Last week I was in Seattle with family visiting my wife's brother Travis.  We spent one day in Mt. Rainier National Park, surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen.

We must've stopped a dozen times to take pictures, and we hiked down several short trails.  About halfway up the mountain we hiked down a trail overlooking a beautiful waterfall.  We got there at just the right time so that the sun was hitting the waterfall and causing a rainbow to appear in front of it.  Again, B-E-A-UTIFUL!

As stunning as the view from the overlook was, Travis and I decided that we wanted to BE down there, at the base of the waterfall, so we proceeded to take a (for me) crazy hike down the ravine and across the river, moving from boulder to boulder to get across it.

I don't usually do stuff like this, and it was a challenge, especially the river crossing.  But what a thrill!  And I can promise you, when we finally reached the base of the waterfall, it was AMAZING, and so worth the effort it took to get there.

It made me think - when was the last time I've really challenged myself?  Not just physically, but when it comes to life in general, and even in youth ministry.  So often we avoid challenges because of fear, but if we never face the challenge we'll never reap the rewards.  We could have stayed at the overlook, but we would never have reached the base of the waterfall, and enjoyed the view and the feeling of success.

What are some challenges you're facing in YM that, for whatever reason, you're avoiding?  What would happen if you met them head on and saw what God wanted to do in and through you as you overcame them?

The view just might be worth it.

Our next talk series on Wednesday nights is coming up in a couple weeks.  Here's the rundown!

TITLE: He Did WHAT!?

SUMMARY: A walk through the book of Mark looking at some of the amazing things that Jesus did with a focus on what He has power over and how that applies to our lives.

WEEK 1 - He Healed the Sick
Mark 1:40-42.  Jesus has power over our weaknesses.

WEEK 2 - He Calmed a Storm
Mark 4:35-41.  Jesus has power over our circumstances.

WEEK 3 - He Fed 5,000
Mark 6:30-44.  Jesus has power over our needs.

WEEK 4 - He Died on the Cross
Mark 15:21-32.  Jesus has power over sin.

WEEK 5 - He Rose from the Grave
Mark 16:1-8.  Jesus has power over death.

By the way - it's been brought to my attention that my friends at Simply Youth Ministry offer a series called "He Did What?" that is similar to this.  I didn't copy theirs, or try to steal it in any way, it's just a huge coincidence!  Also, I'm sure theirs is much better than mine, so click right here to check out their series (and other great resources).

You can listen to the message from our final night of "Now is the Time" by clicking right here!

In the Fall we like to do a "friend night" - one night where I challenge students to bring as many friends as possible.  I usually schedule it on the same night as we're kicking off a new series, and have some sort of incentive tied to the challenge as well.

This year our friend night is a facial hair fiasco!  I've been growing my beard out for a while now (my wife loves it!), and the number of students that show up on friend night determines what facial hair style I'll shave LIVE that night!  Here's the breakdown:

30 = Muttonchops.
40 = Chin Strap
50 = Fu Manchu
60 = Students get to choose/design style.
70+ = Students get to choose/design style PLUS mohawk!

So there's the furry gauntlet I've thrown down!  We'll see if our youth take up the challenge.  I'm hoping that it's a great night not just for the fun of it, but for the kick-off of our next series (post on that coming soon) and for our midweek to gain some much-needed momentum.

AS A BONUS to you, super-awesome visitor to this blog, here's a short Powerpoint game I came up with to intro the friend night theme.  Click here to download "Name that Facial Hair!"

This week we're missing our Wednesday night IMPACT youth service due to a church-wide revival happening.  There are several times a year where we miss our regularly scheduled youth service, and sometimes it's okay, but sometimes I feel like we really lose momentum and our "connected-ness" with students.

So, this time around I wanted to try connecting with students with an "online service".  Myself and some of our students created this 13 minute video that we posted on Youtube and Facebook earlier today.  We'll see what the reaction is, but I feel pretty good about it.

What about you?  Do you often have to cancel youth services?  Does it cost you momentum/connection?  What do you do to fight that?

Last week we did a powerful activity to end a message from our "Now is the Time" series called "Now is the Time to Be Real".  We were talking about being open and honest with each other, and the importance of sharing our struggles and secrets and sin with a safe, caring community.  Call it confession if you will.

I had given each student a blank card and a pen, and I told them to take some time to pray and think about a secret, a struggle, a habit, an addiction, a sin, SOMETHING that they were holding on to that was hurting their relationship with God.  I told them to write it as non-specifically as possible on the paper (as to not give themselves away) and then to bring it to the front of the room and put it in a bucket.  I told them I would read them aloud and then throw them away, and that I wanted them to know - just for a second - what it would feel like to have whatever they had written out there, spoken aloud, shared with the group, in hopes that they would understand how opening up about these things could lead to freedom from them.

I did encourage students that if they weren't ready for this step, or uncomfortable in any way, to simply put a blank card in the bucket.

I was staggered by the response.  I only had a few blank cards, and the ones I read aloud were dripping with pain.  "I don't have anyone I can trust."  "I struggle with lust and pornography."  "I hate the way I look."  It was powerful.

I finished by challenging the youth to find someone(s) they could share these things with and go deeper.

It was an amazing exercise, and one you could use with your group as well!

You can listen to the second message from our "Now is the Time" series by clicking right here.  Enjoy!

We had a Killball tournament late at night during our lock-in.  It was a blast!  This video promo'ed it early in the night.  Enjoy!

Fun little video I did with some students for our lock-in.  Have YOU ever heard of an Arnold Pony???

I'm a little late on putting this up, but we have a new series going on called "Now is the Time" at our IMPACT youth services.  I'm loving this one!  Here's the rundown:

Series Title:  NOW IS THE TIME
Text:  Colossians 3:8-11
Overview:  A five-week look at Col. 3:8-11, and a call to start living out what it really means to be a Christian!

Now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. - Colossians 3:8-11, NLT

NOW IS THE TIME TO…

…BE DIFFERENT
Stop looking like everyone else.
...get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

…GET REAL
Get real with each other, start building real community.
Don’t lie to each other…

…PUT ON THE NEW
Forget the old, embrace the new.
…for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.  Put on your new nature…

…KNOW AND GROW
Know God, become like Him.
…and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

…TEAR DOWN THE WALLS!
Stop focusing on what separates us and focus on what unites us – Christ!
In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Stay tuned for downloads of these messages as we go through the series.  (The first one is below!)