Heart-Deep Teaching Book Critique

Heart-Deep Teaching was composed for leaders, parents, and students of the Word of God who wants to apply its standards in life-changing ways. The idea of “heart-deep teaching and learning” depends on a Hebrew comprehension of the "heart" as the deepest substance of a man that includes the brain, feelings, and will. At the point when the heart is locked in by the force of the Holy Spirit inside of the setting of God's Word, both character and behavioral changes happen.
            To effectively connect with student's feelings, psyche, will, and body in taking in, a heart-profound instructor utilizes methods including communication, dramatization, reflection, narrating, wonder, development, innovativeness, carrying on, critical thinking, and grappling with the standards found in the religious content. By coordinating specific systems for breaking down the religious content and ebb and flow research in showing and taking in. The book endeavors to offer teachers some assistance with understanding the hypothetical and viable aptitudes to make their particular lessons, adjust lessons from distributed educational modules and enhance their specific methods of considering and showing the Word of God.
            Newton divided Heart-Deep Teaching into four parts "Explaining the Problem," "Preparing the Heart of the Teacher," "Designing Deeper Learning Experiences," and "Structuring the Lesson." He did this to help leaders, parents, and students to understand how to teach, help, and explain the Word of God to those who want or need to know more of who Christ is.
            Part I: "Explaining the Problem" only consists of the first chapter. This chapter clarifies the issue of "Shallowness in Biblical Teaching" in the congregation. The writer distinguishes six broken yet generally held rule that frequently impact Christian educational programs essayists and Leaders. Cases are given to represent the wrong way of every standard. Newton gives us approaches that put a high value on the retention of factual information by reciting facts to prepare for standardized tests. These approaches are based on six faulty principles which the author identifies as: "(1) all fun activity equals good; (2) all interaction equals good learning; (3) keeping students busy is more important than accurately teaching facts and principles; (4) simple points are more important than depth; (5) since most people learn through their experience, experience must be the basis of truth; and (6) accomplishing measurable behavioral objectives is more important than changing students’ character" (pp. 8-13).
            Part II: "Preparing the Heart of the Teacher" consists of chapters two through four, teaching leaders, parents, and students how to understand what the heart is and the depths of it and how to dig deeper into God's Word as a teacher.
            "Understanding the Mystery of the Heart," analyzes the term heart from a scriptural, religious, and philosophical point of view. Essayists, for example, Dallas Willard shed light on this subject. Consideration will be given to the way of the individual, the part of God's Word, and the quintessence of discipleship as the change of the entire individual.
            "Mapping the Journey to the Depths of the Heart," considers instructive examination managing the scientific categorizations identified with each of the four parts of the individual: full of feeling, subjective, volitional, and behavioral. The motivation behind this section is to offer the instructor some assistance with understanding how to move more profound in each of the spaces to change the heart of the individual.
            "Digging Deeper into the Word for Yourself as a Teacher," challenges the instructor to add to a person propensity for contemplating the Bible inductively, without continually depending on an educator's manual or discourse. Changing the heart of the understudy starts with the instructor's demonstrating the procedure of "diving more profound into the Word." This procedure of inductive Bible study incorporates: dissecting the point of interest of the content; building up a diagnostic layout; distinguishing the real topic, standards, and the Big Idea; applying the Big Idea to life; setting particular, individual objectives; and building up responsibility measures for achieving those goals. Just by moving more profound through the intellectual, full of feeling, volitional, and developmental levels of learning can the instructor show the procedure of heart-profound learning for understudies.
            Part III: "Designing Deeper Learning Experiences" consists of the chapters five through eight, showing us how to look at the Bible as students, setting goals as encouragement for students, understanding how others learn, and create experiences that are encouraging for deep learning.
            "Looking at the Biblical Text Through Students' Eyes," clarifies how Leaders can apply their investigation of the religious content to their understudies' setting. At this phase of readiness, instructors will figure out how to investigate the things understudies battle with inwardly, mentally, volitionally, and behaviorally associated with the Big Idea. By thoroughly considering the Big Idea from the viewpoint of the dissatisfactions, concerns, and ambiguities of the understudies, the educator will probably interface at a more profound level with the understudies. This part will concentrate on the most efficient method to peruse a content from the understudies' point of view, searching for representations, connectives, parallels, stories, and applications that could clear up and enlighten the disclosure process.
            "Setting Goals to Encourage Deeper Student Learning," clarifies how instructors can set objectives for their lessons in light of the Big Idea and significant standards of the religious content identified with the needs, premiums, and connections of their learners. "For the young adults to accomplish the purpose of this lesson, they will be stretched emotionally, cognitively, volitionally, and behaviorally. The overall objective of the lesson is for them to progress to deeper levels of learning to accomplish the stated purpose. The purpose is integrative involving all of the domains" (pp. 99).
            "Understanding How People Learn," clarifies the part of substantial involvement in the learning procedure and the estimation of intelligent experiential learning in finishing more profound learning results. "In designing learning experiences to accomplish goals, the teacher must put himself in the place of the students and ask how that person would most naturally learn the goals of a lesson" (pp. 107).
            "Designing Learning Experiences that Encourage Heart-Deep Learning," will clarify an assortment of multisensory techniques for guideline alongside the procedure of how to plan powerful learning encounters to fulfill objectives. The voluntary association between the reason and objectives of the lesson and the outline of the learning encounters will be stressed.
            Part IV: "Structuring the Lesson" is the last part of the book, and it consists of chapters nine through twelve. This part of the book teaches us how to prime students hearts, getting students to focus on the Word, stimulating student talk, and encouraging students heart change in life.
            "Priming Students' Heart Pumps," Concentrates on the most effective method to make a sincerely and socially warm environment conducive to sharing from the heart. Different techniques will be talked about for how to identify the genuine concerns and needs of understudies. Utilizing the "posterior of the Big Idea" as a springboard for understudy reflection, proposals are given on the best way to motivate understudies to investigate their musings and sentiments identified with the religious subject. The objective of this a portion of the lesson is to mix up understudies' enthusiasm for truth and to prime their hearts to learn and change.
            "Getting Students to Dig Deeper into the Word," talks about how to furnish understudies to grapple with God's Word at more profound levels by managing them to find truth from the religious content for themselves. This section depends on the presumption that individuals of all ages learn at deeper levels when they assume liability for learning. Leaders will be urged to utilize more critical thinking, narrating, carrying on entries, addressing, dynamic tuning in, gathering assignments, and scrutinizing. Leaders will figure out how to give sufficient structure to such learning encounters to guarantee that understudy will locate the essential subtle elements and standards from the religious content. Exceptional consideration is given to procedures to offer understudies some assistance with discovering and brilliant the Big Idea in their words. By coordinating dynamic learning strategies with voluntary Bible study standards, leaders will dodge the mistake of scriptural triviality.
            "Stimulating Student Heart Talk," Concentrates on procedures to challenge deep and volitional reflection and application in understudies' souls. In light of the Big Idea they find, the understudies will be tested to think about imaginatively its suggestions for their lives. Understudies will be urged to share restraints, reasons for alarm, wavering, and states of mind they experience in applying the Big Idea. Advantages and favors of applying the Big Idea are additionally distinguished and examined. In this segment of the lesson, understudies will be tested to grapple with the ramifications of the Big Idea to their lives at the most profound level conceivable.
            "Encouraging Heart Change in Life," clarifies the last yet regularly overlooked some portion of the lesson. Most Leaders are fulfilled if students simply recognize a couple general methods for applying the Big Idea to their lives. The center of this section will be to recommend approaches to motivate understudies to set and perform individual or gathering objectives in light of that to which they have conferred their hearts in light of the Big Idea of the content. This section will cover judicial setting procedures, getting ready for change, executing arrangements, responsibility structures, and appraisal. Trust and classification are significant segments of a domain that energize heart-profound change.

