Iddo's World

It takes the village to reach the community of teenagers . . .

2010-04-22T10:56:00.012-04:00

"What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" James 2:14 "It takes a village to raise a child" is a quote from former First Lady and current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. I never thought I would use a quote from her and be in agreement with her, but I am. On Wednesday nights at The Garage we have been in a series of studies from the book of James that really kind of started in my mind and heart about 3 months ago as I thought about the greatest need that our students had. It wasn't self assurance. It was a thrashing over the head for immorality. It wasn't a better understanding of the Trinity. . . Simply put, I felt that they needed to understand that the faith that they have is to be a muscle that they build up. It is something that is supposed to be functional. Not a dead, vestigial organ that could be cut out of their life and nobody know the difference. James asks the question, and I definitely agree with it. Is a faith that we "have" that compels us to do absolutely nothing for Jesus a true authentic saving faith. I absolutely do not think that it can be. But, that is not my real reason for writing this blog today.

My REAL reason for writing this is the desire that I have to see student ministries grasp the idea that we, greater than any other ministry, need to work together to reach our communities. We need to practice our faith as YOUTH MINISTERS. We need to understand that when we give effort to working cooperatively with other ministries God will allow us to grow as individual ministries and as the collective church.

I have a great friend, Will McReynolds, with whom I served the town of Savannah, TN for close to three years. I enjoyed working with him. Greg, Clint, Stephen, and others were in that area. We all had kids at the same high and middle schools. The principal called us when there was a tragic attempted suicide one day at the school. Why did he feel he could do that?

I believe that it was the networked and cooperative effort that we displayed to minister to the same kids that he, as the principal wanted to help reach their full potential. It was different goals: academic goals compared to our goals of seeing teenagers saved, but in reality we all wanted the same thing. Teenagers that did their very best at WHATEVER they did.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33.

Here is what is on my heart: Golden Strip Youth Ministries. GSYM.

A non-profit, consolidated effort that pooled the resources of people, money, and planning for certain specific efforts to reach our community of teenagers at Mauldin, Hillcrest, JL Mann, and Woodmont High schools with all of their underlying middle schools, as well.

Here is what I think needs to happen. Get involved with each other on events. That needs to be defined. NOT 'come and bring your kids to my event' , but rather 'lets plan these events together, pool resources of people, money, and planning for this certain effort to reach our community of teenagers.

Area-wide Disciple Now weekends. Area-wide mission projects to serve the Golden Strip area. Recruiting older teenagers in our ministries to mentor and disciple at risk kids in our elementary and middle schools. The possibilities are endless . . .

Why did I become involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes? Because they provided me with clout and ability to reach athletes in my own backyard at Hillcrest High school that is HARD to do otherwise in today's PC world of public education. The Athletic administration and coaching staff already had a report with FCA, and that made it easier for me to blend in to what was happening on the field.

The added result that I really had not counted on was the additional opportunity to reach the coaches and minister to their needs.

A village effort. It sometimes takes the village idiot to call the people to a common cause. Nehemiah had the need to raise up people to do the work of the house of God. I think that we have many more Iddo's than we realize, and I challenge us to do something with what God has given us in the resources of people, money, and planning for certain specific efforts to reach our community of teenagers.

If we don't Satan will . . .

A Thank You Returned

2010-03-25T07:36:00.002-04:00

Last night we took our students to the four area fire stations in the city of Simpsonville. Why did we do that? We didn't do it just to climb around on the fire trucks, although many in my group couldn't help themselves!

The reason that we went was to say "Thank You!" Don't you like to hear those words directed at you? The bible tells us that we should alert and have an attitude of thanksgiving.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

In trying to create fully developed followers of Christ, teaching a student to be thankful is a must.

We took to the fire houses a Fireman's Bible for the station, an ice cream cake, and a personalized copy of the Fireman's Prayer. We also gave them invitations to our Easter production "Crucified Lamb; Risen Lord" and our Independence Day Celebration that will feature tributes this year to Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical personnel on the morning of July 4th.

