CBC Youth Ministry

Arrival at Southland Camp and first couple of days

2011-06-15T14:27:00.005-05:00

Well, hopefully this works now...

Yes we arrived safely at camp and have been having a good time here at Southland Christian Camp. I have had a few technical difficulites with posting but I think that they are all worked out now. Unfortunately i don't think I can post pictures yet. That might have to wait until next week when we return. But I will keep trying.

Keep praying for the teens this week. The preaching has been very good but there is still much work that the Lord has to do in all our hearts.

- Pastor Ryan

More Camp Photos

2010-06-25T13:54:00.008-05:00

Funny Time

2010-06-23T19:47:00.002-05:00

One of the highlights of the week is funny time - a super skit that the staff puts on that really is a hilarious time. This year the funny time skit was entitled "trucks" to tie in to the "Off Road" theme of the week. It was great. I got a few pictures but they aren't all that great since it was so dark in there and I was towards the back.

The rain let up for most of the afternoon which was good for games and activities but now it is back.

Please pray for the service this evening that God's Spirit would do a work in all of our lives.

Rain

2010-06-23T07:42:00.004-05:00

In case any of our teens were starting to feel homesick...the Lord sent rain this morning. :) I am sure that the exceptional camp staff has plenty for the teens to do if the rain persists. I understand that they actually need the rain up here so in that respect we can be grateful for the rain.

Last night Evangelist Jerry Sivnksty preached an outstanding message about living under the authority of God's word. It was a powerful challenge to the teens from 2 Timothy 3:16. His three main points were:

God gave us his word so we can grow spiritually
God gave us his word to spiritually groom our lives
God gave us his word for our spiritual guidance

Free Time Photos

2010-06-22T17:11:00.006-05:00

Here are a few of the pictures that I was able to snap during the afternoon camper "free time"

During this time the teens are able to swim, play a host of games, or just hang out.

Here Seth and Nathan have just finished the boys swim time.

Hanging out!

Not at all hard to believe I found some of our crew at the sand volleyball pit. I tried to join them but it was so hot I soon had to leave.

Raiding the camp store... looking for deals!

Here some of our boys are playing human fooseball where they willingly enter a cage, grab hold of the ropes and kick this ball at eachother...I mean at the goal.

Also during free time the teens' counselors meet with the teens on an individual basis to here their testimony and seek to apply God's word to their lives as they get to know the campers. This is an important time and I would encourage you all to pray for our teens that they would be open and honest with their counselors and that God would use the time in their lives to build bridges and work through His word.

Survival and Arrival

2010-06-22T11:49:00.002-05:00

Well, we made it. Praise the Lord!

After a flat tire...and rain...and a few missed turns (though never really lost, just had difficulty getting back on right road) and rain...and construction...and some more rain we safely arrived at northland camp in Dunbar Wisconsin at 10:30 last night.

Praise God for his faithful provision and protection. We think triple-A gave us the scenic route to camp as well so Mr. Thorin and I will be doing some re-working of our return route and hopefully it won't take 18 hours to get home.

Thank you for your concern...sorry that we weren't able to contact more of you when we arrived, but it was a busy time and this area seems to be something of a cell-phone dead zone.

If you need to contact me your best bet is to call the camp and leave a message there and I will call back via land line. The camp's phone number is 715-324-5678.

I have seen all the teens this morning and they are enjoying themselves, though most are looking a bit groggy still. They travelled very well and endured our trip like champs. We have had a few general sessions already and the preaching and music has been great so far.

I hope to take some pictures this afternoon and will put them on as soon as I get a chance. Until then thank you all for your prayers....sorry if we caused some unnecessary panic, but God is good all the time and He is always in control.

Pastor Ryan

The Last Few Pics From Camp

2009-06-26T09:12:00.003-05:00

Water Wars This Saturday!!!

2009-06-23T07:40:00.004-05:00

Weather permitting, this coming Saturday's youth activity will be "Water Wars"!!! Be sure to come dressed appropriately and bring some water balloons already filled (with just water!!!)

Talk About Team Spirit!

2009-06-19T19:04:00.000-05:00

"Ransom"

2009-06-19T15:17:00.004-05:00

The team game last night was called Ransom. The field was basically set up like a carnival with games spread out all over. In accordance with the Spy Games theme, the Team Leaders were "kidnapped" by masked men. Literally! At the very beginning two 4 wheelers drive up, "grab" the team leaders and drive off with them! It was hilarious. They then sent a "ransom" message to the Camp Program Director telling the campers they wanted $25,000.00 in ransom money. This is where the carnival comes in. The teens had 1 hour to play as many of the games as they could. If they won a game they earned one "buck" and could turn that in for ransom money. The first team (red or blue) to collect enough ransom money won the team challenge. The kids really got into this, running from game to game. It was really hard to track them down in time to snap a picture! We would have like to get more pics last night, but our camera battery died half way through. Ah, the joys of technology!

The Beauty of the North Woods!

2009-06-19T15:16:00.001-05:00

Here's a little bit of the beauty of the North Woods!

jPastor Ryan and I took a little hike back to Reflection Lake here at camp today and it was so peaceful and beautiful--if you could get past all the bugs. ;-)

We didn't see a bear despite the talk of all the bear sightings this year, but we did see many deer tracks and lots of little critters and Pastor Ryan managed to bring two ticks back with him on his jeans!

Another Brave Soul

2009-06-19T11:36:00.002-05:00

Bethany went down the zip-line twice!

One of Our Bravest

2009-06-19T11:19:00.001-05:00

Caitlyn White on the Zip-line!

Defying Gravity!

2009-06-19T11:13:00.002-05:00

If you like an adrenaline rush...if you enjoy the feeling of defying gravity... than you would love the zip-line, swingshot, or climbing wall here at Northland Camp! On the camp website these events are described this way:

Vertical Venture - our towering 35-foot climbing wall that offers 5 runs with varying levels of difficulty
The Zipper - a 610-foot peaceful glide over the valley as well as a 390-foot thrill ride through the forest
SwingShot - a breath-taking 40-foot giant swing

Here's Kourtney trying out the climbing wall.

Here's Caitlyn White gearing up for the zip-line! We were very proud of her for getting brave enough to try it!
I heard Bethany liked the zip-line so much last year that she tried this one twice!!

