1 Tim 1:6 - Fan the Flame

2010-09-24T09:58:00.002-04:00

Hey guys,

We are closing out another week, an honestly this week has been pretty awesome. This past week we had more students in small groups than any other Wednesday night meeting in the history of our church. That is an awesome thing. I feel so humbled and honored to get the opportunity to be used by God to serve Crosslink.

This upcoming week we will be having our first big group time we are calling IGNITE! It is going to be a fun time of games and worship. Please be here at 6:30 and games will start at 6:45. Late people, unless coming from some sporting event will be deducted points. This week we will be playing the DUCT TAPE OLYMPICS! The winner of the olympics will get something special.

We are hoping that all the groups continue to grow in numbers, but more importantly spiritually. God is going to use these students to reach the Mebane area and beyond. I cannot express to you how excited I am about the ministry... It makes me giddy!

I look forward to next week. Be safe this weekend!

Nate

New Model

2010-09-10T10:46:00.002-04:00

I am so excited that we have kicked off our new model. This 3+1 model has shown a lot of potential in being able to multiply our group. (That was a bad math joke). God has really blessed our ministry and I think that it is going to explode over the next year. Next week Brent and I will be out of town so all of the high school guys will be meeting up at the church office for StudentLifegroup. It starts at 6:30.

I have received a few emails that were positive about meeting in the homes. I would encourage everyone to reach out and continue to invite your friends to get involved in the group. We have some cool events planned for the fall! So stay tuned for more information.

New Friends Devotion 3

2010-03-30T20:38:00.002-04:00

ONLY HUMAN

By Sarah Anderson

(Read Acts 15:36-40 before reading this devotional.)

Have you ever been really good friends with someone, maybe even best friends? Maybe this friendship was rooted in similar interests or personalities, or common goals in life. You and this person were as close as two friends could possibly be. But then, one day, out of nowhere, you get in a disagreement. It started as a simple difference in opinion, but it didn’t take long before things got heated. What started out as a simple preference over something became much bigger, something where your convictions were involved. Before too long, it became obvious. No one was going to budge. And a simple argument, a simple tiff became the thing that undid your whole friendship. Years lost. Experiences overlooked. Memories forgotten. None of it mattered anymore. The friendship you thought had the longevity to last a lifetime is brought to an abrupt end.

I have been there before. Have you? Would it surprise you to hear that even the apostle Paul has been there? Is that weird for you to think that the apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament Bible, was in such a sharp conflict with someone, that the friendship was ended over it? It surprises me. In fact, I remember the first time I read the story in Acts that told what happened between Paul and Barnabas. I remember furiously skipping ahead in the book to see where the reconciliation was, to see when one of them finally swallowed their pride, got over themselves and made things right between them. But I couldn’t find that story. I couldn’t find the verses that told me it all worked out in the end.

As far as we know, when Barnabas and Paul parted ways in Acts 15 that was the end. Things never quite got back to how they were before. Maybe harsh words had been said that could not be overlooked, maybe demeaning comments had been made that could not be forgotten. Whatever happened, it was big enough, shocking enough, far-reaching enough that a deep, profound and personal friendship could not survive the fallout.

The story of Paul and Barnabas is like a black stain on the reputation of one of the most noted Christian missionaries in all time. It reminds me of Paul’s humanity, but honestly, I am not sure I want the reminder. I would rather think of Paul as perfect than read about what seemed like a petty disagreement that caused friends to part ways. And the fact that Acts stays relatively quiet about what happens later kind of annoys me. Were they sorry? Did they regret what happened? If they had to do it all over again, would they?

I think they would. And while Acts doesn’t dish on the weeks, months and years that follow the split between Paul and Barnabas, Paul himself has so much to say about relationships, that I can’t help but think he was speaking from some experience.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs . . . It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, 7 NIV).

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV).

Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:2-4 NIV).

