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Christian Leadership: Family Integrated Churches End Age Segregation and Youth Groups

Don’t look for children’s Sunday school classes at Ridgewood Church in Port Arthur, Texas. And forget about scavenger hunts and water park trips: the youth ministry is no more. Sound like a dying church?

No, it’s a family-integrated church, whose leaders wanted parents — rather than Sunday school teachers and youth ministers — to spiritually train their children. 

In “Divided,” a controversial video circulating online and a related book called “A Weed in the Church,” the movement’s leaders warn that “unbiblical” age-segregated activities can lead youth away from the church.

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Church Leadership: What works for our teens in church? What can we do about reaching them?

I saw this posting on the churchemarketingsucks.com website and I thought it was just plain GREAT!

We continue to miss the mark with young adults and teens in church, and there are a number of reasons why.

Ty, in the article below, clearly articulates why many of the approaches, we think should work, don't work.

I want my grandchildren in the Kingdom period! If I have to change my approach to reach them, so be it. 

I just CANNOT and WILL NOT change the message. That position is non-negotiable and non-adjustable.


How do you feel about what Ty has to say?

Are you offended or motivated? Do you think he is right?

Tell us what you think after your read his plea.


In Him,
JMb <><


A Teenager’s Plea: Don’t Suck

by Ty Buckingham


There are some things that just get to me.

When I leave the Taco Bell drive through knowing, without even looking into the bag, that they have messed up my order.

I certainly don’t like it when I end up shaking hands and it was supposed to be a fist bump. That’s just awkward.


Those are little.

What seriously gets to me is when there is a lack in how the church talks to us. Especially as a teenager in high school, I couldn’t feel more neglected by the church at times.

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Christian Leadership: Thanksgiving Sermon Ideas

 

Thanksgiving Sermon Ideas From Preachit

Scripturally, you will find the ritual of thanksgiving nearly from cover to cover. Individuals offered up sacrifices out of gratitude in the book of Genesis. The Israelites sang a song of thanksgiving as they were delivered from Pharaoh's army after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15). Also Later, the Mosaic Law set aside three separate times each year when the Israelites would gather together. All three of these times Unleavened Bread (also called the Feast of the Passover) (Exodus 12:15-20), Harvest or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-21), and the Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-36) involved remembering God's provision and grace.

As Christians, we're called to be Thankful.

Did you know?

The Bible regularly mentioned "Thanksgiving" long before in 1863, when during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated.

Bible Translations
Number of Times
"thanksgiving" used.
King James Version
30
New International Version
32
New English Translation
29
English Standard Version
38
New Living Translation
31

Psalm 106
Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Jonah 2:9
But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 2:7
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Psalm 69:30 
I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

Giving Thanks ….

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Christian Living: Should An Opposite Sex Christian Single Couple Be Ministry and Prayer Partners?

 

Recently I was asked about the propriety of a Christian single man and a Christian single woman being prayer partners and ministering together.

I had to admit that at one time, before marriage 23 years ago, my best friend hailed from my home area and was working on her MBA in Texas. Although, we were very close friends, nothing inappropriate ever happened.

Nonetheless, the results could have been much different. I don't think we realized until after I was married how much we really cared for each other.

The truth is that the anointing will make anyone more appealing. So even the anointing to pray can generate an attraction that can go over the limits. Remember, the devil would love nothing better than to contort something good into a disgrace within the body of Christ.

With that said, my answer to the young lady went like this: There are only 2 questions that have to be answered here.

The First is, What is the Spirit of God saying to you about this relationship? The Second is, does what you are hearing from God, conform to His Word? They must be in agreement.

Regardless, of how they may proceed, I thought the following guidelines used by Rick Warren's Saddleback Church were excellent. Even if they choose to proceed they will be well served by following the limits set by these boundries.

Avoiding sexual temptation in the church office

Every church pastor rubbing elbows with an attractive secretary, ministry leader, or vivacious volunteer needs to know they’re bouncing on a high diving board over a pool with no water in it.

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