Last week, we asked the question, "So what happens to your faith when the church doors stay closed?" Recently, we asked our youth to share what they themselves did to develop and nurture their faith over the extended holiday break. Their answers are . . .
Encouraging.
As I reflect on their responses, what stands out for me the most is that God is clearly on the minds of our teenagers. While only a handful of youth seemed to have a close-to-definitive approach to nurturing their faith, a strong majority of them pointed to their efforts at prayer, seeing God in others, and reading the Bible. The clearly good news is that God is reaching out to these youth and they are making efforts to respond. Which throws the ball back in our court and asks of us . . .
How well are we encouraging them?
As we all know, youthful impulses, like their hormones, are fluid, volatile, and ever-changing. Often, the key to sustaining faithful development is tied to having a strong community of support that encourages, guides, and models faithful behavior. Our teens need our encouragement to find and stay on "the way everlasting" - are they getting it?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Upcoming Events
With a new semester beginning (finally!), here are a few upcoming events that you'll want to have on your calendar:
Friday, January 28th - Youth Game Night
7-10pm, Rm. 214 (Youth Room) at FBCJC
Guys bring a 2-liter, Girls bring a snack, Everyone bring a friend!
Sunday, February 6th - Super Bowl Party
Time TBA, Greg and Christine Jones' house
We need parents to help provide snacks - let Dave or Christine know if you can help!
Friday, March 4th - WinterJam Concert
Time TBA, Knoxville (Transportation will be provided)
Cost: $10 + dinner
For more info, check out http://www.jamtour.com/.
As always, you can find up-to-date information on FBCJC events on our website, http://www.fbcjeff.org/ (look on the Calendar for the most extensive info). And, if you're a member of Facebook, look for our Youth page ("First Baptist Jefferson City Youth Ministry") for more updates, including notices when there are last-minute changes in events and activities.
Friday, January 14, 2011
What Happens When the Church Doors Stay Closed?
I doubt I need to remind any parents that Jefferson County Schools haven’t been open in quite some time now. No, with each “snow day” tallied, each of us adds a new frazzled nerve to go with it. Cabin Fever catches a hold and we feel like the desperate characters in a “survivor” movie. One more day and we must might . . . well, some things are better left unsaid.
If you’re keeping score at home, you may have also noticed that – with Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, snow days, traveling, and more – we haven’t exactly had a lot of youth activities lately. And, by lately, I mean . . . some of us haven’t even been to church in almost two months straight.
Which makes me wonder . . .
What happens when the church doors stay closed? In other words, how do our teenagers continue to develop their faith when the programs they’ve come to depend on are not readily accessible? Do they just set faith development aside for a time? Pull out their Bible and read? Call their friends and pray together?
The answer to those questions has a lot to do with the answer to this question . . .
What do YOU do when the church doors stay closed? Whether we think it’s true or not, our children look to us for guidance, especially in situations that are new to them. And what kind of guidance did your kids receive from you over this wintry holiday?
Did extra family time become extra opportunities to discuss faith?
Did more meals together lead to more prayer together?
Did cancelled Sunday services lead to special times of family worship?
Or did winter vacation simply become a “faith vacation” as well?
If you’re keeping score at home, you may have also noticed that – with Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, snow days, traveling, and more – we haven’t exactly had a lot of youth activities lately. And, by lately, I mean . . . some of us haven’t even been to church in almost two months straight.
Which makes me wonder . . .
What happens when the church doors stay closed? In other words, how do our teenagers continue to develop their faith when the programs they’ve come to depend on are not readily accessible? Do they just set faith development aside for a time? Pull out their Bible and read? Call their friends and pray together?
The answer to those questions has a lot to do with the answer to this question . . .
What do YOU do when the church doors stay closed? Whether we think it’s true or not, our children look to us for guidance, especially in situations that are new to them. And what kind of guidance did your kids receive from you over this wintry holiday?
Did extra family time become extra opportunities to discuss faith?
Did more meals together lead to more prayer together?
Did cancelled Sunday services lead to special times of family worship?
Or did winter vacation simply become a “faith vacation” as well?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Xchange Resumes January 5th
After a nice holiday of mirth and rest and hopefully not too much egg nog, we're excited to begin a new year at FBCJC! Xchange, our Wednesday night gathering for youth, will resume this Wednesday, January 5th, with a WILD WEDNESDAY!
Stay tuned for some exciting upcoming events!
Stay tuned for some exciting upcoming events!
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