Monthly Archives: April 2009

Attendance

Another average week for us…still holding around 180.

Talk

Last night was alot of fun watching Austin hit the stage for the third time this year.  He decided he wanted to talk to our students on worship. Primarily because its one of his favorite topics, but also because as a team we’ve been discussing how the students haventbeen into it as they have in the past. Austin planned the entire service…he even selected certain songs and band members to ensure the worship last night was up to par. He did a great job…and as his mentor this is one of the more fulfilling areas to work with him on because you can easily see the fruit. He is destined to be a great youth pastor one day…hope I am still around to see it.

Volunteer Involvement

Last night was one of those weeks where my awareness of the need for more volunteers was definitely heightened.  When you have a couple of volunteers in key positions absent things can get alittle stressful.  Also we had probably five of our girls groups led by high school girls.  Now again our high schoolers rock…but we also think it’s important to have an adult in each group.  So yeah if you know any adults free on Wednesday nights and think they might be a good fit on our team let me know.

Music/Program

Austin and Nick did a great job selecting the songs for this special night where WORSHIP was the topic.  We decided to do two fast songs up front and two slower songs at the back.  Laura led out with Heart of Worship and Rebecca sang Came to My Rescue which is one of my personal favorites.  It was awesome to have Nick tell the students to raise their hands at the end…I think a lot of times we are afraid to challenge them which is the very thing they need.  It has been a long time since our students worshiped like they did last night. We showed the following video for the Wifi video;

Final Thought

Wildfire can happen without me.  To many that might seem like a “duh” statement…but a lot of times you struggle as a youth pastor to not let “ownership” get in the way of God really being the leader.  Wildfire is my baby…in the sense that I came up with the idea and work really hard to make it successful, however I recognize I cannot do it alone and it will go on without me.  Watching Austin speak and others lead last night was a healthy reminder that I am part of a team, a body of believers that make Wildfire what it is.

Summer Camp

Just thought I would throw the link up here on my blog to our website to register for summer camp.  If your child will be in 6-8th grade this fall they are welcome to come to this years camp July 12-16th…registration is open until July 1st.  Check it out HERE.

Attendance

Attendance was normal.

Talk

The last talk in the WIDE OPEN series. I ended talking about how the Israelites were open to effort.  In one sense God gave them the Promised Land…but without their effort they would not have got there.  Definitely not the best of the four talks…felt like I read too much…which always ends up happening when I dont get to put as much into the prep as I would’ve liked to. As I walked up to deliver the talk, it was painful to look over and see a girl put her Ipod earbuds in both ears as I began to speak. :/

Volunteer Involvement

Had a full house last night…can only think of one leader that wasnt able to make it. Its always nice to have ‘all-hands’ on deck.  The more leaders present the more ministry we are able to do.  As I consistently share with my team; they are the ministry.  We can do without the game, worship…heck even the talk and still do ministry…but we cannot ministry to 200 students without them.  That being said what could we do with even more leaders to shepherd our students?

Music/Program

Nick did a great job with worship…once again without a drummer :/ I appreciate how much work he puts into making worship happen each week for children’s, middle and school ministries…that is a lot. We showed a video I found on the internet that features a guy making a horrible mistake at Home Depot…and as usual I setup the video as a shot of one of our own leaders working at Home Depot.  Always makes it more funny when people are picturing it as one of their leaders up there. I cant put the video on the blog but you can watch it HERE if you would like to.

Final Thought

When you do ministry each and every week you have to constantly fight it becoming just an “ordinary” night.  I hate when that feeling creeps in that you just want to get through the night.  Forgive us Father when we begin to see another opportunity to minister to students who so desperately need it as just something to get through.  This is the hardest part of decreasing resources in our department…both $$ and people resources…

Attendance

Average attendance tonight.  Our community time was down abit…which was unusual. Once the program started most the seats were filled.

Talk

Talk #3 in the WIDE OPEN series.  We looked at Joshua seven talking about how Achans sin slowed Israel’s progression into the Promised Land.  My main point was; Being open to Gods correction always has less consequences than hiding does. Since Achan ended up getting stoned to death, we gave each student a rock to take home to remember how serious sin is to God and that Jesus was stoned to death for our sin. Definitely wasn’t my best in the series…one of those nights where I had much more on my mind than the talk and it was hard to deliver it.  This was confirmed when I found a note on one of the seats that a student had written saying that this talk wasnt interesting.

Volunteer Involvement

Though our volunteers each live very busy lives its encouraging that they still show up.  I love the fact that instead of just skipping a night all-together because of working late  or a family event they will show up for at least part of Wildfire….thats devotion. 

Music/Program

We gave Nick the night off so he could cheer on the Blazers downtown. Katelyn Bonn came in and led worship for us…and man did she do a great job. Katelyn was part of worship team back when I started at Sunset in 04…and she had been away the last year only to come back and blow us away.  She even brought her own drummer Seth who played with a lot of passion and strength. I especially loved how he rocked out “Mighty to Save.” Whew…I love when the drummer gives it all…changes the whole feel of the room and set.  For the Wifi video we showed a nice American Idol clip that Austin found.  Gotta love it.

Final Thought

I would be a lot better youth pastor if God gave us a switch that we could flip and shut off everything that happened during the day leading up to the program time. Students & leaders deserve 100% of me and rarely do they get it.  Church politics and working through relationship junk can really sap your energy and excitement.