These sound like the words of a man who has been broken. A man who has tried to navigate the tumultuous waters of relationships and friendships, and undoubtedly failed from time to time. These sound like the words of a man who can only speak as wise and as confidently as he does because of the mistakes he made in the past. Read these verses again and see if you can’t hear a hint of regret, a taste of remorse, a sense of, if only I could go back. Paul never claimed to be perfect. He knew he was human, just like all of us know we are—and as a result, he knew he was prone to failure and making mistakes that came back to haunt him. Paul’s story is no different than ours, except we get a front row seat to the drama in his relationships that all of history doesn’t get to see in ours.

The truth is when it comes to our friendships and our relationships, we are going to have conflict. We will have disagreements, and sometimes because of our pride, because of our stubborn nature, conflict not handled well and disagreements not treated rightly will result in the end of a relationship. But you and I both know, and Paul knows, that when a friendship ends the story doesn’t end there. There is a lot of time for wondering why it had to go the way it did, what would happen if you could do it all over again, a lot of regret.

When we read the letters of Paul, when we hear the words communicated about relationships, about how to treat other people, about how to love as Christ would have us love, the significance of his words become a lot clearer once we understand the history of the man who penned the words to begin with. Paul lost a good friend. A companion. A partner. And he didn’t forget it. Not when he wrote to the churches years later, not when he taught them how to move beyond a disagreement, not when communicated the hard to swallow words about loving a friend, no matter what the cost.

Have you ever lost a friendship? Have you ever truly gotten over the wounds it leaves? Paul doesn’t seem to have. And I think if he had his way, he wouldn’t have us get over it either. He would want us to learn from our mistakes, from our missteps when it comes to our friendships, and then, and this is the most important part, change because of them. Learn from them. Fix our behavior and our actions so it doesn’t happen again. Or as Paul himself would say, be patient, persevere, love them through it, be compassionate, forgive, think of everyone as better than you.

We may not be able to change the relationship failures we have caused in the past. But we can learn not to repeat them—to become people who forgive so quickly, who love so completely, who persevere so thoroughly that our present and our future relationships are reshaped and remolded to look like Jesus would want them to.

New Friends Devotion 2

2010-03-24T17:58:00.001-04:00

YOU, NOT ME

By Sarah Anderson

(Read Mark 2:1-12 before reading this devotional.)

Something about just hearing the word “friendship” makes me feel good. I immediately start thinking about long phone conversations, inside jokes, road trips, a good meal together, a good cup of coffee and a lot of laughs. When I think about friendship, a lot of great things come to mind. But the truth is a friendship made up of only the great stuff isn’t really a friendship at all. It’s a fantasy. Because anyone who has been friends with someone for a long time can tell you that as much fun as solid quality friendship can be, it can be a lot of hard work too. It isn’t always convenient and it definitely isn’t always easy.

At one point in His ministry, Jesus encountered some guys in Capernaum who had learned firsthand the sometimes inopportune and awkward demands of being a friend. When Jesus had entered the city, He went to a house to begin preaching His message. Word had spread about Him and what He was able to do—His reputation proceeded His arrival so that once He got in town, not only were people ready to hear Him, they crowded the house He was in, gathered outside the doors and windows, and were willing to do just about anything to get a closer look at this rumored Messiah. There was talk that He was a healer, a miracle worker and that in a seemingly effortless way, He could restore sight to the blind, movement to the lame and hope to the desperate.

With that much hype surrounding Jesus’ arrival, it was no surprise that the crowds took to Him immediately, surrounding every square inch of space available around Him. And the guys this story is about were no different than the rest of the town—they were five guys whose curiosity was piqued and whose interest was stirred. They too wanted to hear what Jesus had to say. Only one problem. One of the five was a paralytic. As in totally paralyzed. As in living his life on the space of a 3x6 foot mat. Every day. Day in. Day out.

Let’s get honest here. Let’s say what everyone else is thinking. When it came to getting to hear Jesus, this paralyzed guy was kind of slowing the rest of them down. I mean it took all four of his friends to carry him, and if they wanted any chance of getting to the action, then they had to leave this friend behind. Surely he would understand. Surely he would see that he was more a hindrance than a help. Surely he wouldn’t mind if they promised to bring him around next time Jesus made a public appearance.

But these four guys weren’t about to leave their friend—the one who needed the touch of Jesus more than anyone else—behind. They weren’t about to put their interests, their desires, their expectations before the wants of their paralyzed friend. So, the book of Mark says, the four friends carried the fifth guy. They each took a corner of his mat, and they lifted him, shouldered him, somehow moved him to the house where Jesus was, only to find the crowds more than they could handle. They couldn’t get close enough. They could hardly hear a thing from the outside. Their plan was interrupted. So they gave up? Nope. So, they cut their losses and said maybe next time? So they left their friend on the mat and bumped and pushed their way closer to hear what Jesus had to say themselves? No. They got creative. They climbed on the roof. And then they made an opening there. As in, they damaged private property. And then somehow they got their paralyzed friend on the roof, and with whatever strength they had left, they lowered him, slowly, carefully, but probably not quietly, into the room where Jesus was teaching.

And while the people there may have been a little put out, a little frustrated by the disturbance, Jesus wasn’t at all. In fact, Jesus takes note. Not just of the man on the mat coming from the roof, but of the four men who worked to get him there. The book of Mark says that when Jesus saw their faith—not the paralyzed man’s faith, but their faith, the faith of all five men and not just the one—He did more than what everyone expected. He invited the paralyzed man to pick up his mat and walk.

Jesus stopped what He was doing when He saw the faith of five friends. It silenced Him. He noticed it. He made an example out of five guys who saw the bigger picture of friendship than just convenience, ease and a benefit to themselves. What these guys understood was that friendship very rarely has to do with only the good stuff and the easy stuff. That oftentimes the friendships that go the distance, the friendships that people take note of, the friendships that end up silencing the people around you are the ones that are marked by selflessness, the ability to drop personal needs for the sake of someone else’s. The friendships that get our attention are the ones where someone is willing to get a little uncomfortable for the sake of the one who needs him or her.

How far are you willing to go when it comes to being inconvenienced for the sake of a friend? Are you willing to carry the mat? Are you willing to put yourself aside and risk some embarrassment, just so you can get that friend to the feet of Jesus? What lengths are you willing to go to?

Who around you could use some help carrying their mat? Who could use some extra strength, some additional care, some added encouragement? Who needs you to be the kind of friend you have the potential to be? And what will it take for you to start acting like this friend they need? Yes, it can be hard. Sure, it may be uncomfortable. But you have more than just the world’s attention when you live this way. You have the eye of Jesus on you. You have the attention of the very One whose love you are modeling. He notices love, service and friendship of this magnitude. And where He is involved, anything can happen.

Devotional Friend Request week 1

2010-03-23T18:08:00.002-04:00

NO CLONES

By Tim Walker

If you’re anything like me, I usually walk into a room of strangers and start looking for the people who look like me. Okay, not exactly like me—I’m not that vain. But I tend to find people who seem to dress similar to me, who are around my same age, who seem to be a “similar status” as me. But the ironic thing is that most of the time, once I start a conversation with those people; I’m bored out of my mind. Or the conversation just is strained, awkward, and we’re done talking after about a minute.

It’s “comfortable” to seek out people who are like me, but if I’m honest with myself, most of the people who are closest to me are nothing like me. And that’s a good thing. King Solomon was the wisest man—ever. He wrote things like: “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20 NIV). And from his son Rehoboam’s decisions, one just might think he wasn’t listening to his dad’s advice.

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

The young men who had grown up with him replied, “Tell these people who have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter’—tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.”

The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.”

So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home (1 Kings 12:6-16 NIV).

Rehoboam chose to ignore the people who were different than him, in order to follow the advice of those who were just like him. And the advice of his friends, the ones he grew up, turned out to be very bad.