We don't have any pics of anyone on the swingshot yet, but are hoping to get some today!

Thursday..."Family Time" & "Family Fun"

2009-06-19T10:58:00.004-05:00

On Thursday afternoon the camp always schedules a time for the campers to meet with their Youth Pastor in order catch up with each other, give some announcements specific to our individual group, give the Youth Pastor a time to share some verses and thoughts with the teens, sing a few songs, pray together, and give the teens a chance to share testimonies of what God has been doing in their lives this week. Our "Family Time" was a real blessing and encouragement!

Good pic...

Goofy pic. They just can't help themselves!

During afternoon free-time the teens participate in the different activities in small groups throughout the camp, often with each other, but with new friends or their counselors as well. This is great, and we encourage them to do so, but we did want to try and do one activity as a group, so we offered to meet anyone from our group who would like to at the Cageball for a little competition!

From the outside looking in it kind of reminds you of a bunch of prairie dogs or guinea pigs playing with a ball--but it's really loads of fun! Even Pastor Ryan and Mrs. Coon joined in!

After cageball some of the kids wanted to play sand volleyball, but since that wasn't open we opted for a little basketball game. It was really nice to spend some fun time together that afternoon!

Funny Time

2009-06-18T08:53:00.004-05:00

These next few pics are from the Funny Time skit that the program staff puts on every year. I"m sorry they are a bit blurry, but we didn't want to have the flash on and disrupt the skit! The camp theme this year is Spy Games, so the skit was all about a "Spy in Training" who was not exactly spy material. It was pretty funny with some good old fashioned slap-stick comedy!!

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This scene in the skit was entirely done in slow motion! They did a great job!

The "Youth Rally" message last night preached by Brother Pettit was great! He preached the Gospel in about as clear and straight forward a manner as anyone could. We were thrilled to see many, many teens follow the Spirit's leading and go back for counseling. I haven't heard the tally on what decisions were made yet, but it was obvious that God's mighty work of salvation was occurring all around us in the gym last night! Keep praying, we have several opportunities for good preaching yet this week!

After the Youth Rally the teens got changed and had their late-night game. It was a game of secret missions and "spy intrigue." And because the kids were up so late they let them sleep in late on Thursday to catch up on their sleep. In fact, they are receiveing breakfast in BED this morning even as I type!! All that to say, I think it is obvious what a great time they are having here at camp!!

Wacky Wednesday!

2009-06-18T08:17:00.006-05:00

The strange clothing ensembles you are about to see are a result of Wacky Wednesday fun! Everybody gets crazy up here on Wacky Wednesday--we saw everthing from crazy wigs, duct taped toes, and 6 inch high spiked sections of hair to pajamas worn over clothes and entire suits made of red or blue!

The referees do a slow-motion demonstration of every game that is quite amusing. They get pretty loud and crazy with their whistles.

This was basically a game of cat and mouse--called Evasion. The kids on the buckets had to pass the baton back and forth while trying to tag the runner from the other team. The goal for the running team is to have the least amount of runners tagged. The kids really enjoyed it. It is fun to learn new games that we can bring home and play again!

The Eliminator

2009-06-17T11:26:00.009-05:00

I don't think much narration is needed to explain this game...the pictures tell the story!

Tuesday

2009-06-17T09:08:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we spent most of the afternoon free time hunting down each of our campers and making sure they were all settled and doing well. We did manage to do that, though we weren't able to get a picture of every one of them, try as we might!

It sure didn't take these kids very long to learn the ropes of this camp! In one afternoon we found that they had done everything from the ropes course to the water slide to the archery range!

Many of them, including Pastor Ryan and I, are really enjoying the newly built coffee shop, The Daily Grind. We find them hanging out it there a lot! For them it is a social thing...for us it is more of a survival thing!

We are thankful to have a group of enthusiastic and fun-loving teens here. We are encouraging them to try everything!

Last night we heard a message on confession and forgiveness. Brother Pettit encouraged the kids to make and keep their hearts right with God and man in order to facilitate spiritual growth. We saw much softness of heart and God working. We are trying to find out if there is a place you can go online and listen to the messages. So far we have not heard, but if we do we will get you up to speed. Keep praying for safety and God's blessings!

We Made it To Camp!!!

2009-06-16T11:25:00.004-05:00

Well, here we are at camp again. We are excited to be here and hope that you will pray along with us that God will be at work in our youth group this week. This first post is going to be mainly informational as we would like to give you some prayer requests and get you up to speed on what the kids are doing.

We had a smooth day of traveling yesterday. The teens were very helpful in keeping our stops as short as they could, but the miles and miles of road construction we encountered did prove to get us here a little later than normal.

Thankfully the kind staff kept the dining hall open so we could get the teens a hot meal before they went straight over to the field to meet their counselors and play the first game of the week! The theme this year is "Spy Games" and the teams are the Red Recons and the Blue X-coms. Each cabin has a name like Operatives, Classified, Decoy, or Intrigue!

We have already heard two great messages from Evangelist and Camp Director Steve Pettit. The theme for the morning sessions of the week is Walking in the Spirit, focusing on Galations 5:13-26.

If you would like to be better able to pray for our campers, than here is some good information for you:

1. Please pray for the teens that are here: James, Lana, Amy, Abbie, Alyssa, Anna, Logan, Jacob, Angela, Rebecca, Seth, Kaitlyn, Kelsie, Caitlyn, Jessica, Emily, Jorge, Jose, Alexis, Kourtney, and Bethany

2. Please pray for the counselors: Adam, Rosie, Kait, Jonathan, Ashley, Daneil, Jenna, Erin, Fallyn, and Christina

3. Please pray for the speakers: Steve Pettit, Jeremy Frazor, John Zimmer, Mike Egerdahl, and Aaron Coffey.

4. Please pray for the kids specifically during the sessions and workshops listed in the schedule below.

Here is a general schedule for the day, though it varies and there are a lot more specific activities going on than I can list for you here!