At our station, #4, I met a believer who was obviously touched. At station #1 the Captain took time immediately to send this note to our Pastor, Dr. Brad Whitt:

Dear Pastor Whitt,

I am writing this letter on behalf of the "B shift"crew at the Simpsonville Fire Department. This evening we (all four of our stations) were visited by a family (from Mike: Dell & Joel make a cute couple ;-) ) in your congragation on behalf of your church to extend prayers and thank you's from you and your church family. Let me start by saying we thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts for being so thoughtful and appreciative of our service to the City of Simpsonville. We strive to do our very best for the community and for the citizens in our call area. It was a very nice reward for all of us to know that we are being thought of and prayed for by the community, and the citizens we serve. We truly appreciate the gratitude, the prayers your church offers, and of course, we ALL enjoyed the ice cream cake VERY much!!! Again, Thank you so very much.

Sincerely,

B Shift, Simpsonville Fire Department

Well done students! THANK YOU FOR SERVING LAST NIGHT!

Now, put into practice Colossians 4:2! Pray for these community servants, and continue in an attitude of thankfulness!

Thankfully In Christ,

MA

My Toast-To Save A Life Series

2010-02-26T12:45:00.002-05:00

Over the course of the last 5 weeks we have been in a series of studies entitled, "To Save A Life." Shortly, it has been amazing. Not because of me or my eloquence, but because God has shown up and spoken to students and adults alike. I like it very much when that happens.

Iddo prepared workers for the house of God. That is what To Save A Life has been about. Students becoming the hands and feet of THE Living God.

It is amazing to ride the ebbs and flows of a Student Ministry. Teens will ride high for a while and then ebb lower than they have been in a long time. Frustrating? Not really, it is part of the cycle. The end goal is for them to ascend in their lives to look like Jesus. This verse details the process.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30

We want them to be prepared and equipped to love the unlovely. Bear the burdens of the broken. Care for those that care little for going on in their life because they see no hope. That is our mission field. We are starting to see some of that happen in our kids. . .and adults.

In week 2 of our series week did an interactive segment that really laid bare some of the things that WE deal with each day. It is easier to deal with the hypothetical; but I was amazed how eager they dealt with the REAL! The adventure was called "Cross the River". I would call out different things, and if they applied to you, then you crossed the 'river'. Some of the issues were;

You are often stressed out
Your parents are divorced
You have felt alone at school
You have felt alone at church
You or someone close to you has contemplated or attempted suicide or other self harm
Guys: You have been pushed to be tougher to ignore physical/emotional pain
Girls: You have been treated different in the wrong way just because you are a girl

Everyone crossed at some point.

Point: Whatever it is….YOU are NOT alone . . . .

The point to learn: we ALL have stuff that we need loving on for. Therefore, all of us need to learn to be a "Jake" and find our "Jonny" to reach.

Jake is the cool kid in the movie "To Save A Life" that has an awakening to the fact that he can and needs to help those around him that are hopeless. Jonny is snatched from death because Jake listened. We hope the 'charismatic kids with potential' "GET IT" when we teach.

Yesterday, I'm in my office with a guy I am discipling and one of my students pops his head in the door. He's not the charismatic popular kid, but he has a heart for God that is GROWING and I love that! He is a kid that has struggled and "crossed the river" many times that night.

He came to tell me about a kid that he is friends with at school. He invited his friend to the "FEAST" that we are having to honor our student's friends next Wednesday night. The friend is an atheist, but my student invited him anyway. He said YES! My student was pumped and so was I! He gets it. Who needs the charismatic kid! I have the coolest kid already!

I love the unexpected! Most of the time . . . But, here is my dilemma.

I am trying to get myself to the point where the things that God does around me in our students are NOT UNEXPECTED!

He has given us students to raise up as IDDO’s to DO THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF GOD! So, expect that to happen . . .

Zach, thank you for making my day and I TOAST YOU!

Hey, TSM peeps . . . invite your friends to the feast!

Wednesday, March 3rd at 6:15 PM at TSM’s Garage.