There are people in your life now, people who are so different from you, that you may be completely oblivious to because you have this picture of what your friends should look like, how they should dress, what kind of financial status they should have. And there may be someone in your life or someone you know who doesn’t fit any of those criteria, but could be someone who brings a different perspective, teaches you new things and even inspires you to be more like Christ.

When we don’t allow people into our lives who look and act differently than we do, we end up less. Too much time in the company of people exactly like you starts to affect you—just ask Rehoboam. It starts to make you think that if someone isn’t like you, than they aren’t good enough. We start to judge people and their worth based on how closely they resemble us, and we think that God is on board with it. But don’t be fooled—He’s not. God isn’t only like me. He isn’t only like you. And, God didn’t make a world full of clones. But when we begin to act like we, and people like us, are the only people worth investing in, we start to shrink God. We start to undermine His creativity and the pleasure He finds in the diversity among us. God is much bigger than that. And He wants us to be bigger than our sometimes narrow view of other people.

There is one thing in common you definitely want in a good friend—you want to have people close to you who have an active relationship with Jesus Christ. People who love Him, not only with their words, but with their lives. But their interests, their perspectives can be completely different than yours.

The world is much bigger than us. It is much bigger than people like us. Do you believe that there is more to you and more to me than just who we already are right now? What if there was this incredible untapped potential to become so much bigger than we even thought possible if we just began to entertain this idea that there are people out there who are going to shake our lives up, maybe push our buttons every once in awhile, but who will expand our world in ways we could never do on our own?

What if someone different from you wasn’t bad, but was just what you needed to become the person God has in mind? Would you choose them, pick them, accept them as friends as different as they be from you—even if no one around you, including yourself, understood “why them”?

Metamorphosis

2010-02-25T11:23:00.002-05:00

We are so excited about Metamorphosis. March 5th-7th. It truly is going to be an awesome time, where students and leaders will grow in their relationship with Christ. I hope that everyone signs up this upcoming week, so we will be able to place everyone in different homes. God really has blessed us so much, and we are looking forward to him changing lives this upcoming weekend.

We will be worshiping and playing broomball on Friday night. Saturday we will be playing a special game in the afternoon, and worshiping with other students that night. This weekend has the ability to be life changing, but you have to show up. I hope to see everyone there!!!

Excitement about Sunday

2010-02-09T22:31:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone,

I am real excited to be able to stand and preach God's word this upcoming week. I hope that the message will be applicable to everyone in our church. Right now we are in a series called the Vow, and we are talking about marriage. This week we are going to be talking about the vow of pursuit. This applies if you are single, dating, or married, so I would encourage you guys to show up, and hear what God's word says about pursuit.

Nate

Snowed In....

2010-01-30T21:55:00.002-05:00

As I sit in front of my television, I am reminded of a few things. The best thing that we can do is give our lives to other people. I am tearing up, I know sounds pitiful, watching Extreme Makeover Home edition. I am reminded that there are hurting people out there, who need to be helped. I see the reaction of the kids in this community, and the family that struggles all the time to provide for these kids, and I am so thankful that someone is helping these people.

But the amazing part is this lady was caring for children in the community and she had so little. She could not even get around in her own home, because she was disabled. Yet, she cared for so many children. My heart rejoices when I see people that love other people.

As Christ followers, we really need to be doing the same. We really need to reach out and care for those people that are hurting and in need. I pray that our group will continue to reach out to the community with the love of Christ. This lady was following the great commandment, and we need to do the same.

2010-01-26T19:24:00.002-05:00

I got the opportunity to go and speak to some youth down in Alabama this past weekend for a discipleship weekend. I really enjoyed the opportunity, but it made me realize how much I really enjoy our students. I am so grateful to have awesome students, who really love Jesus.

