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Student Ministry

Posted on November 16, 2006 ...

?¢‚Ǩ?ìKnowing what you believe is easy until someone or something challenges you.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù This is a quote from a student who was interviewed for our Sunday School material, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìfuel.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù It is a very true statement and relevant to our Student Ministry even now. During the next few months our students will take a much deeper look at their faith, what we believe as Christians, and why we believe it. This new topic couldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t come at a better time than now as Dr. Jay continues his sermon series on ?¢‚Ǩ?ìWhat Do You Know??¢‚Ǩ¬ù Our Sunday school series for this next quarter is titled ?¢‚Ǩ?ìOwning Your Faith.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù Please pray that our students will get a better understanding of how their faith impacts their lives as well as those around them.

Switching gears now, the holiday season is approaching very quickly and so are our Winter Retreats! During our High school and middle school retreats we will be taking a look at ?¢‚Ǩ?ìReligiously Transmitted Diseases.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù The main theme of this series will be ?¢‚Ǩ?ìfinding a cure when faith doesn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t feel right.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù For many students they feel as though they just ?¢‚Ǩ?ìcan?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t get it right?¢‚Ǩ¬ù in their relationship with God, ultimately they have a ?¢‚Ǩ?ìdiseased faith.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù

Those with Borg disease want everyone to be just like them. They think all people should dress and think alike. They do not allow for individual ideas, personality or thinking. Those with Pharisaic Disorder are caught up in laws. "We've always done it this way" is one of their favorite phrases. They like to build fence laws to protect others and themselves from sinning. They end up placing restrictions on their and others?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ lives. Those with the Deadly O are striving to be good rather than accepting the grace that God freely offers. The diseases are traps we allow ourselves to fall in.

In Rev. Ed Gungor?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s book he writes ?¢‚Ǩ?ìthere are two approaches to faith; the human-centered approach and the God-centered approach. True freedom is found whenever we center our faith on the PERSON of God and not the PERFORMANCE of humankind.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù Much Love, Nathan