FREE Meal served of Chicken Tenders, Mac n cheese and other fixn’s with dessert!

Pass along the FACEBOOK Event page so they can reserve their spot!

To Save A Life

2009-12-08T14:04:00.007-05:00

Dear Friend of Teenagers,

One of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers is suicide. The Centers for Disease control report that suicide is the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicide, of people aged 15 to 24. Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14.

Teen suicide is a very real issue today in the United States. It is important to recognize the fact that the suicide rate amongst teenagers is on the rise. In order to prevent teen suicide, it is vital to recognize what leads to it, and then treat the causes.

One of the ways to make a difference is to decide that we, as individuals, want to make a difference. Decide that we want TO SAVE A LIFE!

On January 22, 2010 one of the most impactful movies to ever be released hits the big screen, and we need your help to make the big splash in our community.

The movie To Save A Life is an independently produced movie about the real life challenges of teens and their choices, written by seasoned youth worker Jim Britts and inspired by a passion to reach teenagers with life-affirming entertainment.

Knowing that many share that same passion we want to invite you to a private screening at Temple Baptist Church in Simpsonville, SC. At the screening you will see the full length movie, have a brief discussion after the movie, and receive information about how you can help get the word out.

I have signed up to be part of the Tower Crew for the movie. Basically, that is a point person for the movie distributor to generate interest for the movie. I am doing it because I have already viewed the movie with my family, and I believe this movie to potentially be a movie that can actually save lives. More than Fireproof or Facing the Giants . . .let that sink in.

Lifeguards are focused on one thing only…saving lives! Their lifeguard towers lift them up to see above the crowd and allow them to spot danger. Lifeguards keep an eye out for others, and when they see signs of someone in need, they GO INTO ACTION. So do Tower Crews, the street teams for To Save A Life. Will you at least entertain the possibility that you too need to be on the Crew?

We have a vision to be able to partner with local high schools to make available AT LEAST 1000 tickets for teenagers to have FOR FREE! Nobody refuses FREE MOVIE TICKETS! To do that, we need sponsors. So, pass this along to your volunteer team, faculty, AND business men and women that may be potential sponsors for these tickets.

Come see the movie. Join the discussion. Then, join the Crew. The Details follow . . .

When: December 14, 2009 @ 7 PM

Where: Temple Baptist Church, 213 W. Curtis St., Simpsonville, SC 29681

What: Movie, pop corn, and sodas! Discussion to follow the movie

Who: Principals, high school teachers, Student Pastors & Pastors with their spouses, volunteers from your volunteer team, & potential sponsors for movie tickets.

WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE TEENS OTHER THAN 2 students who are leaders in your classes OR ministry.

PLEASE RSVP BY DECEMBER 14 @ 12 NOON

For more information about the movie, resources to promote the movie, or this screening event please view the following web sites.

Screening event on FACEBOOK. If you are on FACEBOOK you should be able to RSVP on this site.

If not, you can just respond by email to mavants@templebaptistonline.org.

Movie FACEBOOK GROUP

Movie SITE

Movie Leader SITE

The following is a link to the movie trailer. MOVIE TRAILER

The following is a link to the movie promotion for youth pastors or pastors. Youth Pastor Promo

FAME Sermon Series

2009-10-05T08:36:00.004-04:00

On October 7, 2009 I will begin a new 6 week sermon series entitled "FAME". It is based on the book of Joshua, and is inspired by the verse Joshua 6:27, "So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land."

Here is a promo for the series:

We will be taking a look at the book of Joshua, not in it's entirety, but sections that will help us determine the qualities, actions, and desires of a person who God makes FAMEous . . .

FAME is not to be desired for FAME's sake, but seeking to please the LORD is to be desired. When we walk obediently God will allow us to be heard because we will proclaim HIS FAME!

Join us on Wednesday nights at 6:15 PM at Temple Baptist Church's Garage for great worship and messages about FAME for HIS NAME!

213 W. Curtis St, Simpsonville, SC 29681
www.templebaptistonline.org
864.963.5834

A Heart for the Nations . . .begins here!

