Tag Archives: teen

Apr 17 2017

Easter Not Enough? 6 Top Resources on Resurrection

resurrect

Did you feel like Easter wasn’t enough? I don’t mean that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection wasn’t enough. I mean, do you feel like your students need to really understand Jesus’ RESURRECTION even more? Here are my 6 favorite resources on RESURRECTION:

“The Jesus Series: Jesus’ Resurrection” https://youthgrouptruth.com/2014/10/22/the-jesus-series-jesus-resurrection/

“Following Jesus: Into His Resurrection” https://youthgrouptruth.com/2012/05/31/following-jesus-into-his-resurrection-luke-24/  Continue reading →

Sep 15 2012

How To Lose a Parent Biblically

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After my parents had a house fire (to where they pretty much lost everything) last week while they were at home, I had to face the feelings of life one day without them. At the same time, one of our amazing small group leaders (Ron Mize) lost his mom to a hard-fought battle with pneumonia. They say the only thing worse than losing a parent in this life is losing a child. I have been through my share of teenagers losing a parent and I want to do everything possible to help them through that unbelievably difficult time. Ron handled his mother’s death in such a biblical way that I wanted to honor him by detailing how I saw God help him through it all. So if you’re a teen or adult, I pray you can use this article whenever facing such a tragic situation in your life or someone elses’s.

1. Love. It was obvious how much Ron loves his mom and family because he spent so much time with her while she was in the hospital. I’ve heard you spell love T-I-M-E. You can say you love them, but do you give them your time? I’ve also heard it said that the more you love someone the more you’ll miss them when they’re gone. True, but also the more you love them, the more you’ve spent time with them, and the less you’ll have regrets to live with. The way to lose a parent most biblically is to love them, spend time with them, and honor them while they’re here…whether well, sick, or dying.

2. Wisdom. Ron and his family had to make many difficult decisions while his mom was in the hospital. Decisions I don’t even want to think about having to make. But they had to be made, and I know he is a very godly man who makes decisions based on God’s Word and prayer. In James 1:5, God promises He will give His people His wisdom. Making decisions based on God’s Word and wisdom leaves you with no regrets. That is necessary to losing a parent biblically. Continue reading →

Feb 23 2012

Imago Dei: Humanity Saved (Hebrews 2 & 10)

Free resources for youth pastors, small group leaders, etc:
4 – Imago Dei – Saved.mp3
4 – Imago Dei – Salvation (handout).pdf
4 – Imago Dei – Saved.ppt
4 – Image Dei – Saved (notes).doc
4 – Imago Dei – Saved (Hebrews 10 notes).doc
4 – Imago Dei – Saved (service order).doc
4 – Imago Dei – Saved (small groups).doc
Because humanity has been created and cursed, humanity must now be saved. God has had a phenomenal plan since eternity past to send Jesus to fully become a man while remaining fully God. Jesus had to become a man in order to be the Savior of the world. He could not come as only God. He could not come like Aslan the Lion in Naria. He had to share in flesh and blood with human beings in order to die in their place. This CBSM study is all about why we should feel both insignificant and significant, why we should see Jesus as the reason to why God created us, and why Jesus had to become human in order to be our death and resurrection. This study should answer so many questions for students today who are struggling with insignificance, sin, and a need for salvation.

Jan 27 2012

TRAFFICKED: CBSM Against Teenage Trafficking


You’ve most likely seen the movie “Taken” before. If not, is a powerful movie of an American, teenage girl getting kidnapped in Paris by a sex and drug trafficking ring. It has come to our attention that there are numerous teenagers living in our area (Huntsville, AL) that have been trafficked to here. We have been informed that they have been moved here from American cities and foreign countries for the purposes of sex and drug trafficking. We want to do whatever we can to stop it, prevent it, and minister to those teens who have been involved in it. This Saturday at 11am, we are going to hear from Lynn Caffery who is running “The Studio” in Huntsville that reaches out to these teens. We are looking forward to hearing her story, vision, ministry, and heart. You are more than welcome to join us in our student building at 11am for this urgent ministry.

Here’s the letter we sent our CBSM parents concerning this opportunity:
Teen Trafficking Parents Letter.doc

Feb 10 2011

CBSM on Suicide: Student’s Testimony

After getting tons of feedback from many adults, college students, and teens…here is one of the most impacting stories I received from a student outside of our student ministry. You will love this!

Student testimony I received
“I was raised in the church all my life and was considered a leader among the senior high of my youth group. Up until my senior year, everything seemed like smooth sailing; good grades, active in sports, large body of friends. I was even considering attending Boyce to become a youth pastor. Then my world was rocked by an event I cannot forget. My life has not been the same. One night, which was the last day of Disciple Now of my senior year, I was laying awake in the basement of one of the pastor’s houses late into the night. Caused by no other impetus but Satan’s murderous intentions, I could not stop thinking about leaving the house, hopping the fence, and running out in front of a truck on the nearby highway.

The thoughts were not assiduous, however, they seemed to be recurrent for no particular reason. After my first fall semester at college, I hit a wall of depression and anxiety… needless to say, I was so confused. I once had everything, but now my life fell apart. I could not go to Boyce because of finances, my friends all went away to school, I could not concentrate, remember, or think cognitively anymore. On top of it all, I quit following Jesus; in retrospect I never did truly follow Him. I sought professional counseling and was prescribed medication by my physician. Yet, nothing could assuage Satan’s hold on my heart. I bought his lies. The climax was me taking over 30 combined pills of ambien(sleep medication) and zoloft (antidepressant). My mom found me unconscious on the floor of the bathroom and rushed me to the ER. I was rejuvenated and then taken to a behavioral hospital where I spent 5 days. Even after my discharge from the hospital I continued to run from God. I made a whole hoopla of poor decisions, but everywhere I turned for joy there was inevitably closed doors. After a failed attempt to meet up with a local girl for implied purposes, I fell before God with heart racing and tears streaming. It was 12:01 AM June 6 2009. I could not run anymore. I gave my life to God and bowed before Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Pharisees once thought they had everything… for many years of my life, so did I. By God’s exercise of his sovereignty in the precious overflowing of enduring grace, I have learned that now I have everything. I once tried to take my life in despair, but now I cleave to my Heavenly Father and fix my eyes on King Jesus. He is my worth, my rock, and my hope.

Teens need this message of crazy, radical, divine God love in Jesus Christ. I will be praying for you.

Jan 5 2011

CBSM Q&A Clip: Is Homosexuality Really Wrong?


Question: If Christians claim their God is an all-loving God, then why do they frown so strongly on homosexuality?