            Jesus’ teaching always focused on changing and transforming human hearts which is the center of all human capacities. Followed by His model, Christian education must be transformed to focus on the heart so that every aspect of the person becomes progressively more Christ-like. Leaders need to stimulate deeper student learning by providing engaging teaching processes and programs that lead to students’ character and behavioral changes. To do so, teachers need to create and organize a lesson carefully based on students’ contexts and environment, while asking students to apply the learning to their life situations. This book provides a set of practical examples and various cases to improve all Christian teachers’ strategies and instructional tactics.

Work Cited

Newton, G. (2012). Heart-deep teaching: Engaging students for transformed lives. Nashville,      TN: B & H Publishing Group. ISBN: 978-0-8054-4776-7, 212 pages.

Finals Week!!!

It is that time of the semester again!

Everyone is busy studying at the library, in his or her rooms, or at the little coffee shop down the street. Your friends are hold-up somewhere trying to finish that paper that's due by five because they were too busy procrastinating by watching Netflix. While the rest are crying in a hole. You will not see some of your friends until the next final while you will not see others until next semester.

Everyone is stressed, tired, a little cranky and on edge. With Professors and Parents breathing down their necks wanting their college kids to make straight A's this time around, but most of them will only be passing their classes with D's and C's. Then you have those who will disappoint the family with that one little F. That one little F is now in your face letting you know that you failed and will have to take the class again basically telling you it will see you in Hell.

Professors go all out on these last exams. Adding things that weren't taught in class, but in that book that only a few cared to read. You realized now that you made a mistake, but its too late now because here comes the final.

History, Biochemistry, Advanced English, Piano this is just the start of it, you still have more tomorrow. APA Math, Spanish and maybe French yet somehow you wonder how you could put your car in a ditch. Finals are crazy this is true, and you wish you could get some help from Blue's Clues.

Dora cannot help, and Madeline cannot either, The History and Discovery channel did not give you much of a hand, but who cares because somehow Netflix seems like it has all the answers.

With Christmas break around the corner, some students are trying to decide if they can still see about the extra credit while some are planning for their flights. With your Family, your pets, and home in sight you wonder how much sleep you lost last night.

I hope you have a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Trust me when I say "We all wish this week were over."