2009-08-08T01:43:00.001-04:00

This week our student ministry at Temple took on the Acts 1:8 Challenge. We had more grandiose plans for a New York trip this same week, but many things contributed to its demise. That turned out to be just what we needed!

This week our students experienced missions in our Jerusalem. And they did it well.

We served the homeless Monday night by feeding them and sharing the gospel. That was a great start to an amazing week.

Tuesday and Wednesday nights we went door to door with practical gifts of batteries and light bulbs for homeowners so that we might have the opportunity to share Christ with them at the end of a spiritual survey.

We canvassed about 300 + homes. Thursday night we took bottled waters to Heritage Park to give away to families at the park. All of those experiences gave our students practical opportunities to share Christ. We had many students who surveyed people about their spiritual lives and shared the Gospel when appropriate.

Through the surveys and intentionally engaging people for the sake of the Gospel they also had their eyes opened without having to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to go around the world (but we hope we get to do that soon too!)

One night during our post service worship times students shared their experiences going door to door. Many of them were amazed at how many people in little 'ol Simpsonville, SC either don't care about their relationship to Christ, or are unaware of what it takes to know Christ through grace and faith. Our students we amazed at how many people are depending on their works to get them to heaven.

What was I surprised about? Well, I guess it would have to be the

people who stood out. I won't call but one name. Mitch Lane was the man this week. This rising 8th grade boy went CRAZY this week sharing Jesus with people at their homes. He prayed with 3 people this week to follow Christ as their Lord! Look at him!

Nothing ceases to amaze me! He is a great boy and I LOVE HIM because he GOT IT this week. Develop a heart for God AND men! He was not going to let someone slide by with a questionable testimony . . .so he shared with them the gospel, asked them if it made sense and if they wanted that for themselves, then he led them to pray to Jesus! SIMPLE AS THAT! He will be a soul winner!

Others had a great week also. Got a text message from one of our rising 8th grade girls excited because she and her Mom had invited people at Walgreen's to the car wash that we were doing for the community so that we could share Christ again. That kind of stuff makes my Student Pastor's heart jump with joy!

So, what now?

First, understand that Christ commanded us to share '"as are going . . .(Matthew 28:19)" not just during a prescribed week of missions.

Second, begin to pray like Jesus prayed in John 17:20, “"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;” Jesus said I will pray now for those who will become followers later after my disciples share the gospel!

Third, as you work on being a witness begin to let your eyes wander. What is God doing on the horizon of the Kingdom of God th

at He may would allow you to become a part of? Maybe you have questions about mission work, even as a middle school or high school student. If you do you need to visit The Task web site for some answers and questions you have not thought of.

God is at work. I am ~~glad~~ ecstatic to be around while it happens, and I look forward to seeing students develop a heart for the nations . . .it will start here!

Thank you Lord for hearing my prayer and beginning to give some of our students a heart for the nations!

Technorati Tags: acts 1:8,temple baptist church,temple students,missions,heart for the nations

Seeing them off . . .

2009-07-21T00:20:00.007-04:00

Every year, one of the best, and saddest times of year is the Graduate Recognition service! I LOVE seeing students become what they were made to be; matured college students . . . BUT, I always hate to see them leave our ministry! Now that I am over College & Career ministry, as well, I get to soften the blow of losing them for a while!

Enjoy our tribute to the Class of 2009!

One of my students

2009-04-07T11:50:00.002-04:00

Students will surprise you all the time. Sometimes they do things that you don't know they can do. I am hoping I have found a video kid that can do some of videos for us. If so, I will train up the child in the way that he should (his natural bent), and he shall not depart from it. . .I hope!

This is a funny guy! Presenting Aaron Montgomery . . .

Baptist Press - Reflecting his passion for spiritual growth, Pastor reads 68 books about faith in a year - News with a Christian Perspective

2008-06-27T11:06:00.001-04:00

WOW! Pay particular attention to the comments from the pastor about the book by Rainer, "Bridger Generation."

Baptist Press - Reflecting his passion for spiritual growth, Pastor reads 68 books about faith in a year - News with a Christian Perspective

How do we think differently, outside-the-box, and understand how to prepare a new generation for the work of the kingdom? It is found books new AND old.

New is not best and old is not worst. God has blessed us with great Christian authors throughout time to stretch every generation.

Well, I gotta go read! See ya later!

Goodbye Generation

2008-06-03T23:41:00.003-04:00

Here is a link to a book that is due out in August '08. You can go here to join the Facebook Group.

Goodbye Generation

Discipling with Words . . .

2008-03-04T15:16:00.003-05:00

Although I definitely do not prescribe to the thoughts that modern or postmodern psychological arguments or theories are the penultimate authority, I do believe that there are some good premises in those fields. These fields of study are just as any other human endeavor, they are subject to being tainted by the fallen human nature. So with that said, let's take a look at what one of its members said.

Lev Vygotsky

Lev was a psychologist, was born in 1896 in Orsha, in the Russian Empire (today in Belarus). Vygotsky was tutored privately by Solomon Ashpiz and graduated from Moscow State University in 1917. Later, he attended the Institute of Psychology in Moscow (1924–34), where he worked extensively on ideas about cognitive development, particularly the relationship between language and thinking. His writings emphasized the roles of historical, cultural, and social factors in cognition and argued that language was the most important symbolic tool provided by society. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Vygotsky said that we think in words. I can’t have thoughts that I don’t have the words to think those thoughts with. Many people that are bilingual probably think in the language that is native or more comfortable. I have neighbors that are Russian and Colombian, and every time I hear them speak to each other, they do it in their native tongue.

A tribe in the bush that did not have a word for tomorrow, never tried to save food or water or other necessities for tomorrow. They lived only for today. Ethnically/socially/culturally do we think differently and are unable to comprehend and positively affect the culture they are in.

Look at the vocabulary of today's teens.

Sic = cool, the best, apart from the rest.

WHATEVER = a Nihilist thought of this whole life that seems to be prevalent among teens.

Scripture says that there comes times when the groaning of our heart is the only thing that we have to offer up to God in prayer. The scripture says that the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf.

Also, in marriage, the sexual act may serve the purpose also to communicate to your partner the feelings and love that you have for them. Hopefully, that is not the only way for you. There are other ways to communicate love to your helpmate.

What about as it relates to discipling students?

Speaking the Language of the Faith

We need to get our students to understand the faith, right? How can I get them to not look at me on Wednesday nights like they are hearing new things all the time?

They need to understand the language.

Small groups are great for this. If this generation of students are going to be the revival generation it will be helpful, and I believe necessary, for them to understand the language of the faith.

Christian Smith, in his groundbreaking research study THE NATIONAL STUDY OF YOUTH AND RELIGION, exposed several conclusions about the factors that lead students to understand their faith and practice it in a regular manner. One of the most intriguing conclusions that I picked up on concerning the articulation in the language of the faith.

Smith's study can be read in detail in his book, Soul Searching, The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers.

What Are Articulate Christians?

When Dr. Smith conducted his interviews he asked teenagers what do they believe. Many times it seemed as if students never had been asked that before, or at the very least had never thought about their answer.

By contrast the teenagers could articulate what they thought or believed about AIDS, STD's, safe sex, drugs, and other socially pertinent subjects. So, the question that begs an answer is this: Can a faith that one cannot talk about be real to the person?

The answer is not cut and dry, however, the sincerity and depth of the faith almost always can be determined as not very significant.

How do we get Faith in their vocabulary?

Two other observations strike a cord with me.

First, we as Christian Educators should not shy away from teaching our teenagers about the deeper things of the scriptures. Schools demand that our teens learn the intricacies of calculus, writing essays in great detail, and how the anatomy of living creatures works, so why can't we expect them to understand the deeper things of scripture?

