It's amazing how sharing an 'experience' can bring us together.
Think of you closest friends, what is it that you remember that made you so close?
I imagine that in 90% of cases it was a shared experience.
I was at Delacombe for their youth group which they call JPSI (Jesus Per Square Inch). Last Friday was the first night that we opened it up to the grade 6's who will become a part of the JPSI crew next year when they go to High School.
I t was great night with lots of fun!
We started off the evening playing some table tennis and just hanging out while we waited for eveyone to turn up, then we went over to the local primary school oval where we had an awesome game of Watermelon rugby (imagine rugby played with a watermelon, a nice, juicy, watermelon). This went really well, everyone seemed to have a great time, if a little messy (I know at least 1 of my team was heading home to get their mum to bleach their white t-shirt clean again).
After this we switched to playing a game of Capture the Flag in the dark.
Each person playing wore a glowstick taped to their arm and had to capture a flipper with 2 glowsticks taped to it.
This went really well too.
I guess the main point I'm trying to make is that while we had heaps of fun, that wasn't what the night was about. The night was about connecting the youth who are in Grade 6 this year, and about to enter Highschool, with the youth of the JPSI crew and building relationships with them.
I believe that one of the best ways to build relationships with people is to share experiences with them. By playing these games where each individual is part of a team we began what I hope will be one of many shared experiences and in time we will grow closer becuase of these shared experiences.
The young people at JPSI may not realise it yet, but the plan is not just for them to have a bit of fun, but for them to have a shared experience of Jesus Christ one day, I pray that it will be soon!!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
A Simon Thought...
Wow what a horrible week was last week.
I had to deal with a family who's son was accused of raping his girl friend. The bottom line is she is 14 he is 15 and they organised to do the deed after school when her mum was out, he'd made his excuse not to go home straight after school. After they had finished he left to catch the next bus home. She goes out and is walking the street crying. It turns out she was sexually abused at age 8 by her dad and had never talked about it. Her mums current boy friend has been hitting her for the past few years. All this came to the surface in her life after this latest sexual experience.
I don't know about where you are, but here in Tassie this is not an uncommon story. I know that there is a lot of talk these days about does the Bible really say don't have sex before marriage. Is it alright to do so if both parties are in love after all God is love so it has to come from him.
But in my 38 years I have had a lot of friends make some bad sexual choices and I've had some make some good ones. All my friends who kept themselves from the sexual stuff untill marriage are still all together. Some had to really work out some deep life issues still, but being pure in this area helped them. Others just dived in with their partners and they seem to be carrying more bagage than the first.
So my prayer for our youth is that they do the God thing. That their soul journy is so deep that they know what is good, beneficial and right for them and others.
I hope none of our youth have to go through what these two young people did.
Blessings.
Simon
I had to deal with a family who's son was accused of raping his girl friend. The bottom line is she is 14 he is 15 and they organised to do the deed after school when her mum was out, he'd made his excuse not to go home straight after school. After they had finished he left to catch the next bus home. She goes out and is walking the street crying. It turns out she was sexually abused at age 8 by her dad and had never talked about it. Her mums current boy friend has been hitting her for the past few years. All this came to the surface in her life after this latest sexual experience.
I don't know about where you are, but here in Tassie this is not an uncommon story. I know that there is a lot of talk these days about does the Bible really say don't have sex before marriage. Is it alright to do so if both parties are in love after all God is love so it has to come from him.
But in my 38 years I have had a lot of friends make some bad sexual choices and I've had some make some good ones. All my friends who kept themselves from the sexual stuff untill marriage are still all together. Some had to really work out some deep life issues still, but being pure in this area helped them. Others just dived in with their partners and they seem to be carrying more bagage than the first.
So my prayer for our youth is that they do the God thing. That their soul journy is so deep that they know what is good, beneficial and right for them and others.
I hope none of our youth have to go through what these two young people did.
Blessings.
