it is the guarantee of your faith and the way only way in which you can believe in Christ. Apart from the Spirit there is no faith in Jesus Christ for who he really is. It is also natural that this belief statement precedes the belief in the church. Without the Spirit there is no true church. The church, through the work of the Spirit, is how we grow in Christ-likeness.

The church is holy because Christ is holy. The church is holy because those who are in faith are made holy by the Spirit. The church is holy because it is set apart for a special work in this world. We are not holy apart from the work of the Holy Spirit forming us into the image of Christ. We are not holy apart from the reliance upon prayer and God’s word to grow us and conform us to his will. We church is holy because of who are Head is, which is Christ. We are catholic in the sense that we conform to the faith that has been believed by Christians for all of time and we share in fellowship with Christians no matter where they may be in the same fellowship. We celebrate our head through fellowship and communion. 

The Lord’s Supper we celebrate the presence of Christ among us in the body. This reality does not exist in any other institution in the world. The Lord’s Supper brings us together to proclaim the Gospel and continually and progressively grow us in the Spirit as we worship him together. We are saints because we now dwell by faith in the body of Christ and will one day dwell with him for eternity for his dwelling place is among men and we will be made new and glorious as he has been glorified. Saints are reborn by faith in Christ, shedding their old self and putting on the new self, which is Christ. We show this vividly through baptism. We become saints through faith in Christ as the Spirit changes our heart to love him and we show this faith through the act of baptism which we hold in high regard as it shows us who in fact is in communion and who is not.

So we believe in the Spirit’s work to make us holy; making us more like Christ. He convicts our heart, helps us, reminds us of scripture and holy acts. We experience this most vividly in the holy catholic church which is the keeper of the faith believed by all Christians throughout time and seeks to make Christ known in a world that is dying. We are a part of the catholic church in the sense that we affirm true Christian beliefs. As we confess we share in the communion of the saints who also affirm the faith and celebrate Christ through his Supper of bread and wine which is his body and blood poured out for us. We baptize those who by faith enter into this faith which shows the power of the Holy Ghost to change the heart of sinners and make them like Christ.

ORC Basket Delivery

Hey students and parents! Be sure to join the Ridge at 8:45 on Saturday morning to hand out Thanksgiving baskets. Lets bless others and show the love of Jesus Christ this holiday season.

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It's All About Jesus - The Apostles' Creed Part 3

Why are creeds important? They orient us to the truth of the faith in a succinct and explainable way. People can use God's word to say whatever they want it to say, but creeds have helped the Christian faith since it's beginnings to explain God's Word in a specific Christian fashion. Creeds are not inspired nor does reciting a creed automatically form faith in someone's heart, rather, creeds point to Scripture and appeal to the revelation of Christ and affirm in the heart of a believer that which they have committed themselves to by faith.
This past Wednesday night, we took a large portion of the Creed and talked about its significance in showing forth the Gospel. Did you know that out of the 20 lines in the Creed, 10 speak specifically of Christ? That's half the Creed! It seems as if the early church really emphasized the focal point of Christ in their faith. Shouldn't we as well continue to point all we do back to Christ and God's plan of redemption found in his Son? Surely that is our calling as Christians who worship and share the faith in a sick and dying world.

"Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the virgin..."
Christ's birth was miraculous, and it pointed to the divine character of this one who would take up the sins of man upon himself. It points to his ministry which was marked by the Holy Spirit. It also points to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. This point of the Creed is vital in understanding who Christ is. Many believe in Christ as their example. Many others believe in Christ as a prophet among many other prophets. Still others see Christ as just one of many moralistic teachers and a choice among many other valid choices. We believe Christ is God in the flesh. The Son incarnate was conceived without sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin in the most miraculous fashion. We too are to be conceived of by the Holy Spirit through our second birth, that is, the rebirth proclaimed by Christ that is necessary for anyone to know him (John 3.3, 5-8; Titus 3.5). This comes through faith but is wrought solely by the power of God.