6:30-7:30 Quiet Time
7:00-8:00 Wake Up/Cabin Clean Up
8:00-8:05 Flag Raising
8:10-8:40 Breakfast
9:00-9:40 Walking in the Spirit (Sessions with Steve Pettit)
9:45-10:30 POWER Groups (breaking up by cabin and working through a Bible Study booklet on Walking With the Spirit)
10:30-11:15 Activity or Game (varies by day)
11:30-12:20p General Session or Workshops (varies by day)
12:30-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:45 Cabin Unity or Family Time (divide up by cabin or church)
1:45-4:30 Free time (activities vary from swimming to crafts to the zip line!)
4:30-5:00 Team Meetings
5:00-5:45 Supper
6:00-7:15 Activity/Game/Funny Time/Scoring (varies by day)
7:14-8:00 Free Time (dress for the service, play a game, hang out)
8:15-10:00 Youth Rally (includes great singing and preaching)
10:00-10:30 Late Night Activity (2 of these go until 11pm or a little later!)
10:45-11:15 Get Ready for Bed
11:15-11:45 Cabin Devotions
12:00a Lights Out
And the Craziness starts all over again in the morning!!!

Hopefully you will enjoy knowing what the teens are up to and don't forget to check back for more pics and info. We are looking forward to a great week here at Northland Camp and are excited to see what God is going to do in each of our lives!

Youth Activity May 22nd

2009-05-30T07:43:00.016-05:00

Last Friday night we had another youth activity.

The night began with a hotly contested kick-ball game. There was even a late inning rally that almost swayed the outcome of the game.

This was followed by one of the favorite games we play - "Crusader Ball." This unique mix of soccer, football, and ... I'm not really sure what else... involves passing a nerf ball through the air and throwing it in the other team's soccer goal, without letting it hit the ground.

After Crusader Ball the teens went inside to play a couple of volleyball matches. Volleyball is another favorite activity of the CBC youth.

After volleyball Pastor Ryan gave the challenge. We looked at John 15 where Christ talks about the vine and the branches. The point of the illustration Christ uses is to describe the key to having an effective and vibrant Christian life. In that passage we see at least two keys to this: (1) that to have an effective and vibrant Christian life we must let God's word prune us. The Father prunes us that we may produce more fruit and he does so by using his word (v.3). The second key to having an effective and vibrant Christian life is to abide in Christ (v.4-5).

Then came the food!!! The Nealeigh's provided some nachos and ice cream - it was great!!!

After the refreshements the teens generally do whatever they want - some practice volleyball, some shoot hoops, some play a sort of soccer game that I still can't understand, and others just sit and chat.

It was a great night for all.

Car Wash April 24th

2009-05-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

New Series on Wednesday Nights!

2009-04-29T15:58:00.002-05:00

Join us on wednesday nights as we begin a new series entitled "To Know God and To Love Him." This important series of lessons will help us to know our God better so that we may love him more and this world less.

Youth Activity Night--March 28th

2009-03-31T13:55:00.003-05:00

Had some fun with Dodge Ball Variations and our old standard, Crusader Ball, this past Saturday night. Hope you enjoy these pics (but if you don't, you can take it up with Klayton since he was our resident photographer that night!).

Youth Activity Night--March 7th

2009-03-13T14:27:00.005-05:00

We had a great activity the other night. Played some fun games & enjoyed the fellowship of good friends and God's Word!
If you weren't with us last Saturday night, than you missed some good fun and some good food and we hope you'll join us for the next youth activity!

We started out the night with an "Identity Crisis" game. Everybody was given a new identity, but not told who they were. They ranged from Ronald Reagan to Cinderella. The goal was to figure out who you were by asking others yes or no questions. The winner, Heather Sellin, got a 2-Liter of Mt. Dew!!

Next were the Chariot Races...I think these pictures speak for themselves...

Then on to "The Big Squeeze" where teams had to form certain shapes like California or an Ice Cream Cone.

There are a couple of good action shots of the last couple of game...

Sign Up For Camp!!!

2009-02-16T12:49:00.007-06:00

Yeah, I know it is like really early to be thinking about camp, but the early registration deadline is less than one month away, so save your folks some cash and sign up for camp in the youth room.

Camp is one of the highlights of the year in our youth program. Much of what we strive to teach and reinforce is brought to a peak at summer camp. This year we are looking at attending Northland Camp in Wisconsin. We are planning on the week of June 15^th – 20^th. Steve Pettit is the scheduled speaker for that week; he is a dynamic speaker that we trust will be greatly used of the Lord that week. Our desire is to have as many teenagers as possible be able to attend. The cost for camping at Northland is $230 ($215 if registered prior to March 15^th). Please let us know as soon as possible so that we can beat the early bird deadline. If you would like to know more about the camp you can give me a call or visit their web-site: www.northlandcamp.org

Parents,

Some of the most meaningful spiritual decisions I ever made as a teenager were made at summer camp. It is a time of incredible opportunity as Christian young people get away from the world and are repeatedly challenged by some of Christianity's outstanding bible preachers to live for God's glory and obey His Word. Sure the many activities and games the camp provide are a blast, but the real reason we choose to emphasize Summer Camp is because of the immense spiritual benefit we believe that it can have for your teens. Please consider carefully this opportunity for your children. I understand that the cost is significant (though it is reasonably less than most comparable camps). We will try to provide some opportunities to help cut that cost as camp approaches. I do feel that it is an investment that will be well made. It is an opportunity for you to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."

The sign up sheet is in the youth room. I know the camp's website provides opportunity to register online but please let us handle the registration process, we would be glad to help you in that way. Just sign up or call me.

Thanks,

Pastor Ryan

Sunday Night Youth Service and Fellowship

2009-01-20T09:25:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday Evening the teens were in charge of the evening service. The music was really wonderful as usual. I always enjoy hearing you all sing; God has truly blessed you with a great gift. Thank you for your ministry.

We followed the service with a youth fellowship. This time we played a rousing game of Bible Pictionary. Sadly we forgot the camera since there were many "kodak moments." Needless to say Mrs. Coon and I were amazed at the teens' ability to discern the right answers from what can only be described as (for the most part) "interesting art-work." It became increasingly harder to find challenging subjects for the teens to draw since ones such as "Methuselah," "Peter escaping from prison," etc. typically took around 20 seconds to be guessed. A fun time was had by all. There were even some visitors that were able to participate. I was glad that many of the teens went out of their way to make them feel welcome. Thanks also to the Crosby family for hosting the activity.