Simon
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Rowan's first blog
What have I learned? I know that young people are capable of great acts of heroism, self sacrifice and bravery. I know that young people talk big and it blows me away when they match their talk with walk. I recently heard Tony Campolo speak and one of the many gems I will probably lean on to get through the weekly demand of contributing to this blog (more likely fortnightly with my memory... monthly even... Bi annual maybe?) was this:
"Adolescence is good for one of two things; heroism or entertainment. Which are you going to invest in?"
What have I seen? I've seen young people give up their $9000 car savings to feed the poor, I've seen young people give away their shoes to the shoeless, I've seen young people choose mission over money and calling over career and I've seen young people trek all over the world just to keep up with what God is doing... I've seen young people pray in healing, kick out demons and bring people to Jesus - some of these just in one day at plenty valley corps too!!! (Props to the James Thompson)
I've also seen 100 young people raise $30,000 dollars over the last 2 years to build a 24 bed dormatory for children, boys and girls, rescued from Cambodia's sex trade. This Friday night we have Operation 58, a self denial program that runs all year round in Adelaide, where I'll witness young people do more amazing things as we raise more money to go the building of this orphanage - it works like this; We give up the cash, they build the rooms and then they rescue the kids. Every dollar raised gets us closer to another child rescued.
I've seen young people do some pretty cool things... Entertainment or heroism - you choose...
"Adolescence is good for one of two things; heroism or entertainment. Which are you going to invest in?"
What have I seen? I've seen young people give up their $9000 car savings to feed the poor, I've seen young people give away their shoes to the shoeless, I've seen young people choose mission over money and calling over career and I've seen young people trek all over the world just to keep up with what God is doing... I've seen young people pray in healing, kick out demons and bring people to Jesus - some of these just in one day at plenty valley corps too!!! (Props to the James Thompson)
I've also seen 100 young people raise $30,000 dollars over the last 2 years to build a 24 bed dormatory for children, boys and girls, rescued from Cambodia's sex trade. This Friday night we have Operation 58, a self denial program that runs all year round in Adelaide, where I'll witness young people do more amazing things as we raise more money to go the building of this orphanage - it works like this; We give up the cash, they build the rooms and then they rescue the kids. Every dollar raised gets us closer to another child rescued.
I've seen young people do some pretty cool things... Entertainment or heroism - you choose...
School Holiday Camp...
I was recently involved in a school holiday program in Rochester and Kyabram. Located in Northern Victoria, not far from Echuca, these two small, farming centred towns are have been hit very hard by the devastating effects of drought. The plan was simple, a group of cadets from our training college would put together a 3 day kids program, as part of their mission experience and Nari and I would put together a small mission team from around the division to support the program.
I always get a bit edgy leading up to any event as anxiety about whether people will come can sometimes overwhelm the anticipation and excitement that opportunities like this present. There wasn’t really a need to feel nervous; as mission started we had a total of 6 teenagers from Bendigo, Maryborough and Echuca Corps. On the second Tuesday of the school holidays we travelled the 70 kilometres from Bendigo to Rochester to commence the school holiday program.
The first morning we met for prayer and planning. As we met there was a great sense of nervousness: What was going to happen? Would we have two kids or two hundred? Will the program work? The prayers were simple; Lord we pray that you will change the lifes of some kids this week. Some wholehearted amens, a few last minute changes, and then before we knew it the first kids arrived.
Some very talented cadets were running the week up front, and there were a bunch of corps members who were there to help out and prepare lunch and snacks. However, the small group leaders were all teenage, mission team members. It was going to be up to these guys to come alongside the kids and ensure the message was getting through. As the first kids headed to their small group, I will never forget the look of horror as one of the girls glanced across the room, shrugged and mouthed the words “what should I do?”
Despite the initial hesitations, the team was quick to cotton on to what was required. As we sat back at the accommodation on Tuesday night, there was a different emotion. The looks of horror, had been replaced with a sense of confidence and encouraging memories of the meaning relationships that had started to develop over the course of the day.
