August 7th, 2007 — Posted in God's Story, Stories, Announcements
I just got through reading the feedback sheets that youth workers and students submitted at Merge. Wow.I am humbled and encouraged by how so many people responded to God through his story. It is such a privilege to be a part of Merge and to inspire so many people to find themselves in a greater story!!DOWLOAD a page of responses by clicking here! Here is one of my favorite quotes from a student at Merge (it rocked my world): “I began to see the context of my life within God’s story. The Bible’s not distant anymore. It’s like – whoa! – my life has merged with God’s story. I’m part of what He’s doing, I’m a Kingdom participant and builder. I realize that community is the most important thing I could give my life to. That’s what its all about – a bunch of people getting together to live collectively and individually the life Jesus came to show us.”– Natalie Thanks for all of you who trusted us with your time and resources to be a part of Merge.– Michael
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April 20th, 2007 — Posted in Stories
Jen Lenting is a youth volunteer at Temple Baptist Church in Sarnia, Canada. This year, under the leadership of Dave Lane, their group has been exploring the story of God—his interaction with humankind from Genesis through the New Testament. In the midst of this, only three months ago, she lost her 31-year-old husband to cancer. Listen to what she has to say about her experience exploring the story of God:
What I find truly amazing is that the God story was introduced into my life when I needed it most. Never before have I so desperately needed to know and understand God’s teachings than I do right now, and I feel truly blessed to be a part of a group who is studying the bible in this way. I am seeking to lead a life that entails being real with God, and ‘the God story’ is about as real as it gets, if you ask me.
I am a youth leader who, quite honestly, is ignorant of most things biblical. I have heard all of the common stories and can tell you roughly what they mean, but my memory is weak at best and details are lost on me, meanings forgotten, and my ability to have any sort of meaningful conversation about any story in the bible is limited. In the past, that hasn’t really mattered since nobody really asked any questions. The teens listened to the sermons and heard the stories, and then we moved on to socializing and game playing.
Then we started ‘the God story’. For the first time ever, I am hearing the stories and they are taking on a life of their own. The people involved are taking on real meaning to me. For the first time, Noah, Cain & Abel, Adam & Eve, etc., are seeming relevant to me, and I am relating to them in all sorts of ways. I am actually excited to go to our youth events, not just to socialize with the teens, but to also hear more and revisit all those stories that I thought I knew in the past, but have so much to learn about. I think the excitement is contagious and for the first time since I’ve begun volunteering with this group, I am hearing some really amazing questions being asked. Not questions asked out of obligation, but out of true curiosity and the desire to learn more.
I have begun to develop some truly spiritual relationships between myself and the teens that were not there before. I have witnessed them praying more fervently, more honestly, and more desperately in search of a God that some of them are just now wanting to believe exists.
How exciting to hear how God is meeting his people where they are…revealing himself to them in ways that change their lives!
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April 4th, 2007 — Posted in Stories
Last weekend, a group of students and a few adults from Geneva Lutheran Church in Geneva, IL spent a couple of days learning about restoration….
The team spent the weekend in Chicago serving with the Center for Student Missions. Among other things, they had the opportunity to take a prayer tour around Chicago, help rehabilitate a house for a family with seven children, serve a meal at soup kitchen, experience community in a diverse and welcoming church, and meet some very practical needs in the city.
Restoration can be defined as bringing something back to its original condition or re-establishing something that was once but is no longer. God’s mission is a great plan of restoration…to bring the relationship he once had with humanity back to its original condition and intent. Nate Jarot, one of the adult leaders, felt connected to this mission of restoring people by “listening to them, feeding them, and helping them with their burdens.” As Nate put it, we were able to “listen to people who have stories but no audience.”
Jesus was very intentional about bringing restoration to people who were seen as unimportant or lowly. He listened to their stories. He gave them an audience. And, he met real needs in their lives. In Matthew 25:31-46, he makes it very clear as to how we should treat “the least” of society—as if that person was Jesus himself. Billy Moser, a freshman in the group, embraced this idea during the weekend. He said, “They were homeless. In society, they are looked at as outcasts, rejects and dirty…Jesus hung out with the outcasts, rejects and dirty.”