The Church: Defining its Nature

The Church as a community of believers

The community of believers that I am a part of is one of God's most very dearly loved and practical gifts to me. Maybe it is tied to that perfect written work that says "If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20, ESV). The ability to love those around us is also knowing how to love God and His creations.
Something about the able to be in a real presence of a community of believers who insist on being there for me, to deposit bits of their knowledge, makes an actual effect on me. Maybe that seems like a given on the surface--that someone invading my personal space would affect me--but it is the very fact that they are there which communicates that the church does, in fact, care about people. However, There are some Christian churches that many of us have experienced in our life that are focused primarily on words. We stressed the paramountcy of edifying and preaching the gospel limpidly--most of it within the church and for the church. Commodity works were inspired as a replication to the gospel and as a way of saying "thank you" to God's image for his mercy. What this perspective lacks is an agreement of discipleship.
Psalm 138 is one of many Biblical references that speak of our grouping together, coming to God's house to worship. David verbally expressed he had elicited himself from his way to bow afore the Lord's holy temple, to be at church building with the community of interests of believers. In the same breath, he verbalized about giving thanks for God's constant love and faithfulness.
While the enemy will try to separate us from the communities of believers based on shared interests and learning opportunities--we can always stay home and watch church on TV or the Internet—but nothing can substitute for someone verbalizing, "I missed you, how are you doing?" When we are traveling a very hard road, "Two are better than one" (Eccl. 4:9, ESV), for if one trip while walking and makes a mistake, the other is there to hoist him up. Our vigor is being bound together.
If I were to summarize Psalm 138:4-6, I would verbally express: God's greatness is unchangeable and existing everywhere. Indeed, as Romans 1 reminds us, this is evident through His inanimate creation. However, how much greater is the evidence, and how much more significant and related to my life, when I visually perceive it in my fellow believers? God recollects and utilizes the humble, and that daily life that are so plenary of statements to His saving grace and faithfulness keep me connected to my Savior when I might otherwise lose my way.
In smaller churches, many of the people in the audience are related, have known each other their whole lives, and live close to each other. In smaller crowds, the problem is often not the frequency of meeting, but the lack of Christ in the community of believers. Donald Barnhouse gives his idea entirely in his response to the question, "What would a city look like if it were ruled by Satan?" by saying,
"He said that all of the bars and pool halls would be closed, pornography banished, pristine streets and sidewalks would be occupied by tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The kids would answer "Yes, sir," "No, ma'am," and the churches would be full on Sunday ... where Christ is not preached." (The Gospel Coalition)
Much like the City that ruled by Satan, our time together is frequent, our lives come across as immaculate, but our community is missing Christ. The members of small churches often meet, their conversations are very familiar, but they are losing the gospel.
Larger churches must follow and obey this lack of the community either. Although a large church may have enough events or programs to keep its doors open seven days a week, it could still require the true Biblical community of interests. So what does Biblical community look like to others, and how are so many of us missing it?
The Biblical community begins with the regular fellowship of the believers. All too often we settle for attending our weekly services, leaving, and then going about our lives as mundane. A typical day to day fellowship with other believers is the life history of a believer in the New Testament. In the book of Acts, the theme of a daily fellowship based on shared interests is brought up. In Acts 2 we can see it happening again in a predictable way of their community when Luke said,
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  Moreover, awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  Moreover, all who believed were together and had all things in common. Moreover, they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had a need.  Moreover, day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. Moreover, the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47 ESV)
The believers were not just attending events at a church building but were living livelihood life together. Notice that Gospel According to Luke also points out that these believers were regularly eating meals repast together. This is not our church's quarterly potluck. The believers were regularly having each other into their homes for food and fellowship. Our church seems too busy to experience this character of kinship, and we have so many programs going on that our church, which the people in the audience, does not have the time to spend with each other. Not only are we too busy with each other, but we try to space others from our personal space. I recently faced with a question, "When was the last time I had someone over at my house for food and fellowship?" Often I think we try to distance our church family from our personal lives. We long for more community with the members of our church, but we do not want it to intrude into our personal lives. These early Christian were combining other things with the church into their personal space, and the result was gospel change. We could say our time spent with those within our church as satisfying holy written work's description of the community.
Although the frequency of gathering is crucial for the Biblical community, it does not end there. These believers were giving themselves to the teaching of the apostles. Holy written work was the focal point of their fellowship. The early Christians were loyal to the community that centered on Christ and his words. We spend a great deal of our time with those from our church gathering, but is Christ the thing that fills our conversations? For a Biblical community to happen, our communications need to reflect Paul's active encouragement to the church of Colossae. When he says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Col 3:16 ESV)
I do not mean that every conversation must somehow force Christ into it, but I do honor that Christ should not be a minority or omitted altogether. For the genuine Christian community to continue to exist, our conversations must build each other up in Christ. We visually perceive both of these themes brought up later on in Acts when Paul establishes the church of Ephesus. Paul gave three years of his life to his relationship with these people. Luke describes the extent of the relationship between Paul and the church at Ephesus when he notes,
"You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,  serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ...Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears." (Acts 20:18-31 ESV)
Paul's departure "When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again." (Acts 20:36-38 ESV). These people are not just casual friends, but they are people who are deeply rooted in Paul's life. We ask ourselves, "Would my community cry at the news that I was moving?" "Would my crowd even notice that I was gone?" I pray these questions drive everyone, as they do me to examine whether we have been chasing after deep, honest, and real relationships with those within our community of believers.
Whether we are members of large or small groups, we all are easily able to be harmed or influenced by the same hazards. We are often blind to the person sitting on the church bench next to us. We must take the time and turn our head, and then interrupt the person's life sitting adjacent to us, whether we want to or not, and develop with them a profound and lasting relationship that comes from Christ, with fellowship.
In the end, With regards to community–those outside the Christian perspective discover shared view in intrigues, causes, political feelings, sports, schools they went to, where they live, occupations, their legacy, their financial status, and so on. These groupings regularly cause immense divisions amongst individuals. In the CHRISTIAN worldview–our equalizer is the Gospel. Christians are bound together by the way that we were all, at one time, dead in our wrongdoings and made alive by God's effortlessness. We all discover shared opinion at the Cross and the penance Jesus done for us. Thus, we can identify a group with individuals whom we would NEVER find a group with something else. It does not make a difference your race, the amount of cash you have, how you smell, where you originate from, what games group you like, your age–we are each of the one in Jesus in light of the fact that we have all accomplished his redeeming grace.
"Not neglecting to meet, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Heb. 10:25, ESV).

Work Cited

Bible Gateway passage: Acts 2:42-47 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

March 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Acts 20:18-31 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

March 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Acts 20:36-38 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

March 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Colossians 3:16 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

March 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Ecclesiastes 4:9 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

March 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Hebrews 10:25 - New International Version (Bible Gateway), Web.,

March 2015

Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 4:20 - New International Version (Bible Gateway), Web.,

March 2015

 "What I Would Do to the Evangelical Church if I Were Satan | TGC." TGC | The Gospel

Coalition. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.

What is Ministry?

