Winter Retreat Recap. God Provides!

 

This had to be one of my favorite winter retreats ever. However, the week leading up the retreat was a bit nerve wrecking.  Last Tuesday I got a call from my buddy Andy Jack, who we were going to have speak for the retreat.  He let me know that he couldn’t speak because the children’s pastor at his church suddenly pasted away.  So all the rest of that day I was scrambling to find another good JH speaker.  I contacted JH gurus all over the country to see if it was possible.  Then I called a women named Deb from Bethel College who books youth speakers all the time.  She gave me the name of a guy named Craig Sanborn.  She let’s me know that Craig is a top notch speaker and lives 10 minutes from the camp we are going to!

Craig just happens to be free last weekend (Which is not very often the case) and agreed to do speak at the retreat.  I tell him that our theme is “Be Transformed” (a transformers theme) but he can speak on whatever he’s got as this is short notice.  He continues to tell me that he spoke at a JH retreat the week before and the theme was “Transformed”!  He had the discussion questions all ready and everything. God is good!

We had our retreat at Lake Beauty Bible Camp.  The highlights included 6-7 students coming to the Lord for the first time, the others making some kind of spiritual commitment, over half doing the polar plunge (including myself, brrr), and blacklight dodgeball was amazing! 

Thanks to all those people out there that were so willing to help me out for speaking in my time of need.

Picture of the Crashed Youth Van

Here is the picture of the van that rolled over this weekend from my former youth group.  This is a good reminder of making sure our students are wearing those seatbelts.

God Protects My Former Youth Group in Van Rollover

Read about it here.

Pics from Timberwolves Preachers and Sneakers Game

The 10 Commandments of Surviving Youth Ministry

Tim just finished his series on the 10 commandments of surviving youth ministry. It is good stuff. Check it out here.

TRANSFORMERS

This is the opening letter for the student newsletter at my new church.

18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2Cor 3:8

When I was a kid my brother and I used to play with Transformer toys. If you have seen the movie this summer you know what I am talking about. One of the best things about Transformers is it was like you got two toys in one, because that fact that it transformed from the car/boat/plane to a robot.

Transformers tag line was: more than meets the eye. God’s desire for us is that we become more than meets the eye as God’s Spirit works in our hearts. Our desire for you this coming year is that you continue to transform into becoming more like Jesus. We are all transformers, and as we transform we will reflect who God is to the world around us.

As you start this new school year, may you seek Jesus the one who will continue to transform you so that you will become more like Him.

I am so excited to journey with you in these coming years!

Together,

Pastor Joshua

Connection with Family Make Young People the Happiest

AP/MTV Poll: Family Ties key to youth happiness

For me this really is not all that surprising. For years I have been telling parents that they are the number 1 influencer in their child’s life. Every time I tell them that I get this general feeling that they don’t believe me.

This is just more confirmation of the great need to continue to partner with parents in youth ministry. I think one of the greatest things that a youth ministry can do is to help parents make significant spiritual connection with their kids. Lately, we have really been trying to give parents some resources to help them ask their students the right questions after major events.

Speaking of Family Ties here is something to enjoy: