The Merge Student Prep Guide is brand new for 2007, and it contains helpful info for students and adult volunteers who are planning to attend Merge!
Section 1:Schedule, A Student’s Role at Merge, What Merge is About, and more. Section 2:Merge Guidelines, Recreation Options, and other important info. Section 3:Pre-event Meeting Ideas and a Student Devotional.
Feel free to print this whole packet or just the pages that you need. Remember, some of this info will be very beneficial to parents as well! Click here to get ready for Merge now!
During my freshman year of high school, a book entitled, The Jesus I Never Knew, was awarded Christian book of the year. Over ten years later, I am just getting around to reading it. And, I wish that I hadn’t waited so long! Philip Yancey (who also wrote What’s So Amazing About Grace?) takes an honest look at the Jesus described in the Gospels. Yancey says, “The Jesus I got to know in writing this book is very different from the Jesus I learned about in Sunday School. In some ways he is more comforting; in some ways more terrifying.” This book is challenging some of my preconceptions and filling in some much needed context in the life of Jesus. It is also forcing me to wrestle with some difficult questions about who Jesus really is and what he expects of me.
The story of God is so fascinating, and I am learning a lot through my experience with Merge. During Merge, we invite you to get into God’s story and relate to the characters. What I am finding is that its central character is more complex than we often allow Him to be. We prefer the Jesus who gives answers, not the One who asks questions. If you haven’t already read this book yet, pick up a copy. You might be really surprised as you take a fresh look at our Saviour - Jesus of Nazareth.
On Saturday, May 12th you can help end hunger in your community! All you have to do is place non-perishable items in a bag beside your mailbox and your letter carrier will pick up the items and deliver them to local food banks! What a great opportunity to extend the love of Christ to those who are in need.
Visit www.helpstampouthunger.com to find out:
• if your post office will be participating
• what items are recommended to donate
• how you can spread the word
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
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!
I recently read an article about a new book. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but I’m excited to get my hands on it! From what I can tell, it has the potential to stir the hearts and move the hands of Christians across America. Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action, and professor at Palmer Theological Seminary, has published a second edition of his book, Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America (Baker Books).
His book challenges Christians in America to take it upon themselves to put an end to poverty by doing more than just donating money, clothes or food. Ron’s vision is for faith-based groups to collaborate with businesses, the media, and the government to defeat poverty in our nation. For those of us less familiar with the issue, Ron provides a great background on the current state of poverty in America—with statistics, a review of current policies, as well as policy suggestions for the future.
Take a look at this compelling issue and find out how you can be an agent whom God uses to bring restoration to the poor and broken!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the issue of poverty and how Christians can make a difference—maybe you have a story of how some are already making a difference. Or, if you’ve read this book or others like it, we’d love to hear your feedback!
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.
Tabernacle means “place of dwelling,” and in the Old Testament it was a place where God and the Israelites came together to meet one another. This is where the Israelites offered sacrifices and worshipped God. Each aspect of the Tabernacle offers unique symbolism of God’s relationship with humankind. Below are just a few examples…
The Israelites brought their sacrifices to God at the Brazen Altar, and through this practice, God emphasized his hatred for sin but also demonstrated his great grace.
The Laver, a bronze water basin, stood in the Courtyard of the Tabernacle, and reminded the Israelites that they needed to be clean before approaching God.
The Menorah, held in the large outer room known as the Holy Place, is said to be a symbol of the nation of Israel and its mission to be a light to the world.
You may see parallels between these aspects of the Tabernacle and the Christian life, and isn’t it exciting? God’s truth and his ways have been consistent throughout generations, and exploring ancient traditions like the Tabernacle help us grow in our understanding and appreciation of God’s great plan for humankind.
We are really excited about giving students the opportunity to walk through a replica of the Tabernacle this summer at Merge—to take time to reflect on our relationship to God and learn more about his character. You can also purchase a great resource on our website called, Experiencing the Tabernacle.
To explore more aspects of the Tabernacle and learn how it relates to Christ and Christian life today, check out this cool site!
Brandon Grissom was the music leader at Merge last summer in Chicago, and we are excited about the new album that he has come out with called Scattered Around! Not only are Brandon and his wife Beki some of the coolest people we know, Brandon is the Worship Leader for Elevate - the junior high ministry at Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago suburbs.
Check out his website at http://www.purevolume.com/brandongrissom…you can listen to some of Brandon’s music (and buy it!), email him, and link to his MySpace page. So, check it out!
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!
I just finished reading Presence-Centered Youth Ministry by Mike King, president of YouthFront.
This is a very good book that thought-fully addresses the need for a paradigm shift in youth ministry (and church ministry). I believe this work is helping to redefine youth ministry… here are a few excerpts that stood out to me:
“The notion of youth workers as entertainers and program directors must give way to youth workers as authentic shepherds, spiritual guides with a holy anointing to lead youth into the presence of God.” P. 25
“The way of the kingdom is through relationships, not events. Youth workers who serve as spiritual guides for youth nurture a presence-centered youth ministry by engaging in the hard work of creating an environment of authentic community.” P.69
If you are a student out there, let us know what you think about this!!
