What’s Happening in Student Ministry?

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor

Since the end of April, we have been experiencing a transitional time in our Student Ministry as we have been praying and searching for the person God has to be our new Pastor of Student Ministries. I have been the pastoral presence during the midweek and Sunday youth group times and have had the privilege of working alongside our youth ministry adult volunteers who are wonderfully committed to our students. 

With this change and time of transition, I know that many of you have been in prayer for what’s next. We know that a new pastor to students is essential for the health and vitality of a student ministry, and our prayer has been to find the right person as soon as possible.

In recent weeks during my own personal prayer time, I heard God whisper a name to me of someone who could meet this need to our students and become our new Pastor of Student Ministries. I didn’t act on that whisper right away but gave it some time, and each time I would go to God on this subject the same name would come to me.

After many confirmations in my heart, I went to this person and asked if they would pray about becoming our Pastor of Student Ministries. This was not something I was going to mandate or try and make happen, but something I wanted this person to pray about and see if God would either confirm this whisper or if maybe I had heard something wrong.

After a period of praying with his wife and close family, seeking God’s direction and will for this time in his life and ministry, believing that the role of youth pastor is what God has for him here at LBF, I am excited to let you know that Jeff Taylor, our current Pastor of Worship, will be stepping into the role of Pastor of Student Ministries, effective June 1.

Jeff was first hired in 2003 as our Pastor of Student Ministries. He was in that position until 2007, when he took on 50% of the teaching team role in the main services in addition to his youth position. In 2009 Jeff left youth ministry when he took on the Pastor of Worship role – a role that he has functioned in since. As a youth pastor, Jeff demonstrated over and over again that he has the ability to connect with and reach junior high and high school students. Jeff is excited to follow God’s lead back into student ministry and be used by Him to minister to the lives of our young people. 

This is not a band-aid or quick fix. This is where we believe God has us and are  excited to see how He will move.

Understandably, this change may seem abrupt and quick, but it is with great confidence that God is leading this way and Jeff is stepping into this role. Summer camp and other youth activities are right around the corner, and Jeff and the volunteer staff are hard at work, assuring a safe and spiritually meaningful time for our students.

This change means we will also experience a transition in our worship ministry and the main services as we look for a new Pastor of Worship. During this transition we will have some familiar faces leading our adults in worship through music. And I hope you will join me in praying for our next worship pastor – pray that God would be smack-dab in the middle of this process and that we would see His Spirit lead us to the right person quickly, just as I believe He has for our Student Ministry.

It is with great anticipation that I look to the rest of this year and beyond. As I told our staff recently…

Healthy things grow – growing things change – changing things challenge us – challenge forces us to trust God – trust leads to obedience – obedience makes us healthy – healthy things grow.

I believe this speaks to where we are right now. Things are changing and this will challenge us, but I would ask you to join me in looking to God as we trust Him and walk in obedience to Him and as we do, grow in our health.

If I can answer any further questions about all of this, please feel free to send me an email.

Filtered

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries

Our world easily corrupts us, but we are able to filter what we see. So many messages and values are passed on by our culture, and we are so impressionable. 

During this four-week series in Exit 83, we are going to learn how to filter our world through the lens of God’s Word. Throughout the process, we will use different types of filters to illustrate how God’s Word can help us change the channel, bounce our eyes, and reveal our desperate need for more of His presence in our lives. Oh, it would be easy to just lock ourselves in a convent for the rest of our lives, but then how would an unbelieving world see a loving God? We need to learn how to filter our world. 

During this series our student ministry will spend four weeks looking at these words of Jesus: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23). During this series we hope that your students are challenged to passionately pursue life in Jesus and to lead others to do the same.

Forward Motion

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries

We’ve all made resolutions and set goals, but too often we fall short of what we expected to accomplish. Unfortunately it’s often the same when we try to become the Christian we really believe God has called us to be. We fall short of the goal and become increasingly discouraged. So many times we look at our lives with great expectations, thinking we should be leaps ahead of where we are. We expect perfection. We expect to arrive at some level. The reality is that following Christ isn’t about leaping to instant perfection. 

We’re walking with Him daily – a walk that involves steps, not leaps. Following Jesus Christ is about the small steps we make everyday – steps of obedience, steps in relationship with Him. Sometimes those steps are small, sometimes they are big, but they are all still steps, moving us forward. It’s a lifelong journey – a process, a walk. Following Jesus is about the steps we take everyday, and as Christians, we have divine help in taking those steps – from the Holy Spirit. 

In this series, your student will learn that following Christ is more about the small steps we take everyday than about the huge leaps of faith that we think we need to make. We hope your student is encouraged as we think about the steps that they need to take to move forward in their relationship with God.

Hope, Peace, and Love – Then and Now

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

This Christmas, you are probably hoping that life will get better. We are hoping that life will look differently next year, even if we’re not sure how. We realize that no one person or group holds a solution, but we’re expecting something different, even if we’re not sure how that is going to work out. Words like hope, peace, and love have a new meaning this year, don’t they? We’re waiting to have hope, peace, and love in our lives, in our communities, and in our world, even if we’re not sure how it will all work out. And just like thousands of years ago, Jesus is the one who came to bring hope, peace, and love to our lives then – and now. Jesus taught us how to find hope, bring peace, and initiate love even when our circumstances are less than ideal.

This month in Exit 83 we want students to hear about what hope, peace, and love in our lives can look like. We hope that your student is challenged in their relationship with God as they see how placing hope in stuff and in circumstances often leads to disappointment. Learning to place our hope in God brings real satisfaction. We hope that they can be peacemakers this holiday season and gain a desire to experience love in action.

Charged

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

Ever wake up in the morning late, rush to get ready, leave your house forgetting something important, and in addition to what looks to be a challenging morning, you realize that you forgot to do something? This scenario has happened to me more than a few times, and one of the things I have forgotten to do is charge my phone.

Like many of you, I wish I could say that I could live without it for the day, but the truth is that looking at that remaining battery life and seeing it close to empty makes me nervous. I start to think about how long it will last, what are the only important situations in which to use it, and how I can conserve its battery life until I am able to charge it.

While that scenario is not the end of the world, there is something that many Christians forget to do on a daily basis. While many don’t like to admit it, many forget to pray. Prayer is a rich and meaningful part of the Christian life. There’s something significant that happens when we intentionally carve out time to connect with God through prayer. In many ways, it helps us stay charged.

The heart of prayer is that it’s our chance to connect with God in a way that goes beyond “help me, bless me, protect me, give to me.” When we move past these types of prayers, it becomes an opportunity to thank, have honest conversations, and even listen to God.

This month at Exit 83, we have been encouraging students to change their view and strengthen their relationship with God through prayer. We hope that each week your student is challenged to connect with God and that they are able to grow in their faith in deep and profound ways. Each week we encourage students to see how rewarding and necessary it is to connect with God on a daily basis through prayer. We hope that your student is able to join us each week as we grow in our passionate pursuit of Christ.

Youth Culture: Value Has a Number

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

While many teenagers still have a Facebook account, statistics show that many are using it less and for only specific purposes. It is no surprise that many teenagers are going elsewhere to connect on social media and at this point, one the most popular places for students to go is Instagram. I’m sure you’re aware of Instagram if your teenager is on it, but if not, here’s is how the app works.

You get an account and start following other users.

Other users follow you.

You post pictures to your account.

You and your followers comment or “like” each other’s pictures.

Repeat numerous times a day.

It’s a pretty simple process, but for many students, looking at the number of likes of their followers can cause them to compare their post with their friends’. While the idea of comparing your post to others’ seems trivial, this desire in teenagers’ lives today has sparked a new trend.

If you are one of those people who only look at the photo, you might be missing how teenagers are specifically asking for comments AND number of likes. This is done through the simple method of hashtags. What might seem like just another picture, below it, in the comment section, you will find #morelikesplease #like #followme #needmorefollowers #comment. This method is one way that students can add to the number of people following them and generate more likes for their pictures. So what does that mean?

When it comes to their social standing there’s a number attached to them – a ranking of sort. While popularity may at one time have been obscure and unquantifiable, it now has real time data. Today teenagers find their identity in the number of people that offer approval of what they post. While even adults are guilty of seeking this kind of approval, teenagers today base their value off a number and its consequences are definitely affecting them.

Before we seek to get rid of everything, there is one simple thing that you can do to help your teenager. As parents, it is important for you to know your teen and to know the insecurities they face. Like you, they have insecurities and what is important is to dig deeper into the impact this can have on your teen. We must never forget the importance of reminding them what the Bible says about their identity and where their value comes from. Culture has no problem attempting to answer that question for them, which is why God made sure that in Scripture we got the right understanding about who we are. We are made in His image. With intention. With care. With value. And with worth. Resting in that will guide your student in the right direction and allow them to live with more freedom and less insecurity than ever imagined possible.

It’s Really Quite Simple

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

In spite of what you may have heard or thought, the message of Jesus is really quite simple. Unfortunately, that is not most people’s experience. As I have talked with people about what it means to follow Jesus, there are always those that believe following Jesus is complicated. Many feel confused about their relationship with God. But as I read the gospel, I find a totally different message. When Jesus arrived, He spoke to a group of people that thought knowing God came with a large list of “dos and don’ts.” In reality, Jesus’ message was quite simple: He came that we might know the Father.

Over the next several weeks at Exit 83, we will unpack the simplicity of Jesus’ message, in one word, so that students can understand how simple Jesus’ message really is. We will look at the amazing invitation to “follow” Him. Since Jesus gave this invitation to His disciples thousands of years ago, the church has been giving the same invitation to the world. While many people are confused about their relationship with God, Jesus invites every person to just follow. You don’t have to clean yourself up first. The invitation that Jesus offers every person begins with the simple act of following. During this series we hope that your student will see the simplicity of following Jesus.

Exit 83’s Current Series Explores the Difference Between Knowing About Someone and Knowing Someone

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

So you overslept, missed the bus, saw someone cute, aced the big test, and you’re mad at that guy. So how do we know? Because you gave the world your play-by-play for the day on Facebook, Twitter, and texted about it every five minutes. We live in a world where we know more about the people around us than we ever knew before. But have you noticed something? We can know a lot – too much – and yet not really know what’s going on. It’s so easy to let people know about us, and not really have a place where people really know us at all. We know that students need people pouring into them to help them discover who God is and what that means for them. In this series we want to challenge our students to really open up about what is going on their lives.

I Used to Be a Sixth Grader

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

For many students, entering Jr. High can be a confusing and exciting time. Exit 83 wants to help your student not feel alone during this time of their lives. Our goal at Exit 83 is to create an environment specially tailored to help them sort it all out.

Exit 83 – complete with a live worship band, relevant messages, heartfelt small group discussions, and fun games – is where students can explore their relationship with Christ and how that can influence every decision they make.

As you start to hear about ways that your student can get involved, we want to encourage you not to miss out on getting your student connected. We are available to help in this process and we hope to be a support to your family and influence your student’s life for Christ.

Youth Summer Camp

Summer camp is quickly approaching! This year’s theme is “Phoenix Dark,” which is a story shadowed with mystery and intrigue. A man is asked to uncover the truth about who Phoenix Dark really is before the clock runs out. This summer we will ask the same question that Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew 16:15: “But what about you?...Who do you say I am?”

Dates 
Jr. High Summer Camp: June 16-21 
High School Summer Camp: June 30-July 5 

Sign up online today or contact Matt Sasso @ (909) 981-4848.

Is It Okay to Doubt?

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries

Everyone has moments of doubt. We doubt if we are heading in the right direction when going some place new. We doubt if that low-fat snack is really as healthy as it claims to be. We doubt if the people in our lives really care about us – even in spite of the evidence that they do. And sometimes our doubts are about God. Can we trust God? Does God really have our best in mind? What does a particular Bible verse actually mean?

When questions arise, they can be a little unsettling, especially questions about faith. But what if God is big enough to handle the questions? He is. What if God is secure enough to handle our uncertainty? He is. And what if doubt actually paves the way to a deeper belief, a stronger relationship with Christ? It can.

Last month we talked about those nagging questions that seem to linger in the back of our minds – the ones we hesitate to ever speak out loud, admit we have, or let anyone else know we think. Questions like: “Does God hear me when I pray?” “Does He have a plan for my life?” “Does God really have everything under control?”

Questions and doubts can be unsettling if they are left unsaid. We begin to think we are alone in our doubt, and often our doubts only grow until they paralyze our faith. But when we learn to admit our doubts openly, we learn that we are not the only ones. Everyone deals with questions. And when we learn to live with doubt, doubt can be a tool that strengthens our faith.

The Beautiful Trade

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

Have you ever had to do research for a class paper? I have had to a lot while in graduate school. Sometimes you start out with your topic, thinking that you know exactly what you are going to write about. But then, after you start reading some books and digging into the research, you realize that you actually know very little about the topic and have to start from scratch and just learn. In times like these, you have to trade what you think you know for what you don’t. And it’s the same when it comes to following Jesus. Sometimes we have to trade what we think we know – about Jesus, about what is best for us, about what we think about others – in order to fully participate with God in what we don’t know.

The book of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels, but it’s packed with the message that Jesus wants us to trade what we know, what we think, and how we see others for something better. It’s a beautiful trade, because not only do we exchange something for something different, we exchange our lives and our perspectives for something better. It’s a message that’s at the heart of the Easter story, but it’s shown through Jesus’ interactions long before the crucifixion and resurrection. I hope that this month your student is encouraged to trade what they know for something better.

Want to Serve? 

Exit 83 volunteers are the backbone of our ministry. Volunteers create a safe place where students feel accepted and cared for, as they are encouraged to grow in spiritual maturity. Volunteers are able to talk to students about their lives and offer advice. They serve as an example of Christ’s love in the lives of students. If you’re interested in helping us serve students better, please email Matt Sasso.

Not That Into the Relationship?

What Exit 83 is Talking About This Month 

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

Every one of us has experienced it at some point. At one time, we were really into a relationship – whether it was a friendship or a dating relationship – and now, well, not so much. We’re just not that into it anymore. So we walk away or we let the relationship die. But what happens when that relationship you’re not that into anymore is the one you have with God? You were really into Him at one point. You were feeling connected, directed, and close. Now it feels like nothing. How do you deal with it?

There is a natural ebb and flow to our relationships, isn’t there? Times when we feel really close to someone, and times when we don’t. The reasons vary, but there are times when we’re just not feeling that into a relationship. But what happens when these feelings occur in our relationship with God? And when it does, why is it so difficult to admit it?

When you’re not that into a relationship, you have a choice – to stay or to go. God has made it very clear in the Bible that He’s not going anywhere. He’s in. We, though, are the ones who struggle with the choice, and that struggle sometimes involves fighting our own feelings and perceptions. It’s a fight that we have to be willing to face and a decision each of us has to make. While it may feel like it, God isn’t going anywhere. In these times we have to fight our own tendencies to pull away.

This month we want students to see that they have the choice to choose to strengthen their relationship with God, and that every week there are caring adults who want them to know how much God loves them.

Youth Serving

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

In December, some of our jr. high and high school students got an opportunity to serve our local library. It was a great day. Seeing our students serving and witnessing the thankfulness of the people that worked there was very rewarding. While we were there, the students moved boxes, reorganized shelves, and dusted. Simple things, but ones that made a great impression on the people that worked there.

Winter Camp is Just Not a Normal Experience

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

We’re standing in line at McDonald’s on the way home from a weekend at winter camp. Joey, a 7th grade boy, is in line in front of me. “Hey Matt,” he says. “How many double cheeseburgers can I get for $20 dollars?” “Um…18,” I say. Joey then turns around and says exactly what we all think he will, “I’ll take 18 double cheeseburgers please.”

Camp is just not a normal experience; I think that is exactly what makes it so good. Each year winter camp is often one of the highlights of our students’ year. It’s a weekend where they get away from home, stay up late, and have some of that independence they are desperate for. For many it’s a weekend filled with a lack of sleep and good ol’ camp food, and at the exact same time it’s a week where they encounter God in a way they might never have before.

Every year at camp I watch our middle school and high school students worship in amazingly authentic ways, engage with God’s word, and have deep and insightful conversations during small group times. It is wonderful!

The lesson that I learned from Joey that year was, we can’t order 18 cheeseburgers everyday. Camp is one those times that we order 18 cheeseburgers. It is one of those weekends that we can’t replicate in the midst of our everyday lives.

If you are the parent of a junior high or high school student, I want to encourage you to consider sending your son or daughter to camp this winter. Sign up in the youth room (also known as The Garage), by calling me @ 981-4848, ext. 233, or by emailing matt@lbfchurch.com. We can’t wait to see you there!

