The Pulse Insider 09/27/2011
  The Youth Scoop:
 Wednesday Night Highlights: We are continuing our series called Sweet Relationships. This series begins with two lessons on our identity found in Christ. Last week (9/21) we talked about "Buying the Lie: I Am What I Own & Do." Here is a review of last week: Title: Buying the Lie: I Am What I Own & Do (week 2 of Sweet Relationships) Lesson in a Sentence: Many times we buy the lie that we are what we do or own, but God reminds us that our value and worth are not based on what the world tells us, but on who he is and what he says about us. Understandable Message: This week we want students to explore some of the lies that we are what we do or that we are what we own. We're told to dress a certain way, to act a certain way in order to be cool. After believing those lies long enough, we identify ourselves by those things. But when we're faced with the truth that comes from God, reminding us of who we are--that we are unique and special to him, that we forever his, and that we’ve too often taken our focus off of him and pursued trivial things like looks, clothes, sports, etc.--we are able to see past the lies of the world and truly live for God. Song(s): Love Came Down (Forever Yours); Foreverandever Etc. Humor/Fun Element: We played a game before hand letting students try on different outfits and costumes as a relay. They were to find all the objects/articles of clothing in a tub to make the outfit complete. Once an adult noted it was complete, they could remove the costume and move on to the next person. In a struggle to go as fast as possible, the highlight moment came when an adult leader had to shout out, “Nope! Your pants are on backwards!” Favorite Moment: This week after the message, students had the opportunity to write out the things that have taken their attention and focus off of God. Those are the things that are often times the things that begin to define us, so by identifying them, students were given the opportunity to release them. After that they were given a chance to place their thumbprint on a cross as a way of reminding them that they are special and forever God’s. This week (9/28): Title: How to Raise Your Parents: Trust Busters Lesson in a Sentence: A good relationship between parent and teenager is built on trust: trust for your parents and trust from your parents. Understandable Message: This week we want to introduce the topic of trust as foundation for a healthy relationship between teenagers and their parents. The goal is to have students walk away with a clear understanding of how important trust is and how to build it between them and their parents. A Note from Pastor Michael: We’re continuing our relationship series. The past two weeks we’ve been talking about Identity. If you’re interested in reading a great article on Youth Culture and Identity check this out. It’s by a guy named Walt Mueller who is a leading expert on youth culture and the founder of CPYU—The Center for Parent and Youth Understanding. The main thing we stressed during this portion was the central focus God must be in our lives to every other thing that lays claim to who we are. We’ve ended the portion on Identity and will now turn to relationships with parents. We’ll be talking about trust as well as expectations. The last week in this parent mini-series will be a Parent Panel for the students to ask questions in an open forum. This will take place on Wednesday, October 11. It is a night for students to have some questions heard and addressed by a panel of expert parents—real-life questions answered by real-life parents. I will moderate the panel and will keep the discussion moving. This is something new; something we’ve never tried before, so hopefully it will be beneficial to everyone. I’ve got some great questions students have been asking so far. If you are interested in being a part of this panel, please let me know. Just a few things you’ll want to remember: Baptism classes are taking place right now. Talk to your son or daughter about it. Baptism is a vital part of the Christian life in publicizing the work of God’s grace in our lives and committing ourselves to following him every day. I hope you do not miss out on this opportunity to encourage your student in their own spiritual journey. Students on the Student Leadership Team: Be prepared for the meeting on Monday, October 3. We’ve got lots of things to cover and work on. Connect Groups: A very important part of our on-going discipleship program. We hope that you would strongly encourage your son or daughter to make this a priority for their week. Like always, if you have any question feel free to contact me. Grace and Peace, Pastor Michael and the Pulse Team | ArchivesNovember 2011 CategoriesAll |
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