Resolve: Another Fresh Start

by Adam Kolosik

January and August are two great times of year. In August, we start a brand new school year with brand new students. Vision fresh on the mind, goals and expectations set high and we go. Then the winter hits, frustrations arise and we fall back into the same old routine. But here is January and we have another opportunity to set goals, resolutions and expectations for a fresh year.

January is a great time for new goals, but think long term and not just 2012. As Mark Batterson says here, “Don’t just dream big, think long.” He claims “we tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in 2 years, but we underestimate what we can accomplish in ten years.”  What are those goals you’ve always wanted to accomplish? Relationships you’ve wanted to mend? Dreams you’ve felt God promise? Aim long with these things and dream bigger than just the next 12 months.

Maybe it is time to start dreaming again, but don’t just dream as ‘someday’, dream and make some tangible goals and steps toward those dreams. Maybe you won’t finish them all this year, I know I didn’t accomplish all my goals from last year, or even the year before that, but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming and stepping forward again.

It may also be a good time to take those goals you’ve failed in the past, and reevaluate them for 2012. What is the new game plan that will help you accomplish them this time? I set a few monstrous goals in the past and failed, but I’m reevaluating them to do what I can to accomplish those same goals this time around. Failure is not bad, we can always learn from it. I’m hopeful, and you should be too. It’s a new start, what are you going to do with it?

Resolve

by Heath Adamson

The word “resolve” finds its original meaning in the Latin word for “solve” meaning “to unbind and pay.” This is where words such as “solvent” come from. The modern meaning of the word such as explaining a riddle, finding a solution to a problem, or making up one’s mind is fairly new.

With this as a backdrop, Daniel 1:8-9 takes on a slightly different thought as the word “resolve” meant much more than simply making up his mind. “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.”

Resolutions are rooted in something a little more complex and hidden. There is an inner tension existing when we know what we want to do yet we find ourselves living a different way. There is an unpaid debt within our soul or a lack of freedom fueling our desire to resolve. What do I mean?

We know the story of Daniel. Around 600 B.C. Babylon invades and holocaust ensues. Scripture is fairly vague but history tells the story. This was a very dark time for a country who claimed to serve the only Sovereign One. Daniel finds himself in a foreign land with no Temple, no Scripture, and eventually an edict espousing no prayer to Yahweh. He is learning a new language and will become an emissary for the Babylonian kingdom again in a few years. If anyone had a reason to experience inner turmoil, fear, doubt, and frustration it was Daniel. What is his response as he found himself submersed in a culture foreign to his upbringing and what he knew God purposed? Resolution. Resolution, not in the sense of simply making up his mind, but resolution in the sense of the deeper meaning of the word. There would be no debt he would owe to his culture. Though he was bound physically, Babylon could not bind his soul. His resolution was anchored in who his God was.

Daniel’s resolution was risky. His reputation was on the line. God’s reputation was on the line. He went against the grain. Was he rebellious? No. He took a stand in his culture with a humble heart. We see this in verse 9. After Daniel resolved in his heart, he asked permission from the chief of the eunuchs. Daniel’s resolution was still subject to authority. God saw this and granted favor and compassion. Did God grant favor and compassion simply because of what Daniel resolved? No, God granted favor and compassion because of how Daniel resolved in his heart.

In leadership, our resolutions carry weight. They have the potential to unbind those we serve and relinquish the debt created by this world’s system. Our resolutions are part of a greater plan, however, and we must always remember to align them with the authority and leadership God has placed us under. Producing results from resolutions as a leader is admirable. Creating culture by how we administer those resolutions is even more.

Not Yet

by Adam Kolosik

God has called you to be exactly where you are. There is no accident that you are leading the students that are in your ministry. God has also placed a dream and a vision on your heart. A unique dream and vision that no other leader is prepared to take on. Much like the dream that God gave Joseph in Genesis 37. A dream that none of Joseph’s brothers could have taken on, a dream that only Joseph would be able to take and run with.

Now we know the outcome of Joseph’s story, and how God used Joseph’s unique circumstances to bring about this dream. God may have given you a vision to be the biggest and greatest student ministry in the city, state or even country. But don’t be discouraged when it doesn’t happen next Wednesday night. Imagine how discouraged Joseph was when he was sold into slavery, thrown into prison, accused of adultery or forgotten by the other prisoners. But the dream and vision never left. His circumstances seem to be life and death, yet we can often get discouraged when our students make mistakes or the attendance drops.

God had a bigger plan in store for Joseph than just leading his brothers. Maybe God has bigger plans for you than you know, or different than you expect. Just because they don’t happen right away doesn’t mean that God isn’t in it anymore. God has called you to that place, be obedient to that call and stick with it. Youth pastors are stereotypically known for moving frequently from church to church. Maybe God is saying not yet, because he has big plans in store for you if you’ll just wait and be patient like Joseph waited for the promise God had for him.