"Suffered under Pontius Pilate..."
Pontius Pilate is recognized, both in the Gospels and in historical accounts, as a local ruler of questionable character. History paints him as a tyrant looking to exert his local authority over the Jews. The Gospels paint him as a pushover seeking to do anything to maintain the peace. So why is this important in a  a Creed which explains the mystery of the Christian faith? Two reasons come to mind. First, we must understand that Christ was in fact among us as one of us. He walked, breathed, ate, slept, wept and was tempted with every temptation common to man. The marker of Pontius Pilate in the Creed dispels any doubt that Christ was merely a spiritual being as early heretics proclaimed and gives people a point of reference in regard to history. Second, and in similar fashion, it proclaims that Jesus Christ, the God-man, was divine yet human, fully existing as both God and man without loss of any attribute of either nature. This is what the church has proclaimed since it's inception. Jesus Christ: God and man. It places an earthly marker in the ministry of our Savior who we proclaim to be man yet be God at the same time.

"Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell."
God not only came to man, he suffered and died the most gruesome death imaginable. If the miracle of God among us is not enough, the reality that he willingly submitted himself to death is almost unimaginable. His descent into hell is understood in many different ways. Scripture says he proclaimed the Gospel to those spirits who perished in the days of Noah (1 Pet. 3.18-20). Scripture also attests to the reality of his death. To say he descended into hell is equal in ancient times of saying that he descended to the place of the dead meaning he was truly dead. Many people today will want to say that he in fact was not completely dead which makes his resurrection not a miracle but just a natural occurrence. We can say this for sure: Christ died a death we deserved and endured the agony of God's wrath against sin. His descent into hell was both a marker for his real death and a something that points to the spiritual work done as part of God's plan of redemption.

"The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty..."
The miracle of our faith is that our Savior is risen! This is what we proclaim with worship every Sunday and specifically during the Easter season. As he ascended, the promise was made that he would return one day and this is the cry of his people: Christ return! Scripture proclaims that he dwells now in heaven, continually interceding on our behalf to the Father. He his our advocate (1 John 2.1). This is our Lord and Savior! The church proclaims his resurrection through worship, prayer and fasting. During the Easter season, many traditions practice Lent which is a period of fasting in tandem with a season of spiritual growth and renewal in light of Christ's resurrection and reality of salvation in the life of believers. What a great God we have! He willingly laid aside his divine status and submitted to the shame of the cross (Phil. 2.7-8). Praise be to God! He bore the wrath for our sin and rose again as a proclamation to the power of God. He ascended and now intercedes on our behalf. May all glory and honor be given to him who has taken away the sin of the world. This is our God and may we worship him until our faith is made sight and we will dwell with him for ever and ever. May the God of all grace bless you this week with the encouragement found in the Creed and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

- Coleman

Parent Month Recap

Throughout the month of October, we invited parents to join us on Wednesday nights for a special month of discussion revolving around the topic, "Christ and Culture." How do we interact with culture without denying our responsibilities to the faith? Can Christians make an impact on culture, or should we seek to avoid culture altogether? Where do we draw the line on media, materialism and other mainstays in today's society?

We started the month with a look at today's media and how we should seek to interact with it as Christians. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) is pervasive in today's culture and we have a responsibility to know how we should use, and not use, this platform of interaction. Should we use social media to connect with people, news and events? Absolutely, but where do we draw the line? As discussed, we need to be aware of our responsibilites to interact with people on a personal level and not stayed glued to our computers and cell phones. As believers, we are committed to relationships which means that our use of social media and media in general should serve that purpose. There is also an aspect of santification involved with our media choices. Do the things we watch and do through media detract from our pursuit of righteousness as a Christ-follower? Is it building us up or creating in us stumbling points? This is often a person to person situation, but we are called to constantly evaluate our own position and see if we are conforming to God's will or our own (Romans 12.1-2).

Our second discussion centered on materialism. We live in a culture that generally believes that all we have is the "stuff" of this world. We might as well grab all we can and enjoy it as long as we live! This is the lie of materialism. How do we as Christians respond? Are there aspects of our own life which have given into this mentality? Do we see this in the church today? We must understand how much of our culture is geared towards this kind of thinking and seek to present a biblical picture of life and material goods. Christ said to seek first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6.33). This means to seek after the building up of our spiritual life and the life of Christ-likeness, showing others what his kingdom looks like. We are to put these things in front anything else. Any job promotion, new car, new household goods or anything else that is good is to be secondary to the pursuit of God and his kingdom. Do we show this in the daily workings of our life, or do we blend in with the culture in this fashion?

We wrapped up our discussion portion of the month with some thoughts on loving the culture. Certainly we are called to love the world, and how does the view of Christ-like love compare to the picture of love in culture? Culture and media portray love as a mystical force that in uncontrollable and romantic, free of reason or responsibility. We as Christians are called to love people unconditionally as Christ loved us and boldly proclaim the Gospel, that is, that Christ was crucified for our sins and has brought reconciliation to man and God. Our love does not have limits, unlike our cultural picture of love which says, "What have you done for me lately?" We love because God first loved us (1 John 4.19).

We finished our month with a potluck and pumpkin bowling. What a great time of sharing and fellowship! I do hope that all of those who were able to make it out to our Parent Month enjoyed their time with us. It was encouraging for me to see the interaction during our small group time between parents and students. I want to encourage all our families to continue the pursuit of faith in your homes. This week I will send out some discussion questions for your family to ask in the homes regarding our topic of "Christ and Culture." I hope this will be a good bridge into the holiday season as we seek to magnify Christ in a culture that does anything but that. Take care families and have a great week in the Lord!

- Coleman

Parent Month Potluck

Darn tootin' we're having a potluck this coming Wednesday. Do you know which flavor of jello you will be bringing?

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Student Service Day - 10.2.10: A Jean Rippin' Good Time

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"And in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord."

"And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord."
The Creed sets the stage with faith in God the Father, creator of heaven and earth, but immediately moves to faith in the Son. Again, the Creed is a succinct statement. It is ultimately not concerned with what happened in the desert with Israel, or with David writing the Psalms nor with numerous prophecies proclaimed in Scripture. These certainly are important, but they are not necessary for the purposes of the Creed. So for a Creed based on the teaching of the apostles, faith in Jesus Christ is fundamental.

With so many views on the person of Jesus Christ, an appropriate definition is essential for knowing the truth of his real person. As the Son, he does the will of the Father (John 5.19-23; 6.40; 8.28, 42; 10.18, 29-32; 12.49-50; 14.10). While having a different role, he is not of unequal being. Just as an earthly father has the same human value as his son, God the Son has the same divine value as the Father. This is an oversimplification but it helps to illustrate the point. The Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) uses the word "con-substantial" meaning "co-essential" or more simply put, of the same essence. That same essence is described of the Holy Spirit, with a different function yet without loss of oneness. A Trinitarian understanding of God is essential for Christian belief, yet we stray from our focus on the Son.

Jesus is Lord. If one claims belief in this statement, I believe this has two important implications. First, Jesus has authority in regards to deity. He is God, our Lord. The same word describing God in the Old Testament is used for Christ in the New. He is the one we look to for authority. The Father has granted him all authority, and he is the head of the church (John 5.27; 10.18; 12.49; Eph. 1.22). Second, Jesus has authority in regards to the life of a believer. Faith in Christ should naturally be followed by making him the Lord of your life. This includes following the commands of Scripture, seeking to make his name known to the nations, and seeking to model Christ-likeness. It's a pledge of loving obedience to the one whom your obedience is due. To have a Lord is to say that your own life's priorities are not as important as his.

With so many views of Christ, ranging from a God-inspired man to merely a mythical character, it is important to understand the true nature of faith in Jesus Christ. As the Son, he has authority over life and death given to him by the Father. He is equal with the Father, yet also sharing equality with mankind. He is truly the God-Man. Because he is so, he is also our Lord. Our Lord in respect to authority, both in spiritual life and the physical life of believers. The relationship of the Son and Father is ultimately one of mystery. Despite our (appropriate) attempts to understand the relationship, the fact that "the Word became flesh" (John 1.14) is ultimately a matter of faith. The Creed makes a statement which we appropriate by faith, not by scientific reasoning. As I close this week, I will leave you with the words of theologian and teacher J.I. Packer: "Love prompted it (that is, God becoming man); and our part is not to speculate about it and scale it down to but to wonder and adore and love and exalt 'Jesus Christ...the same yesterday and today and forever' (Hebrews 13.8)."1

Peace in Him,

Coleman

1. J.I. Packer. Affirming the Apostles' Creed. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008. 70.

"I Believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator and heaven and earth."

We're off to a great start in LIFEgroups and The Gathering with our fall study in the Apostles' Creed. We have discussed the meaning of the statement "I believe" and what biblical faith means for us. Not only is it belief in something, namely God, its also a commitment to a relationship and a attitude of obedience. When we say we believe in God, we don't just mean that we believe that there might be some kind of being out there which we call God, rather, we believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

"I Believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth."
God is a Father above all fathers. Even the best of our earthly fathers are not perfect, and at worst they are the exact opposite of who God has called them to be. Many of us may have negative feelings towards our fathers as they were not the men they were supposed to be. Others of us may truly love and appreciate and admire our fathers. In the end, none of them compare to God as our father. He will take care of us and counts us as important and worthy of his love (Matthew 6:30-33, John 3:16, 1 John 4:16, 2 Peter 3:9). He's the dad that truly can beat up your dad!