Ministry is from the Greek language diakoneo, meaning "to serve" or "to obey like a servant." In the New Testament, a ministry is versed as service to God, and other led in His name. Jesus on condition that the instance for Christian ministry—He came, not to receive service, but to give it.
The Christian should minister by meeting communities necessarily with like and meekness on Christ's behalf.  "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Alternatively, am I attempting to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10). Christians are to minister to others out of their devotion to Christ and their affection for others, whether the other folks is believers or unbelievers. Ministry to others should be even and unconditional, always look for to sustain others as Jesus would.
The ministries of our time have tackled even more a professional significance as we call ministers "pastors" to full-time administration. Ministers do spend their lives in the service, they do pastor to others, and they can rightly be assigned as pastors. However, ministers are by all account not the only ones who are to be included in service. From the ancient New Testament chapels to the houses of worship of our day, every Christian ought to be in the avail of helping other people.
In Romans 12:3-8 it says "For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, following the faith God has distributed to each of you.  For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."
The content of ministry seems to prioritization the ministering in spiritual things, not honest, practical things. Ministry should be strong thing spot emphasis on sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others so they can appear to know Him and receive Him as perfect Savior, go on to experience Him as Lord of their spirit and go even further to cognize Christ as a part of their Life. Like it says in Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" we must stand firm in our faith and live our lives with Jesus put first. Ministry should include subordinate to the curative, emotional, mental, vocational, and financial necessarily of others. Jesus did, and so should we!
Christian service is something we are all told to do. At the point when Jesus said we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, He directed us toward service. He neglected to qualify that announcement by including, "on Sundays" or "as staff individuals from the congregation." Instead, He implied everybody, ordinary.
As People, we are to be in full-time Christian service. It is not something saved for chapel staff individuals. It is not something you are just to do when at a chapel on Sundays or Wednesdays. Christian service is a mentality and activity of serving others continuously.
I understand that this is not a common philosophy, and I know that our pastors, along with many of our Christian friends, may have different beliefs. They will not fundamentally dissent, yet will expect a division between Christian service and the business world. We see that we cannot change everybody's viewpoint at the same time. We cannot hope to disclose this thought to a couple of key individuals and out of the blue, everybody acknowledges he or she are to be in Christian service.
We just need to change our outlook to grasp full-time Christian service right where we are in our current employments. We have to wipe out the division in our psyches between otherworldly action and public professions. We have to start doing service and let others get on as they will. Clearly, captivating in Christian service can tackle numerous structures. On the off chance that studied individuals at a chapel, work, or school, we will probably get multiple answers too. With the end goal of the talk now and in future posts, we need to know what to accept is the base of Christian service.
I believe that it comes down to two entries of Scripture. Jesus was sought by a prompt in the law which was the greatest commandment.
"Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. Moreover, the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40
Some of the last words Jesus used to prepare his Followers are these…
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Moreover, surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
When we attempt to live out these two passages, whether in business or anywhere else we may find ourselves, I believe we are doing Christian ministry.
"Why do the greatest miracle stories seem to come from mission fields, either overseas or among the destitute here at home (the Teen Challenge outreach to drug addicts, for example)? Because the need is there. Christians are taking their sound doctrine and extending it to lives in chaos, which is what God has called us all to do. Without this extension of compassion, it is all too easy for Bible teachers and authors to grow haughty. We become proud of what we know. We are so impressed with our doctrinal orderliness that we become intellectually arrogant. We have the rules and theories all figured out while the rest of the world is befuddled and confused about God's truth … poor souls." (Cymbala).
I believe that the motivation behind ministry is to bring individuals to saving faith in Christ and after that help them to develop in Christ-resemblance; and to bring each adherent into a fundamental, real association with God through the finesse of Christ and the force of the Holy Spirit, such that each professor lauds God in thought, word, and deed both in the congregation and on the planet with a definitive objective of introducing each one complete in Christ.
Ministry is not about custom or routine religion but rather a living association with God. It is not about scientific development but rather extensive development. It is not about projects but rather about individuals - individuals who are entirely centered around God, forcefully loaded with the Spirit, and joyfully united in a group of elegance; individuals who energetically magnify Christ, straightforwardly perform works of confidence, precisely instruct reality, strikingly broadcast the gospel in word and deed, and actually rely on request to God.

Work Cited

Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 1:10- New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

April 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 12:3-8 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

April 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Colossians 2:6-7 - New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

April 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 22:37-40- New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

April 2015

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 28:19-20- New International Version (Bible Gateway) Web.,

April 2015

Cymbala, Jim, and Dean Merrill. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: What Happens When God's Spirit

Invades the Heart of His People. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1997. Print. April

2015

Jesus Centered Youth Ministry Moving From Jesus plus to Jesus only

            In this article, Jason Lanker reviews Rick Lawrence's book " Jesus-Centered Youth Ministry." He goes on to explain that " Lawrence comes to a major conclusion in the first section that defining who Jesus is and letting Jesus define our students are the two essential questions to be addressed in youth ministry." (p.210). It is necessary for this generation of pupils to know who Jesus is and what he can do for them, but in some churches, their youth pastors do not seem to grasp the understanding that most of these students are just "Jesus Sunday believers" and not "Weekday Jesus followers." As Lanker continues, he describes how Lawrence uses the word "I" many times throughout his book to help students to think for themselves along the way "I define Jesus as...", instead of told "This is whom Jesus is defined as..."
            "He argues that the reason for this disconnect is because most ministries use an “understand and apply” model of education. What he means by this is that because of our information focused teaching models, Jesus is just a bunch of facts with which most students will never come into transformative contact." (p.208) Most students go to church and only get Jesus in little doses, meaning that they do not fully understand who Jesus is and by the time they get home they do not care, and some pastors are starting to realize that. Lanker tells us the "he (Lawrence) argues that if we could just help our students understand Jesus then they would apply this new vision into a radically transformed relationship." (p. 209).  This is what youth pastors are trying to do but with all the technology these days Jesus is just a story to most students, and that is not what we want the world to see Jesus as. I know this for a fact because when I was in High school the majority of my friends just went to church to socialize. They told me that "sure Jesus sounds like a cool guy, but is the Bible really true or did a bunch of people get together years ago and write this book that just took off and a whole lot of people bought it as like some lottery ticket?" and at that moment I too even started to doubt. That was about the same time I was new in my faith, and my youth pastor took an interest in what was going on with the entire student body at the church and began to get involved in their lives.
            Why don't more youth pastors get involved? Why is it that church has become more of a social place instead of a house of worship? How come some parents think that their kids will be spiritually fulfilled after an hour of worship? What if we got the youth to serve/volunteer once or twice a month somewhere that involves their interests and share the gospel with them during that time? How did youth Bible studies become a study without the Bible?
            In my bible study, we followed a curriculum, which is fine, but I wanted to hear from my youth leaders and even from some of my peers about their experiences. When I became a leader, I follow the curriculum but I also share my experiences to show my students that sin flaws me and to show that I can be real, which in turn most have shared their stories as well.
            Unlike my youth pastor, my youth leaders never actually showed an interest and never really took the time to get to know their students. I plan on trying to get to know my students, whether it is taking a group outing or one on one sit down at a coffee shop. I think it is important for youth pastors and leaders to get to know their students. Maybe then many of the incoming generation would become closer to God if the older generation would just take the time to get to know them because that is what Jesus wants. Jesus helped those in need, and that is why we should know our students, that way we are better prepared to understand how to help them.

