rodneyanderson

Threads for Thirst

The What

Well, if you are like me, it's a whole lot easier to think you are doing good in the world than to actually do good.  So, I guess you could say I'm trying to do something about it in 2010. I've decided to partner with Charity:Water to raise $24,000 to provide clean drinking water for folks who have zero access to it.  My hope is to have it raised by December, 2010.  And while that sounds like a really big number, over the course of a year, I think it is a pretty achievable goal.  

The Who

This is where you come in. I'm looking for 40 humble and willing people/families who want to partner with me to help make this happen. If 40 of us will join together and commit to give $50 a month for 12 months, we will raise the $24,000 to provide water for 1200 people, 240 families, in 5 communities.  It is a pretty big goal, but could you imagine knowing God allowed you to help provide clean water for that many people at the end of next year?

The Why

The hope for me is two fold: 1) I want to remind myself of what we, as followers of Jesus who live in the kingdom of God, are supposed to be doing.  We are to love the least of these.  Or as James put it, "don't just be hearers of the word, but doers."  Simply, put feet to faith.  2) I hope to remind myself that my affection and attention is for one person, Jesus.  This is where the "threads" in “threads for thirst” comes in. To give is one thing, but to "give up" is usually something else. I think it would actually be easier to just give $50 each month and not necessarily feel the effect. But I want to be able to give this money knowing I sacrificed something in order to give it.  So, I decided to not buy clothes for the entire year.  All of 2010. Yep, I'll just have to stick with the 40 shirts that currently hang in my closet. And the money I would have spent each month on a cool shirt, trendy hat or even practical pants will go instead towards meeting this goal of $24,000. My hope is that many of you who decide to be a part of this journey with me will also make this commitment.  There is absolutely no obligation to, but how cool would it be if we all did it together? This is a big deal. And twelve months is a long time. So before you decide to sign up, think through it!! No clothes for birthdays, Christmas, etc. This is a big commitment!  But it is so worth it.  This will be my second year that I've gone through without buying clothes.  After that first year, I found such freedom, it can't even really be explained.  So, the idea is, no threads for me this year, so I can help quench the thirst of others. And here is 'why'. In the words of my friend David Putman, i just want to live and love like Jesus this year.

So, if you want to do this thing, shoot me an email. Rodney@mountainlakechurch.org.  We have a webiste set up that is going to be keeping track of all the fund raising. You can find it at: www.mycharitywater.org/threadsforthirst .  To donate, simply hop onto the site, and give the $50 a month! Pretty simple. By the way, you'll see that once you are on the site, it says the goal is only $6000.  That is because charity:water only allows 3 month campaigns. We'll simply just start over again at the end of three months to reach our goal of a year, and giving $24,000.

Thanks guys. To God be the glory.

Letter to Asher

My wife, Sarah, wrote this beautiful letter to our soon to be born son.  May it inspire you to live your life w/ the purpose, promise, and potential we all started out with.  And to remind you of the great, good, God who penned each of our stories.

Dear Asher:

We live in a beautiful part of the country. And you are arriving in a beautiful time of year. I have seen twenty-eight autumns. I don’t remember all of them. I hardly remember anything about them. But every time this season comes around it feels fresh and familiar, inviting and transient, comfortable and fleeting, all at once.

 

Driving home from work yesterday I was struck by the lighting. And maybe it wouldn’t have been all that impressive if the lighting weren’t coupled with the drama that is Fall. But for some reason, the angle of the sun, the texture of the colors, the glow in the sky—it was breathtaking. It was like seeing the meandering creeks, the decades old trees, the aged barns and the leaning fences I drive past countless times every week for the first time.

 

So I rolled the windows down, as if doing that allowed the presence of Fall to permeate my car, maybe even seep into my skin, trying to get close to the magic outside my window.

 

And subconsciously, unintentionally, I found my hand drawn to my belly, rubbing it, trying to find and name the ambiguous lumps and bumps that the knobs of angles and bones make up. I wanted you to share in what I was seeing. I wanted you to witness the enchantment that I saw, that I live in the midst of, that you have never experienced before. There is a world, a literal world waiting with baited breath for your arrival that is new and unknown and mysterious. And in a matter of weeks, it will be yours.