The Not Yet is Worth It

by Heath Adamson

Matthew 2:9 declares, “And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.”

Bible scholars tell us that the wise men, or Magi, were more than likely zoroastrian priests who were looking to the stars for divine guidance at the time of Christ’s earthly arrival. The Sovereign One drew the attention of those who were seeking to worship someone they didn’t personally know. I have read many accounts estimating a two year journey of the wise men before they finally lay eyes on the Christ child. Imagine with me for a moment: a long journey, filled with anticipation in lieu of meeting the One who makes life worth living, following the star as it rests upon an unsightly place, and peering in to see not a king on a throne but a King with His mother.

Scripture tells us further that the wise men demonstrated what their name implies. In wisdom, they laid their gifts at the feet of the Master and worshipped. Sometimes the paths we take in life lead us down roads we never expected to traverse. In moments when our destination is less than expected, like the wise men, we must remain sensitive enough to His reality to see His Majesty in the midst of what we don’t understand. Someone once said that “Advent whispers in the dark: the not yet is worth it.”

We are a people who embrace God’s promises. We tread lightly when our emotions and circumstances declare something apparently contrary to His Word. I am thankful for a King who is found in the most unlikely places by the most unlikely people. Wherever His star settles in your life, even if you don’t fully understand the journey or the destination, remember that it is worth it. When He is there, and we are not yet there, the journey is always worth it.

Process: Simple Discipleship

by Adam Kolosik

In youth ministry the discipleship process often gets complicated. We get a student in the door, tell an emotional story for them to raise their hand and accept Jesus into their heart, get them to read the book of John, introduce them to a new believers class, tell them they need to serve, get them to raise money for Speed the Light, and tell them to bring friends. Next we expect them to obey every rule and commandment in the Bible. Now we have a fully devoted follower of Jesus.  Or we’ve created a super busy student that does exactly what we tell them to do instead of thinking on their own.

We, meaning pastors, leaders and other students workers, add so much work to this process that we completely take the student out of their environment, a world they are called to reach. Along the way, we have also taken some of their identity by telling them how they need to live this out instead of helping them be empowered to find the answers on their own. This creates a false maturity of self and of Christian faith, one that is unlikely to remain once their youth group support system is taken out of the equation at graduation.

Maybe we need to cut out some of the programming and simplify the process. I think the process Jesus used for discipleship was must simpler than what is our normal; we can simplify his process into three steps: Follow. Believe. Obey.

Follow:

Jesus first told his disciples to follow him. In fact, his first interaction with them was a question, asking them to just be around him. One way we can do this in youth ministry is by getting students in the door and building relationship with them. By us living out a life following Jesus, we let them see the example instead of simply telling them how to do it.

Believe:

At some point in the process the disciples began to believe Jesus was who he claimed to be. It was at different points for each disciple, and similarly it will look different for each student we lead. In Matthew 16, Peter shares that he believes Jesus but Thomas still didn’t believe until he saw the holes in Jesus’ hands. Belief in Christ is not always about raising a hand or praying a prayer. Belief in Christ is a process created and sustained through relationship and the stewarding of God-ordained moments, both necessary in order for students to grasp the love he has for them. It is also important to note that each student is different, and the biggest moments for each of them will come at different times.

Obey:

After the disciples followed Christ for some time and started to actually believe what he taught them, they started to live out the life he was calling them to live: the life of sacrifice to the greater calling of Jesus. This is where our students start to actually live out what they’re learning through relationship, worship, and teaching, and when they start to act like disciples of Christ. At this point in the process the students want to give to Speed the Light, they want to serve in their church, communities and abroad, and they are hungry and yearn to learn more about their Savior through reading the Bible.

If we can break the discipleship process into these easy three categories, it can help leaders meet our students exactly where they are. Instead of throwing in a bunch of programming, let’s bring it back to the basics of being relational and intentional — a simple yet so effective process that was first created by Jesus himself.

 

Think. Dream. Invest.

On Saturday, November 12th, we will take an offering and make a commitment to our missionaries around the world. Here are a few of the projects we are currently working on:

Stuart German (Asia Pacific)           Video Projector             $825.00

Andy Reed (United Kingdom)         Next Term Vehicle       $35,000.00

Colfax Teen Challenge (Iowa)          Vehicle Grant                $25,000.00

OneHope (South Africa)                   BOH Package                $49,036.00

Richard Lang (Russia)                       Next Term Vehicle       $35,000.00

Richard Lang (Russia)                       Media Equipment        $20,000.00

Chris Mann (Jewish Ministries)      Stateside Vehicle          $20,000.00

              Total:                        $184,861.00

How will you be relentless?

