So tonight - another "magic" show!
I'm doing a magic show for a pack of Cub Scouts!
It's great being asked back for a third time to perform for a group, but of course, they've seen all my tricks. Now I have to come up with some new stuff....
A good challenge though.
So....
I'm off to learn some new tricks. (Well, ok. Not actually learning them right before the show, but the question now is, "Can I remember how to do this one???)
Rob
<><
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Vision
What's the Goal?
The goal of the High School Ministry (HSM) at Immanuel is this:
"A fired up youth group, radically obedient to a passionate pursuit of knowing, believing, living, and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Everything we do is to that end.
I'll be walking through the different parts of that statement in the coming weeks.
In the meantime...
A HUGE THANK YOU to all the parents who have recently come on board and are helping out at SIX33 once a month. I really enjoy having parents around involved in what's going on. (for a detailed explanation of the philosophy behind that statement, go to the SIX33 website: www.ibchighland.org/six33 and click on "Parents Only."
Another HUGE THANK YOU to Kim Mast who is now coordinating the "Snack Time" each week at SIX33. A different Sunday School class is hosting SIX33 each week and bringing snacks. Thanks Kim for getting this ministry rolling.
Tonight: eTeams
I love eTeams. Going out with a few students to practice sharing the Gospel is always a fun thing to do. We have some great conversations about theology during our "travel time" as well.
Meanwhile - I'm back to work!
Back soon with more...
Rob
<><
The goal of the High School Ministry (HSM) at Immanuel is this:
"A fired up youth group, radically obedient to a passionate pursuit of knowing, believing, living, and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Everything we do is to that end.
I'll be walking through the different parts of that statement in the coming weeks.
In the meantime...
A HUGE THANK YOU to all the parents who have recently come on board and are helping out at SIX33 once a month. I really enjoy having parents around involved in what's going on. (for a detailed explanation of the philosophy behind that statement, go to the SIX33 website: www.ibchighland.org/six33 and click on "Parents Only."
Another HUGE THANK YOU to Kim Mast who is now coordinating the "Snack Time" each week at SIX33. A different Sunday School class is hosting SIX33 each week and bringing snacks. Thanks Kim for getting this ministry rolling.
Tonight: eTeams
I love eTeams. Going out with a few students to practice sharing the Gospel is always a fun thing to do. We have some great conversations about theology during our "travel time" as well.
Meanwhile - I'm back to work!
Back soon with more...
Rob
<><
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Beauty of Creation
So I'm sitting at my friend's apartment in Long Beach, where I came to hang out for the day.
His apartment is amazing. It's directly on the beach. By "directly" I mean that "when you walk down the stairs, you step off the stairs onto the sand directly." I'm surrounded by the amazing beauty of God's creation. As I sit at his computer typing this, I'm looking out the window at some snow covered mountains.
So here I sit, surrounded on both sides by two of the things I love most. The beach and the mountains (especially when they're show-covered). I'm so blessed to be able to live here in Southern California working alongside the people of Immanuel.
It reminds me of something from last night's sermon. God has revealed Himself in His creation. How you can look at the amazing beauty of the earth and not see the hand of a Creator I don't know. But as I pointed out last night, while creation distinctly points to God, it won't save us. We are saved not only because God chose us, but also because Jesus accomplished God's plan, and the Holy Spirit "applied" or "connected" what God set out to do and what Jesus did. I've been really emphasizing the necessity of studying the Bible in my sermons at SIX33 the past few weeks.
The more I read and study myself, the more I'm convinced of this. The Spirit always speaks through and with God's Word. Do you want to hear from God? Read and study His Word. Do you want to know God's will for your life? Read and study His Word. Do you want to be on His Path? Read and study His Word. I just can't get away from this. I don't know if I read it somewhere, or came up with it myself, or if it's a hybrid of the two, but here it is: If you're not consistently in God's Word, reading AND STUDYING it, you won't be growing as a Christian.
So there it is. Read and Study God's Word. Make sure you have the tools. A good study Bible is the starting point. There are three that I recommend: The MacArthur Study Bible (it simply has no equal), The ESV Study Bible was published a couple of months back and so far, I'm really liking it, and the Reformation Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul. All three are good. I use all three of them pretty regularly. If you don't have a good study Bible (I hate to say it but there are some that aren't so good), you need to make getting one a priority.
So on that note - I'm down to hop on my sweet new bike (Thanks for the great Christmas present Mom & Dad), ride down the beach to a coffee shop (There's an It's A Grind real close), grab some coffee, and do some reading.
Seeking Him,
Rob
His apartment is amazing. It's directly on the beach. By "directly" I mean that "when you walk down the stairs, you step off the stairs onto the sand directly." I'm surrounded by the amazing beauty of God's creation. As I sit at his computer typing this, I'm looking out the window at some snow covered mountains.