 

I couldn’t help but note to myself, I think you are going to like this place. This world. Sure. It will be different from the dark comfortable quarters you have grown accustomed to in the last eight months. Yes, it will be a bit cooler here—but once you know what it means to feel a breeze, to breathe in crisp coolness, to be enveloped in a soft wind, I don’t think you will mind it. Yes, it may be overwhelming—the sights a little more complex and extensive than you may be used to. But once you see the trees, once you smell and feel the colors, once you notice the sun and how its subtly changing arc shades a shifting landscape, I think you may actually prefer it.

 

You haven’t seen anything. Right now, you will just have to trust me. Count on me. Believe me when I say, this world, this beautifully changing and transforming world is going to capture your heart. You will find there are moments of extravagant wonder—windows into a different world, a world you may be intimately familiar with having just come from there yourself. But before you arrive, before you are thrust into this strange and different and evolving world, there is something you should know. You should know that it isn’t all beautiful, all the time. And I don’t just mean the seasons and the colors.

 

Sometimes, the world grows dim. Sometimes, it is hard to remember a more beautiful place and more loving God exists—when the color fades, when what is left of the yellows, reds and oranges is a brown, and bare landscape, with sparse evidence of life. Sometimes, this world does not make a lot of sense. Sometimes it is cruel. Sometimes it is harsh. Sometimes it seems void of all that is beautiful and right and good. Sometimes you see more brokenness than you do restoration. Sometimes you see more pain than you do healing. Sometimes you ask more questions than you get answers. Sometimes the world stays just this way for just too long, and you start to wonder where you fit in the midst of it all.

 

But I want to tell you something, baby boy. You fit. In the moments when there is more confusion than you know what to do with, when there is more hurt than you know how to handle, when there is more uncertainty than you know how to process, you fit. These moments don’t last forever. That is when you have to draw on the moments of wonder. Recall the moments when the colors are bright and vibrant, the light soft and magical, the air scented and saturated. You have to remember to look, to dig, to search out the evidences of God—and be diligent in your search. He is always there—there with you now in the dark places of my womb, and there with you later in the dark places of your soul. And if you aren’t sure you can find Him, be assured He will find you.

 

The thing is, I won’t always be here Asher. And your dad won’t be either. And I think I have become more aware of that now than I have at any other time in my life, because I feel this burden as your impending birth comes closer and closer. I want to make sure that the time we have with you, however long or however short it is, is soaked through with significance, intentionality and meaning. And what I want you to get, starting now, before you have even seen my face, now, when all you know of me is the steady rhythm of my heart, and all you know of your dad is his soothing voice and calming rub on your body, I want you to know, that you belong in this world. In the loveliness and the horror, in the meaning and the senselessness, in the evidences of God and the seeming lack of His presence. You belong in His world.

 

And it will break you, and it will fix you. It will challenge you and it will comfort you. It will push you and it will hold you. And when I am no longer here, when your dad is no longer here, when all you have left of us is the legacy we have tried so hard to leave in tact for you, I hope you will remember simply this. You belong. You fit. In this family, in this world…in God. You exist to be a part of this family, to make it better, to be a part of this world, to make it better, to be a part of God’s story—that makes you better.

 

It took my ordinary drive home, transformed into an extraordinary display of divine extravagance for me to realize how blank your slate really is. How much there is out here for you to see and hear, taste and touch, feel and experience. There are things I still don’t understand about this place, about how it all works, but I suspect the questions are what keeps us young, keeps us searching, keeps us seeking out the One who put it all together.

 

In a few weeks you will be here—sooner than I think am ready for if I had to guess. But when you get here, I want you to know we are going to set out on this journey together. I am not going to pretend to have it all figured out. Your dad won’t either. We will be honest in our uncertainty, and determined in our certainty. And we will invite you to be a part of it all, guiding your vision, directing your gaze to the One who loves you more than we ever could, who understands more than we could ever hope to, whose narrative involves us more than we ever deserve.

 

I slowed down yesterday. Long enough to imagine what your first encounter with this crazy world might look like. And I realized I don’t slow down enough. Maybe I will when you arrive. Maybe I will start to see it all through your eyes. Maybe we will teach each other. Maybe, in effort to determine and solidify our own legacy, you will begin to leave yours. And maybe as we try to write into your story, you will write into ours. And maybe as we try to show you God and the mystery of His character and the lavishness of His love, He will actually be showing Himself to us in ways we never imagined. And maybe, with your arrival, there will be a richness to our lives we have never known before. Maybe, that is what yesterday meant for me to do. To better understand this place you have never seen before, and to better understand me and how little I know too. You, me, dad and the God who put this tiny little family together—we are going to work at it. We are going to embrace it. We are going to live it. And we will do it as a family of three guided by a God who is One.

Willing to lay our life down??

Recently, i've heard a lot of stories about the difficulties many people are facing today.  It seems as if financial, physical and relational problems are at an all time high.  i know that they are not, but it sure seems that way.  How we face these trials is a true test of where our faith lies and how authentically we worship Jesus.  Jesus is a life giver and fish multiplier.  How soon do we forget that? 

And, at the risk of making light of difficulty, which i surely do not, i wanted to post the story of a young puritan follower of Jesus who willingly laid his life down in the midst of extraordinary difficulty.  All of us face difficulty yes, but few of us in America today will face what this young man stared down. 

I stand in awe of this young man's love for his Jesus.

This short description of such an occasion comes from the pen of Eustache Knobelsdorf, a Catholic German who was studying in Paris. He witnessed the execution of a Protestant in 1542 and wrote out an account. I reproduce it here because it stands as a testimony of God's truthfulness when he says that he will care for his own, not necessarily by avoiding the fire, but sometimes through the fire.

I saw two burnt there. Their death inspired in me differing sentiments. If you had been there, you would have hoped for a less severe punishment for these poor unfortunates. ... The first was a very young man, not yet with a beard, he was the son of a cobbler. He was brought in front of the judges and condemned to have his tongue cut out and burned straight afterward. Without changing the expression of his face, the young man presented his tongue to the executioner's knife, sticking it out as far as he could. The executioner pulled it out even further with pinchers, cut it off, and hit the sufferer several times on the tongue and threw it in the young man's face. Then he was put into a tipcart, which was driven to the place of execution, but, to see him, one would think that he was going to a feast. ... When the chain had been placed around his body, I could not describe to you with what equanimity of soul and with what expression in his features he endured the cries of elation and the insults of the crowd that were directed towards him. He did not make a sound, but from time to time he spat out the blood that was filling his mouth, and he lifted his eyes to heaven, as if he was waiting for some miraculous rescue. When his head was covered in sulphur, the executioner showed him the fire with a menacing air; but the young man, without being scared, let it be known, by a movement of his body, that he was giving himself willingly to be burned.

THE BATTLE WITHIN (WEEK 4): Hook and jab

Bottom Line: We are tempted to pursue the right thing the wrong way.  Scripture References: Matthew 4:8-10; Matthew 28:18-20; Deuteronomy 6:10-12

 

When it comes to temptation, there are some things that are just obvious “wrongs.” There are some things that we know not to do. But often, we face temptation in areas related to goals and ambitions that are normal and healthy—and we are tempted to pursue the right thing in the wrong way. This week your goal is to help break the “rationalizing” process behind these cycles of temptation. This is going to take a big picture perspective. Use some time before small group to think about how you may have seen integrity rewarded and dishonesty lead to frustration. You may want to share a story from your own observations.

 

Middle School Questions:

 

1. What are three things that you want out of life in the next three years? (Have everyone share)

 

2. Think about the goals and ambitions of the person on your left. What are some “shortcuts” that might help him or her get what they want—but might not be entirely good choices?

 

3. What might make a person choose to take a “shortcut” to get to one of these goals?

 

4. If you choose to take a shortcut, what are you saying about your trust in God? Have you ever thought a shortcut and your trust in God were connected? What could you miss out on if you always choose to do things your own way instead of trusting in God?

 

5. Listen to this statement: “You’ll never accomplish the will of God by abandoning the principles of God. And you’ll never maintain the blessing of God if you abandon the values of God.” Do you believe this? Have you ever had an experience where you saw this was true? (As a leader, this might be a good time to share a story of how you have seen this work out in someone’s life.)

 

6. How will this series change the way you think about temptation?

 

7. What’s one thing you want to do the next time you face temptation?

 

8.       What is something you learned today? What is something you don’t want to forget about this series?

High School Questions:

 

1. What did you think of the talk this week?  What did you hear the speaker say?

 

2. Would you describe yourself as a goal-oriented or driven person? Why or why not?

 

3. What are some of the goals or ambitions that you have in your life? (have everyone share)

 

4. Thinking about the goals and ambitions of the person on your left, what are some “shortcuts” that might present themselves? How might that person be tempted to accomplish his or her goals by abandoning God’s principles?

 

5. What makes it so easy to rationalize sacrificing some of God’s principles in order to reach a goal or ambition like the ones you mentioned?