I am so excited about the things that God has in store the next couple months. We are currently going through a series on Habits, and we are talking about the importance of good spiritual disciplines. We have talked about the importance of reading the bible and then hearing God's voice. The next habit that we are going to be talking about is Prayer, so come and join us and talk about the importance of prayer. God cares about us so much, that he allows us to approach him in prayer. How awesome is it, that the God of creation still wants a relationship with us. My prayer for our students is they are continuing to seek after Christ. See you guys on Wednesday!!!!

Nate

Haiti

2010-01-15T22:35:00.003-05:00

I think about how this past week has changed the lives for many people. Most people did not know that Haiti existed, let alone the poverty that is so prevalent. It is multiplied, when you experience the largest earthquake on record.

I am so grateful that many people are helping out in the relief efforts. I see that people are doing everything that they can to send relief down the the island, and many people are trying to meet needs physically, in an attempt to meet needs spiritually. But that is not the point that really changed me this week.

The thing that really impacted me was the passion that I see in my wife when she talks about Haiti. My wife has gone on several mission trips down to Haiti. She has spent many years traveling down to the areas that have been hit the hardest. She has built relationships with people, some who died in the earthquake, and experienced first hand life in Haiti. I can see her demeanor change, and an intensity in her eyes that is not there when she talks about other things. She is really passionate about the people of Haiti. I look at that and I see the compassion that runs through her veins, and I question if I care that much about people.

My hope is that every time I talk about ministry, I have the same intensity that I see and hear in her voice when she talks about Haiti. I want to be more passionate and really care about the people in our church. I want our students to feel that way about the people that are hurting in their school, who experience tragedy every day. I want to see people who really ache when people in their schools, family, sports teams, whatever, are hurting and need help. I want to see students that are giving up what they have, so others can have.

My wife sees the many people hurting, and she wants to step up and do whatever she can to make a difference for the people of Haiti. Are we doing that here in our back yard? Let's change together this year and care about the people here who are in dyer need of a savior.

Parenting towards God

2010-01-10T08:46:00.003-05:00

Good Morning everyone! I hope that everyone is getting excited to go to church and worship this morning. God has really been so good to us, and we should be thankful for the many blessings God has given us this past year.

I would like to thank all the parents and students that showed up to the parent meeting on Wednesday. We are trying to get more organized in the youth ministry so that God can do more work thorough us. There was a great spread of food, and I believe that a lot of fellowship was cultivated throughout the night. Thanks again to all the parents for their support. I pray that as Ken brings the message this morning, the church will really grasp the priority of parenting a child in such a way that they are lead to God the father.

There is no greater thing that any parent can want, than their child putting there full love and devotion towards God. My prayer is that we, as pastors, come along side the parents and help stimulate spiritual maturity. I am so excited again about the upcoming year, and I pray that the youth ministry will grow, because of the faith that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thoughts about the parent meeting

2010-01-05T13:27:00.002-05:00

I am so excited to kick off the year by getting everyone together and hanging out on a Wednesday night. I am excited to be able to look through the calendar and get ideas about things that we can do in the upcoming year.

I really want everyone to understand my heart about he youth, and how we can make this the greatest youth group in the area.

Please bring something to eat, and come prepared to hang out and learn about your student/parent. This is going to be a great upcoming year, and we need your input, on activities, service projects, and study material for the upcoming year. Thanks so much for allowing me to work with you guys.

New Year

2009-12-30T18:40:00.002-05:00

I am sitting in the airport, next to my wife and I am mauling over everything that has changed in the last year. It is crazy that so much can change in a year. Often we reflect on the passing of another year, and we remember the good times as well as the bad times. This past year we had many great things happen in the youth ministry.

We had some great events, including camp, a lock in, and a trick or eat canned drive where we collected canned goods for families in area. We moved locations to a place that is more conducive to ministry.