So here I sit, surrounded on both sides by two of the things I love most. The beach and the mountains (especially when they're show-covered). I'm so blessed to be able to live here in Southern California working alongside the people of Immanuel.
It reminds me of something from last night's sermon. God has revealed Himself in His creation. How you can look at the amazing beauty of the earth and not see the hand of a Creator I don't know. But as I pointed out last night, while creation distinctly points to God, it won't save us. We are saved not only because God chose us, but also because Jesus accomplished God's plan, and the Holy Spirit "applied" or "connected" what God set out to do and what Jesus did. I've been really emphasizing the necessity of studying the Bible in my sermons at SIX33 the past few weeks.
The more I read and study myself, the more I'm convinced of this. The Spirit always speaks through and with God's Word. Do you want to hear from God? Read and study His Word. Do you want to know God's will for your life? Read and study His Word. Do you want to be on His Path? Read and study His Word. I just can't get away from this. I don't know if I read it somewhere, or came up with it myself, or if it's a hybrid of the two, but here it is: If you're not consistently in God's Word, reading AND STUDYING it, you won't be growing as a Christian.
So there it is. Read and Study God's Word. Make sure you have the tools. A good study Bible is the starting point. There are three that I recommend: The MacArthur Study Bible (it simply has no equal), The ESV Study Bible was published a couple of months back and so far, I'm really liking it, and the Reformation Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul. All three are good. I use all three of them pretty regularly. If you don't have a good study Bible (I hate to say it but there are some that aren't so good), you need to make getting one a priority.
So on that note - I'm down to hop on my sweet new bike (Thanks for the great Christmas present Mom & Dad), ride down the beach to a coffee shop (There's an It's A Grind real close), grab some coffee, and do some reading.
Seeking Him,
Rob
Friday, February 13, 2009
Checking in on things...
Just a note to any who might be interested in what's being taught at SIX33 on Wednesday nights right now.
Currently we're in the book of Ephesians. I'm stoked about this! It's such an amazing book with so much in it. It addresses many key doctrines in a very relevant way.
If you aren't able to make it to SIX33, you don't have to miss out on the teaching. I've just got our "recording" capability back up and running, so you can download the messages from our official website.
Just go to www.ibchighland.org/six33 and click on "Downloads" then you'll see the list of messages from Ephesians.
Download them, listen to them, and let me know what you think.
I hope everyone has a great weekend and Valentine's Day.
See you Sunday!
Rob
<><
Currently we're in the book of Ephesians. I'm stoked about this! It's such an amazing book with so much in it. It addresses many key doctrines in a very relevant way.
If you aren't able to make it to SIX33, you don't have to miss out on the teaching. I've just got our "recording" capability back up and running, so you can download the messages from our official website.
Just go to www.ibchighland.org/six33 and click on "Downloads" then you'll see the list of messages from Ephesians.
Download them, listen to them, and let me know what you think.
I hope everyone has a great weekend and Valentine's Day.
See you Sunday!
Rob
<><
Monday, February 9, 2009
Discipleship
So on Monday nights, I have a group of High School guys that come over for Discipleship. We're doing a variety of things, including accountability.
Mostly - we're looking deeply at the Biblical Doctrines of Grace. How great it is to simply look at Scripture and see where it takes us.
One of the other thigns we're doing is memorizing some pretty good chunks of Scripture. This seems to be a discipline that's not talked about very much these days. I know for myself, I need to do more of it.
And by "memorize" I mean that you really know it. No stammering and trying to remember what comes next. I know I can do it, I just don't apply myself. I don't repeat and repeat and repeat the passages like I should.
Now, however, is a different story. I've got copies of the passages we're memorizing taped to the instrument panel of my car (an idea I learned from Jerome Smith, the first youth pastor I learned from), taped to my computer monitor, on my desk, sitting on the coffee table at my house, and a couple of copies in my Bible.
My thinking is that if I still know word-for-word songs from when I was in High School, I should be able to memorize something that has some substance to it.
So here's the question - are you memorizing Scripture? I mean really memorizing it. Are you coming to the point where you know the passage so well that you could stand up in the main Worship Service on Sunday morning and open the worship time by quoting the passage?
If we are seeking to truly know God, then saturating ourselves with Scripture is an absolute necessity. Study the Bible. Memorize Scripture. Make it a daily priority.
Seek God First!
Rob
<><
Mostly - we're looking deeply at the Biblical Doctrines of Grace. How great it is to simply look at Scripture and see where it takes us.
One of the other thigns we're doing is memorizing some pretty good chunks of Scripture. This seems to be a discipline that's not talked about very much these days. I know for myself, I need to do more of it.