 

6. Have someone read Jeremiah 12:1: “You are always righteous, O Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?” Have you ever felt like the prophet Jeremiah? Why does it sometimes look like the “wicked prosper”?

 

7. “You’ll never accomplish the will of God by abandoning the principles of God. And you’ll never maintain the blessing of God if you abandon the values of God.” Do you believe this? Have you ever had an experience where you saw this was true? (As a leader, this might be a good time to share a story of how you have seen this work out in someone’s life.)

 

8. What are some of the potential problems with taking shortcuts?

 

9. How will this series change the way you think about temptation?

 

10. Has going through this series made you feel more or less confident about your ability to resist temptation? Do you think it is possible for you to keep resisting temptation? How?

 

 

THE BATTLE WITHIN (3): FIXING THE FIGHT

Bottom Line: We are tempted to believe we know how God works and how we think we can work Him. Scripture References: Matthew 4:5-7; Psalm 91:12; Exodus 17:2-3

As a continuation of last week’s theme, we are still talking about how temptation is related to our trust in God. But this week, we are looking from a specific angle—our temptation to manipulate God. Your goal this week is to help students explore the many ways that we are tempted to manipulate God, and make God much smaller than God actually is. This week has the potential to help many students understand why they may have felt frustrated with God in the past—because they were looking for God to be far less than who He actually is and fit in the box they have for Him. Don’t miss the potential this week to help students examine the way they pray and communicate with God.

 

MS QUESTIONS:

 

1.       If you had to explain temptation to someone, how would you define it?

 

2.       Why do you think we get tempted to do things that we know aren’t going to be best for us in the long run?

 

3.       Have you ever chosen to make a bad choice because you were fairly confident that you could get out of the consequences?

 

4.       Have you ever made a poor choice and then assumed that God would bail you out of trouble? What’s the danger in assuming what God will or will not do?

 

5.       If God doesn’t bail you out of a situation, does it mean that He doesn’t care about you? Why or why not?

 

6.       Last week, what did we say was connected to our ability to resist temptation?

7.       What do you think it looks like to cooperate with God? Do you think you have ever done that? What do you think it looks like to manipulate God? Do you think you have ever done that?

 

8.       What might prevent you from deciding to cooperate with God rather than trying to get God to act the way you think He should?

 

9.       When you try to get God to give you what you want, or act the way you think He ought to act, how does it affect the way you pray and the way God can relate to you?

 

10.   What is something you learned today?

 

HS Questions

 

1.       What did you think of the talk this week? What did you hear the speaker say?

 

2.       If you had to explain temptation to someone, how would you define it?

 

3.       Why do you think we get tempted to do things that we know aren’t going to be best for us in the long run?

 

4.       Have you ever chosen to make a bad choice because you were fairly confident that you could get out of the consequences?

5.       What are some ways that people might try to “manipulate” God? Can you think of some examples?

 

6.       What are some potential consequences of trying to manipulate God? (It doesn’t work and we blame God, we don’t ever really listen to God or get to know God, etc.)

 

7.       Last week, what did we say was connected to our ability to resist temptation?

 

8.       How does cooperating with God look different from manipulating God?

 

9.       What might prevent you from really surrendering to God and deciding to cooperate rather than manipulate?

 

10.   How does having a manipulative relationship with God affect your prayers and the way God can relate to you?

 

11.   How would you describe yourself right now when it comes to relating to God—are you a cooperator, or a manipulator?

 

THE BATTLE WITHIN (WEEK 2): IN THIS CORNER

Bottom Line: Every time you’re tempted, your confidence in God is at stake, not just your self-control. Scripture References: Matthew 4:1-4; Deuteronomy 8:3, 11-14, 17

Most of us evaluate the temptations in our lives based on the immediate consequences and the probability of getting caught. After all, it usually comes down to what makes the most sense for me.  But what if we really believed that there was a God who was bigger, and smarter and more capable than ourselves? How would it change the way we view temptation if we acted like the most rational and logical thing was to submit to God rather than leaning on our own understanding? Your goal this week is to help students see how every temptation is an opportunity to trust God or trust only in themselves.

 

HS QUESTIONS:

 

1. What do you remember about our talk last week? Did anyone recognize a temptation they might not have recognized, or respond to a temptation in a different way because of what we talked about last week?

