Bridgett and I are taking a few students to Gatlinburg, TN for Accelerant 2012.  Good times wait ahead.

I’m excited about what God is going to do.  There are some great speakers scheduled, a concert, and Bridgett and I just want to enjoy our time with the students going.

Please pray for us as we make the 6-7 hour trip there and back, and that we’ll have an awesome and safe trip.

I’ll hopefully will have some pictures to post soon, too.

I want to share a few quick thoughts with you from this morning:

• You aren’t defeated by your problems.  Philippians 4:13 may be from an old book, but it is still true so we need to live by it.  “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
• Now, go back and read Philippians 1:6.  You can never stop becoming a better person.  You may be an amazing person now, but the closer you get to God, then the you’ll go from amazing to fantastic to phenomenal to invincible.
• Surround yourself with people who will build you up with prayer, love, and encouragement.  Get rid of the people that will tear you down with ridicule, false hope, and discouragement.  Even if you need to make new friends.
• With the previous point in mind, consider Hebrews 10:24-25, which states, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  In other words, getting together with other believers is important in public places and in church.  It is where we can encourage each other, have a good time, and help each other walk with God.
• I want to watch you and help you succeed.  So, if there is anything I can do for you, then please contact me.
• I love you.
• God loves you.
• I’m proud of you.
• Keep advancing.

In Him,

Pastor Dewaine

My two favorite questions on his survey asked people to name their preferred translation, and how they used that translation.

When asked to give their #1 preferred Bible translation, people responded:

1. English Standard Version (25%)
2. The Message (16.7%)
   New International Version (16.7%) <- my translation of choice
   New Living Translation (16.7%)
3. Holman Christian Standard (12.5%)
4. New American Standard (4.5%)
5. New King James Version (4.2%)

Hmm…I like it.

I’d have to agree with Greg’s statements that: 1) I thought the NIV would be the most preferred, and 2) that the King James Version would’ve been on the list.

Here’s what I find really interesting.  When asked how they used their preferred translation, the answers were:

1. Mobile device (37.5%) <- my choice
2. Traditional Paper (29.2%)
3. Laptop or PC (20.8%)
4. Tablet (iPad, Xoom, etc) (12.5%) <- my soon-to-be #1 choice

The question now becomes, “How do we use this knowledge to help build disciples?”

If you didn’t take part in the survey, then what is your preferred Bible translation and how do you use it?

To help you understand a small portion of what I’ve stated watch these videos from last Sunday’s talent night.

Doug, Wesley, and Tyler

I will have a youth band one day!  I’m declaring that now!

Crossover Drama – Give Me Your Eyes

I want a traveling drama team, too.  Is that too much to ask?

It was a great time.

We had 22 students (awesome), which was up from 15 from the last lock in and 12 from our very first this time last year.

I love being a youth pastor.

Can’t see the video.  Click here.

I’m really not sure what to say.

We invaded Chick-Fil-A.  Always a good choice.

While waiting on the haunted hay ride, a few of us enjoyed the snake pit.

Then came the hay ride.  I wish I had pictures of it, but it was too dark.  Brook was the funniest.  She could watch a masked man walk up to her, and still scream when he said boo.  Haha!  Awesome.

I love the Beyond Youth students.  I love spending time with teenagers.

Photo by Just Us 3 on Flickr.

Is it just me or do all churches do the following for Halloween:

1. Host a Fall Festival,
2. Organize a Trunk or Treat,
3. Do a mixture of #1 and #2, or
4. Publicly mock Halloween for its paganism.

Are these bad things?  No.  These are good things as long as they are focused on people and not building an organization.

Except for #4.  Halloween doesn’t have to be strictly a pagan holiday.  Sanctify that day.  Historically, Christians stole many other pagan holidays and made them “Christian”.  Easter or Christmas, anyone?

[Note: I'm making all sort of friends with this post.]

Must the Halloween ideas above be the only ideas the church/Christians can come up with?  How about these ideas:

1. Organize a Reverse Halloween where you gather and bag candy then pass it out to families door-to-door or at a store.
2. Bonfire with a live drama (a.k.a. human video) for teaching a lesson.  How about dressing up as Jesus and teaching a lesson from his point-of-view?
3. Set up a table at a local gathering spot and carve pumpkins for passing kids.
4. Perform a puppet show. <- I add this b/c my church does this, and it’s awesome.
5. Do one of the five ideas that Adam McLane posted on his blog.
6. Host a Halloween Party where everyone has fun and builds positive relationships.
7. Give away pumpkin pies.  Btw, if you do this, and you’re near Berkeley county, SC, then tell me where.  I’d like two.

These are just some ideas.  As long as you’re putting people first and be as close to like Jesus as possible you can’t go wrong.

Do you have a Halloween idea that you’d like to share?

Here’s a simple and effective idea using Craigslist to help the people in your community.  Before I continue, please hear my pleas of safety when dealing through online sites.  Please, please, be safe.

The Idea

All Craigslist sites have a Wanted link in the For Sale section.  Click this link, and browse the list of ads where people have asked for these items (or simply stated that they’d like to have something).  Do you have something that someone is wanting?  Are you willing to part with it?  Then, give it to them.  Don’t sell it.  Just give the item away.

Done.

Nothing hard or over-complicated.  Just meeting people’s needs.

Take It To the Next Level

Pay close attention to anyone truly in need.  Like people asking for clothes, food, or something else, and attempt to meet their needs.  These are the people who really need help.

One thing to note: keep in mind the takers.  The people who aren’t in need, and are just trying to get something for nothing, because everyone loves free.

Even Higher Still

After browsing the site how about buying that thing someone wants and giving it to them.  Sure, you don’t have to do this, but how cool would that be.

Lastly, this is just a simple idea.  Take it or leave it.  Whatever you do…be the church.

Can’t see the video, then click here.