For one, I believe that the deeper things can't be taught if they are not understood by the educators wether they are a student pastor, volunteer worker, or parent. Another reason that we can't teach the deeper things of scripture is a fascination with the big stuff that does not lend itself to teaching in a more intimate setting that is conducive to teaching in a way that breeds DISCUSSION. . .We can teach overarching themes, such as Christology, in our weekly student gatherings, but where is that concept being taken deeper?

Second, we need to create groups that help get our students into discussion about the things of the faith. First off, parents should be doing this in the home with students. That is their God-given responsibility, and we should encourage that not to happen by marginalizing parents in student ministry. Make them evident parts of the ministry. In addition, we create these small groups for discussion, interaction, and depth of conversation with the added benefit of inserting another caring adult into the lives of a teenager.

Teenagers can be skewed to think nobody cares for them. If we equip parents to disciple their teens, we come along side families as student pastors, and we involve another caring adult into the life of a student to teach, train, and love on them I believe that we will eventually produce a teenager that can articulate their faith.

Conclusions

It is very important that we grow up teenagers that understand and can talk about their faith in a way that demonstrates that they understand and own their faith. We have to grow their vocabulary.
It takes parents, student pastors, and other caring adults to surround teenagers with the environment to learn. Multiple adults in the life of a teenager is necessary.
If a person can not verbalize their faith it can be surmised that 1. they have not been properly disciples and 2. their faith is not authentic to them.

Wether or not Iddo used small groups are not is irrelevant. The main thing is that he had a job to produce young men who could fulfill the purpose of the Lord in the Temple and he did it. That is our calling: Produce teenagers that are capable of fulfilling the calling of God on their life.

They must be able to articulate their faith to a fallen world.

The Intern

2008-02-29T13:22:00.000-05:00

Boomerang Theory of Ministry

Some things seem to come back to you. Take a boomerang for instance. They are designed to come back to you. You throw it and it comes back.

When we disciple someone we usually want just send them out. We shouldn't expect them back. Sometimes the boomerang theory happens with the students that we invest our lives in. . . sometimes.

Reo Hoots Jr.

Reo was a kid that came to our ministry as a young, but BIG boy. Playful is and was the way that Reo can be described. You didn't know if he would ever "get it".

I had a brief opportunity to spend time with Reo in a small group that met with two other guys, Justin and Johnny. Justin was the really good kid that loved the farm. Johnny was the good 'ol boy that seemed disadvantaged but had a really good upside.

Reo was the transplanted Yankee that was loud, didn't seem to fit the other two, and I wondered if he would stay around.

Well, he stayed. And, he got it. Early on he made the tough decisions. Gave up football to decide to play in the praise band. I thought he just liked that better really. Truth was he liked God's will better.

November 2007

I had a worship leader. Got a text message from him on a Monday saying he forgot to tell me he would not be able to be there this Wednesday. Not real happy with that one. On the next day, I was checking my Facebook account and received a message from Reo saying that he was going to be back in the area to finish his degree at North Greenville University, and that he wanted me to help him find an internship . . .

My mind and heart had already decided: If Reo will do it, I want him to be my Intern. I was tied to the other guy, and I was tied closely to Reo. And, I wanted to be even more closely.

I immediately sent him a message detailing my interest, but I would ave to talk to a few folks. That worked out, and Reo was on his way back late in December.

Now

Now, I am thankful. Thankful that I had an opportunity to mentor Reo way back when. I am thankful that Reo has stayed the course during his life as we were away from each other. And, I am thankful that he boomeranged back to me.

Iddo was called upon by Ezra to send him men who were ready and capable of doing the work of the temple. Iddo had no expectations of having any of them to come back to him.

Now, as I am serving at Temple, I have had one boomerang back to me. I am glad that has happened.

Nevertheless, I take the blessing with one understanding: I have to work to prepare Reo to be sent away again because ultimately Reo does not serve my purpose, but he serves HIS purpose . . .

35

2008-02-04T22:27:00.000-05:00

On February 1st I turned 35 years old. I have been in student ministry of some form since 1995. That is 12 years of loving on and learning how to love teens.

The times have changed. I am not as thin as I used to be and my hair is thinner than it used to be, but the passion is just as great...if not greater!

