Two of my favorite organizations have announced they are officially partnering up for future ministry. Orange, the people behind most the family ministry things I talk about, and Upward, a church-sponsored sports league, will soon be joining forces.
The curriculum writers at Orange will be providing three components of Upwards’ experience – the weekly practice devotions for kids, weekly halftime activities for parents, and end-of-the-season celebration DVD for families to take home. Because of this connection, the emphasis on reaching families for Christ through Upward Sports programs will be greater than ever.
I am very excited about this partnership, as both are excellent organizations! For more information, check out the official press release I have posted below.
Ever since my wife received her Kindle as a birthday gift last year, I have loved the idea of digital books. In fact, I eventually bought myself one, and we are in the process of trying to figure out how to get all our bookshelves onto these little devices.
As I sit here, I cannot believe it was just three years ago when I was waking up with my nerves going crazy. I was rushing to get ready, make sure the church was all right, and making sure all our wedding party knew what they were to do. I never thought that day would come. Previous to that day, it had been extremely difficult for me to see myself married. I do not know why. I think maybe it was a mental block that God put there so I could stay focused on what He wanted at the time. That is my best guess. Finally, though, the day came.
Equipping and empowering adult small group leaders is the only way to significantly grow a sustainable youth ministry beyond yourself. This is a common thread I have encountered throughout my Bible college years, seminary and at The Orange Conference.
Over the past few years here at RCC, I’ve often asked myself what we can do for students who are ready to dive deeper into the Bible. Many times, we recommend that they go through a specific devotional or something, but I also knew they were missing something in the form of studying the Bible together. This summer, God placed the idea of hosting some Bible studies for high school students. Two weeks ago, we started one on the Book of James, and it is going very well. It has been great to dive into the Bible together, walking through it and discussing it along the way.