 

2. What did you think of the talk this week? What did you hear the speaker say?

 

3. What are some areas of life where a high school student might be tempted to think, “if I don’t take this into my own hands and do it myself, what I want won’t happen”? (Maybe a relationship, acceptance with a group of friends, academic achievement, future plans)

 

4. What makes people think it’s up to them to make things happen? Why is it difficult to trust God?

 

5. Think of one area of your life (either an immediate thing or something more long term) where it is difficult for you to really trust God. In your mind answer the following questions:

a.       Does God care about this particular thing in my life?

b.       Do I think God is big enough to take care of this area of my life?

c.       Can God be trusted to take care of this area of my life?

 

6.       Which question(s) did you feel most uncomfortable answering “yes” to? (Leader: see the closing challenge)

 

7. How does your view of temptation change when you view it as a question of whether God can be trusted to handle it and not a question of whether or not you get caught?

 

8. How is your faith at risk when you give into temptation—even just one time?

 

9. What can you do this week to help you begin to trust God more?

 

MS QUESTIONS:

 

1. What do you remember about our talk last week? Did anyone recognize a temptation they might not have recognized, or respond to a temptation in a different way because of what we talked about last week?

 

2. Temptation is always a test of our faith. What does that mean?

 

3. If temptation is a test of your faith, why does God care so much about the way you respond to temptation?

 

4. Knowing how much is on the line, why do you think Christians still give into temptation?

 

5. Think of one area of your life where it is difficult for you to really trust God. In your mind answer the following questions:

a.       Does God care about this particular thing in my life?

b.       Do I think God is big enough to take care of this area of my life?

c.       Can God be trusted to take care of this area of my life?

 

6.       Which question(s) did you feel most uncomfortable answering “yes” to? (Leader: see the closing challenge)

 

7.       How does remembering God provided manna to the Israelites in the desert for 40 years remind us that God can be trusted to provide for our daily needs?

 

8. What can you do this week to help you begin to trust God more?

 

9. What is something you learned today?
   

NEW SERIES: THE BATTLE WITHIN

THE BATTLE WITHIN (WEEK 1): the main event

 

Bottom Line: In every single temptation you face, there is always more at risk than you think. Scripture References: Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 4:1-3

 

Temptation—everyone’s favorite topic. But don’t panic yet! You’re goal this week is just to introduce the topic in such a way that students can feel comfortable acknowledging the reality of temptation in their own lives. WARNINGS: Temptation is a tricky small group topic. The purpose of this series is not to get your students to confess personal struggles to the group, but to help students begin to think openly about the dynamic of temptation and the significance that it has on their faith. Most of the “specifics” in this series are deliberately handled in a self-reflective manner rather than asking students to share out loud because we believe that conversations about specific struggles are best when student initiated or when done in one-on-one settings. As your students work through this topic, it may be a perfect time for you to schedule some of those one-on-one conversations you’ve been meaning to have.

 

HIGH SCHOOL QUESTIONS

 

1.       What did you think of the talk this week? What did you hear the speaker say?

2.       What is your absolute favorite food? Pretend someone put that food in front of you and told you not to eat it for thirty minutes. How would you rationalize not waiting to eat it?

 

3.       What are other ways that people tend to rationalize doing things they know they shouldn’t do?

 

4.       When you are rationalizing, do you stop to think about everything that is at stake or do you tend to focus on the most immediate consequences?

 

5.       Have you ever seen someone give into temptation, and it affected not only his or her life, but the lives of those around him or her? (Without giving names, what are some examples of how this can happen?)

 

6.       Who might be affected if you give in to temptation?

 

7.       How does thinking about the effects on these people change the way you think about some of the temptations in your life?

 

8.       If I said that temptation and trust are linked, would you agree? How are they related?

 

9.       If trust and temptation are linked, how is your faith in God connected to your ability to resist temptation?

 

10.   How would knowing all that is at risk when it comes to our response to temptation change the way you deal with it?

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL QUESTIONS

 

1.       What is was your absolute favorite food growing up? Pretend someone put that food in front of you and told you not to eat it for thirty minutes. How could you talk yourself into thinking it would be okay to eat it before the time was up?

 

2.       What are other ways that people tend to talk themselves into doing things they know they shouldn’t do?

 

3.       What normally goes through your head when you are being tempted?

 

4.       What are some common temptations for students at your school?

 

5.       Can you think of some long-term consequences for someone who gives into those temptations?

 

6.       How could giving into some of those temptations end up hurting not only the person who gives in, but other people in that person’s life as well?