Work Cited

Lanker, J. (2015). Jesus centered youth ministry: Moving from Jesus-plus to Jesus

            only. Christian Education Journal, 12(1), 208-210. Retrieved from

            http://search.proquest.com/docview/1671123275?accountid=8379

The Relationship Between Youth Ministry Participation and Faith Maturity of Adolescents

In this article, connections among level of youth ministry support, confidence sustaining attributes of youth ministry, and trust development were analyzed from thirteen Korean American churches in California, a total of 742 second-generation Korean American students participated in the study. Utilizing Baron and Kenny's (1986) structure, this study tried the theory that confidence is sustaining qualities of youth ministry intervened the relationship between the level of youth ministry cooperation and trust development of young people.
            The meaningful relationship between the degree of youth ministry interest and confidence development was fundamentally decreased in greatness when confidence sustaining qualities of youth ministry were incorporated into the model, giving proof in this study that confidence supporting attributes of youth ministry were a fractional go between. The suggestions for youth ministry are talked about. The present examination shows how different relapse investigations can be utilized as one possible system for testing intercession impacts including youth ministry and adolescent confidence development.
            "The responsibility for implementing the findings of this study will ultimately fall on the shoulders of the youth worker. Of course, there will always be involved adults, caring serüor pastors, and concerned parents, but by and large it is up the youth worker to strategically organize the ministry to be maximally effective. Therefore, possible applications of this study's findings might be: designing venues for adults to build relationships with adolescents, training volunteers to be better listeners and counselors of hurting students, teaching volunteers and parents how to assess a student's spiritual gifts, or helping the adult congregation provide opportunities for students to lead and serve."
            I recall in high school my youth ministry group did a small research project to see how children and teens are influenced by their parents going to church. The result was that if a sibling goes to church only ten percent of the family goes if the mom goes only seventy-five percent of the family goes, and if the father goes to church ninety percent of the family will go to church.
            How many experiments do they do with youth ministries? How many of the experiments fell through? What other ministries experiments have they done and what will they do? Will they be testing for faith-nurturing characteristics in youth ministry again in a few years to see if it has changed or stayed the same?

            I do believe that the more a student attends youth ministry activities, the more that student will mature in their faith because I have seen youth ministers and volunteers set aside an ideal opportunity to become more acquainted with their pupils. I anticipate attempting to become more acquainted with my students, whether it is taking a gathering trip, out to lunch, one on one time or sitting at a café. I believe it is imperative for youth ministers and volunteers to become more acquainted with their students. A large number of the approaching generation have turned out to be closer to God because the most experienced generation has simply set aside an ideal opportunity to become acquainted with them.

Work Cited

Marotta, D. J. (2013). The relationship between youth ministry participation and faith maturity                 of adolescents: Testing for faith-nurturing characteristics in youth ministry as a mediator        using multiple regression. Journal Of Youth Ministry, 11(2), 138-141.

First-Year Experience Seminar Reflection Paper (Written Three Semesters Ago)

Final Reflection Paper: Part I

1. Transition to College from High school. 

           I was home schooled so the differences between them to me are different but not a whole lot, so the transition wasn’t too hard for me. I also took a year off after high school to work and because I worked so much I was always out of the house which I think helped me to detach from always relying on my family.

           When I was about twelve we started to go on family vacations at least once a year for about a month. I believed this helped me to adjust to being in a different place than home no matter how far away I planned to go to college and because we did a lot of camping I was fine with going on Archways.

           Sharing a room with someone wasn’t hard for me. I grew up in a three bedroom house so the majority of my years living in that house I was always sharing a room with one or both of my sisters.

           I like the atmosphere of the college life better than being in high school because I’m not surrounded by my family twenty-four seven. I just wished I had my car. I’ve really enjoyed my first semester of college here at Asbury.

2. How you have changed or are different from the beginning to the end of your first semester in college.

           I am more open to asking for help when I need it now than when I first started the semester. I’m not one to be the first to raise my hand but I have found myself doing that more often since the halfway point of the semester and I love talking with my professors if I have a problem.

           I am more open to trying new things such as going white water rafting with the Asbury Outdoors program and even doing the Archways trip. It’s easier to make new friends here because you see the most of the same people in class and around campus. Being homeschooled you don’t really make a lot of friends because the majority of them went to an actual school, the only friends I made were from church or at work. I have made more friends here than when I was in high school.

Final Reflection Paper: Part II

1. What have you learned about yourself from the First-Year Experience Seminar course? 

             I found that I have become more open to try new things and step out of my comfort zone. I have learned that I can keep track of time to study and have fun during my semester. I have really become more reliable on my calendars and lists of things that need to be do at a certain time.

             I also learned about my five strengths Input, Belief, Responsibility, Discipline, and Intellection and I got to interview three people who are close to me. I felt that with doing those interviews I’ve learned a lot more about myself through the three people I have chosen who have known me for a while. I’m glad I chose the three people I did. It was interesting to see the results from the strength finder test and the answers from the interviews.

            While reading about and practicing Creator Language, I learned that I tend to speak like a Creator, and I find myself blaming others or seeking solutions and by doing the Wise Choice Process, I learned that I can get through my money situation to pay off school loans or any situation if I can find help in the right places or know where to look. While writing out my actions and then putting them into the quadrant charts, I learned that I’m pretty even in quadrants one through three. I’m sure I’ve done more things the past two days but I can’t remember. I thought I would have had more actions in quadrant two. I’m glad to see that I’m using the majority of my time for studying and not just for fun and games

               In reading and writing about my inner conversations, I have discovered that even though you are battling with your inner conversation you have the choice to make. It will either be a good choice or a bad one and you get to deal with the outcome of the choice you made.

2. How do you believe this knowledge about yourself and your strengths will benefit/be helpful/influence the rest of your college and future life experiences. 

          I believe that with having the different knowledge and strengths will be beneficial in college and in life, it will help me get good grades and a great job when I use scheduling and calendars to keep track of important dates and assignments.

         I believe that with having the different knowledge and strengths it will be helpful in college and in life, when it comes to getting to class on time or even when it’s time to interview for a job.