The Warfare and Witness of the Pilgrim

2009-01-15T13:17:00.002-06:00

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:11-12)

1. Our Identity (v.11)
We are Strangers and Pilgrims
(see Hebrews 11:8–16)
• As Pilgrims this world is not our home! We do not belong here and that should show in our lives.
• As Pilgrims we are by faith travelling to our heavenly home. It is a “better country.” Think about what that means.
• As Pilgrims we cannot be “mindful” of the country we have left or we might start looking for a way to go back.

2. Our Warfare (v.11)
The battle against the Sinful Desires
of your own Heart
(see James 1:14–15)

3. Our Witness (v.12)
Just because we are strangers in this world does not mean that we can ignore or be hostile with those that still live in it.
• Conversation” = lifestyle.
• Peter is saying live your life among the unsaved world in an upright or honorable way.
• “by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
• God is saying live your life among the unsaved world in a way that leads them to give him glory.

1 Peter 2:4-10 – The Unique Identity of God’s People

2008-12-04T09:39:00.002-06:00

Peter is ready to close this first section of his letter. He has been hammering away at the fact that Christians are strangers in this present world. Because of our salvation we have new life, new hope, and a new treasure. These truths ought to affect the way we live – there should be a difference between the children of God and the people of the world. This last section reinforces these themes but in a different way. Peter again considers our identity this time using the temple and ancient Israel as pictures of our unique identity.

1. Christians Are the New Temple of God

1 Peter 2:4-8(nkjv) Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

A. Christ is the Cornerstone of the Temple
• The Cornerstone Determines the Shape of the Building
• How You Respond to the Cornerstone Determines Your Destiny
• God’s Plan Includes Your Response to His Son

B. Christians are the Building Blocks of the Temple

C. Christians are the Priests of the Temple

2. Christians Are the New People of God

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

A. The Unique Identity of God’s People
• A Chosen Generation – Emphasizes God’s Purposes
• A Royal Priesthood – Emphasizes Our Purpose
• A Holy Nation – Emphasizes Our Purity
• A Peculiar People – Emphasizes God’s Possession

B. The Important Purpose of God’s People

C. What Makes It All Possible – God’s Mercy

1 Peter 1:13-21 — What the life of God’s children ought to look like.

2008-12-01T14:14:00.002-06:00

Peter has just finished his hymn of praise to God for our amazing salvation. In it he praised God that we were saved by his mercy and kept by his power. When God saved us by his mercy and grace he gave us new life, new hope, and new treasure. God then promises that we are kept by his power, even in the midst of all kinds of trials. What an amazing salvation! I hope you can never get over the salvation that God has given you through the death of his Son. Peter never got over it. This amazing salvation becomes the very foundation for everything Peter tells us to do. As we shall see, Peter gives us some strong commands that will take great effort to keep. And he knows that we will be tempted to say, “why should I do this?” So he gives us the answer – because God saved you by his mercy.

1. Set Your Hope in Future Grace (v.13)
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
The first thing that Peter tells us to do is to set our hope in future grace. You have been saved by God’s past grace, now live by God’s future grace. The Christian life is to be a life of hope.

One day Christ will return to rescue his church. He will rescue us from our own sin, and from this world. You have to keep that future rescue in mind.

How do we do this? Peter describes how we are to set our hope on future grace:
A. By “girding up the loins of our mind” – This means to prepare our minds for vigorous activity. “Roll up the shirt sleeves of your mind” fixing your hope on a promised future rescue can be a difficult thing in the midst of trying circumstances. It takes mental toughness to keep your hope fixed on God.
B. By “being sober” – This means that we are to be self disciplined in our thinking. We are to let nothing hinder or weaken or cloud our thinking.

Get tough! God saved you by his grace! You are his child now. You have a new home in heaven. Someday God will come and take you out of this world. So don’t live for this world, don’t fear those in this world, don’t act like those in this world. Fix your hope on God and his gracious promises! That is what you are to be living for!

2. Be Holy in All You Do (vv. 14–16)
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The next thing Peter commands us to do is to live holy lives. God saved you by his grace. You are his child now. Now God calls you to be an obedient child, a holy child. God calls you to be holy.
A. The foundation for the call – We are to be holy because God himself is holy. One of the ways that the Bible describes salvation is in the picture of birth. We are born again. We saw that earlier in this chapter. Now we are commanded to show some family resemblance – “Like Father, like child” If we say that we are part of God’s family, yet have little or no resemblance to our father, then something is seriously wrong!
B. The explanation of the call – What does it mean to be holy? Peter tells us, it is not living like we used to – according to our former ignorant desires. Before people are saved the bible describes them as being slaves to sin. Being enslaved by their sinful desires. They are trapped. Their sinful heart tells them to do something and they helplessly have to obey. But when God saves us he rescues us from those sinful desires. They are still present, but they are like an overthrown dictator trying to tell us what to do, we might listen, but we don’t have to. Sin’s power and dominion is broken.
C. The extent of the call – “be holy in all manner of conversation” in the whole of your life. There are not any areas in your life that are off limits to God’s demand for holiness. God commands you to be holy, like he is, in every area of your life. It is not enough to be holy at church, you must be holy at home, and at school. Be holy as you read your bible daily, and be holy in the locker room. Every area of your life should be holy!

3. Live in Fear of God (vv. 17–21)
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Peter again reminds us that we are exiles. We are living a life of sojourning – lit. a time of stay among strangers. You are strangers on this earth. How then should you live? You should live in fear of God. Not so much a cowering before God, but a reverential awe of our Almighty Heavenly Father.

The foundation of our reverential fear:
(1) God is still judge.
(2) God redeemed you.
Redemption: Here we have one of the most majestic passages in the bible on the subject of our redemption. The Bible uses many powerful pictures to describe all that took place when God saved us. One of we were adopted, we were born again, we were ransomed, we were set free, we were reconciled, we were justified, we were redeemed. We were bought back. Here Peter says that we were redeemed from the empty life of our forefathers. Everyone around us in America today is living an empty life if they are not saved by God’s grace, and that is the life from which we were redeemed! And this redemption came at the cost of God’s very Son. This redemption was God’s plan from the very beginning, and it is accomplished by the power that raised Christ from the dead. That is the hope you have! God poured out all of his wrath upon his sinless son to rescue you from sin and death and hell, and then he raised his Son from the dead so that you would know that your hope is in a powerful and living God!

