GOSPEL ON REPEAT

Last week I spoke about how to fight term 3 blues in youth ministry. After a few months of planning, Dale, Nicole and I began phase 1 of our term 3 campaign with a photo shoot at Terrigal beach. Friday night we did a soft, teaser-like launch at youth group. Here is the flyer (pdf).

And drum roll… Here is the special website: www.iAGREEwithDALE.com.

We haven’t really given anything away yet. We’ve simply said – term 2 was good… but term 3 is going to be even better! I’m looking forward to the fun stuff we’ve got planned (stay tuned for more details) for term 3 – but I’m really looking forward to what we’ll be looking at in the Bible. As part of what we’ll be looking at with seniors we’ve told them that every week next term will be a good week to bring a friend.

Do you lead a youth group? Any plans yet for fighting term 3 blues?

Yep. I’m not an animal person… but I worried more about this dog over the last 24 hours than any other animal ever!! I covered a few more streets this morning (about 30kms of looping around) – I even checked in some rivers and creeks! Row did a stake-out at the Pound in case someone came in. They did… he wasn’t there. BUT at midday we got a call. A vet had him over night. Giddy up. He’s back. I did more than just fill in the hole where he escaped… it’s now impenetrable!

Thanks Riley for giving me an illustration for camp.

Dan and Ren’s dog Riley came to stay at our place for the weekend. He had other plans. Somewhere between 930 and 1130 this morning, Riley dug his way to freedom. We’ve spent 60kms, 3.5 hours, and endless tears searching for him. No avail. We’ve knocked on doors, we’ve been to the pound – twice, we’ve been on every single street in our suburb!

Last seen: on his way to the Elanora Pub. (Seriously – seen by a neighbour!).

If you live on the Coast – keep an eye out – he’s never been lost overnight before – and it’s bucketing down with rain. We prayed just before. Not sure how to pray for a dog – but thanked God for animals – thanked God for the dominion we have over them – and said sorry for failing in our dominionv(sounding like 2WTL!). Prayed also that we’d find Dan and Ren’s friend.

Repost if you have a blog.

PS – Riley looks like a Tasmanian Tiger…

(h/t Justin B)

Prayer is good. I believe in the God of Ephesians 3:20-21. Do you?

>Thank God for coast youth REVOLUTION. Small night (storms). But miracle that even 80 people made it out. 1 girl became a Christian!!
>Pray for talk prep for a couple of holiday camps I’m speaking on in the holidays.
>One of those camps is full. One isn’t. Pray it would fill.

The talks: LOST AND FOUND from Luke’s Gospel.
Key Verse: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Luke 19:10
Series Aim:

a) To see that Jesus came to seek and save the lost
b) To see that we are lost and need to be found
c) To see that only Jesus can find us.

Can you think of any LOST AND FOUND stories? Leave them in the comments. Thanks.

DAN GODDEN has a new blog address. Change your bookmarks and RSS feeds etc… Who’s Dan Godden? Go watch these two videos for more…

I’ve just been for a walk (thanks Mark Driscoll for the reminder to exercise) and I’m loving O Praise Him (video above) by the David Crowder Band. It has a reasonable beat… it makes me walk faster and has some great throne room words about Jesus. I feel like I’m in a film clip as I walk down the street listening!

If you could be in a film clip – what song would it be?

My observation is that term 3 is traditionally a bluesy term in youth ministry (in fact in any ministry). In Australia it’s the coldest term and the term that is most likely to have people disappear from your ministry. Here’s 3 tips to fight term 3 blues:

• Recognise that it’s the bluesy term
• Don’t be boring and make it worse
• Give the term something extra that will create a bit more vibe and energy. It might be more evangelistic events, it might be something crazy, it might be flashing lights, it might be…

If you can get through term 3 without losing droves of peeps – it will mean that in term 4 you can grow rather than re-build. Does that make sense? You can build your numbers rather than trying to find those that have disappeared.

We have some sweet plans for this year’s term 3… wheels are currently in motion… I’ll let you know soon of the crazy plans. Big. Big would be an understatement.

Got any ideas (tested or not) on fighting term 3 blues?