         I believe that with having the different knowledge and strengths in college and in life, it will be will be influential in whatever career I choose whether I become a student minister, a director or a physiatrist. I know I will be able to influence people in which ever career I choose, even if I only influence them in a small way. 

Final Reflection Paper: Part III

1. Describe in detail your goals for next semester and what tools you plan on using to accomplish them.

                  My plans for next year will be to get up early enough to get breakfast and get ready, study more with my school work and in the word of God, and just enjoy what God has planned for me next year. To get through next semester I will be using many tools to help me out, such as, my five strengths, the Creator Mind Set, and my three personal qualities to help me with my motivating goals, plus many other tools including prayer.

                  I plan on using my five strengths to help me to succeed in completing my long term and short term goals, as well as staying focused in completing my assignments.

 With ‘input’ it will help me get far with my studies because I love to learn. It will also allow me to understand what my professors are teaching. I feel ‘belief’ might be a challenge only because I stand for certain things and my friends and professor may have different viewpoints on what I say or write. I think to overcome this I will have to be wise with how I put sentences together as to not upset the others viewpoints. I feel with the ‘responsibility’ strength that it is a blessing because I will be able to use it to complete homework on time and be able to have time left over to spend with friends. ‘Discipline’ is a blessing because I like organization and this will help me keep track of my homework and the extra time I have during the day to study. I feel that ‘intellection’ is a blessing because it will allow me to be able to communicate with my professors if I have questions on a certain problem with the homework or the subject being taught in class.

             I also plan on using the Creator Mind Set and Creator Language to help me complete my goals to move forward in life to get into the right working field God wants me to. By using the Creator Mind Set and Creator Language to help me I know I can accomplish anything even though I may mess up a time or two but by messing up it will strengthen and make me into a better person. I don’t like to see the down side of things, only the positivity. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, and I know I will make more, but I know I can find a way to overcome them.

            I will also use “my personal rules for success in college and in life.” I will show up on time, I will always do more than what is needed, I will always do the best work possible, I will always participate and I will always ask questions. By using these I will be successful in college and in my future job.

            One of my most motivating goals as a student is that I will one day graduate with my college degree in whichever job I choose, whether it be as a youth minister or a physiatrist. I will use three personal qualities, confidence, bravery, and organization to help me achieve this educational goal.

                I had a ton of fear coming here and just throwing my hand vigorously up into the air to ask a question about anything I didn't understand, especially in my history class, but that doesn’t matter anymore. I have become even more confident and braver now in myself than I have ever been. Having organization will help me to stay focused in school and it helps me to turn in my homework in on time or even in some cases earlier. When it comes to organization I won’t be losing things, like homework, my cell phone, and time. It also keeps me from stressing out.

             My short term goal for the spring semester of 2015 is to complete my assignments on time and have them turned in on time and to get a 'B' or an 'A' on my tests next semester. My long term goal is to stay in college and graduate in 2018 with a degree in the field I plan on working in, whether God wants me to become a student minster or a physiatrist, and then use that degree to inspire and encourage people to be the person they truly are.

            I thank the Lord for allowing me to come here to Asbury. I can’t wait to start the next semester and seeing what God has in store for me. This first semester was a little bit of a struggle but I got through it and I really am glad I learned so many new tricks to help me prepare for next semester and I am really glad God has placed me here.

A Poem About Friendship

It is by chance we met, 
by choice we became friends.
Friendship is a strange thing---
we find ourselves telling each other 
the deepest details of our lives,
things we don't even share 
with our families who raised us.
But what is a friend? 
A confidant? A lover? 
A fellow email junkie? 
A shoulder to cry on? 
An ear to listen? 
A heart to feel?... 
A friend is all these things...
and more. 
No matter where we met, 
I call you friend. 
A word so small yet so large in feeling,
a word filled with emotion.                                                                                                                      

It is true great things 
come in small packages. 
Once the package of friendship 
has been opened, 
it can never be closed.
It is a constant book always written
waiting to be read and enjoyed. 
We may have our disagreements, 
we may argue, 
we may concern one another,
friendship is a unique bond 
that lasts through it all.                   

A part of me is put into my friends, 

some it is my humor, 
some it is my listening ear,
some it is real life experiences, 
some it is my romanticism
but with all, it is friendship.      

                                                                                                                                                      

Friendships forged are a construct stronger 
than steel built as a foundation, 
necessary for life and necessary for love. 
Friends----you and me
You brought another friend 
and then there were 3. 
We started our group 
Our circle of friends 
and like that circle
There is no beginning or end...  

~author unknown

Fire and Ice

FIRE AND ICE By: Paul Harvey

Nobody knows why firefighters are firefighters. Not
even they can tell you why. It’s time somebody try. Firefighting is the most
risky of all dead-end jobs and yet also the one where most workers are most
likely to punch in early. It’s hard enough to believe that; it’s impossible to
explain it. Fire and ice are uncomfortable separately or together. Wives hate
the hours. Kids love the noise. Fire and ice.

Any day at the firehouse the bell from hell puts the
dispatcher on the horn with a tenement tinderbox address. Into the bunker
pants, turnout coat, grab the mask and go. Minutes later you’re on site. As
others run out, you go in. You’ll need all you can carry. The four pound axe, a
six-foot rake, the halligan bar. The ceiling concealing the smoldering has to
come down and it’s one of those stubborn tin ones. In the scary dark with the
heat eating your ears, you’re gouging out and tearing loose and pulling apart,
gulping air and tasting black. Your windpipe is closing and you’ve lost track
of which way is out. Is it worth it?

They’ve budget cut your ladder company from six to
five, so now everything you do is 16.67 percent more difficult and more
dangerous. Your air is low. Inside your mask you’re throwing up. There’s a
searing ember down your neck. Torn gloves expose a smashed hand. So you emerge
from the holocaust hugging, with your elbows, somebody’s singed kitten. Fire
and ice.

You’ve had minutes of exhilaration on the bouncing
rear mount of a steaming hundred foot Seagrave, hours of using all you’ve
learned and learning more. Now you’re back at the station house. You’ve
unstuffed your nostrils with soapy fingers; you can almost breathe again. Next
come the tedious hours as you and Brillo gang up on the grimy tools. The
cleanup crew at the firehouse is you when windows need washing and toilets need
cleaning and floors mopping and beds need making, you do it. Fire and ice, they
both go with the job.