As Christians, we have the amazing privilege to be agents of restoration. One of the first steps in bringing God’s restoration to another person is to see that person as God sees them. EB Moritz, a freshman, commented, “Just because someone is different doesn’t mean they should be treated differently. Everyone is a human being and everyone deserves the same respect, no matter what their situation.” Brianne Simmons, a junior, said, “We met so many people this weekend—old, young, homeless, smelly—but the thing you had to remember was that they were children of God.” It makes you think about the fact that we were created in the image of God, and that concept is so profound. The youth intern at Geneva Lutheran, Ali Rivera, said that they were learning to look at each person “with respect, dignity and value, as one of God’s most prized creations.”
As they helped restore a house for a family in need, the students saw the connection between this building and the lives of so many broken people.
Restoration can be messy, and it isn’t easy. It often takes a really long time. You have to be patient and willing to get your hands dirty. But, as Brianne said, we should “do all (we) can to fix those places, faces, and hearts of brokenness by showing God’s light…”
When asked what the students learned about themselves, several said that they realized how selfish they were. One confessed that she judges people without even realizing it, and another said, “I am not very good at giving grace to people.” Confession is a pretty powerful thing. And, isn’t it part of being an agent of restoration? We must constantly be restored and changed by God, even as he sends us out to contribute to his mission in this world.
Though the weekend ended, these students have a growing desire to impact their generation with God’s message of restoration. Even as high school students, they have many aspirations for contributing to this mission—from leading small groups at their church, to getting involved at a local orphanage, to petitioning the government to do more to help the homeless. Jono Craig, a junior in the group, said, “I hope that I can just show (my generation) what’s really going on out there, and I hope to motivate them to do something about it…every little bit counts.” Yes, it does. And, every person—no matter who you are—can play a part in God’s great mission of restoration.
Please keep the students at Geneva Lutheran Church in your prayers, as they seek after God. To help high school students merge with this mission, check out Sonlife’s Merge experience.
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March 2nd, 2007 — Posted in Stories
Students from Fellowship Bible Church in Tulsa, OK are inspired to make a difference because of their new understanding of God’s great story.
A group of 28 students from Tulsa, Oklahoma traveled to Chicago last summer for Sonlife’s Merge event. Some were raised in the church—familiar with the stories of the Old and New Testament—and others were new Christians with little exposure to the Bible.
During their time at Merge, the group explored the Story of God in a way they’d never seen it before—as one continuing story that stretches from Genesis through the New Testament. Mike Hayes, the group leader, says his students were able to see “the connection between the Old and New Testaments and the themes of redemption through Christ.” He went on to say, “they were excited to learn how the gospel message is not just what is found in the Romans Road passages or an evangelistic tract, but it is all throughout scripture…it helped them to understand the NEED of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.”
When the group returned to Tulsa after their week in Chicago, Mike was encouraged by what he saw. At Merge, students explore using their own learning styles and creative talents as they worship and serve God. He notes, “it has been exciting to see students with artistic ability discover how God can use what he has given them to glorify Him, to express what they have learned about Him…several of our kids have come back and written worship songs that they’ve sung for the group, others have painted or drawn pieces that we’re hanging in our youth room.”
One of the goals of Merge is to inspire students to find themselves in a greater story. Mike explains how this particularly affected one student, Kristin Johnson. She “came away with the sense that she needed to be more open to sharing her faith with people by connecting her story with God’s story in the whole Bible.”
Looking at his own life and ministry, Mike stated, “it definitely has affected the way I teach,” explaining that he is working to become a better storyteller. “I’ve seen God bring parts of scripture to life for the students (and me) in ways my mostly systematic approach sometimes lacked.”
Seeing the impact of their experience, the Children’s Ministries Director at Fellowship Bible Church asked the students to chronologically teach God’s great overarching story to the children at Fellowship Bible beginning last month. Mike said his students were “excited about the chance to help young kids get the big picture of scripture at this younger age.” Each week, the high school students tell a story or episode from the Bible and then have a time of discussion. After each discussion, the children illustrate a segment of the story, and by the end, they will have one long scroll they can unroll to see a visual representation of God’s story and mission throughout history. To help them remember each story, they are also using costumes and letting the children retell and act out parts of the story.
Mike was eager to share after his group’s first week. “The first night was a big success! It’s great to see the Sr. high kids get excited about it…what a blessing this has been for us to do!”
We are thrilled to see what God is going to accomplish through the students at Fellowship Bible Church. What a privilege to be a part of God’s continuing story and mission of restoration!