Camp Info: 

Jr. High Winter Camp is at Ponderosa Pines Christian Camp, from February 1-3, 2013. Cost is $170 per student.

High School Winter Camp is at Forest Home Christian Camp, from February 8-10, 2013. Cost is $185 per student.

#grace

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

Grace – it is what we want most in the presence of guilt, yet it is the very thing we are reluctant to give when we see the guilt of others. When we are on the receiving end we are grateful, but when we are the ones extending we struggle to show it to others. Understanding the meaning of grace and how to not only receive but also how to give it to others is the tension that we all feel. But we can never understand the meaning of grace without the presence of God’s grace in our own lives.

As we read the Bible we understand that grace is something that can’t be earned. To say that someone deserves it is a contradiction, yet it is often a thought that people have. Therefore the true meaning of grace cannot be understood unless we first understand that it is underserved, unearned, and unmerited. It is simply a gift.

This month in Exit 83, we will be talking with students to help them gain a deep sense of appreciation of God’s grace in their lives and also a clear understanding of how to live a life defined by grace. We will challenge students to see that they are in need of grace so that they understand the meaning of grace and how to give it to others.

We hope that your student’s faith will grow as they learn to passionately pursue life in Christ.

A Theology of Technology

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

It should come as no surprise that teenagers love technology, especially their mobile phones. Today’s teenagers have their phone when they wake up, fall asleep, between classes, and at family dinners. It is the one thing they always seem to have.

A recent article in the Washington Post stated, “Teens between age 13 and 17 are among the fastest adopters of smartphones.” Today’s teenagers have right now the most accessibility in the palm of their hand than any previous generation. Right now there is instant access to more entertainment than every before.

Living in the world of teenagers, I have witnessed the need to help them learn the principle of stewardship. When we think of the word stewardship we often think of money or time, but in response to what I have been reading about teenagers and their use of technology, it is imperative that they learn to steward their use of technology.

What’s Your GodView? Exit 83 Explores God’s Mysteries

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

What comes to mind when you think about God? Who do you believe God is? How do you believe God interacts with you personally and with your world? These are questions we are going to be addressing in Exit 83. You see, every one of us has a “Godview,” whether we think about it or not. For many of us, it’s just a vague impression formed when we were younger. For some, it’s an image of someone against whom we have a strong resistance. For others, God is personal and mysterious, offering an adventure to anyone ready to pursue a relationship with Him. While we can never really know everything about God – because He’s that big and mysterious – the things we can learn about Him shape the way we respond to whatever life brings. That’s why author A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Week One (September 2) 
No matter who we are, we all have a Godview. And the way we think about God affects how we interact with our world. Many people struggle because they have a negative or distorted view of God. This first week, we will take a look at the life of one of Jesus’ closest followers who struggled with this very thing. In the end, we want to challenge students to begin to see how their view of God shapes the way they live.

If you are a parent of a junior high or high school student, grab a piece of paper for each of you and take three minutes to write down all of the things that come to mind when you hear the word “God.” Both of you be honest, and don’t just write the words that you think you should. There’s no grade for this.

Week Two (September 9) 
Many of us have a distorted Godview because we think God’s primary goal is either for us to be good or for us to be happy. While there may be some truth in those statements, if we see those as His primary goals, then we walk through life with remarkable and self-made expectations. Then, when those expectations aren’t met, our faith is shattered and destroyed. This week, we want students to see that following God is bigger than our expectations. Following God requires surrendering control.

As a parent you could ask your junior high or high school student, “When you think about the things you pray for or about, or the verses you hang on to, or even the way you perceive God, are those all based on your own personal happiness? How would our prayers and likes look different if we were more concerned about surrendering control?”

Week Three (September 16) 
The tendency for each one of us is to think we have God all figured out. But this week is about one simple truth – we don’t. This week we want students to see how the more they come to know God, the more they will realize they’ll never really know Him completely. There is always more of God to know. He’s that big, that mysterious, and that amazing.

At the close of this series, we hope your student will walk away with the desire to pursue a relationship with God and to know God more every day. As a parent you could ask your junior high or high school student, “What is mysterious to you about God? Is it comforting or frightening to know there are things about God we don’t have figured out? Why or why not?”

We hope that your student is challenged in their relationship with God.