One of my favourite images from the three-day program is of a truly bizarre dance move performed by one of the leaders. The move, conducted by a 17 year old team member, involves standing on leg, using your left hand to hold the left ankle, placing the right hand behind the head and the convulsing (the only suitable word from my point of view) in such a way the person rotates like a sprinkler in time with the music. While the move itself is impressive, on the last day of the program, one of the kids approached the leader and said “check out this!” she then perfectly executed the sprinkler. The teenager was blown away.
As we reflected after the last day of program, we talked about the influence these guys, only teenagers themselves, had had in the lives of the kids. Although ‘the sprinkler’ made us all laugh, as a groups we remembered that we had also showed that Jesus was alive. While there had been dancing and games, there had also been real discussion about who Jesus is, about what it means to be Christian, and about why we should read the bible.
As the week finished up, I was chatting with the Corps Officers. One of them said “you know I find it amazing, that these teenagers would give up a week of their holidays, travel up here each day and invest in the lives of these kids.” What he says is true, when given the opportunity our teenagers will surprise us with their competency and passion. Too often we reduce our ministry with teenagers to entertainment and turn church into a product and our kids into consumers.
Jesus spoke some words that we in the west have really run with. He said “If anyone would come after me, he must be prepared to party and shop like everybody in else in the world does.” I’m pretty sure that’s what he said, or perhaps that is what we’ve heard. As we open the book and read the text we are reminded that it says “he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” There is good news though; there is more joy and meaningfulness in sacrificial service than there is in a thousand, iPods, playstations and other toys.
--Stuart
I always get a bit edgy leading up to any event as anxiety about whether people will come can sometimes overwhelm the anticipation and excitement that opportunities like this present. There wasn’t really a need to feel nervous; as mission started we had a total of 6 teenagers from Bendigo, Maryborough and Echuca Corps. On the second Tuesday of the school holidays we travelled the 70 kilometres from Bendigo to Rochester to commence the school holiday program.
The first morning we met for prayer and planning. As we met there was a great sense of nervousness: What was going to happen? Would we have two kids or two hundred? Will the program work? The prayers were simple; Lord we pray that you will change the lifes of some kids this week. Some wholehearted amens, a few last minute changes, and then before we knew it the first kids arrived.
Some very talented cadets were running the week up front, and there were a bunch of corps members who were there to help out and prepare lunch and snacks. However, the small group leaders were all teenage, mission team members. It was going to be up to these guys to come alongside the kids and ensure the message was getting through. As the first kids headed to their small group, I will never forget the look of horror as one of the girls glanced across the room, shrugged and mouthed the words “what should I do?”
Despite the initial hesitations, the team was quick to cotton on to what was required. As we sat back at the accommodation on Tuesday night, there was a different emotion. The looks of horror, had been replaced with a sense of confidence and encouraging memories of the meaning relationships that had started to develop over the course of the day.
One of my favourite images from the three-day program is of a truly bizarre dance move performed by one of the leaders. The move, conducted by a 17 year old team member, involves standing on leg, using your left hand to hold the left ankle, placing the right hand behind the head and the convulsing (the only suitable word from my point of view) in such a way the person rotates like a sprinkler in time with the music. While the move itself is impressive, on the last day of the program, one of the kids approached the leader and said “check out this!” she then perfectly executed the sprinkler. The teenager was blown away.
As we reflected after the last day of program, we talked about the influence these guys, only teenagers themselves, had had in the lives of the kids. Although ‘the sprinkler’ made us all laugh, as a groups we remembered that we had also showed that Jesus was alive. While there had been dancing and games, there had also been real discussion about who Jesus is, about what it means to be Christian, and about why we should read the bible.
As the week finished up, I was chatting with the Corps Officers. One of them said “you know I find it amazing, that these teenagers would give up a week of their holidays, travel up here each day and invest in the lives of these kids.” What he says is true, when given the opportunity our teenagers will surprise us with their competency and passion. Too often we reduce our ministry with teenagers to entertainment and turn church into a product and our kids into consumers.