Vanessa
For the Sonlife Team
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February 23rd, 2007 — Posted in Stories
God’s story is great. It is rich and deep. It is also active, and He calls for us to join him in his mission to bring restoration to the world. And deep in our souls, don’t we all really hunger to be a part of something greater than ourselves—to be a part of His mission?
Zach Hunter is only 15 years old, but he is engaging in a greater story—a movement to end slavery around the world. In addition to being the spokesperson for the “Amazing Change Campaign,” Zach is the author of a book called Be the Change, written to inform and mobilize people in every country to join the fight against slavery.
Learn how you can get involved—volunteer ideas, petitions, resources and much more—at www.theamazingchange.com
Vanessa
Student Event Support at Sonlife
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February 16th, 2007 — Posted in God's Story, Stories
Today in our Sonlife staff meeting Chris Folmsbee—our President—led us in a time of reflection on the symbol of the Table throughout the Bible. Check out some of these verses where God uses a table as the symbol of his provision for us: Psalm 23:5, Malachi 1:6-7, I Corinthians 10:21, Psalm 78:15-20.
Our God is a loving Father who gives us all that we need. It’s easy to see all that we don’t have—the clothes we’d like, better grades, friends who are more fun, a family that we actually like. How often to I feel restless or dissatisfied, wishing I had more? Even, dare I say, thinking I deserve more?
When we come to that point, we have to pause and remember what we really deserve. Picture Christ on the cross…getting what I deserve…and I go on to live with (compared to his suffering) little discomfort. How often do we recognize how richly we have been blessed? How often do I thank him for all that he has given me?
Take a moment right now to reflect on how good God has been to you. As you go through this day, remember his provision and let it fill your heart with joy and peace. You serve a great and powerful God who is full of lovingkindness!
Vanessa
Student Event Support at Sonlife
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January 29th, 2007 — Posted in Stories
Senior year can be pretty busy for most high school students. Not only do you have to make time to study (with high hopes of graduating), you also need countless hours to check the mailbox for those college acceptance letters or to search for that ever-elusive “job.” Jerod Wanner knows the drill. But, Jerod finds time in his stressful schedule to work at his church as well. Jerod is the first-ever student intern at New Castle Bible Church in Mackinaw, IL.
While he has been involved in church activities from AWANA all the way through high school youth group, he is now serving and leading his peers. Jerod works with Phil Shields and Josh Gates, the high school and junior high pastors at New Castle, learning and gaining experience as a junior high leader. Amanda McLaughlin, a high school youth leader, has watched Jerod grow and mature over the years. She said, “he is an extremely influential leader in his class, and always seems to challenge even me with how much he loves God.”
Over the years, Jerod has participated in several Sonlife events. Last year, he journeyed with his youth group to Chicago to attend Sonlife’s new high school experience called Merge. Jerod talked about what he was expecting from Merge…”I was expecting a spiritual high which wasn’t what I needed, but that’s what I wanted.” Instead, he found something quite different. He explains, “Merge built a foundation that I am still building off of today. Merge changed everything about how I went about reading God’s Word. It made me branch out and see his Word as a story that’s completely relevant in my life. I began to see all the characters in his story and relate to them.”
The biggest thing that has changed in Jerod’s life over the past year is his personal time of prayer and study with God. He says, “My time with God after Merge has been changed dramatically. I used to see my time with God as a checklist, where if you read your Bible and prayed, you were set for the day…it just wasn’t personal. Looking at God’s Word as story instead of textbook makes experiencing God more real. Merge made digging into God’s Word exhilarating and helped me understand that this story is still being told by you and me.”
While Jerod is entering his final semester of high school, his passion for ministering to youth is not ending. Jerod has been accepted to Moody Bible Institute in the fall, and he desires to pursue Youth Ministry as his major. As he looks to the future, he notes, “I am privileged to be a part of His story and to change things in the ministry in my church, school and ministries that I have yet to encounter. Merge helped me realize that even though, in the grand scheme of things, I am small and inadequate, God is willing to use me to better his Kingdom.” So, while Jerod makes plans for graduation and college – like most seniors – he’s excited to be part of a bigger plan…the story and mission of God.
Please pray for Jerod, as he seeks to serve Jesus, and for the student ministry at New Castle Bible. For more information about Merge, go to www.sonlife.com/merge
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