 

7.       If I said that temptation and trust are linked, would you agree? How are they related?

 

8.       How can a person resist temptation when it happens? (ex: Stop. Think it through. Pray. Remember what God says. Ask a trusted adult or Christian who you trust.)

 

9.       What is something you learned today?

 

Great Article to Read! Had to Pass it Along!

Are You a Good Christ?

By Francis Chan

I think it's time we stop asking ourselves the question: "Am I a good Christian?" We live in a time when the term "Christian" has been so diluted that millions of immoral but nice people genuinely consider themselves "good Christians." We have reduced the idea of a good Christian to someone who believes in Jesus, loves his or her family, and attends church regularly. Others will label you a good Christian even though your life has no semblance to the way Christ spent His days on earth. Perhaps we should start asking the question: "Am I a good Christ?" In other words, do I look anything like Jesus? This question never even entered my mind until a friend of mine made a passing comment to me one day.

Dan is a long time friend of mine. In fact, he's the pastor who performed my wedding. He was talking to me about a pastor named Von. Von has been working with youth in the San Diego area for decades. Many of his students have gone on to become amazing missionaries and powerful servants of God. Dan described a trip to Tijuana, Mexico with Pastor Von. (Von has been ministering to the poor in the dumps of Tijuana for years). Dan didn't speak of the awful living conditions of those who made their homes amidst the rubbish. What impacted Dan the most was the relationship he saw between Von and the people of this community. He spoke of the compassion, sacrifice, and love that he witnessed in Von's words and actions as he held these malnourished and un-bathed children. Then he made the statement that sent me reeling:

"The day I spent with Von was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

Dan explained that the whole experience was so eerie because he kept thinking to himself: "If Jesus were still walking on earth in the flesh, this is what it would feel like to walk alongside of Him!" After that discussion, I kept wondering if anyone had ever said that about me-"The day I spent with Francis was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus." The answer was an obvious "no." Would any honest person say that about you?

What bothered me was not that I hadn't "arrived," but that I wasn't even heading in the right direction. I hadn't made it my goal to resemble Christ. I wasn't striving to become the kind of person who could be mistaken for Jesus Christ. Isn't it ironic that a man can be known as a successful pastor, speaker, and CHRISTian even if his life doesn't resemble Christ's?

1 John 2:6 "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

When John made that statement, he wasn't speaking about how to be a church leader or even how to be a "good" Christian. He merely stated that anyone who calls himself Christian must live like Jesus did. So how did Jesus live? You could make a list of character traits to compare yourself to, but it would be far more beneficial to simply read through one of the Gospels. After you get a bird's-eye view of the life of Christ, do the same with your own. Are you comfortable with the similarities and differences?

It's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of "success" as American church-goers define it. The thought of being well-known and respected is alluring. There have been times when I've been caught up in the fun of popularity. I've even mistaken it for success. Biblically, however, success is when our lives parallel Christ's. Truth is, there are many good Christs that you'll never read about in a magazine. They are walking as Jesus walked, but they are too focused and humble to pursue their own recognition.

May we make it our goal to someday have someone say of us: "The day/hour/15 minutes I spent with ______ was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

As Christians in America, we often complain about how antagonistic people are toward Christ. Personally, I'm not sure that Americans are really rejecting Christ. Maybe they just haven't seen Him.

Try to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself right now. Is the following true of you?

You passionately love Jesus, but you don't really want to be like Him. You admire His humility, but you don't want to be THAT humble. You think it's beautiful that He washed the feet of the disciples, but that's not exactly the direction your life is headed. You're thankful He was spit upon and abused, but you would never let that happen to you. You praise Him for loving you enough to suffer during His whole time on earth, but you're going to do everything within your power to make sure you enjoy your time down here.

In short: You think He's a great Savior, but not a great role model.

The American church has abandoned the most simple and obvious truth of what it means to follow Jesus: You actually follow His pattern of life. I pray for those who read this article- that we don't become cynical or negative toward the church. Instead, let's make a personal decision to stop talking so much and begin living like Jesus. Then we can say as the apostle Paul, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). My guess is that you've never had someone say that to you, and you've never said it to anyone else. Why Not?

No Fuze this Week!!!

Hey leaders, we really want you guys to enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend and spend it with your family and friends.  Thank you for all you guys do so please enjoy this much deserved break! 

If you could each do one thing, communicate with your small group and make sure that they know not to come this week!  We will also be off for the following week because of Middle School Camp. 