Now tell me that doesn’t affect how you live. God did all of that for you and you are going to go on listening to your godless music and watching your godless and wicked TV and movies and telling dirty jokes and gossiping, and living apathetic lives and so on? God saved you by his grace and made you his child at the cost of his Son. He gave you a new home to look forward to, he gave your life meaning and hope, he gave you treasure that this world can’t ever imagine or take away. So don’t live for this world! It is not your home. Fix your hope on God’s future grace! Live holy lives! Fear your God!

If you really were living your life so that you were focused on God’s future grace, If you really were living a holy life, if you really did fear God, what would your life look like?

Late Night Marathon

2008-11-13T10:39:00.003-06:00

"How?"

"Do you recognize these horses?"

"Beef jerkey, anyone have a stick of beef jerkey?"

I didn't manage to get any pictures at the YMCA, so the rest of these are from the bowling alley.

Evangelistic Meetings, Leadership Conference, and Late Night Marathon

2008-11-03T09:41:00.004-06:00

Well it is finally here! This week we have Evangelist Brad Harris speaking at special meetings every night. Evangelist Harris spoke Sunday for S.S., A.M. Worship, and again in the evening and all three messages were very biblical and challenging. I hope that all the youth will make every effort to attend as many meetings as possible. These meetings are an important part of the life of our church and we should pray for them that God's Spirit would be at work in hearts, and we should attend as many as possible that His Spirit may work in our own hearts.

This Friday also has two very important events in our Youth Ministry. First will be a day long conference on Leadership. Evangelist Kevin Brownfield will be speaking at this conference and we look forward to his ministry to us. Christian Leadership is a very vital topic that we need to consider carefully for the message that the world gives constantly about leadership is almost directly opposed to that which the Bible presents. I praise God for the godly young men and women that God has give our Youth Group that already act as good leaders. It is a rare thing that a youth group of any size would have so many that I would consider as godly leaders. Yet there is always room for growth in each of our lives in this area and we must constantly endeavor to build up the next group of leaders to replace those that graduate each year. I am very excited to see what God will do in the lives of our teens (and those from other churches that are coming) through this time of instruction.

Following the conference we will jump right in to our yearly Late Night Marathon. This event as most of you know already is one of the high points of our year in the youth group. Bible Quizzing, Fun Time, Food, Games at the YMCA, Bowling, etc. fill up a night of great fun. It also serves as a great opportunity to invite those from outside our church to come and have fun with Christian young people, become acquainted with our church and youth ministry, and to sit under the preaching of the gospel. Please make every effort to attend and please be inviting friends and neighbors to come out for this event.

I am very excited to see what God is going to do in our church and youth group this week.

In Case You Missed It...

2008-10-29T08:46:00.002-05:00

Thanks for the birthday wishes everybody! My birthday has never been so....red & white!

1 Peter 1:3-12 Praise to God!

2008-10-23T10:39:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday Nights we have been studying the book of 1 Peter.

We have noted that the theme of this important book of the Bible is "Standing in God's Grace While Walking in a Wicked World."

Last night we looked at 1 Peter 1:3-12

1 Peter 1:3-12 – Praise to God

Having reminded us of our relationship to this world (we are foreigners, pilgrims, strangers) and of our relationship to God (we are his children by his choice) Peter now opens the main part of his letter by giving an extended praise to God. It is sort of a hymn of praise and worship to God.

I. Praise God because he has saved us by his mercy(1:3-4)

1 Peter 1:3-4 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

A. We are given new life through his life.

Peter says we were begotten us again – we were born again. We were given new life.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

B. We are given new hope in this life.

Because our Lord is living (he is raised from the dead) our hope is a living hope. Unlike the dead and empty hopes of the world our hope is living.

C. We are given new treasure in the next life.

One of the unique things about our salvation is that we don’t receive all the benefits of it right away. There is a big part of our salvation that is yet to come – it is our inheritance. God describes this inheritance as a permanent inheritance. Unlike the treasures of this world our inheritance cannot fade or ruin or be destroyed. And this inheritance is kept in heaven for us.

Matthew 6:19-21 ¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

II. Praise God because he has kept us by his power (1:5-12)

1 Peter 1:5-12 ⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: ⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: ⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹ Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. ¹² Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

A. He has kept us through faith for a future salvation

God is guarding us. He is keeping us by his power – what an amazing thought. We are kept by God’s power by means of our faith unto our future salvation. There is coming a day when we will finally be saved from even the very presence of sin. God is keeping us for that day, though we walk in a wicked world, by giving us faith to endure to the very end.

B. He has kept us in the midst of various trials

This world is no longer our home. And it is often the case that the world does not like to hear that. It bristles at those who woul d live their life different from them, with different identities and values then they have. Therefore it has often been the case, and will continue to be so that those that are saved and live godly lives shall suffer various trials. What is to be our response to these trials? God gives us four responses to these trials that we should have.

C. How we should respond to these trials

1. We should to rejoice in these trials

a. Because they prove our faith is genuine

The word trial here carries the idea of proven genuineness. It has been tested and proven to be authentic. When we go through trials and come out still standing strong in our faith we can rejoice because that is a sign that our faith is real.

b. Because genuine faith brings God glory

This kind of faith brings glory to God because it shows his value. When we are willing to hold on to our faith and profession even when it means we will suffer that shows the world that God means more to me than their opinion, my comfort, my stuff. God is enough for me, take what you want, but you can’t take Him or the treasure he has laid up in heaven.

2. We should love God in these trials

a. Though we have not seen him

So many today question God, get angry at God, and hate God when things get tough. Yet real faith loves him, even though we have never seen him.

3. We should believe in God in these trials

a. Though we do not see him now

We should trust God, believe in him, even though we don’t see him right now. We look all around us and it seems as if God is not there, yet we know he is. We believe that he is there, and in control, and good. We trust him. We have to.

4. We should rejoice in these trials

a. With inexpressible and glorious joy

Wait a minute you say, you already said we should rejoice in these trials. Well I guess God wanted us to hear it again. Our rejoicing should be characterized by unexplicable and glorious joy.

