Monthly Archives: May 2009

May 9 2009

Restructuring Student Small Groups – A Huge Hit!

Free file for youth pastors:

Weekly Info Email for Small Group Leaders (word doc)

 About a month and a half ago, we decided to experiment with restructuring our small groups away from just another teaching time and to a time of building relationships.  So far after experimenting with it for several weeks, it’s been a huge hit.  Jennifer is one of our senior students who we’ve given the responsibility to step down into the 7th grade girl’s class to learn leadership, mentoring, facilitation, etc.  You’ll love what she emailed me about how this new small groups structure is enhancing her class’ experience:

 I LOVE this new Sunday school plan. Our girls are getting much more out of it (and me to). We haven’t been able to get them to read the books or the Bible reading plans no matter what. But I guess now that they go together (Wednesday worship and Sunday small groups), a lot more are starting to read it. And they have all said that they don’t really read their Bibles, especially the old testament, because they think it’s boring and confusing, but they’re seeing on Wednesday nights that it is not at all, and how applicable it really is, so after they hear it preached, they’ll go home and read it because it gets them interested, and they’ve heard it preached so they understand it.  And with them reading it the discussions are soo much better, they actually talk!!  Haha, Its just great….Thanks for everything. =)

 Now if you think I put her up to that or even asked her what she thought…you’ve bumped your head.  That email just totally came out of the bleu, straight from her heart, and got me pumped!  Here’s how the big switch, restructuring, and new system all happened what we’re doing now, and how its all going… Continue reading →

May 7 2009

Storyline #43: Judges 13-21 “Don’t Be Like Samson” (Curt Mize Style – Senior in High School)

5 - titleFree files for youth pastors:

5 – Judges 13-21 – Samson (ppt)

5 – Judges 13-21 – Samson (fillout sheet)

5 – Judges 13-21 – Samson (Chip’s Notes)

5 – Judges 13-21 – Samson (blog by Curt)

5 – Judges 13-21 – Samson (service order)

5 – Judges 13-21 – Samson (mp3)

Curt Mize concluded our KTL Student Preaching last night through the book of Judges as he hammered “Don’t Be Like Samson” in Judges 13-21.  He is just one of those guys who is created, designed, and born to preach.  He’s got to be the most natural preaching 18 year old I’ve ever seen.  He is a machine when he studies his sermon…passionate about spending long hours doing it.  He communicates in such an engaging and authoritative way.  He knows how to be both faithful to the text and to the overall gospel-storyline of Scripture with the best of them.  He can make you laugh, think, worship, and run to the cross all in a matter of about 2 minutes.  And the kid can just straight up preach Jesus through any text or topic.  Continue reading →

May 4 2009

NETMA for week of May 3, 2009

NETMA 05.03.09 (pdf document)

Since we only had one church service yesterday from the Swine Flu, many of you may have not gotten an opportunity to have one of our NETMAs for this week.  So here you go.  As you know, its full of this week’s hottest and most important announcements and juciest gossip at CBSM.  Okay, minus the gossip…I was just trying to get you to read it.  I’m sure some of you already read it just to see without getting to this sentence yet!  But, especially pay attention to the Scripture reading this week, be reading it, come and listen to CURT preach this Wednesday, and be prepared to talk this coming Sunday morning all about it.

For those of you who don’t know about our NETMA, it stands for “Nobody Ever Tells Me Anything.”  CBSM was already doing this before I came, and its such a great tradition that I didn’t even consider stopping it.  The NETMA is a weekly newsletter for our parents and students to keep them up to date with all the happenings in the student ministry that week, and all the important upcoming stuff.  Andrew England is our amazing Media Guy who designs the NETMA from scratch, keeps it looking cool, and fills in all the important stuff.  I also break out into a cold sweat whenever I wonder where our ministry would be without him!  Youth pastors, if you need a copy of our blank NETMA to fill in your own info, just contact me!

May 2 2009

Taking It Up To Twenty Thous

I’m totally humbled that God would be using this blog.  For whatever reason, He really seems to be blessing it.  In just the last 2  1/2 months, there have been over 10,000 hits.  So I just wanted to take a quick minute to thank all yall for keeping up with it, checking out all the resources, praying for our ministry from it, and not posting nasty comments whenever you disagree with me.  I also wanted to take the opportunity to remind erbuddy of my purpose for this blog:

1.  Student Ministry Resources:  While being a student pastor, I have been shocked at the shortage of biblically deep, Christ-centered, and challenging applicable resources for students.  When all the public resources come out, the publishers seem to have to cater to so many denominations that the resources lose their edge, theological stance, and gospel focus.  So as our student ministry is fully committed to preaching all the Scriptures accurately, centered on Christ, grounded on the gospel, and applicable to real students lives…we put all of our resources on the blog in case other student pastors are interested in doing the same.  Also, I have to say, God has blessed us with a truly gifted media guy, Andrew England, who does all of our artwork, logos, handouts, slides, videos, etc.  You name it, he does it.  The dude totally makes me look cool…when I’m so not.  So with all that in mind, we put all our stuff on the blog to make a real difference for Christ in student minstries everywhere.  If you’re a youth pastor using some of our resources, I’d love to hear from you, hear what you’re using, and hear how God is using it in your ministry. Continue reading →