We recently made the long drive from Texas to Colorado for a week of vacation. I think we took about 2000 photos, but here’s my favorite …
The kids had so much fun in this freezing cold mountain lake. I could barely stand to wade in with them … but Abby eventually got in past her waist.
Here are a few other highlights (click on the thumbnail to see the whole picture):
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- Bareback on Toby
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- First fishing trip
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- Our Lewis and Clark moment
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- On a hike to the waterfalls
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- Playing at the lake
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- Coach Grant
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- My flower power girls
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- Just hanging out
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- At the 4th of July Parade
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- Julie in a jacket … Abby in her swimsuit
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- Skipping rocks
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- Giggling
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- Riding in the Jeep
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- Grilling S’mores
This week our team launches three new youth Bible study resources. This is an exciting time for our entire ministry. Our creative team has poured months into producing resources that we hope will impact the lives of students across the country. Now we release the resources into the hands of youth pastors …
One of our new releases is a unique project that we worked on with Max Lucado and his daughter Jenna called Made to Make a Difference. They both did a great job of challenging students to not live for themselves but to make a difference in the lives of others. (And thanks Max and Jenna for enduring a cold Texas day when we shot your pieces!) What takes this resource over the top are the real-life stories. There are some amazing stories of teenagers choosing to serve others instead of falling into the cultural trap that says the world revolves around them. I love the example these students set for their generation.
This 2-minute video captures the heart of this newest release.
We are adding to our creative team that produces all of our video, event and web resources. This is a new position for our team. For 20 years our publisher has helped coordinate and oversee all our content. With the size and scope of some of our projects we need to add someone else to help carry this content load.
If you know of anyone who could be a fit, please direct them to the job description below.
At our RightNow Conference last year George Barna made the statement that the most potential for ministry is with children. Keep in mind the audience was a bunch of lead pastors, small group pastors and young adult pastors … so I don’t know that inspired the audience to second guess their career choice or what. Barna went on to explain that between the ages of 4 and 13 many of our thoughts, habits and beliefs are formed.
Last week Julie and I hosted a Neighborhood Club at our house. It’s basically a Vacation Bible School type program that our church does in homes across the city instead of inviting everyone to the church building. We had about 20 kids from our neighborhood each night. It was chaos — but a good kind of chaos.
Now that we are done with the Neighborhood Club, three things stand out to me:
1. Kids have an amazing ability to memorize. We spent the week memorizing 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and every single one of them had it down. These kids ranged from age 4-7. For me it evokes a feeling of “if they can do it then surely I can do it too.”
2. Despite the chaos the kids really listened. It didn’t always look like they were listening … but every night when we would ask them question about the Bible story, their hands would fly up and they would recall various details about the story.
3. One of the highlights is connecting with the parents. At the end of the week we did an ice cream party and invited the parents and siblings over. It was great to just hang out with the parents. We should do that more often.
A few months ago I was having a “get-to-know-you” breakfast with a guy. He said his life changed when his non-religious, non-spirutual parents sent him to a Vacation Bible School program down the street from their house. At the end of the week his parents heard the gospel clearly for the first time. Within a few weeks his parents had trusted Christ and that set his family on a much different path.
Maybe George Barna is on to something.