There were some hard times that people are dealing with personally, but God still showed up in amazing ways through all the situations. As you reflect on the past year, and look forward to the upcoming year, see the things that the Lord has done in your life. Thank him for the wonderful things, and for being by your side during the hard times. Read Psalm 31, and hold onto the promise that the Lord is your refuge and your strength. God rejoices in your good times, and he comforts you in the bad. I hope that this next year is full of fun, joy, and change. Only the Lord can provide a positive way for all three of these things.

God Bless and Happy New Year

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

2009-12-28T09:32:00.001-05:00

NO YOUTH THIS WEEK DECEMBER 30th!!!! Enjoy your week and see everyone next Wednesday the 6th!!!!!

After Christmas...

2009-12-28T06:34:00.002-05:00

Sometimes there can be a big let down after Christmas. For most people, Christmas is a long day filled with lots of family visits, and even more food. And after everything settles it can feel kinda empty, if everything is about presents and things that you can receive. The beautiful thing about believing in Christ is there is no let down, you understand that it is just another day in the Lord. Yeah you might not have received that gift that you wanted, but God is good at providing you what you need. In fact, you are able to have Christmas, because of the provision of the lord.

We traveled back on a long journey from Alabama. We finally got home last night, exhausted, and now we are looking forward to a new week. We had a great trip, and it was filled with lots of laughter, fun, and memories. My prayer is that you take away something this year that meant more.

The greatest thing that my wife and I did this Christmas was give gifts to a family in need at our church. Hearing the stories of the overwhelming joy, will always bring a smile to my face. It was better than any gift I have ever received. That is the Christmas spirit, giving to others. I understood on a small level the joy that God must have felt when he gave his son to humanity, knowing that there were greater things planned for his people, than simply death and sin. And our gratitude for the salvation that he provided, should always bring a smile to our faces.

I hope that everyone received my letter this past week. I look forward to our pot luck on January 6th, my birthday. I look forward to kicking off my 24th year, by serving a great group of students and parents, and an even better God.

Thoughts about this time of year

2009-12-22T09:06:00.002-05:00

I got up early and came into work this morning. There was frost on my windshield, and I could see my breath as I sat in my car waiting to warm up. It was quiet and there was not much traffic, so I had a lot of time to think. During the drive I reflected on the ways that God really has blessed us so much!

I think about the wonderful family that God has given me. I think about not only my parents and brother, but also my in-laws. I could not ask for better in-laws, and they have truly made me feel like a son. It is a perfect picture of the way that God adopted us, and lavished us with love!

During this time of year we reflect on the birth of a little baby boy, that changed humanity. I hope that during this time of year you take a few moments not just to remember that Jesus was born, but that he lived a sinless life and died for me and you!

Merry Christmas everyone!

P.S. Everyone will be receiving a letter in the mail about a potluck dinner on Jan. 6th. Come out and find out what we have in store for the upcoming year.

2009-10-13T14:08:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys,

I apologize for not blogging in a while. It has been a crazy the past couple weeks. We had an awesome time at AwakenMebane. God has really blessed our church, and it was awesome that over 50 people came to Christ, and 24 people got baptized. We are still meeting on Wednesday nights, and you guys should continue to show up.

Nate

Lake Day Promo

2009-07-28T19:56:00.005-04:00

The Cost of the Lake Day is going to be $20 dollars. Please Bring the money to the lake. We will be meeting at camp Kerr Lake. Please see me for directions!

2009-07-28T19:50:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys,

Sorry that it has been so long. The summer has really been a crazy time. There have been so many things going on that I haven't made time to sit down and write about the things going on in the ministry.

We have just come back from camp and had an awesome week. We took 30 students, and we plan to take even more next year. All the students had a great time, and pictures will be coming to the website shortly.

We are still meeting every wednesday up at the church office 6:30 until around 8:00. There are many opportunities upcoming to serve. I am super excited about things coming up.

Continue to follow the blog, and we will keep you updated on everything going on.

