This Week # 2-13

This Week # 2-13

This Week we had the providing of hearing Rob speak on Devotion. He kicked our DUSTY series off well as we are working through Devotion, Unity, Strength, Truth, Yearning. Rob looked into what it means to be devoted to something and how we can be devoted to God.

He started off by asking the students about the things they are devoted to. Here are some of the answers: family, video games, swimming, the Sharks, the 49ers, school work and friends. Although these are note bad things, Rob challenged that there is a more important things to be devoted to. Devotion means: the fact or state of being extremely dedicated and loyal. This is the way we need to live our lives with Christ, with extreme dedication and loyalty.

Rob shared a story of when he and a couple of friends (Will and I) went down to Anaheim to watch the San Jose Sharks clinch the Western division. When we went down there we could have just worn our Shark’s jersey and cheered quietly for our team since we were in enemy territory. Instead we painted our chest, screamed loud and out cheered the 19,000 Ducks fans. We are devoted Sharks fans. In the same way we need to be devoted fans of God. We need to write his name on our chests (not literally) and not be afraid to stand out even when we are surrounded by the enemy. We need to make noise for Him; we need to be devoted to Him. If we aren’t devoted to God we won’t stand out for Him, and if we don’t stand out for Him are we truly devoted?

So why should we be devoted. Well first of all God calls us to be devoted to Him. He doesn’t ask us to “kinda follow” him, or “give just some of our life” to Him. He asks us to be fully devoted followers of Him. Secondly, when we are devoted to him we show that by loving Him and loving others. This is not only helpful for drawing others to Him, but how great would it be if all Christians were truly devoted to God? Who doesn’t want to feel loved and totally accepted? I know I do, and if we, and those around us become truly devoted to God by loving others we can experience that.

Laslty, the time to start being devoted to God is now. Don’t think that when I get older it will be easier, because the patterns you establish now will be harder to break (if you don’t start showing devotion to God) or easier to keep (if you do) the older you get. Let’s start this school year with a commitment to true devotion to God.

Parents:

Read Matthew 22:34-40 with your child this week and ask them these questions:

What does it mean to be devoted to God?

Do you want to be devoted to God?

Are there things in your life that you are more devoted to than God?

How can you “write God’s name on your chest” (at school, church, home, etc.)?

How can I help you/ encourage you to be more devoted to God?

Pray with and for your child that they will be bold enough to be fully devoted to God.

This Week # 2-12

This week in OFF ROAD we ended our 2 part series on the importance of small groups. As I stated last week I hope that all of you make sure that your child is signed up for a small group as this is a significant opportunity to grow in Christ and make sure they are planted and growing in the “good soil.”

The talk this week was focused on what the students can expect as they come to small groups. I wanted to prepare the students so that they can come to small groups knowing that there will be four significant things that they engage, four things that are at the heart of our small groups. The four elements come together in the acronym M.A.P.S. So here are our MAPS to small groups:

The first element that students can expect at every small group meeting is Meaningful God-centered conversations. We want to help students feel comfortable talking about God, their relationship with God, things they have read in scripture, things that they are struggling with, and areas they want to grow in their relationship with Him. If we look around our culture and in our lives many of our conversations are taken up by talking about celebrity, sports, politics, school, other people, but we don’t talk very much about God. If He is the most important thing in our life shouldn’t more of our conversations be about Him? I think so and that is one thing that each student can expect to happen at small groups.

The “A stands for accountability. This Christian life is not easy, especially in junior high and it is very very hard to do it on our own. When I was a freshman in High school my brother and I went out for the soccer team and it was one of the most physically grueling things that I have ever done (We didn’t touch the ball for the first month, just run, run, run) If it hadn’t been for my brother being there for me and I for him I would have probably quit. Our life with Christ will be have difficulties and struggles and we need each other to support us and keep us accountable to what God has called us to.

“P” is for pray. Here’s the deal- No conversation= No relationship. If I were to tell Amy that I wanted to continue our relationship, but there is one clause… there will be not talking. Amy would think I am crazy. Our relationship won’t work if we never talk to each other, there won’t be a relationship. We need to be communicating with God. We need to make sure that we converse with God so that we can develop our relationship with Him

Lastly, students can expect Scripture. We will be spending time with God not just by praying but also listening to Him through the reading of His word. The time we spend in the word will be both in the small group, but also encouraged in activities students can do at home as they prepare for small groups. Scripture is at the heart of what we do and it will be at the heart of small groups.

