Middle School Retreat
Wired 2010
We have created a website to keep those that are unable to attend camp, informed. Check out www.wiredcamp.com for all the features, but here is a run down of the features I think are going to be the most useful.
1. Notes from Home
If you want to send your student a brief message for all to see, you can submit the form and we will display notes before our evening Worship Service on the screens.
2. Pictures and Videos
We will be posting daily pictures and videos of what is going on at camp.
3. Live Streaming
Depending on our internet access, we will try to stream live audio and video from each evening Worship service. You will be able to go to the website and watch the video and interact with other people who are watching.
Our hope is that this website will act as a hub of information to keep everyone connected to what is going on during our week at Zephyr.
Parent Party
On Sunday night, May 16, we had a Parent Party for all parents of students in 6th and 7th grade. These are the parents that will make up our MSM next year. We were able to go over a lot of event/program information (you can find our calendar here and here), but none of that information matters unless parents decide to get their student plugged in to our ministry.
Parents are the primary spiritual influence in a child’s life, and that doesn’t change just because their student makes it to adolescence. Parent’s, specifically fathers, need to make the decision for their family to be in community with other believers that will encourage, challenge, and strengthen them. In the Middle School Ministry, the best way to get your student plugged in is at Sunday School. We have a team of leaders that are eager to pour into your child’s life, and reinforce your role as the parent. I want to encourage you to make Sunday School a priority in your family’s schedule.
SUMMER SUNDAY NIGHTS!
Summer Sunday Nights are fun, low key activities designed to give students an opportunity to build a relationship with other students and adult leaders in the Middle School Ministry. They are a great way for new students to get plugged in to the MSM and an excellent opportunity for existing students to enhance the relationships they have already made.
We still have one open date on Aug. 1. If you are interested in hosting this SSN, call or email Mike.
Middle School Parent Party
On Sunday, May 16, we will be having a parent meeting for the parents that will have students in the Middle School Ministry starting this summer (i.e. current 6th & 7th graders). For many parents, this is going to be one of their first opportunities to hear everything that we are about. This is THE MEETING to be at.
We will serve dinner and go over Summer Camp, Summer Sunday Nights, Madhouse, and a TON of other information that you need to know. If you have a student that will be in the Middle School Ministry starting in the summer, you do not want to miss this meeting.
You Pick!!!
Last year, we did a series where students had the opportunity to ask any question they wanted and we would take the time to respond on a Wednesday Night. I got more positive feedback about this series than any other thing we talked about all year. Students loved having the opportunity to get quick answers to questions they have been thinking about.
So, back by popular demand is our “You Pick” series. Every Wednesday Night in April, we will answer students questions. Again, students can ask any question they have about life, Christianity, the Bible, relationships, parents, or anything else that is on their mind. Students can email, facebook, twitter, mail, text, morse code in their questions to anybody on the Middle School Ministry staff and we will address it.
Possibly the easiest/most anonymous way to get your questions in is by text. To participate: Text 7557 and your question to 99503. This text is free, and you will not get junk sent back to you.
Mexico Mission Trip
For the past 7/8 years, we have taken students to Piedras Negras, Mexico during Spring Break. This year will be no different. Application will be accepted starting January 3. Students can pick up an application from Jeremy.
The Gospel: Part Two
For the past few weeks, I have been thinking through the Gospel: What it is, how it can be explained, do my students really get it, etc. This is a summary of what I have been looking at:
1. The Gospel is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus lived a holy life, was unjustly put to death, then was resurrected from the grave so that I may have life. He bore the punishment for my sin as He was hung on the cross.
My favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” I believe this is a great summary of what took place on the cross. A sinless Jesus, took on my sin, so that I would have life.
2. The Gospel demands life change.
Notice in Matt. 4 when Jesus calls the disciples that His command is to “follow me.” He did not offer to pray a prayer with them, or send them off to a counselor, but he called them to change their entire life.
It is at this point that the church often gets it wrong. We are comfortable with talking with a person for a few minutes, concluding they are sincere in their decision to follow Christ, lead them in prayer, and release them back into their everyday lives. Many times, there is never any conversation to insure that a person really understands what their decision means. We are too comfortable teaching a faith only salvation, but the Bible clearly teaches that repentance is just as necessary.
Paul understood this. In Acts 20, he is seen reminding the Ephesian elders of his teaching of repentance and faith. Again, we heavily emphasize belief and faith, but we need to make sure we talk of repentance and life change.
The Gospel
One of the questions that I ask students whenever I get the chance is, “What does a person have to know in order to be a Christian?” Typically, I use this question to gauge a student’s understanding of the Gospel in their own life, and get a variety of responses. Some students simply say, “Jesus loves you” or “Christ died for you.” And while these things are both true and good, isn’t there more to the Gospel than this? Is there a bare minimum that a person needs to know in order to be saved?
In the next couple weeks I am going to post my thoughts on the topic, but in the mean time, leave a comment and let me know what you think a person needs to know in order to be a Christian.
We are now podcasting!
Have you ever wanted to go back and listen to one of our Wednesday Night lessons? Well, now you can! We have put some of our Wednesday Night series on iTunes as a podcast.
You can subscribe by clicking here. (clicking will open iTunes)
Parents, this is a great way to stay informed in what we are doing in the MS Ministry at Central. Listen to what we’re teaching, ask your students questions, engage them in their spiritual journey.
