Evangelist Earl Ankrom - Street Preacher!

We've had the privilage of having Earl Ankrom at our church this week and it has been a real blessing! This guy is on fire and if you're not careful, being around him will cause you to catch it too.

We've had a lot of guest preachers come through, but not too many are fired up like this guy. Sometimes I think that the people who truly recognize what they were saved out of are the ones who are truly grateful. Would to God we had more Earl Ankroms!

Neil Smith

Evangelist Neil Smith and his family visited our church this week, traveling from Austrailia for an 8 week tour of the United States in between preaching engagements. He preached some fiery, challenging sermons which the Holy Spirit used to really convict my heart. I have truely appreciated his sacrifice and willingness to spend his vacation time edifying the churches of America. Please pray for him that he would continue the work and his family would be encouraged.

101 Youth Activity Ideas #3: Ultimate Frisbee

Ultimate Frisbee is a great option for a fun, hassle-free activity. It requires minimum adult involvement and can provide hours of fun for the youth group. Also, those who are not as athletically inclined can usually learn to throw and catch a frisbee fairly quickly so there is more involvement among the teens.

The rules are simple. Two teams, two goals (a soccer or football field works well), and a frisbee are all that are required. One team begins by a "throw-off" (similar to a kick-off in football). The frisbee is then passed from team member to team member up the field, but when a team member has the frisbee he or she cannot run. They must keep one foot planted and pass the frisbee to an open member. A goal is scored when the frisbee is passed and successfully caught inside the goal line. The opposing team must try to knock the frisbee out of the air (no physical contact is allowed). If the frisbee falls to the ground whether it was knocked down or simply not caught, it is turned over to the other team and they work their way to their goal. Another throw-off is only required upon scoring.

If you have a large park or sports field, try this for a summer evening of fun with your teens. I guarantee they will LOVE it!

101 Youth Activity Ideas #2: Sound Scavenger Hunt!

Plan a scavenger hunt for sounds! Gather a bunch of small tape recorders (PDA's and cell phones might work if they have a recording feature), and send the teenagers out in teams of 3 or 4. Their job is to record sounds you designate like "A Baby Crying", "A Fog Horn", or "A Dog Barking". If you have parents that are willing to volunteer, give each team a driver and let them use the entire city. They must be back before the deadline, and the team with the most sounds wins!

101 Youth Activitiy Ideas #1: Baseball!

Youth leaders are always looking for good youth activities, and it's a challenge to keep them fresh, interesting, and affordable. I'm going to give you 101 ideas that you can use right now!

Number 1:

Plan your own baseball game. Don't just play baseball, but plan on creating the whole experience. During the "7th inning stretch" plan on having hotdogs, nachos, and ice-cold drinks. While the batting team is waiting, they can be enjoying cotton candy, peanuts (in the shells), garlic fries, etc. Create tickets that each teen can buy for $5.00 (to cover the food). It may be advisable to play "rag-ball" instead of baseball since it's easier to hit, doesn't fly as far, and doesn't require everyone to have a glove. Play ball!

Don't Major On The Minors

An old saying goes, "Don't major on the minors". In other words, don't focus on the petty stuff. With all the talk of the impending election it's easy for Christians to become wrapped up in the flurry of political talk radio, voter registration initiatives, and campaign events out of a desire to keep the really bad people out of leadership.

The truth is that un-saved Republicans in the White House are just as bad as un-saved Democrats, and we need to understand that true change starts with the change Jesus makes in an individual heart when that person gets saved. While I believe Christians need to be pro-active in the community, politics, and leadership; I think we must always remember that souls need to be saved and that is the real reason we are here. Soul-winning should be our number one priority as that is where true change will begin.

We All Do Dumb Things Sometimes...

I love the Geico commercials that were on the radio stating, "We all do dumb things sometimes, but paying too much for car insurance doesn't have to be one of them." It's true that we all do dumb things, but I would suggest that hurting your testimony and Jesus' reputation doesn't have to be one of them.

I was out with some business people yesterday, two of which are Christians and one who is lost. The two Christians were both smoking, I heard one of them swear on a few occasions, and the other suggested that we all go get some booze. What must the lost person's opinion of Jesus been after seeing the behavior of these Christians who supposedly have been saved out of sin? My experience is that lost people know that Christians shouldn't drink, smoke, or cuss and that the Bible commands them to be Holy, so this behavior reinforces the view that Christians are "hypocrites". Hey, we all do dumb things sometimes, but hurting your testimony in front of those who need Christ doesn't have to be one of them.

1Pet.1
[15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
[16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.