This week's Summer Splash location will be in the FBC Gym. It is happening from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Our theme is "Weird Games." There will be a variety of games you may have never played.
We will then wrap up the night with the beginning of a two-part series on handling temptation. Hope to see you then.
7.30.2007
7.26.2007
Beach Camp...Final Day
Our group arrived safe and sound at FBC today. Most everyone slept over half of the ride home. The bus made excellent time.
Thanks to all of our leaders for coming to serve and to love on students. Again and again, camp and student ministry could not happen without people like YOU!
Thanks to the parents for entrusting us with your child this week. It is no small feat taking Middle Schoolers to camp at the beach. There are not many ministries in the state that provide an opportunity such as this one to exclusively Middle Schoolers. Thanks for allowing the kids to jump on the journey.
Finally, thanks to the students for committing to venture to camp. Our hope is that you experienced God's creation, people, and presence to the max. I could feel the spiritual temperature this week of various students. Many were on track and are running harder because of camp. Others are beginning the steps to build a stronger walk. Yet, there are a few who are still struggling with the pressure of life. Let's continue to partner together to connect with kids at these various levels of faith.
Thanks to all of our leaders for coming to serve and to love on students. Again and again, camp and student ministry could not happen without people like YOU!
Thanks to the parents for entrusting us with your child this week. It is no small feat taking Middle Schoolers to camp at the beach. There are not many ministries in the state that provide an opportunity such as this one to exclusively Middle Schoolers. Thanks for allowing the kids to jump on the journey.
Finally, thanks to the students for committing to venture to camp. Our hope is that you experienced God's creation, people, and presence to the max. I could feel the spiritual temperature this week of various students. Many were on track and are running harder because of camp. Others are beginning the steps to build a stronger walk. Yet, there are a few who are still struggling with the pressure of life. Let's continue to partner together to connect with kids at these various levels of faith.
7.25.2007
Beach Camp...Day 4
Early this morning, I had the privilege of engaging students at camp from FBC in a very important conversation. It was many conversations of truth and honesty. It was a no pressure experience that helped our students look into their hearts. I asked each Middle Schooler a couple of very important questions:
1) Are you saved? If so, when, where, what? If not, what questions do you have?
2) Have you been baptized? If so, what was your experience? If not, what is holding you back from this step?
Every Middle School Student at camp this week except two has professed to having a conversion experience with Jesus Christ. It was wonderful to hear their stories. An encounter with Jesus Christ is something you cannot forget. It stains you. It marks you. You cannot shake it! Please pray that these two students will have clarity on the Gospel.
There were also about ten students who have accepted Christ fairly recently. They were all wrestling with the concept and practice of baptism. Please pray that they will have the courage to step out and identify themselves with Christ through the beautiful picture of baptism.
Later on everyone took a look at the Rhythm of Hope. The world and life people face is filled with heartache, pain, death, and suffering. The beauty is that there is a hope awaiting those with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the Hope. He has secured a place in Heaven for those who are faithful to Him. Heaven will have no night, no tears, and no loss. Each day will be new and fresh forever! As a follower of Jesus, our thoughts should often shift to that eternity. The evening worship was filled with creativity and power! It was a wrap-up message helping to bring the big picture of Rhythm all together. A Children's Choir from Kenya came and helped lead out in the music. They were awesome!
Our group met up in the afternoon after fun in the sun to take a walk to Pineapple Willy's for dinner. It was a great atmosphere and place to grab a bite at the beach. From there we stopped at Alvin's Souvenir Shop to pick-up a few more memories and gifts.
Our group will be leaving first thing Thursday morning. This will put us arriving back at FBC around 2:00 pm. Please pray for a safe and smooth trip through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
1) Are you saved? If so, when, where, what? If not, what questions do you have?
2) Have you been baptized? If so, what was your experience? If not, what is holding you back from this step?
Every Middle School Student at camp this week except two has professed to having a conversion experience with Jesus Christ. It was wonderful to hear their stories. An encounter with Jesus Christ is something you cannot forget. It stains you. It marks you. You cannot shake it! Please pray that these two students will have clarity on the Gospel.
There were also about ten students who have accepted Christ fairly recently. They were all wrestling with the concept and practice of baptism. Please pray that they will have the courage to step out and identify themselves with Christ through the beautiful picture of baptism.
Later on everyone took a look at the Rhythm of Hope. The world and life people face is filled with heartache, pain, death, and suffering. The beauty is that there is a hope awaiting those with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the Hope. He has secured a place in Heaven for those who are faithful to Him. Heaven will have no night, no tears, and no loss. Each day will be new and fresh forever! As a follower of Jesus, our thoughts should often shift to that eternity. The evening worship was filled with creativity and power! It was a wrap-up message helping to bring the big picture of Rhythm all together. A Children's Choir from Kenya came and helped lead out in the music. They were awesome!
Our group met up in the afternoon after fun in the sun to take a walk to Pineapple Willy's for dinner. It was a great atmosphere and place to grab a bite at the beach. From there we stopped at Alvin's Souvenir Shop to pick-up a few more memories and gifts.
Our group will be leaving first thing Thursday morning. This will put us arriving back at FBC around 2:00 pm. Please pray for a safe and smooth trip through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
7.24.2007
Beach Camp...Day 3
Our conversation shifted today to the concept of Rhythm within our world and the Cross. It is time for us to engage the world. You and I must become passionate about the needs that surround us. People are going to bed hungry and hurting. Do not forget...a person is never more like Jesus than when he or she serves.