Parents: As you look at the aspects of small groups note that these are things that we don’t want to just encourage at small groups but in each area of you and your student’s life. Are you and your child daily spending time talking about God, checking in with each other, praying and reading scripture? If not how can you integrate these elements into your life? Discuss this with your child.

This Week # 2-11

This week in OFF ROAD was another great week. We had about 90 students between the two services and I want to continue to encourage those regular attenders to try and make it to the Saturday night service as the 11:00 service is still very full.

This Week we started a 2 part series titled “The SG factor.” SG stands for small group and in the lesson I talked about what it is that Small Groups exist to do. The heart of what small groups are all about can be summed up in the parable that Jesus tells about the 4 soils. We looked at each of the 4 soils and what in the world Jesus was talking about when he said that, “some seed fell on the path… some on the rocky soil… some on the soil surrounded by thorns … and some in the good soil.” (Paraphrased Matt 13) After we read this parable I asked the students what it meant, and while some students got somewhat close, most students were confused (As were the disciples). We are lucky the disciples didn’t get it either because they asked Jesus what this parable meant. Jesus explains it like this, “The paths are those people who hear the word of God but never understand and don’t accept… The rocky soil represents those who hear the word, quickly accept it, but when their faith is challenged they don’t have deep roots and fall away… The thorns represent the people that hear the word, accept it, but then get entangled in the worries of this life and wealth and that overtakes them… But the good soil is those who hear the word, accept it live it out and produce a crop of 30, 60 or even 100 times that which was planted.”

Each area where the seed landed are really a distraction of this world. The distraction of the path is pride and lack of knowledge. The distraction with the rocky soil is testing of the faith and the distractions of the thorns are the worries of this life and wealth. All of these distractions happen because there is not good soil to root in, there is not the nutrients, soil and water that the plants need, that we need. Small groups exist to help student’s roots be planted firmly in Jesus by surrounding them with the relationships that build them up, encouragement that keeps them focused on God and a group of people that will hold them accountable to what God has called them to be so that they can produce a crop of 30, 60 or even 90 times more.

Parents:

Please talk over the importance of small groups with your child. Ask them where their biggest distraction is: pride and lack of knowledge, testing of faith, worries and wealth. Ask them how you can help them in each of those areas. Then I urge you to make sure that your child is signed up for a small group and that he or she comes every time so they can secure their roots in Christ.

This Week # 2-10

This week in OFF ROAD we had our first 2 service weekend. God is good and both services went great! (If you don’t know we meet at the 6:40 service on Saturday and the 11:00 service on Sunday) Although Saturday was hot we had a decent turnout of about 30 students and I want to encourage as many students that can to go to this service to go to Saturday night as we need to make room for guests during the 11:00 service.

As we kicked off the New Year I decided that we should start with the foundational idea of SOAPing. Yes, junior higher need to be reminded to shower and soap, but this is a more important thing then hygiene, it is SOAPing with the word of God. The idea of SOAP involves four significant elements in spending time with God, something we need to be doing daily.

The first element is Scripture. To spend time with God we need to be in his word. Often times we think that reading the Bible is a chore and because it was written 2,000 years ago it is hard to find relevance to our lives today. The truth is as we spend time in God’s word He reveals Himself in unique, interesting, and relevant ways, but we will never know that if we are not in the Scripture.

The second element is Observation. Observation is important because as we read the scripture we should note what stands out to us, what is interesting, what the main point is and any questions we have. If all we ever do is read the scripture and we never observe it and explore it then it never becomes anything more than words on the page, but if we observe the scripture we the words that are written become alive and relevant.

Next, and most importantly we must Apply what we’ve read to our lives. What is God saying to you? What does he want to you to know? What does he want you to do? What does this scripture mean for you? By answering these questions the Bible becomes a personal letter from God to you. We need to make sure that every time we read the scriptures we ask God to speak to us and when he does we need to listen and act.

Lastly we need to Pray. Just like I can’t have a relationship with anyone without ever talking to them we can’t have a relationship with God and never talk to him. After we have chosen scripture, observed it, and applied it we should spend time praying, asking God to help us apply what we have learned.

Parents,

The greatest example children have of how to SOAP and spend time with God is through observation of their parents. I encourage you to SOAP every day, allow your kids to see you do it and invite you kids to SOAP with you. Here are some questions you can ask your child this week:

What did you learn in OFF ROAD this week?

What did you observe in the reading at OFF ROAD (John 15)

What did God tell you that you need to do through this chapter?

How can I help you do what God has called you to do?

Have you spent any time this week applying what you learned in OFF ROAD?