Archives For worship

Books I Am Currently Reading and Learning From

October 2, 2012 — 5 Comments

It is funny. In high school I don’t think I read a single book all the way through. For all my book reports, I would literally make it up as I went and I would get passing grades. Not saying that is okay, I’m just stating what happened. Regardless, I love reading now. I’m what some might call an “Amazon junky”. I can’t stop.  I thought it would be fun just to post the books I’m currently in the middle of right now.

I read a chapter a day in each of them. I don’t know if that is the best way for me to retain information, but it seems to be working for me. Here they are in no particular order:

  • The Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future- The Next Generation Leader has been challenging young Christians eager to learn, grow, and lead in ministry or in the marketplace since its original release in 2003. Now with an all-new look, this repackaged version continues to advance the mission of the first release. Mentoring young leaders as they face the unique issues of a changing world has been pastor and bestselling author Andy Stanley’s passion for more than a decade. Here he shares material from his leadership training sessions, developed to address essential leadership qualities such as character, clarity, courage, and competency. This is the perfect guide for any new leader—or for the mentor of a future leader!
  • Unleash!: Breaking Free from Normalcy-Why is it that we trust Jesus with our salvation but never fully trust him with our lives? God longs to unleash his full measure of power in our lives to fill us with passion and purpose. But too often the things of our past—fear, anger, bitterness, worry and doubt—hold us back. Rather than focusing on the reality of who Christ is and what he has done for us, we allow ourselves to be identified by all the things we aren’t. But we are not who our past says we are, and we are not who the enemy says we are. We are who God and his Word say that we are. Pastor Perry Noble challenges all followers of Christ to make a bold move by fully embracing the exciting adventure God has called us to. Are you ready to unleash all the life he has created you to live? Join Perry on this journey as he digs into the major barriers holding people back and shows how Jesus calls and equips his followers to experience a life most of us never dreamed possible.

  • The Power fo a Praying Husband-  Designed to accompany the powerful bestseller, The Power of a Praying Husband, this study guide helps men in their quest to pray more effectively for their wives. Through a variety of suggestions, examples, and thought-provoking questions, men will develop prayers that fit the circumstances of their marriage. Each week they will embrace the power to heal relationships, grow in faith, and accept the blessings of a life and marriage given over to God’s hands.

(I’m technically not a husband yet, but I will be in a month so I wanted to get ahead of the game.)

  • Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs- The best leaders not only lead well but also reflect on their leadership long enough and thoughtfully enough to articulate the philosophies that cause them to do so. Whether serving in the marketplace or in ministry, as executives or rank-and-file employees, as salaried staff or volunteer servants, good leaders can pinpoint the rationale for their actions and decisions with the ease of reciting their home address. In Axiom, author Bill Hybels divulges the God-given convictions that have dictated his leadership strategy for more than three decades as senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. Oriented toward four key leadership categories … 1. Vision and strategy (‘Promote Shameless Profitability,’ ‘Take a Flyer’) 2. Teamwork and communication (‘Obi-Wan Kenobi Isn’t for Hire,’ ‘Disagree without Drawing Blood’) 3. Activity and assessment (‘Develop a Mole System,’ ‘Sweat the Small Stuff’) 4. Personal integrity (‘Admit Mistakes, and Your Stock Goes Up,’ ‘Fight for Your Family’) … Axiom brokers accessible wisdom from one leader’s journey, as well as emboldens you to nail down the reasons why you lead like you lead.

What are some of the books you are reading and learning from? Which ones do I need to add to my reading list?

In Book Review, Free Stuff, Leadership, personal growth, student ministry, Uncategorized, Youth Ministry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Proud of My Best Friend: Jeremiah Mullins

September 12, 2012 — Leave a comment

This is one of my best friends Jeremiah Mullins. We worked together at Christ’s Church of the Valley in San Dimas and we also lived together for 2 years. We shared a bunk bed as 23 year old men. I’m not ashamed to admit it. He’s in my wedding in 2 months. Love this guy with all my heart.

He just got hired at LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma as the Associate Worship Pastor on their main campus. This video is from of their worship experiences that they record for their satellite campuses as they wait for their live feed. It’s pretty incredible. Needless to say, I’m super proud of him on following where God has called him to go. He’s killing it out there and this video proves it.

Take a look.

 

Follow his music on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Who (a friend in ministry) can you send a quick text or note to encourage them and tell them your proud of what they are doing for the Kingdom of God? You should do that today. Who are you going to tell today?

In God, high school ministry, Leadership, personal growth, Uncategorized, video, worship, Youth Ministry , , , , , ,
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How To Keep The Camp High

July 31, 2012 — Leave a comment

For both students and for leaders, there is always a camp high when we come back from a camp. It is during those times in which we feel so much closer to who God is, what He is doing in our lives and it always seems to be a rekindling  of a relationship between us and God. So how do you keep that? How do you not lose that when you come home and have it fade away?

If you really think about it, there are 5 major things we do at a camp or retreat everyday that we tend to not do when we get back. 5 things in which we are supposed to do on a daily basis which we tend not to do at camp or retreat. It is these 5 things that give us that spiritual “high”, but if we were to do these everyday we would be able to have that feeling everyday.