When we say we believe that God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth, we affirm his sovereign hand in creation. Genesis 1 and 2 affirm that God is the one who spoke creation into being. He did not do so haphazardly nor without thought. He was careful and thorough in his design. As Christians, we affirm that God has created and he is the originator of all that is. He himself was not created nor did anything exist before or apart from him (Job 38-39, Romans 1:20). Other creation stories show God (or whatever deity) as existing within the creation already, however Scripture affirms that God is the eternal one who has existed since before time began. There is no random chaos in which creation arose, rather, there is a God who by his mighty hand and word made all that is.

As we continue through the Creed, it is important for us to lay this foundation as it is found within the Creed. Without a proper foundation for faith, we can not continue to affirm the remainder of this belief statement. Without a firm acknowledgment of God the Father and his acts, we can't possibly proceed and claim belief in remaining lines of the Creed. These are foundational. The early church recognized this necessity as an initial "weeding out" process against other notions of deity found within their day, many of which continue to our present day. I am excited to see how the Lord will use this study to enhance our faith and I am thankful in the tradition of the faithful brothers and sisters who came before us who used the Creed to affirm their faith. May we see it as such as well. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!

The Gathering Tonight

The Gathering tonight from 6-8pm. We continue our look at the Creed and what it means to believe on God as "Maker of heaven and earth." Plus, we've got chocolate. See you there!

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Feed My Starving Children

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Fall 2010 LIFEgroups

We're back for the fall! Tonight we meet at MyCherryo next to Sonic on Hebron and Huffines from 6:30-8pm. We're kicking things off by stuffing our faces full of yogurt.

This semester we'll be going through the Apostle's Creed which is a Christian baptismal belief statement dating back at least 1600 years! In a world of pluralism and new age religion, its important for us to understand the basics of our faith and the continuing relevance it has for today's culture. Our faith is historic, Biblical, relevant and the only hope for mankind. Do you believe?

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Touchstone Archives: A Stunted Ecclesiology?

Hey peeps! So in the interest of further our knowledge of who we are as Christians and taking an honest look at our modern day church surroundings, I thought this article would really help to understand the pros and cons of how we do church today.

Touchstone Archives: A Stunted Ecclesiology?

We're Back

OMG The Gathering is back for the fall! 6-8 pm tonight . Bring a pal. Tonight we kick off our semester look at the Apostles Creed. Our faith is alive and active.

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Verse of the Day

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I am the worst.

1 Timothy 1:15

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Yes, tomorrow is First Friday. Are you ready?

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First Friday This Week!

Hey peeps! Don't forget that this Friday is our back to school lock in, appropriately named, First Friday. You'll want to make sure you invite everyone in sight for this event. There is nothing like a back to school party to show people you mean business. Cost is $20 per student. We'll meet at The Ridge for a little get to know you shindig then magically transport to American Indoor Sports Facility for an all night bash with sports, inflatables, video games, movies, prizes and memories to last a lifetime. See you all there!

Prayer life

We pray because we rely on God. We pray because he answers prayer. We pray because we have work to do. We pray because he is the one who will accomplish that work. We pray to increase our faith. We pray to further rely on the Spirit. We pray to model the life of Christ. We pray to the Father. We pray for others who are in need. We pray for those who have not come to faith. We pray for missionaries. We pray for pastors and church leaders. We pray for families. We pray for the church worldwide. We pray for the persecuted. We pray for those who lack justice. We pray for our needs. We pray to remind our souls that God is our portion and strength. We pray for the orphan and widow. We pray for our daily bread. We pray to receive forgiveness in order that we might forgive. We pray because Christ commanded us to pray. We pray because we love God. 

Verse of the Day

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

Matthew 24:42-44

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The Gathering Tonight

We have special Gathering time tonight from 6.30-8.15PM. Tonight's leader is our very own Vince Dang. Bring boardgames and Bibles. Friends are a plus too.

We'll wrap up our all too brief study of Ephesians tonight. Some questions to ponder: have you been changed by the Gospel? Do you desire to give God glory by how you live and act? Are there sins that you continue to cling to?