Then there’s that night another engine company gets
there first and you see this wet-eared rookie hot-dogging ahead; his academy
boots still shiny. You lose him inside the crackling dark and you forget about
him until your helmet warning bell says get out. The battalion chief is calling
you off. You get out; the other guy didn’t. He had heard a scream from the
bottom of burning basement stairs and he headed down there, when on the
bubbling tarpaper roof the three-ton compressor broke through, that day we lost
two. Oh, yes, firefighters cry, but only briefly because now comes the
inevitable and evermore paperwork just in case OSHA complains or somebody sues.
Is it worth it? Your B crew pumper swapped his day shift so some family guy
could be home for his kid’s birthday and then, outbound toward a false alarm,
your buddy gets blindsided by a hotrod driven by a drunk. Fire and ice.

The intercom barks again. This time it’s a
warehouse, a big, fast, multiple blaze, probably torched. Onsite engine men
draped with icicles dragging an inch and three-quarter hose are waiting for
your big line: ladder men can’t make the building without you. Search, rescue,
ventilate. Eventually it’s over and out. You’re smoke smudged and sleepless and
wrung out, but you won. Behind graffiti-fouled walls you saved what you could.
But the raging blaze that wanted to consume adjacent buildings did not because
you were there.

Back at the firehouse before cleanup, you and the
guys sit a spell, tired but stimulated, drinking coffee and laughing, and feeling
good about one another. Nobody outside your world can ever know this feeling.
In any other uniform you get streets named after you for killing people; in
this one you risk your life to save people. Until one day you run out of
chances and at one final fire, either you buy it or you don’t. If you don’t,
it’s only eventually to be brushed off with a puny pension. Yet there’s no
third way that you’d ever leave this job and you’re doubting even God knows
why. 

You’re out of the shower now; most of the grime and
some of the cynicism are down the drain, when you hear a strangely familiar
voice saying, “It is worth it. It is worth it.” And you’re hearing this voice,
and there is nobody there but you. It is a quiet voice from nowhere saying,
“For salvaging things and people from flames, I have to rely on your hands.”
You look around, still nobody. But when you get over your incredulity, you feel
better. Suddenly today’s crew cook in the kitchen hollers chow. It’s time to
eat. It smells like roast beef today, and that’ll be good. But you’ll eat fast,
for any next alarm you’ll want to be ready.

________________________________________

As a fireman's kid your always wondering if you'll
see you father the next day. You never know  if he'll be home to play a
game with you or take you to see a game. You're always scared. My father is a firefighter. I am always scared for my dad and
I know he gets scared too. He doesn't know if he'll live to see his family
again and I don't know if I'll see him too. But he loves his job. He loves
saving people's lives. Dad has always been my hero. When I was little I wanted
to be just like him. I love going to see him at work and hearing his voice on
the phone when he calls to say good night, that's how I know he's okay. And
when he comes home in the morning I'm always glad to see him safe and sound.

Personal Narrative

I was born in a big city, I am the oldest of three children, and grew up in a household where a Christian homeschool teacher married a non-Christian firefighter. Being born to unequally yoked parents has been had at times but they have been married for almost twenty-two years. God blessed me with wonderful parents and siblings. I went to church as a child with both of my parents and my siblings for several years or up until I was in the second grade. Within the span of six or seven years of not going to church was when I finally realized that my father was not a believer. In those years though my mother still went to church now and then on Sundays and worked in the church's childcare program throughout the week to bring in extra money. My sisters and I would go with our mother when our father worked late for overtime or got called in on a fire run.  

From what I can remember about going to work with my mom was all the workers gathered outside of the office and shared a prayer request with each other before going into the classrooms to teach Bible lessons I remember hearing some of the same lessons for an entire week to two weeks. When I had gone to church with her on the weekends, she would sign me into a Sunday school classroom where I knew no one only because I was not a frequent church goer. When dad was home, though, I would stay with him sometimes.  

There was one time, when I was about eight, I went with my father to the firehouse with my dad instead of going to work with my mother. My father only taught a class that night, so it was fine with him that I went. All I did was sit in a chair with my Game Boy as I listened to my dad teaches, at least, nine men about new techniques in training. I have to say I enjoyed going to the firehouse instead of the church to hear another bible story.  

When I was about nine, my mother signed me up for church camp. I enjoyed it, but I was not really into the whole “let’s be friends with Jesus” and sing Kumbaya around a campfire. The next year though I was baptized because I wanted to not because of "I believe in Jesus," but I did not realize this until later on down the road in my life. 

 Two years later mom got all of us, even my father, to go back to church on a regular basis. My mom finally got tired of asking my dad to come to church, and now he does not go anymore. When I went to church, I would not go to Sunday school. I felt that because I was baptized I should be allowed to go to the grown-up service instead childish classroom with kids that hadn't "matured" as I had.  

When I was in leaving junior high and entering into high school, I started to rebel against the word of God and my parents. I joined a bible study group, called c-group, which met every Wednesday night. I only went to hang out with “friends”. I picked a poor group of friends to hang out with too. (I am going to use the first letter of my friend’s names.) L was a liar, J was a cutter and weed user, and H was a cheater. I never cut or used weed, but I became a liar and a cheater, but that was until I met C. C helped me out of my “friend” group and introduced me to some Christians. I still know and talk to C now after knowing them for seven years.  

During my high school years when my parents argued they would talk about leaving each other, but I did not know that until my mom would come to me complaining about it. This went on for a while after they argued she would come to me crying and I would hide somewhere and cry after. My sisters did not hear about any of this. I’ve seen what divorce does to a family my cousin’s parents are divorced, and I did not want to end up going to two different homes and having two step-parents. I finally had enough and told her to go to one of her friends because I was her child and no child wants to hear about their parents talk about leaving each other. During that time, I started to cause more trouble for my family. I started fights with my sisters, started to hang around my old “friends”, and once again C was there by my side to help me out.  