  • Pray- We pray everyday at a camp or retreat. that communication between us and God is key to our closeness with God. If we are having a struggle on determining where God is wanting you to go, what better way than to have a conversation with the One who made you.
  • Quiet Time- At a camp or retreat you have a quiet time with God every single day. You study the Bible for at least 30 minutes everyday you are there. This is something I myself struggle with on a daily basis and I know it is a reason in which the “camp high” fades when I come back.
  • Community- You are in a great community of people everyday. You are around people who you are comfortable talking to and opening up to and being able to talk openly about struggles that you are having and being able to pray with them right then and there.
  • Worship- There is worship session every single day (usually in the form of music). But its time where you and God connect and you can just worship Him for who He is.
  • Laugh- We let loose at a camp or retreat because we are not worrying about anything besides just being there with God. Jesus says why worry about tomorrow, today has enough worry for its self. When we are at camp or retreat we can just have fun and laugh with everyone around us and not worry about anything.

All of these things happen at retreats and that’s why we get that extra close feeling to God. Because these are the things that we are called to do on a daily basis, so that “camp high” doesn’t need to go away…ever! We have to stop doing these things just at camps and retreats and not on a everyday basis. No wonder we don’t have that feeling when we come back because we forget to do this when we are back.

That’s my goal as we just got back from camp, to continue to do these things to keep that “camp high”.

In creativity, Devotional, God, high school ministry, Ministry Idea, personal growth, Relational, Youth Ministry , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Would You Recognize Jesus?

July 3, 2012 — Leave a comment

I just finished going through the Gospel of Mark. I have read it many times before but something struck me a little bit differently as I was reading the last few verses.

Jesus rose from the dead. He revealed Himself to two people, they didn’t say a word because they were scared to do so. Jesus then revealed Himself to two more. They did the same. They didn’t tell anyone because they were scared. Then Jesus came and revealed Himself to his disciples, and rebuked them for not believing the others that He was alive. I couldn’t imagine being rebuked the first time I saw Jesus from the dead.

It got me thinking. Is that how I am living? Jesus has clearly shown Himself to me in my life. Am I afraid to tell others? Am I like the disciples who were sitting in a room acting as if Jesus was not really alive and living? Because if they really knew, then they would not have been in hiding and wondering what to do next. Same with us, if we REALLY believed that He was alive and moving we wouldn’t be doing what we are doing and start telling others about this amazing God that loves us.

Read Mark 16:8-20

In Devotional, God, Leadership, personal growth, student ministry, Uncategorized, Youth Ministry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Shout Out Friday: Generation to Generation Youth Ministry

April 27, 2012 — Leave a comment

Today’s Shout Out Friday is from the guys I got to guest blog for from the post earlier this week on my blog. (Click HERE to check that post out.) Generation to Generation Youth Ministry is a great blog with some real, honest posts from two dudes who love the crap out of students and have some amazing insight to youth ministry. Be sure to check them out and enjoy this post from them titled “Good Example or Great Example”:

Tonight I had a phone call from the mom of one of my high school small group students. During the conversation she thanked me for being a good example for her son. After the call was over I began to think if I’m a good example, what could I change to be a great example.

When we decided to get into student ministry either as paid staff or as a volunteer I think that all of us agreed that we need to live our lives to a higher standard because we are an example to students of what a Christ follower is. None of us can be perfect all the time but there are things we can do to ensure that we are putting our best foot forward when it comes to being a good example.

I asked myself the following questions, ask yourself and evaluate your answers.

  • Language  Am I careful how I talk, not just when students are around but all of the time?  - Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. – Ephesians 4:29 NLT
  • Relationships  How you treat others is a big example to students of a Godly man or woman. If you’re in a relationship, is it Godly and pure? You can’t teach students about purity and saving sex for marriage if you’re not living it yourself. They will see right through you.
  • Gossip  Don’t get caught in the gossip circle. Gossip is a sin that destroys ministries. If you’re not part of the problem or part of the solution then don’t gossip about it.
  • Worship  Make sure that you are attending worship service on a regular basis and that you are getting spiritually fed. You can’t expect students to be church attenders if you’re not. Don’t spend so much timeserving Jesus that you don’t have time for Jesus.
  • Quiet Time  It’s hard to get students to participate in a daily quiet time with God if you’re not doing it yourself. It’s also the way you stay connected to God. Pray for your students every day. Pray for your church and for your ministry. - Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. – Philippians 4:6 NLT 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to just be a good leader, I want to be a great leader. Every now and then we need to stop and evaluate our lives, I did tonight and I know I have to make a few changes.

What do you think? What do you wish you did great? How do you take the first step?

In Devotional, high school ministry, Leadership, Ministry Idea, personal growth, Shout Out Friday, student ministry, sweet articles, worship , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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New Worship Albums You Need

April 10, 2012 — 2 Comments

I am just going to say it. I have some talented friends. These friends love Jesus and can sing their hearts out for Him. I would say they are some of the best worship leaders I know. They are not up on the stage for themselves, they are not in it for the spot light, their only purpose is to lead others into worship through music. I have known these guys for years and I can tel you they are the real deal.

Their are two CD’s that just came out this Easter weekend. One from my friends from my former church, Christ’s Church of the Valley, in San Dimas. The Valley Worship. You can check out their link below:

Listen to the whole album: click HERE

Buy the CD on iTunes: click HERE

The other CD is from a super talented friend from South Hills Christian in Las Vegas. My friend Chris Fink leads it up, and the guy is extremely gifted. Their stuff is amazing as well.

Listen and buy the whole album: click HERE

I promise you will not be disappointed.

In Leadership, personal growth, Shout Out Friday, worship , , , , , , , , , ,
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