I have been at Temple Baptist Church since July 1, 2007. Just getting my feet under me good. God has been blessing our church greatly. Yesterday, as my Pastor gave an invitation I sat quietly on the front pew praying and waiting. . .

There was a young lady that had been quite frequently in the past month to our church with a girl that has been at TBC for quite a while. She has openly discussed that she is not saved, BUT she is tring to work through the issues in her head.

Our guest for the past month indicated by the raising of her hand that she wanted to be saved.

My heart lept! Her still seeking friend came with her to be counseled with, and she witnessed the path that the counselor took through the scriptures to affirm what had happened in the heart of our new sister in Christ.

We have in a sense been "discipling" our seeker girl . . . In all of that effort the Lord caught up another one to Himself that we really had not "planned for"....I am still amazed...and humbled that the Lord allowed us to be a part of it!

So, 35 this weekend wasn't so bad. Dinner out with friends Friday night. Dinner out with the deacons and staff Saturday night. Sitting at the banquet table of life with the Lord on Sunday!

If that is what student ministry has in store, I will take 35 more years of that, please!

Oops, I did it again...

2008-01-26T11:51:00.000-05:00

Brittany has been saying that a lot here lately. Losing her kids because, "Oops, I was stupid again!" Being caught by the paparazzi in compromising positions because, "Oops, I got drunk, again!"

There is a lot of negativity in the "oops" portion of megastars and the ordinary teenagers that we work with on a weekly basis. Nevertheless, there are also great discoveries in the repetitions that we take the kids under our watch through.

FADS

A fad is classified by something that comes along, everyone starts doing "it", and the next thing you know, it has passed on....sounds like a lot of ministry that I have witnessed in the 12 years that I have been pursuing my call....not just student ministry either.

Why do we get caught up in the next greatest things that always seem to never leave us satisfied or growing, but rather, they leave us looking for the the next big thing.

I believe that much of that practice comes from not having a basis for our ministry philosophy.

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

Philosophy of ministry is a concept that I learned from my mentor and best friend, Mike Landrum, the youth minister that I learned ministry under. He is a professor of youth ministry at North Greenville University now. The first thing that he deals with in his intro to youth ministry classes is the issue of philosophy. Why? Because it undergirds everything that you do.

The basis that I work from is that it is our calling is to see students saved, see the saved discipled, and the discipled to become disciple makers. We do that through relationship and by integrating ministry to the students families.

ONE-TO-ONE

Paul and Timothy. You and ___________. Who would you put in that blank? Timothy and Paul had a special relationship. Paul mentored Timothy. He gave him things to do. Sometimes those things were the same things that he had already done before. Does accomplishment automatically mean forward progress or moving past doing something over?

I remember the first small group that I led with 4 teenage guys. One guy in particular always semed to talk about struggling with the same thing, and it seemed to be the simplest of things. When he did it once, twice, or even 30 times, did we move on and forget that task?

We did not move on just because he did it....

REPETITION

Do overs in ministry are needed even when someone that we are discipling has done something good or even exceptionally well. Fads come and go for a reason, and I believe that reason is men and women don't master the basics of the faith.

We are starved for the next 10 ways to get closer to God or see his hand move in miraculous ways. Jesus spent 3 years with his guys. He ate with them, walked with them, went away from the to pray, minsitered to people, and taught them. He did that everyday. Everyday......

Jesus was repetitious. Was he an old stooge? Did the guys wonder what was up and want to move on? Yea. They wanted to know who was going to be greatest in heaven. He responded in Matthew 18:2-3,

"And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

The basics. Come to Him simply as a child. Children do things over and over before they get it right. Why do we want to get good at things. So that we can do them the rest of our lives.....

So, lets put down the fads and pull up a chair at the workbench beside that one that God has given us to menton and do it again. Maybe someone can find an extra chair for Brittany.

Iddo? What is that?

2008-01-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my new blog, Iddo's world.

Wondering what an Iddo is? So did I until about the fall of 2002.