Processing the Shift

by Chris Bobblett

As I look at the lives of great men and woman of faith, survey the struggles and success of the early church and ponder my own pilgrimage, two things remain constant: change and God’s love. Things in the kingdom are always moving and we must move with the King of the kingdom, which is not always as easy as it seemss.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (ASV), “For the weapons of our warfare (GK-‘stratia’, war, strategy) are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds”

The weapons we use for kingdom warfare are not carnal (not human reasoning). Too often we fail because we posses mighty weapons, but we do not possess the right strategies for that time or season. We have often failed to advance and, in many cases, give up ground because we’ve lost the element of surprise. Instead of going through the transition required and pressing in to hear a proceeding word, we have resolved to go back to the previous patterns or “borrow” someone else’s idea. We continue to do what God said, but we miss what He is saying.

Too often we become perfectionists in antiquated methods of warfare. History illustrates this: because someone said it was noble to dress up in blue and red coats and stand across the field from each other and shoot at one another, that is how armies fought for  many years. However when they tried to use that method on armies with different methods, they got a surprise. Warriors would hide in creeks and trees. They utilized the element of surprise and they had it because they were authentic, they were not just trying to mimic someone else’s method, pattern or concept. The element of surprise is connected to being authentic!

Please understand me, it is not that we have been doing things wrongly, but that we have been perfectionists in using antiquated methods for too long. The problem with patterns is that eventually they become ineffective. You can repeat the same processes without the presence and lose authenticity. Authenticity comes from revelation, which produces the element of surprise. Our desire to be relevant causes us to reproduce what’s already been done or what others are doing. We desire to be relevant while the kingdom is calling for authenticity. Although He changes not, we are always changing.

On a personal level this transition (which is still ongoing) is challenging, confronting and life changing because I’m learning to be me and not the mirror image or mimic of someone else. For ministry to be authentic, we need to be ourselves and what a wonderful place of rest and peace it is! Change is inevitable. We are always in a process of transition. Learning to be yourself is a simplistic, but vital key.

Demonstrating the Gospel

There is one thing more powerful than preaching the spoken Gospel to those in our community who need Christ: it is preaching the spoken and demonstrated Gospel. Throughout the New Testament, people testified of what they both saw and heard. The shepherds glorified God for what they saw and heard surrounding Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:20), messengers sent to see if Jesus was the Messiah reported to John about what they saw and heard Jesus do (Luke 7:22) and Peter and John couldn’t stop talking about what they had seen and heard Jesus do (Acts 2:20).

Next weekend, we will have an opportunity to demonstrate the gospel to our community. This is what Christian life is about: taking every opportunity we have to communicate the Gospel in both what we do and say.

 

Process

by Heath Adamson

Genesis 8:22 reads “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease.”

After a cataclysmic event (Noah’s flood) the Lord sovereignly instituted a process that we can all count on. We never have to wonder what next winter holds: He has predetermined it. Noah was given fair advance from the Lord regarding the flood. He had plenty of time to warn those around him and design/build the ark. Imagine, however, the feeling of uncertainty when you are surrounded by water for week after week? God established security and serenity with Noah simply by establishing a process. When God speaks, nothing can affect the outcome.

God used the concept of process to enable Noah to move forward with God’s plan. A system put in place enables us to launch into the world of the unknown when there are certain things we can count on regardless.

This generation of leadership pioneers change. Leaders trumpet evolution. A temptation is to become addicted to change. In the book Good To Great Jim Collins identifies an underlying characteristic in the organizations that were good but never reached greatness. They were “addicted to change.” Someone once said that tradition is the living faith of the dead while traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. Some things need to be challenged, critiqued, set aside or created. At times, however, the weak link is not the employee or the motivational cause. Sometimes the system is flawed. When this is the case, evaluating and improving is more beneficial than starting from scratch.

As you evaluate your current context, be ready to assess what systems need to remain regardless of your season. These systems can anchor you in growth when you need staff or volunteers. There is something to be said for consistent growth over the long haul as opposed to sporadic growth only to fade away. The right systems with the right people will produce the right results.

Before making another change, allow God to lead you in assessing if the problem is really that person or that principle. Maybe, just maybe, your system just needs to be established and remain long enough to produce fruit along the way. Sometimes change is the answer. Other times, however, remaining is.

RedCulture Awesomeness

Ever wished you could let everyone know about your love for all things RedCulture? Well, here’s your chance.

We have two awesome new shirts available for you to purchase at Fall Conference!

Declare to everyone that you’re wearing your Red Culture shirt with this incredibly soft gray t-shirt that reads “This is my Red Culture Shirt.” It will be just $15.

Show your adventurous side with this silky-soft red t-shirt that asks “What if we decided to leave your maps at home and only carry a compass?” for just $18.

Both are printed on pre-shrunk cotton/poly blend t-shirts that makes them so soft, you’ll never want to wear anything else.

We’ll also have glow necklaces for $2 and Red Culture wristbands for $3. Red Hairspray is back! $1 per strip with all money going to Speed the Light.

It’s the perfect time of year to get out and rake a few lawns in your neighborhood to make some extra cash to make sure you can let everyone know of your love for RedCulture!