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A Psalm of Response

Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (4b) The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.
or:
R. Alleluia.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high,
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.
or:
R. Alleluia.

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Verse of the Day

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1:10

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Faith

Heb 11:1-2, 8-12
Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
and Sarah herself was steril;
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was
trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

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RidgeStudents are going back to south Dallas this morning. Pray for opportunities to share Christ.

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The Gathering tonight @ 530. Get your best dance moves ready! See you there.

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Lunch at Chuy's. Reward for a job well done during Mission: Dallas.

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Parents of mission trippers - We'll be home back at The Ridge at 3pm. See you then!

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Filling up water balloons for tonight's BBQ at Dunbar. It's gonna be great!

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More Dunbar scenes...

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Playing at Dunbar. These kids are great!

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Alyssa and Aaron learning a new song. Aaron led worship tonight and it rocked our face.

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Maybe we had a little too much to eat...

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It's been a long and hot day. Time to go home and get cleaned up.

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Working with Our Calling this afternoon. It's hot so pray for energy and strength.

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Some after breakfast love. Good morning everyone!

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Getting ready to go worship after a long day. Thanks Jordan for leading us tonight.

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Making samiches. Occasionally one gets eaten...

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Its been a hot but fruitful day of ministry in south Dallas. Now, we're ready to eat!

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Debriefing for the day. We're also sharing some testimonials and doing a little worship. What a great way to end the day!

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Spending some time in covering prayer. Prayer is such a huge part to this week. Pray for strength and energy to do God's work.

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Taking a short rest after VBS.

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Check our twitter for vids of mission trip - twitter.com/ridgestudents

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We're here!

Hanging out before dinner.

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Getting hyped for mission trip

These girls are super excited.

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Mission: Dallas Next Week!

Next week we'll be taking our team to south Dallas to experience a wide-array of ministry experiences. Today we took part of the team down to view the different areas where we will be working. It's a far-cry from our Carrollton middle-class neighborhoods. My challenge to the students for next week was, "How can you display the kingdom of heaven to these people?" What are some tangible things we can accomplish in order to make their lives better and show them that Christ is our only hope?

After taking an hour or so to make observations about the area, we stopped in a local coffee shop to debrief and talk about what we saw and any other thoughts we had. We all came to the conclusion that prayer is key and doing tangible works in order to show people the love of Christ is important. The coffee shop owner really dug what we were doing and decided to feature our group on their Facebook page. Click here to see.

The Gathering 2nite @ 530.aly Bring your favorite board/card game. Friends are a plus too. See u there.

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Summer LIFEgroup

Started our summer LIFEgroup series in Ephesians. Nothing better than getting started with a discussion on free-will and God's foreknowledge.

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Last Day Thoughts

Hello friends,

With a 13-hour van trip ahead of us, it is difficult to gather my thoughts about all that has taken place. Camp is always that undefinable event where any number of things can happen. It can be encouraging and distressing, uplifting and unsettling, ground-breaking and heart-breaking all at the same time. Needless to say, worship and teaching have been outstanding this week. Here is a quick rundown of daily occurrences:

1. Each night was spent on the beach, worshiping through song and reflection
2. Each meal was shared together and everyone pitched in to share the responsibilities
3. Every session coincided almost perfectly with our personal study and group study
4. Each student was able to hear a true Gospel message and experience amazing worship
5. Each student was challenged to evaluate the direction of their faith
6. We had some great bonding opportunities through recreation and small group

We've had the privilege of two camp pastors, David Nasser and Darren Whitehead. Its so hard to pick a favorite, and its probably not necessary to do so. Overall, I believe the students connected most with Darren. I'm sure the Australian accent helped. Aside from that amazing factor, Darren's message of a call to action and a Gospel-centric substance truly left an impression on the hearts of our students. Most if not all were visibly stirred to one degree or another. Whether it was a re-focus on what is important or a fresh dedication to the faith, every student responded in some tangible way this week.

Here are some highlights from the week and I'll close this last camp entry with a few final words.

1. Beach walk encounters and being able to share the Gospel and pray with people
2. Being able to celebrate birthdays together
3. Dodgeball mayhem
4. Low amount of combined sleep
5. Meeting believers from other parts of the country
6. Celebrating the honor of "Youth Minister of the Day" (thanks guys)
7. Rained out day and Toy Story 3
8. Mini-golf and go-karts
9. Receiving the hospitality of fellow believers from another church body
   
10. Decisions for Christ and decisions to serve with the body of Christ

Overall, I leave camp with a burden to grow. I desire that we would know Christ more and become active in the calling that he has placed on our lives as believers. We are called to display the kingdom of heaven here on earth by setting things right within the world and sharing the awesome power of God's word. I leave here with a refreshing view of students and their ability to perceive truth and apply it to their lives. I leave here with a renewed dedication to be on my knees for the faith of our students. And lastly, I leave here with hope. A hope in Christ, yes, but a hope in the possibilities and potential for our students. These young men and women have so many special gifts and talents and its our job as older leaders, parents and mentors to expose those gifts and encourage these students to use them for God's glory and the advancement of his kingdom. Thanks to all who have supported this cause and a special thanks goes to our incredible leaders who gave up time and family to join us this week. Take care and have a great week in the Lord.

Peace in Him,

Coleman

Last night

Enjoying the teaching of Darren Whitehead. This stuff is moving our hearts.

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My peeps part two

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My peeps part one

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Tonight's Message: Relate

Today was a slight change-up from David Nasser. For the remainder of the camp teaching, we will be led by Darren Whitehead of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. His words and message today were fantastic.

Traditionally in church camps and youth evangelism events, this question is usually asked: "If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?" While it is useful to reflect on this question and important to know the answer, Darren flipped the question around and posed a new one: "If you didn't die tonight, how would you live?" He talked on the concept of righteousness and justice and how the two go hand-in-hand. When we are declared righteous by faith in Christ, we are reconciled to God. This is a vertical understanding of what happens at the point of salvation. But there is more. Justice the horizontal occurrence that says: "Now that I am saved, I am called to help set things right in this world."

Darren's call to our students was to be a part of something that matters, namely, the church. The church is called to shine in the darkness and be beautiful in the midst of ugly tragedy. The world should gasp, just as an audience does with a bride in her procession, at the beauty of the church. We are called to do great things for God, yet so often we view the Christian faith as a lifestyle of not doing things and avoiding sin. We get to do greater things in life because of the Gospel.

Darren encouraged us with a greater vision of the kingdom of God and challenge to step up and change. We all yearn to be a part of something that matters.

Quiet Time

Enjoying the view and spending time in God's word. For parents following along, we're on day three.

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Good Morning

Getting ready for another morning session.

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Tonight's Message: Repent

Speaking from 2 Corinthians 5.17 and real life experience, David shared with us the importance of repentance. To repent is to have a sorrowful turning. We are to turn from self and turn to Christ.

David's gospel message was right on! This is the core of Christian salvation and it was presented in a real and tangible way in order for the students to fully know the necessity and power of repentance. This is not a recommit to try better, this a turn to God and a desperate crying out of "I'm tired of my old ways, I'm ready to trust in you Lord." This is found in Christ alone (John 14.6).

Tonight we had a great worship time on the beach in front of the roaring waves hitting the shore. The moon shone down as we sang "How He Loves" and talked a little about God's glory as described in Psalm 24 and 46. Do you see God as glorious? How do you view creation? Do you see God as powerful or do you take what you see and have for granted? What things in your life are you making more glorious than God? These questions, and more, are what we wrestled with tonight in small group and our large beach gathering. Parents, I encourage you to ponder these as well as your students ask themselves these questions. Take care and we'll check in again soon.

Ready to worship

Waiting to start the morning. Worship has been awesome so far!

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Big waves

Good morning. Its cloudy and a little rainy but God's ocean is amazing.

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Tonight's Message: Respond

David Nasser brought the word tonight. Funny and thoughtful, the students enjoyed tonight's message and worship. David focused in on Isaiah's encounter of God in Isaiah 6.1-5.

He encouraged the students to take in this event and truly remember their encounter with God, such as Isaiah did. His main point was this: you will know when you encounter God and he will be the center of your attention and worship. He is "holy, holy, holy." Separate and other than anything on earth. He is high and exalted and powerful. Isaiah's response was one of worship and fear: "Woe is me!" He encountered God and all he could do is worship and understand that he was unworthy.

God wants to ruin us. He wants to rid us of our perceived importance and turn our attention to himself. He loves us so much that he wants to make us low and forget about ourselves. David's encouragement to the students and to us was: has God ruined your life? Have you been ruined for God in such a way that Isaiah was? We must respond.