Something seems different...CBCYM 2.0

2008-10-22T09:44:00.003-05:00

For those of you who might be wondering, yes the CBC youth web page has gotten a face lift. From time to time I like to change things up a little around here and it seemed like time for a change. But the design of the web page is not the only thing that will be changing around here. It is my desire to make this web page more than just a place to post pictures of recent events. From now on I would like to also

Post the lesson notes following Wednesday Night and Sunday School. (this is for the benefit of the parents and for the teens who occasionally have to miss a lesson, please don't let this become an excuse for not attending)
Continue to post announcements for upcoming events.
Continue to post pictures of our events and activities.
I also want to regularly have discussions about various topics and provide opportunities for you to ask questions. On most Fridays a new discussion or topic will be posted.
Occasionally post other challenges or thoughts throughout the week.

Hopefully this web-page will be a more helpful tool in your growth as Christians.

If you have any questions or comments you can leave them below or e-mail me at pastorryan@ymail.com

Please also remember that your comments are moderated through me before they are posted online and I ask that there be no anonymous comments.

God Bless You,

Pastor Ryan

Huskers Game - Saturday October 3rd

2008-10-10T15:37:00.002-05:00

Quotes from the night:
"Yeah!!!"
"Wrong team!"
"What are you cheering for? That was the instant replay!"
"Well, replays are made for people who miss it the first time!"
"C'mon Huskers!!"

Youth Activity Night Sept 27th

2008-09-30T09:09:00.006-05:00

We had a great time at the Youth Activity Night on Saturday--thanks to all who came out to join us! Since there are few nights left with enough sunlight to play outdoor games we opted to start outside with a game of Crusader Ball. Everyone got their exercise running the field with that game! Sorry the pictures aren't so great, it's hard to get action shots in the semi-dark!

When we couldn't stand the bugs anymore and it was too hard to see the ball we moved inside and decided to play some Knock-out.

Nebraska's First National Hoops Tournament

2008-09-02T14:03:00.000-05:00

National Hoops Team is Coming This Week!

2008-08-21T15:42:00.006-05:00

Just a friendly reminder that the National Hoops Team is coming to CBC this week. The team will run a week-long spiritual emphasis week in Park Avenue Christian School. They will then run an all day 3-on-3 basketball tournament on Saturday which will serve as an opportunity to give out the gospel to all those that attend.

The team is lead by Evangelist Mike Washer and his family:

The team also consists of four college students that have committed to travel for the Fall semester. Their names are:

Keri

Brittany

Stephen

and Ben

Please do two things:

1. Pray - please pray that God will work this week in our own hearts as well as in the hearts of those lost teens that come and hear the message of the gospel. We need God to work! Without God all of our work is in vain. We need His Spirit to move and work in hearts and lives if anything of eternal benefit is to be accomplished.

2. Invite - be courageous and invite those teens you know (i.e., friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.) to come out. It is our duty to be faithful in giving the gospel and this is a way in which you can do so. Simply pray that God would lay someone on your heart and prayerfully and sincerely invite them to come out on Saturday. Offer to play on their team.

Chivalry in the works...

2008-08-14T12:15:00.008-05:00

This weekend's youth activity will take place in Lincoln where everyone will stay overnight. The girls get to sleep in a house with a mattress under them, a roof over them, and the joy of air conditioning all around them. The guys, chivalrous as they are, will sleep outside in a tent. And before they can sleep in it they have to set it up. Hmmm.... Last night we did a trial run to see if we had all the parts. Here's how it went...

Yeah, we should have some fun stories to tell after this weekend!!

Pastor Ryan's Ordination

2008-08-14T12:03:00.002-05:00

Hey guys, it's Mrs. Coon writing today. I wanted to post some pics of Pastor Ryan's ordination for the many parents and youth that couldn't be at the festivities this past weekend due to vacations, work, etc. The ordination went well--yes, he passed! (thankfully I won't have to send back that book I bought for him!!) There was a really nice meal after the morning service and a special ordination service in the afternoon. Many thanks to all the youth who sang at the service and especially to all those who put so much work into the entire weekend. Our family feels truly blessed to be able to minister here with and to you all!

Pastor Ryan's Challenge to the Parents

2008-08-06T10:03:00.004-05:00

For those parents that were unable to attend the Parent-Teen night I wanted to make available the challenge that I shared. Kaleb took the teens and shared a challenge with them so that I could speak with the parents and share a challenge that God had laid on my heart.

Raising our Children to Hope in God

Parent/Teen Activity August 1, 2008

Psalm 78:4-7 ⁴ We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. ⁵ For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: ⁶ That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: ⁷ That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.

The Command (v.5)

Parents must teach their Children the things of God! The Bible is clear that the primary spiritual responsibility in the upbringing of our children lies with the parents.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: ⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Ephesians 6:4 ⁴ And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “To teach our children is a personal duty; we cannot delegate it to Sunday School Teachers, or other friendly aids, these can assist us, but cannot deliver us from the sacred obligation… mothers and fathers must, like Abraham, command their households in the fear of God, and talk with their offspring concerning the wondrous works of the Most High. Parental teaching is a natural duty — who so fit to look to the child’s well-being as those who are the authors of his actual being? To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse than brutish. Family religion is necessary for the nation, for the family itself, and for the church of God.… Would that parents would awaken to a sense of the importance of this matter. It is a pleasant duty to talk of Jesus to our sons and daughters, and the more so because it has often proved to be an accepted work, for God has saved the children through the parents’ prayers and admonitions.” (Mornings and Evenings, July 11^th evening).

The Goal (v. 7)

1. That Our Children Would Hope in God

You will hopefully notice the inward out emphasis of this passage -- It all starts with the heart. The Psalmist starts with focusing on the hearts of our children and he says that the goal of our instruction must ultimately be aimed at their hope or faith in God. This should be our chief desire with our children, that they hope in God. If we don’t achieve this then everything else is of little value. We should not be content with “good kids” that outwardly conform to the rules. We should constantly strive to make sure that their hope is in God.

2. That Our Children Would Remember God’s Works

This second goal is related to the first. If our children are to hope in God it will also mean that they will remember his works -- they will not forget what he has done. This is essential if they are to hope in God, for how can we expect them to hope in a God they don’t know -- and how can they know God apart from what he has done. Thus we should constantly be pointing them back to what God told us he has done in the Word of God. For the Bible is ultimately a revelation of who God is by recording what he has said about himself and what he has done in history.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25 ²⁰ And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you? ²¹ Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: ²² And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:

²³ And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. ²⁴ And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. ²⁵ And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

3. That Our Children Would Keep God’s Commandments

Having started with the heart, the Psalmist moves now to consider obedience to God’s commands for surely little else reveals the heart as well as how well we keep God’s commands. Certainly it is possible to have outward conformity to a set of biblical standards without a heart for God…just ask the Pharisees. But it is not possible to have a heart for God that doesn’t affect our obedience.