Nate

Youth Bowling 2009

2009-04-08T18:13:00.003-04:00

Remain Humble

2009-04-01T15:21:00.004-04:00

This is one of my favorite times of year, because of all the great things going on in sports. I love the beginning of baseball. I love the end of the NBA and NHL seasons. Most of all, I love watching March Madness. I love filling out brackets and watching games. It is really exciting for me to see who will be the best team in the nation.

I was riding in my car on Friday March 27th, after the Louisville-Arizona game in the Sweet 16. I was listening to the press conferences after the game and the coach at Louisville, Rick Pitino, was at the podium speaking about his team. Pitino was talking about the success of his team, and how humble that they needed to remain after blowing out Arizona by more than 40 points. Pitino had this quote, "A Lack of Humility is the greatest killer of Potential".

I thought this quote was outstanding. We can learn a lot from this quote, and it has implications to our spiritual lives. Pitino was trying to make sure his team knew the dangers of becoming prideful. They would not be able to accomplish the things that they wanted to accomplish, namely a national championship.

I believe that the Lord is saying the same thing to us today. It is not about us or our abilities. Instead it is about the Lord and the great things that he can accomplish through us. We have great potential to do things for God, but he wants us to continue to remain humble in all things. We can change our families, schools, communities, and nation, if we remain humble and seek what God wants us to do. He wants us to give him the praise, honor and glory. The Lord often talks in the scriptures about using the humble to accomplish his goals, and I believe that the Lord wants to accomplish great things in our ministry and in the areas that we are ministering too. Here are a few scriptures that talk about humility.

Isaiah 2:17 "And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled,and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day."

Psalm 147:6 "The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground."

Psalm 149:4 "For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;he adorns the humble with salvation."

James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Matthew 23:12 "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

God does not want us to boast about the things that we are able to accomplish, because without him we are foolish to think that we can achieve anything. Instead, God wants us to be humble and give the Lord the Glory that he deserves, and in return the Lord will exalt us. Pitino is right, humility is so important that without it is can destroy potential to do great things.

2009-03-18T16:19:00.002-04:00

We are going Bowling!!!

2009-03-18T14:56:00.001-04:00

Sunday March 22nd 1:00 PM-4:00 PM

We will meet at and leave from Gravelly Hill at 12:30. Students must let us know ahead of time if they need a ride so we can have plenty of drivers.

Where:
o Cici’s Pizza, Burlington
o Country Club Lanes (following pizza)
3010 Center St. Burlington NC

Come join us for a fun filled afternoon of fellowship, eating and bowling. Invited to come are 6th Grade through 12th Grade, their families and friends.
Cost: About $20/person
($8.00 per person for pizza & drink)
($1.75 per game for bowling)
($2.95 per person for shoe rental)

2009-03-10T18:40:00.004-04:00

Here are the pictures from Metamorphosis.

Metamorphosis 2009 Video

2009-03-08T19:28:00.004-04:00

Name Change

2009-03-04T13:47:00.002-05:00

As you can see we will no longer just be "the youth" or Crosslink youth or whatever else people call us. We now have a name, and it is exciting. We are Ignite student ministries, and God has been so good to us. So make sure you refer to our group as Ignite. It is easy to say, and you can easily tell your friends about it.

Also we are changing the name of our Wednesday night time. It will not longer be ABS, Wednesday night bible study, Youth group...etc. You guys get the point!!! Our new name for Wednesday nights is FUEL. Speaking of FUEL, you guys need to come tonight. We are going to hang out, and really dig into our next character... Joshua! Come find out what it means to be strong and courageous today!!!!!

See everyone tonight.

Nate

P.S. Pictures from the awesome weekend will be up as soon as I get them!!!

Metamorphosis Wrap Up

2009-03-02T12:03:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone,

I hope that everyone had an amazing weekend. Metamorphosis was a blast, but I am looking forward to you guys taking action, and no longer just talking about taking action. God has really blessed our ministry, and he will continue to allow us to grow. If you see your leaders or host home leaders around, make sure you continue to thank them for the awesome weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone at the church office on Wednesday at 6:30.

God Bless,
Nate