Jesus spoke some words that we in the west have really run with. He said “If anyone would come after me, he must be prepared to party and shop like everybody in else in the world does.” I’m pretty sure that’s what he said, or perhaps that is what we’ve heard. As we open the book and read the text we are reminded that it says “he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” There is good news though; there is more joy and meaningfulness in sacrificial service than there is in a thousand, iPods, playstations and other toys.
--Stuart
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
New Perspectives
I love the way youth are able to see things from new and interesting angles!
In recent weeks I have had the opportunity to share with a few different groups of youth and have been surprised at the way they have been able to see old subjects from a new point of view.
The youth have spent time thinking about these things and have been able to come up with their own ideas about them.
I have alos learnt that this means that I need to be prepared for the questions that come from seeing these things from a new point of view!!
I was caught off guard the other day when one of the youth asked me a question about something that they had seen from a new perspective. But this is good, because it challenges me to think about these things from new perspectives myself.
I also want to encourage the leaders of my division, I heard yesterday that we have had yet another Junior Soldier enrolled in the division. I cant quite remember what that brings the total to for new Junior Soldier to this year, but I love to see that there are more young people out there willing to commit to learning more about God and being obedient to His leading in their lives. Please pray for our junior soldiers!!!
Joel
In recent weeks I have had the opportunity to share with a few different groups of youth and have been surprised at the way they have been able to see old subjects from a new point of view.
The youth have spent time thinking about these things and have been able to come up with their own ideas about them.
I have alos learnt that this means that I need to be prepared for the questions that come from seeing these things from a new point of view!!
I was caught off guard the other day when one of the youth asked me a question about something that they had seen from a new perspective. But this is good, because it challenges me to think about these things from new perspectives myself.
I also want to encourage the leaders of my division, I heard yesterday that we have had yet another Junior Soldier enrolled in the division. I cant quite remember what that brings the total to for new Junior Soldier to this year, but I love to see that there are more young people out there willing to commit to learning more about God and being obedient to His leading in their lives. Please pray for our junior soldiers!!!
Joel
Monday, November 12, 2007
Simon's Thoughts...
Over the last two weeks I've taken advantage of two public holidays. The Royal Hobart Show and the Northern recreation day (For some strange reason Tassie likes to split it's public holidays up from North & South. This is not confusing at all!) On both of these occasions I have gone kayaking with 5 of our youth. Just hooning around the Drewent River down south and the Esk River up north. On both of these occasions God blessed us with great sunny skies and a light cool breeze.
Something I've learned.
Something I've Seen.
I saw on that day youth put all their stuff aside and just be in community, eating, drinking and working together in a team. No one was in charge, if one of them wanted to climb a hill we all climbed the hill. If someone wanted to scare the cows we all scared the cows. I loved what one youth said quietly to me on the side, "I feel really bonded to everyone now". I saw how 5 hours on a river could take someone away from their life and free them for a time. Or develop deeper friendships. I also saw how burned you can get if you don't reapply the suncreen lotion. Grr.
Simon
Something I've learned.I learned to love again the sponenaiety of youth when you see a hill, or a swinging rope or a herd of cows that need to be chased. I learned why so many youth laugh, it was at the random things, the way Jackson kept slipping in mud, or the way Bryce kept falling out of the Kayak, or Matty sitting in the back of the two man kayak while Shan paddled her heart out (somehow she never noticed he wasn't paddeling). I learned how awsome it was to just float back down a river talking and laughing not having a care in the world. at one point up north we had all 4 kayak's straped together floating as one group, just having fun. I learned you sometimes just need to go climb a random hill and sit there for no other reason.
Something I've Seen.
I saw on that day youth put all their stuff aside and just be in community, eating, drinking and working together in a team. No one was in charge, if one of them wanted to climb a hill we all climbed the hill. If someone wanted to scare the cows we all scared the cows. I loved what one youth said quietly to me on the side, "I feel really bonded to everyone now". I saw how 5 hours on a river could take someone away from their life and free them for a time. Or develop deeper friendships. I also saw how burned you can get if you don't reapply the suncreen lotion. Grr.
Simon
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