God called me to ministry through the course of a year after I was born again on May 1, 1994. I started college at North Grenville Colege, University now (www.ngu.edu) to prepare in the spring of '96 after making public my calling in June '05.

During the time between being converted and June '05, God put men in my life that help shape my life as a Christian. Ken Owens, Associate Pastor, helpe me understand the disciplines of a believer's life. Tom Deer, Survival Kit discipleship class leader helped me understand how to share my testimony. Wayne Epps, a guy working on his call to minsitry, who gave me advice when I asked for it and affirmed when when I began talking about a "calling."

Oh yea, there was some guy at the Michelin Tire Plant where I worked who when I saw him the first time said, "Man, you ever thought that God was calling you to ministry?" Never saw that guy again.....

All of these were folks who helped me get to the point of being ready to say, "YES! I will answer your call!" Even the janitor dude at Michelin.

After college I went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX (www.swbts.edu). I got there in August '02. Through the course of that first semester I was reading through the book of Ezra.

Like many of you I was cruising right along with not much fanfare or spiritual pyrotechnics. God was speaking stuff to my heart through bible reading, but he was coupling that with stuff that I was trying to wrap my mind around in my classes, as well. The neat thing about seminary is the focus is always the ministry and how we can incorporate the things professors are teaching or we are thinking about into the ministry.

Some things that I was hearing in student ministry classes from Dr Richard Ross was about how God was using teenagers around the world to do the work of the church. Along that time I continued in Ezra. One day I read Ezra 8.

The next morning I got dressed, ate a little bit, and sat down with my bible. Yesterday was Ezra 8. Today, Ezra 9, right? I tried. I even got started reading chapter 9.......

The Spirit of God was prodding my heart, "Go back to chapter 8...."

So, I did......What I read changed my view of my calling to serve God as a Student Pastor forever....

15 Now I assembled them at the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days; and when I observed the people and the priests, I did not find any Levites there. Ezra 8:15....

No Levites? Wow....Why didn't I see that yesterday? My heart swelled with emotion.....

My God, there were not any Levites with Ezra to do the work of the temple.....what about today? How are we doing? Am I doing what I can to make sure others follow behind us? What will I need to do in the future? What do I need to do NOW?

Ezra did all that he knew to do...16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers. 17 I sent them to Iddo the leading man at the place Casiphia; and I told them what to say to Iddo {and} his brothers, the temple servants at the place Casiphia, {that is,} to bring ministers to us for the house of our God (8:16).

He called to the man that could repopulate the numbers of the Levites as Ezra rebuilt the temple of God.

How does that relate to my ministry as a student minister? A part of my calling is to help identify and train others that are called.

That morning as I read this passage again, I heard in my heart, "Mike, I want you to be an Iddo."

So, I have been working toward that for the last 5 years. I am trying to raise up student ministry workers who care about students being made into fully devoted disciples of Christ. I have challenged students to dig deeper than the 5 minute devotionals to where the Spirit takes their minds. I want to put students on mission in their Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and around the world.

Knowing the word. Doing the word. Seeing the word return fruitful.

Depth. Doing. Dynamic!

This generation of students are the ones that the Lord will use to reach the world.....

Bold words......I believe them.

One day in Ezra 8 turned into a whole week. I had lunch with Dr Ross to talk about what was going on in my heart and Spirit. I even shared kind of name for the ministry or effort. He encouraged me to take the building blocks of what God was speaking to me and build on that.

After seminary I went to Mount Hermon Baptist in Savannah, TN, and I met some other student ministers there, and I quickly discovered they too were seeing and hearing the same thing in the Kingdom of God. I will continue to sound that trumpet at my current place of service, Temple Baptist in Simpsonville, SC (www.templebaptistonline.org).

Over the last 5 years God has confirmed repeatedly to me that I should do everything that I can to get students on mission, in the word, and doing above average things in the Kingdom.

That is what Iddo's World will be about. I hope that you check back often. I will sometimes throw out thoughts, write about discoveries, and hopefully engage others that have the same heart and desire for the students that we work with.

I have said I-ddo? Do you?

Read Ezra 8.