The real reason that anyone can love and serve is because of the Cross. Christians often think about the Cross as the beginning of salvation ultimately ending in Heaven. The truth is that the Cross of Jesus Christ should be in each phase of our life. The Cross is needed today. It should affect each and every one of our decisions.
As mentioned in the previous post, the camp pastor spoke on Rhythm with others last night. Many of our students reconnected relationships with one other. A 7th grade boy called back to Benton and apologized to his buddies to make things better. This is very good stuff.
On the beach today, many faces and bodies began getting toasty. The sun was shining bright. A group of our boys defeated a few boys from Texas 21-14. It put the "1969 Shootout" to shame. The sun, sand, and surf was followed by a Luau. Everyone had burgers and barbequed chicken. The combination of lays, limbo, and live music made for a great time.
The day was wrapped up with our church group time. Our ministry is one of the larger groups at camp, so we have been blessed with a special meeting room. This is a time to reconnect and review all camp messages and details. The students then disperse with our caring adults for small group discussion. A special appreciation goes out to all of our leaders: Thank-you... Ron, Bobby, Michelle, Brooke, Katie, Holly, Jessica, and Alyson. Camp could not happen without YOU!
The real reason that anyone can love and serve is because of the Cross. Christians often think about the Cross as the beginning of salvation ultimately ending in Heaven. The truth is that the Cross of Jesus Christ should be in each phase of our life. The Cross is needed today. It should affect each and every one of our decisions.
As mentioned in the previous post, the camp pastor spoke on Rhythm with others last night. Many of our students reconnected relationships with one other. A 7th grade boy called back to Benton and apologized to his buddies to make things better. This is very good stuff.
On the beach today, many faces and bodies began getting toasty. The sun was shining bright. A group of our boys defeated a few boys from Texas 21-14. It put the "1969 Shootout" to shame. The sun, sand, and surf was followed by a Luau. Everyone had burgers and barbequed chicken. The combination of lays, limbo, and live music made for a great time.
The day was wrapped up with our church group time. Our ministry is one of the larger groups at camp, so we have been blessed with a special meeting room. This is a time to reconnect and review all camp messages and details. The students then disperse with our caring adults for small group discussion. A special appreciation goes out to all of our leaders: Thank-you... Ron, Bobby, Michelle, Brooke, Katie, Holly, Jessica, and Alyson. Camp could not happen without YOU!
7.23.2007
Beach Camp...Day 2
Our focus today was on "Rhythm" with ourselves and with others. God created us, which means you and I should not dislike ourselves. If we do, then we may have an issue with the Creator. We need rhythm with who we were created to be. We also must have rhythm with others. The way that you and I treat people is a reflection of our relationship with God. This stuff really connected to our students.
The camp has a morning and evening worship session with a student/leader group time in the mix. Our students saw an illusionist perform an incredible trick to illustrate Jesus being the Living Water that wholly satifies us. The adults walked through principles in the book of Nehemiah.
The beach was hazy early in the day, but the sun broke through in the later afternoon. Our kids buried each other neck deep in the sand, wiped out on skim boards, jumped the Gulf waves, and splashed in the pool. Unfortunately, our teams suffered bitter defeat in basketball, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee. Our teams were good, but just fell in a bad spot on the bracket.
The Middle School Ministry is thrilled at the opportunity to have these students at camp. Pray that God would solidify everything we encounter.
The camp has a morning and evening worship session with a student/leader group time in the mix. Our students saw an illusionist perform an incredible trick to illustrate Jesus being the Living Water that wholly satifies us. The adults walked through principles in the book of Nehemiah.
The beach was hazy early in the day, but the sun broke through in the later afternoon. Our kids buried each other neck deep in the sand, wiped out on skim boards, jumped the Gulf waves, and splashed in the pool. Unfortunately, our teams suffered bitter defeat in basketball, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee. Our teams were good, but just fell in a bad spot on the bracket.
The Middle School Ministry is thrilled at the opportunity to have these students at camp. Pray that God would solidify everything we encounter.
7.22.2007
Beach Camp...Day 1
Our group departed from FBC either really early or really late. It just depends on your matter of perspective. In other words, the bus rolled out of Benton at 1:30 am. We arrived at Panama City Beach, Florida, around 3:30 p.m. safe and sound. Thank-you for your prayers.
Tonight's worship gathering rocked the house. It was put together with excellence. The focus of our camp is the concept of "Rhythm." The camp pastor shared the reality that people all need to be in complete rhythm with God. You and I were created to operate in sequence and in step with Him. The hang-up is that many things in life butcher the harmony that you and I can have with God. The beauty of it all was that it soaked deep into the minds and hearts of our Middle Schoolers.
From there, the camp had "Church Group Time." This is a block carved out of the schedule to discuss the details of the message. Well, free-time is over and it is is time for bed. Please continue to pray that God would bless us and allow us to bless Him with each move we make.
7.19.2007
Missions 101 Deadline
Our Missions 101 deadline is officially here NOW! If you plan on serving this season, please submit your paper work to the student ministry offices. Our Middle Schoolers will spend August 3-5 serving at the Dorcas House in Little Rock. It is an incredible opportunity to build the momentum that creates a life of missions.
7.17.2007
Movie Madness...July 18
Our Middle School Ministry will host its second annual Movie Madness. It is happening on Wednesday, July 18 from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm in the gym. Bring a comfy chair, a bean bag, or whatever else you want insert your bottom into. We have popcorn, candy, drinks, and a great movie to show. Come and check it out!
Launching the Verge Blog
This is the premier post for the Verge blog. This purpose of this page will be to provide an up-to-date conversation about our Middle School Ministry. It is about keeping you on board and in the loop of communication.
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