And by "memorize" I mean that you really know it. No stammering and trying to remember what comes next. I know I can do it, I just don't apply myself. I don't repeat and repeat and repeat the passages like I should.
Now, however, is a different story. I've got copies of the passages we're memorizing taped to the instrument panel of my car (an idea I learned from Jerome Smith, the first youth pastor I learned from), taped to my computer monitor, on my desk, sitting on the coffee table at my house, and a couple of copies in my Bible.
My thinking is that if I still know word-for-word songs from when I was in High School, I should be able to memorize something that has some substance to it.
So here's the question - are you memorizing Scripture? I mean really memorizing it. Are you coming to the point where you know the passage so well that you could stand up in the main Worship Service on Sunday morning and open the worship time by quoting the passage?
If we are seeking to truly know God, then saturating ourselves with Scripture is an absolute necessity. Study the Bible. Memorize Scripture. Make it a daily priority.
Seek God First!
Rob
<><
Sunday, February 1, 2009
WOW!!!
Has it really been that many months since I've posted anything?
Well - no more of that!
Okay - so here's the latest:
I'm becoming more and more obsessed with the Gospel day by day.
I'm loving the idea and reality of being saturated in Scripture.
The more I stay in Scripture, the more I want to stay in Scripture.
So my question for you is pretty much what I asked my students a couple of Wednesday nights back:
Why are you reading your Bible? Is it out of a sense of some sort of obligation? "Well, I know I'm supposed to read my Bible..." or "My Youth Pastor/Parent/Sunday School Teacher/etc. told me I should read it"
OR...
Are you reading it because you want to know Christ more deeply? Because of all the things that you can spend your time doing. Of all the things you could be reading. Of all the "stuff" that's out there - Only in Scripture do you find what you're truly looking for. Only in Scripture do you find the words that strike you deep in your soul. It just does something for you.
If you were to read through the "Gospel" verses right now, what would be your response? Would it be, "yes - I like these, I've read them before. They're nice..."
OR...
Do you read them and just smile, because it brings you back to meditating on the full reality of what Jesus has done for you. How He bore YOUR sins on the cross and was punished for YOUR sake. He chose you specifically from before the foundation of the world and came to die for YOU.
When I read them - it just gets me. It's hard to describe, but I'm hoping I don't have to describe it to you. I'm hoping you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Want a list of verses? Try this one:
Psalm 96
Ephesians 1:3-14
Romans 3:10-23, Genesis 6:5
Romans 5:8 - it's starting to get good!
2 Corinthians 5:21 - this is just about as good as it gets.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Peter 3:18
Romans 10:9-10 - this is very important.
and my favorite Gospel summary passage:
Titus 3:3-7
Seeking Him,
Rob
<><
P.S. - go to YouTube and find the video "Barabbus" by Caleb and Sol Rexius. I'll put it here when I figure out how to do that. It's an incredible video.
Well - no more of that!
Okay - so here's the latest:
I'm becoming more and more obsessed with the Gospel day by day.
I'm loving the idea and reality of being saturated in Scripture.
The more I stay in Scripture, the more I want to stay in Scripture.
So my question for you is pretty much what I asked my students a couple of Wednesday nights back:
Why are you reading your Bible? Is it out of a sense of some sort of obligation? "Well, I know I'm supposed to read my Bible..." or "My Youth Pastor/Parent/Sunday School Teacher/etc. told me I should read it"
OR...
Are you reading it because you want to know Christ more deeply? Because of all the things that you can spend your time doing. Of all the things you could be reading. Of all the "stuff" that's out there - Only in Scripture do you find what you're truly looking for. Only in Scripture do you find the words that strike you deep in your soul. It just does something for you.
If you were to read through the "Gospel" verses right now, what would be your response? Would it be, "yes - I like these, I've read them before. They're nice..."
OR...
Do you read them and just smile, because it brings you back to meditating on the full reality of what Jesus has done for you. How He bore YOUR sins on the cross and was punished for YOUR sake. He chose you specifically from before the foundation of the world and came to die for YOU.
When I read them - it just gets me. It's hard to describe, but I'm hoping I don't have to describe it to you. I'm hoping you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Want a list of verses? Try this one:
Psalm 96
Ephesians 1:3-14
Romans 3:10-23, Genesis 6:5
Romans 5:8 - it's starting to get good!
2 Corinthians 5:21 - this is just about as good as it gets.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Peter 3:18
Romans 10:9-10 - this is very important.
and my favorite Gospel summary passage:
Titus 3:3-7
Seeking Him,
Rob
<><
P.S. - go to YouTube and find the video "Barabbus" by Caleb and Sol Rexius. I'll put it here when I figure out how to do that. It's an incredible video.
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