John 14:15 ¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21 ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:

John 14:23 If a man love me, he will keep my words

John 15:10 ¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;

John 15:14 ¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

The Method (v. 4)

1. Show them God’s Praises

When the Psalmist says that he will show the generation to come the praises of God the point is that he will tell them about God’s praiseworthy acts. He will recount to them that which God has done in history and in his own life. Again Deuteronomy 6:20-25 illustrates this point. If you want your children to know and love God, to hope in Him, you cannot expect this to grow in a vacuum. You must realize that love for and hope in God grows under the fertilizer of recounting God’s majesty.

“My child, you must love and hope in God, and let me tell you why. He is altogether lovely and He will never fail you. He is the most beautiful and wonderful one whom you could love. He is the One whom you can trust though all else may fail you. Listen to how he proved his faithfulness to people long ago…and let me tell you how He has proved himself faithful in my own life.”

2. Show them God’s strength

Again, if we are endeavoring to raise our children to hope in God, we must tell them about God’s strength. He is a Mighty God! He is Almighty, therefore you can trust in Him!

“A mighty fortress is our God! A bulwark never failing.” Do you believe that? If you don’t first believe that then it won’t matter how much you tell you children to hope in him. You must first believe this truth deep down in your heart. And you must believe it so much that it affects the way you live. Show them God’s strength by showing them how much you trust in his strength. When they see that, it will be a great encouragement to trust in God themselves.

3. Show them God’s wonderful works

The way to encourage your children to hope in God is to tell them about God’s wonderful works. Make your family devotional time a time of exciting discovery. When you read the stories of what God has done in the past seek to do so in a way that causes wonder. Too often we recount God’s works without a sense of wonder – we become dulled by way of familiarity to the wonder of God’s amazing working. Pray that God would restore a sense of wonder to you in your own life so that your children can see it and know that God is a God they can hope in because he truly is wonderful.

Parent/Teen Activity Night Aug. 1st

2008-08-04T07:25:00.001-05:00

We started out our activity with a softball game of which the Parents' team cleaned house--don't mean to rub it in, teens, but that's the way it was! Sorry, we don't have any pictures to remember the game by, we forgot the camera and had to head home at the break to get it. We then headed inside for some time in God's Word and refreshments. Thanks to everyone who brought sandwiches and desserts. The night finished off with a game of volleyball--not sure there was a winner there, just lots of laughing and goofing off!

Youth Activity Night July 26th

2008-07-30T08:35:00.000-05:00

We had a great time last Saturday night at the Youth Activity. We played volleyball and kickball and then had some great refreshments. This Friday night is the Parent/Teen Activity and we have some really fun stuff planned, so make sure you are there!

Water Balloon Youth Activity July18th

2008-07-25T11:43:00.000-05:00

Cola Wars Evangelistic Outreach

2008-07-01T20:37:00.001-05:00

This past Friday we had one of our main outreach events for the summer. The teens got involved in a battle between Coke and Pepsi to determine which was the best soft-drink! The activities included big-ball volleyball, big-ball soccer, and big-ball baseball, as well as some good relay races.

Several visitors came from the area as well as many who were invited by the teens themselves. This provided an excellent opportunity to make some new contacts as well as preach the gospel to a group of about 50 teens.

Vacation Bible School

2008-06-26T22:03:00.000-05:00

Last week we had Daily Vacation Bible School. Several of the 7th and 8th Graders were in class with Pastor Ryan and many of the older teens served faithfully as teachers or helpers. Here are a few pictures of the week.

Thursday we had a water balloon fight with the Junior High Class here are some of the more interesting pictures.

Camp Pics Cont'd, The Ropes Course

2008-06-06T11:19:00.001-05:00

At the very beginning of the ropes course, on the platform for the zipline is inscribed the verse: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The view from the bottom!

Mrs. Coon and Bethany toughing it out!

Pastor Ryan "hanging" in there.

Not exactly sure who this is, but it's a great perspective view of just how high up in the air the ropes course is.

Great jump Bethany.

Kourtney on the tight ropes.

Twins freefalling.

We made it through!!!

Here's a good video of Kyla jumping off the final platform to the bottom. Sorry to pic on you, Kyla, but yours was the only video we took that came out well--plus, you hit the bar! Great Jump!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Don't Forget to Join Us for Visitation and Prayer Meeting

2008-06-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

Just a friendly reminder that we are beginning our summer outreach with wednesday night visitation. Come out at 6:00 and help us get the gospel out to our community. Then stick around for our youth prayer meeting. I cannot think of two more important activities for God's people to be consistently active in than prayer and evangelism.

Matthew 9:36-38 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Camp Youth Rallies and Chapel Time

2008-06-02T09:42:00.000-05:00

From the great sermons we heard from Brother Kevin Brownfield to the crazy skits and songs at funtime we all enjoyed the chapel and youth rally times at camp!

Gametime

2008-05-30T11:20:00.000-05:00

The teens have played some fun games this week. Everything from sand volleyball to a kind of Counselor Pinball Game!

Sponsor Fun

2008-05-30T10:34:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Coon tearing it up on the Ridge Runners!

Mrs. Huesinger speeding along!

Pastor Hess and Sam hanging out.

Pastor Ryan braved the ropes course!

Say Cheese!

2008-05-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

These are the cabin/camp photos taken on Tuesday. Unfortunately we couldn't get every cabin, but we did get many of them.

Working hard ... or hardly working?

2008-05-28T17:46:00.000-05:00

This year we have four of our college age teens working at the camp. Aaron, Ilene, Kaleb, and Kyla are all working on the camp staff. Aaron, Ilene, and Kyla are all working on the kitchen staff as well as serving as assistant counsellors. Kaleb is a cabin counsellor and also the Red Team Leader. Here are a few pics of them hard at work ... and play.

Here is a short video of Kaleb working hard to motivate his team and inspire them on to greatness!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Snapshots

2008-05-27T18:01:00.001-05:00

Camp Audio

2008-05-27T17:55:00.000-05:00

You can hear all the messages that the teens are hearing at camp if you go to www.pineridgeministries.org or follow this link: camp audio.