I love you all. Please let me know if you need anything from me.

Rodney

NEW SERIES OVERVIEW & QUESTIONS

REFLECTION: What do you see when you look in the mirror? Many of us see what we’re not instead of who we actually are, don’t we? We see someone who burned dinner or spilled juice on the carpet. Someone who lost her car keys—again. Someone who is not the right height or weight. Someone plagued with could-have-beens and if-onlys. These disappointments and imperfections are why we want to cover up who we really are. We want to make sure that the world around us sees only the version of us that we want them to see. But the Bible tells us we are children of God—loved and treasured exactly as we are. Over the next two weeks we are going to challenge students to take a look at themselves and dare to be real.

Week One (May 17)
The first week we are going to set up the series by talking about the masks that we all wear. Most of us know we can’t be perfect at everything, but we do have certain areas where we want to appear like we are. We want to be desired and valued. We want to feel we are worth something. But in order to get those things, many of us feel the need to cover up who we really are. This week we will encourage students to begin to allow others to see them for who they really are. We want them to be free from hiding behind masks.

Week Two (May 24)
Practice makes perfect. How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said it? Just like it takes practice to be a skilled musician or softball player, it takes practice to be content with the real you. This week we will share with students just a little bit about what our heavenly Father thinks about them. We want to encourage them to practice seeing who God sees when they look in the mirror. Because when we learn to see ourselves as God sees us, we can be free to live without the mask and be who we truly are.

REFLECTION (1): MASKS

Bottom Line: I cover up the real me in order to feel valued and loved.
Scripture References: Genesis 12:10-20; 1 John 4:19; 1 John 3:1

Have you ever been talking to a student and seen through his or her mask? You see beyond the church image they are presenting to you. Maybe you see the hurt they are covering up. Or maybe you see layer after layer of masks that they wear for their friends, for their boyfriend or girlfriend or for their parents. This week your goal is to help students become aware of the ways they cover up who they really are. This shouldn’t be a session of pointing fingers. But when you ask the right questions in love, in light of what you know to be true about your students specifically, you can help them uncover some very revealing truths about the way they currently live.

MS QUESTIONS:

1. Pass out the “How Fake Are You?” quiz and a pile of Skittles or M&Ms. Read each category out loud. If you are guilty of the thing in question, you must eat one Skittle. In the end, the person with the most Skittles left over is the winner. Your ability to be transparent will be key. This should be something fun and humorous as you discover together that we all cover up who we really are.

2. Do you have a MySpace or Facebook page? Did you create the “real” you or a version of you that you are willing to share?

3. If you create a profile to describe your dream life what would it look like?

4. Why do we care about other people’s opinion so much?

5. What do you think it would be like if everyone was willing to show their “real” selves? Would that be good or bad? Explain.

6. Which group of people do you think are happier, those who always walk around pretending to be someone they’re not or those who are just themselves?

7. Where do get the idea that we need to be perfect?

8. How many of you have ever looked at your life and saw something you didn’t like? What are some things that people don’t like about themselves?

9. Why did Abraham lie about his relationship with his wife?

10. Have you ever lied in order to fit in better? Was it worth it? Why?

11. How do the verses we read in 1 John make you feel? What would it be like if no matter who you are or what you did your parents and friends would always love you? That’s what those verses tell us about how God feels about you.

12. The speaker said to stand in front of a mirror this week and write what we see about ourselves, good and bad. What kinds of things could we write on our mirrors?

13. What is something you learned from the lesson this week?

HS QUESTIONS:

1. What did you think of the talk this week?  What did you hear the speaker say?

2. Can you think of a time when a celebrity got caught misrepresenting themselves? (lip-syncing, going undercover, etc.)

3. Pass out the “How Fake Are You?” quiz and a pile of Skittles or M&Ms. Read each category out loud. If you are guilty of the thing in question, you must eat one Skittle. In the end, the person with the most Skittles left over is the winner. Your ability to be transparent will be key. This should be something fun and humorous as you discover together that we all cover up who we really are.

4. What are some reasons that people misrepresent themselves?

5. What are the benefits of living under a false identity? (You “fit in”; other people admire you and respect you.)

6. What are the dangers? (No one can really love you because no one really knows you; you live with a sense of shame because only you know your faults and you are your greatest critic.)

7. Do you know someone who seems to be good at letting others see who they really are? Do people accept him or her in spite of their flaws?