My personal relationship with Jesus Christ had been a bumpy road. I had fallen off the path and had not been staying in my Faith for about five years. I struggled like many teens had with addictions and being bullied in high school. I thought I found Jesus Christ when I was on a trip to Florida with my church in April of 2010. I was listening to Mark Moore talking about how we are a generation that can do more than others think we can. That is when I felt the Holy Spirit within me telling me that whatever I set out to do I have the ability to do it as long as I have God on my side and I believed that but only for a little while. I was stupid and naive and thought that God hated me.  

I did a 360 and started back in my walk with Jesus two years ago. I struggle from time to time to keep up with reading my Bible and praying, but I do read it. God opened my eyes two summers ago on the same trip with my church to Florida. The first couple of days were spent praying, reading the Bible, confessing sins to new friends, and worshiping God, but there was something tugging at my heart, and I tried to ignore it, but it kept pulling and tugging. I finally broke down crying one night after listening to my youth pastor Matt Regan preach out how we all dug ourselves into pits that only God can help us out of. That is when I called my parents confessing all of my sins. I thought they would hate me, but the surprised me by saying "We love you and forgive you." and that is when I realized God was saying the same thing to me except I was not listening hard enough.  

When I was crying on the phone with my parents, I felt someone sit down beside me and put their arms around me. I looked over to see someone that shocked me because I thought he was some stuck up young guy, but I was wrong and judged too quickly. I hung up with my parents and turned into this guy’s chest and just cried. He prayed for me after I had calmed down a bit. A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders that night as God welcomed me with opened arms. When that guy hugged me, I felt like God was hugging me through him. I am still friends with that guy, who was a friend to me when no one was around. 

On the way home I turned on the radio and Matthew West new song "Hello My Name is" was playing and I was so overjoyed that God played that song to show me that I am His child, and I have been saved, changed and set free. I now work with the children at my church, in the same childcare my mom used to work at, teaching them that no matter what God always love them. I also serve as a leader on the same trips to Florida for a week to share the word of God.   


Someone once asked me if I could change my testimony, taking all the terrible things I did out and replaced them with good things, would I? I looked them in the eye and said no. The things in my past I did out of selfishness and human nature but I would not change it because it is what made me into the person I am today and that it a child of the One True King.

Do you have Faith even when you're put to a test?

When a flower dies it dies because it does not have enough sun, water or soil, or it has too much. When a person loses their faith in Christ, it's because when they think of their story or when they lose a best friend or a close family member they think God is punishing them for something. So, they give up on their faith.

I've been in that situation where I had lost someone I loved dearly and asked God "why? Why did you take them away?"
I know some of you question God.

However, why is it that when we have a tough question you go to a family member or a friend? The answer is because we just want an answer or we do not think God is smart enough to solve it. That is when we lose our faith, and we die spiritually.

When we have found our faith in CHRIST, then we become alive again.

I got an E-mail from a friend a while back with a great story about faithfulness. Here it is.

One Sunday morning as the pastor stood at the podium talking about how God is always faithful to us and how we are not always faithful to him.
The congregation nodded and clapped in agreement during different parts of the sermon, But about half way through about ten to fifteen men came in at the same time wearing black suits and ski masks carrying guns.
One of the men said, "those of you who want to live better leave now, or we'll shoot."
Everyone in the congregation left except for about twenty to thirty people and the pastor who were ready to die for CHRIST.
After about twenty minutes, the men took off their ski masks. The same man who spoke earlier said to the preacher "there you go pastor, now you know who the faithful one are."
THE END

Even though this is not a real story would you stay or flee if guys in ski masks carrying guns came into your church and said they were going to kill you if you did not leave?


2 Timothy 2:11-13 says; if we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he can not disown himself.

Our Christian Family of Six

Our Christian family of six includes four girls and two guys. We have our ups and downs, but we still love each other. Whether one of us is having a rough week or all of us, we talk it out one on one or in our group of six. God put us together as a family.

Starting with the oldest, kind and caring as he is, Clayton is the clown out of the six of us. No matter how hard you try to stay mad at him when he gets on your last nerves, it is just not possible. When you have a hard time, he’ll listen to you whether you want him to or not. Clayton is one who is happy all the time but when he is not running around or trying to make you laugh something is wrong. He’ll tell you what’s been going on when his ready but in the end you’ll end up hearing what happened. Clayton is also the one who will watch over the rest of us and make sure we do not do something stupid.

Jen is the second oldest in our little family. Beautiful, sweet and can easily embarrass herself we all love her just the way she is. She is the one who can turn a bad day into good and is always giving good advice to you when you are down. When she walks into church you can tell just by looking at her she has a passion for Christ that is stronger than the rest of us.

Jason the third oldest in the family. He is quiet at times but can be just as annoying as Clayton. He is the one you will have more in common with than anyone else in our little family. He’s there when you need him and when you don’t.  He’s probably the one who’s been through the most, but he still holds on to the word of God even when it doesn’t feel like God’s around. He’s an amazing photographer. He takes pictures of things that may seem like nothing but when they are printed the pictures tell a story.

I’m the fourth in the family of ours. I can be quiet or outgoing, but I am more outgoing at times. When I look at my “siblings”, I’m proud to have them around. When I see them smile I am happy inside but when they are hurting inside it makes me hurt and I am always there when they need me. When I have a bad week, I know when I see them it all changes, and I know I can count on one of them to listen.

Lisa sweet and beautiful is the fifth in the small family. She is the one who will be there when you want to talk. God has put her where she is in our family because he knew we needed her to make us laugh, share a silly joke or even to tell our story too. Whether at a church at the mall or even c-groups she will make you smile no matter whether you are happy or sad.

Now to the youngest member of the family of six. She is kind. She is gentle. She is Savannah. Another Godly person who makes everyone feel good; Savannah is someone who does not care what you look like, how you talk or even where you came from she will love you just the same. She is the one you can probably trust the most with your secrets or your past. You can tell The Holy Spirit defiantly lives inside her.

We are all different. God put us together because he knew we would need each other not because we are a group of teens trying to find friends but because we need a family of kids our age to hold each of us together. Whether good weeks, bad weeks or those weeks in between we stay healthy because we have each other to lean on in our little Christian family of six.