Monday Night

2008-05-27T17:24:00.003-05:00

After the initial confusion that is usually a part of registering for camp, finding your counselor, and getting your luggage into your cabin, everyone met for dinner in the "The Bull Moose" (the dining hall). Afterward we had a few minutes of orientation that started with singing a verse of Jingle Bells in honor of all the snow we passed on the way up to camp!

After dinner the campers played a few rounds of big ball games, then had time to change for the evening service.
There's the red team...

and there's the blue team.

Lots and lots of screaming, yelling, and cheering!

"Are We There Yet?"

2008-05-27T15:48:00.000-05:00

Well, the road trip to camp was interesting to say the least. In fact, we probably don't need to say much, we'll just let these pictures tell the story! We will say that we are thankful that God brought us safely here, gave us great weather for traveling, and caused the whole trip to go very smoothly!

Off to camp...

2008-05-25T21:43:00.000-05:00

Lord willing, the teens will be off to summer camp at approximately 5:30 a.m. tomorrow. Please pray for our trip that it will be safe and that the Lord would work in the hearts and lives of the campers this week. We hope to be able to post some pictures a couple of times during the week.

Stay tuned.

Youth Activity Night May 11th

2008-05-19T08:45:00.000-05:00

We had a really great youth activity night last Sunday. Here is a recap of some of the highlights!
We started off the night with a rousing Paper/Rock/Scissors Tournament. Then to break up into tems we played the Barnyard Scramble. Each person drew a slip of paper out of the basket with either cow, donkey, or cat written on it. The idea is to be the first team to find all the members using only the animal noise you were assigned! Watch this short video to see the craziness!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

The Marshmallow Tower Challenge
It was pretty funny that even though everyone groaned and acted really grossed out when they heard the rules of the Marshmallow Tower Challenge, not one person hesitated to jump right in!!! The rules: build the tallest tower of mini-marshmallows. The only adhesive material allowed: spit. These pictures tell the story!

1 to 100
This key to this game is speed writing. The goal is to be the first in your group to get the numbers from 1 to 100 written on your piece of paper. The tricky part is that there was only one pencil per group. If you roll a 1 or a 6 you get to steal the pencil and get writing!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

We hope you will make it a priority to be at the next youth activity! Each time we meet we enjoy a great time of fellowship and are encouraged through each other's Christian testimonies, the efforts of the hosting families, and challenges from God's Word. If you missed the parent/teen activity on Saturday night you will just have to come to the next one to see what it's like because we forgot our camera--it's a shame, too, because there were some pretty hilarious things going on! See you Wednesday night!

Be sure to Join us for Wednesday Night Bible Study and Prayer

2008-05-07T15:56:00.001-05:00

One of the most important things that we do as a youth group happens every Wednesday night. Each week we meet together to spend time singing praise to God, hearing from his word, and spending time together in prayer. I cannot think of three more important things for God's people to do on a regular basis. Tonight we will consider the importance of the word of God in our lives; God gave us his word for an important purpose and it is important that we make sure spending time in it is a part of our daily lives.

In order to help encourage one another in spending time in God's word this summer Pastor Ryan has come up with the Summer Bible Challenge. Pastor Ryan is challenging the teens (and college students) to read through the entire New Testament during summer break. This amounts to only about 2 to 4 chapters a day which should take about 20 minutes. If you already have a bible reading plan that you are working through I would encourage you to keep up with that, but if you do not I hope that you will take the challenge!

Also, over the next couple of weeks we hope to hear from some of our returning college students. Many of our previous youth group members have been off at bible college preparing to serve God in many different capacities. College is an incredibly important time where God does a lot of work in the lives of his children. We hope to hear testimonies about what God is doing in the lives of many of these students as this can be a great encouragement to all of us. We also plan on hearing from some of the young men preparing for pastoral ministry as they challenge us from God's word.

So make sure to join us each week for prayer and Bible study and see what God will do!

Our Second Youth Activity Night in April

2008-04-14T20:15:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday the teens gathered for the second activity night of the month.

The evening consisted of several indoor games including dodgeball, kickball, and balloon relays.

The game time was followed by a challenge from God's word. Pastor Ryan challenged the teens to know the gospel and to see how it applies to all of life. There isn’t a day that doesn’t go by that we don’t need to be reminded of the truth of the gospel, that God loves us and sent his Son to die for us and that our only hope is the gospel. We looked especially at 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 where the apostle Paul writes,

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Paul is telling us that the gospel is all about seeing God’s magnificent glory in Christ. God's glory is demonstrated most powerfully, most radiantly in Christ -- In who he was, in what he did, in his perfections, in his perfect love, in his compassionate weeping for sinners, in his quiet suffering for our wretched sin, in his ultimate triumph over sin and at the empty grave, in his gracious intercession for us now, and in his glorious triumphant return to reign as king! If we want to see God’s glory, we need to look to the gospel of Christ, for in the glorious gospel of Christ we see God’s glory most radiantly. Meditate on the gospel, study the New Testament and see how often the gospel is brought up. Love the gospel.

Following the devotional the teens enjoyed some time for eating and fellowship.

Youth Activity Night

2008-04-05T10:23:00.000-05:00

Last night the youth group got together for the first youth activity night of the month. We had a great time of playing games, fellowship, and eating some great food provided by the Sanchez family, followed by a challenge from the Word of God by Pastor Hess.

The night began with a fast paced game of "Hocker" -- a unique blend of hockey, soccer, and basketball.

Hocker was followed by capture the flag and some indoor relay challenges. After the game time the teens gathered together to sing some songs and hear a challenge by Pastor Hess from the Bible. Pastor taught us from Ephesians 5:19 about the importance of talking to ourselves.

Then came the refreshments, fellowship, and some more games.

Welcome!

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Welcome to the Community Bible Church Youth Ministries Webpage!

Here we will share pictures from activities, notices for upcoming events, and other notes for the teenagers from Pastor Ryan. I hope this will be a great blessing for the teens and their families.

Be sure to come out to the Wednesday night prayer meetings. Pastor Ryan is beginning a new study: "How can I be sure of my salvation?"

There are two youth activity nights this month - April 4th and 12th. Come out for a great time of games, food, fellowship, and a challenge from God's word.