Crossroads Student Life

New Site!

2010-04-15T16:57:00.001-05:00

Click here to go to our new site!

Who Dat?

2010-02-03T19:14:00.002-06:00

Check out this great short video about New Orleans and the Saints from one of Crossroads' college students, Craig Turner!

Desensitized

2010-01-25T21:13:00.003-06:00

I went and saw "Book of Eli" today. Personally, I'd give it a 7-out-of-10. I actually want to go see it again now that I know what's going to happen. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about.

It's bloody. There are some intense fight scenes. Denzel Washington's character (Eli) is basically indestructible.

There is no sex or major nudity (girl in a nightgown, girl in a makeshift-top showing cleavage, and a guy with his shirt off).

Ever since I walked out of the movie, I've been trying to figure out what was feeling strange to me, and then it hit me...

I was thinking of writing a review for this movie. I started putting the first draft of the review together in my head when, all of a sudden, I heard myself say, "If you can get past the blood and gore and foul language, then I would definitely recommend it, especially since there's no sex."

How bad is it for me to say, "Oh, it's just blood and gore and death and killing and cussing. No big deal!"

For some reason, that just doesn't sit well with me.

Thoughts from Holland, MI

2010-01-13T10:45:00.004-06:00

For the past ten days, I have been trudging through almost two feet of snow for one mile twice daily (follow that?). I spent half of my childhood in central Indiana, so I am very accustomed to snow. But even after ten days of it, I am ready to leave it. It's great to visit.

During the trudging, I have had a good deal of time to think and reflect on many topics. I decided when I got here that I would carry a journal with me and begin the practice of writing down ideas, sayings, thoughts, and conversations that catch my attention. As I was reading over the things that I have already written down, I figured that this would be a great place to share some. So here we go:

God is not at the forefront of my mind regularly. He should be. He needs to be. My struggle is that I'll get into "Caleb-mode". For example, I will have a planning meeting for something, and instead of thinking of God and His mission, I think of my desires and what I think the mission should be. Many times when I go to sporting events at the local schools, I will inevitably go in with the mindset of "this is my job"/"this is what I need to be doing". Instead, I need to walk in thinking and praying, "God, lead me into conversations with people and show me how to show them You."
One of the classic "salvation" questions has been, "If you die tonight, what would happen to you?" I'm beginning to think that question is faulty. Instead, I think the question should be, "If you wake up tomorrow, who will you follow?" The previous incorrect phrasing puts the focus of salvation on the end result. It makes "being saved" as a ticket to not "burning in hell." But isn't following Jesus about life today? Isn't the real question about who or what one will follow every moment through the day? Because if I place my computer over God, then my priorities are out of place. If I place my kids over God, then my priorities are out of place. If I place my Wii over God, then my priorities are out of place. Shouldn't our concern be who/what we follow, and not where we're going to end up?
Over the course of a two-hour class here at seminary, a classmate ate an entire container of Altoids. I wonder if he was trying to help his intestines smell better.
Just a thought to ponder: Christianity is not simply learning about the incarnation of Jesus. It's taking on and living out the incarnation of Jesus.

If you have thoughts that you would like to respond with, please do. Would love to have conversations with anyone and everyone about these things.

Church's Primary role

2010-01-05T10:13:00.001-06:00

Most of us would probably choose more than one. But, if you had to choose, which would it be and why?

The church is primarily about:

saving individual souls
defending the truth
making the world a better place/helping people live better lives
being a signpost of the reign of God
offering a glimpse of heaven
being filled with the Holy Spirit

Crazy Love

2010-01-02T15:56:00.002-06:00

Starting in February, our youth will be challenged to be involved in a group that will meet twice a month, memorize Scripture, do some homework, and read through a book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. More information will come about this group. Over the next weeks, please pray with your youth about their involvement with this group. For those that are actively involved and complete the assignments and the book, there will be a reward trip.

For now, check out this website for more info on the book and read a sample chapter.

Tim Hawkins

2009-12-17T16:48:00.004-06:00

Friday evening, 30 youth and volunteers will be heading to First Bossier for an evening with Tim Hawkins. If you have never heard Tim, you are definitely missing out. Check out this short video. Then go to his website here and watch many more clips.

New Skillet video - Hero

2009-12-09T17:43:00.001-06:00

Check out this awesome new music video from Skillet. This is "Hero" off of their new album "Awake". I have it in my office if anyone wants to borrow it!

schedule updates

2009-12-02T17:14:00.001-06:00

Okay, so in an attempt to get out all of our information about activities and happenings between now and Christmas, this post will be solely dedicated to that end. Also, please note the calendar at the bottom of this page, as it has been updated.

Dec 4-6

We will be joining with Christ Community for a youth conference. There will be a speaker, a band, service opportunities, lots of games, and lots of food. Cost is $40. If anyone knows they will have trouble paying for it, please tell me. That is not a good reason for not attending because there are LOTS of people in our church who have given scholarship money. The students will be staying Friday and Saturday nights in homes. Still working on which homes those will be. It will start at Christ Community on Friday, December 4th at 5:30pm and end on Sunday morning, December 6th. Crossroads students who attend the conference will arrive back at Crossroads on Sunday morning at 10:45am for worship. Please reply ASAP!

Dec 12

We will head to the Community Soup kitchen in Monroe. We'll meet at Crossroads at 9:15am, serve at the kitchen, go have lunch together, and return to Crossroads around 1:30 or 2. Each student will need to bring $5 for lunch. Also, the kitchen runs on donations. So, we are asking each family to scour their home for canned goods, toiletries, and clothes that are available for donation.

Dec 13

Shane & Shane, Phil Wickham, and Bethany Dillon will be in concert at Howard Auditorium (on Tech's campus). Show starts at 7:30. I think everyone just pays $10 at the door. We will NOT have Student Life this night because of the concert. More details about meeting up and heading to the concert as the date gets closer.

Dec 18

Tim Hawkins LIVE at First Baptist Bossier. Tickets are $10. Bring money for dinner, too. Parents, if you need to know who Tim Hawkins is before saying your student can go, check out www.timhawkins.net.

Dec 3, 10, and 17

We have a 3-week community group study this December. Our focus will be "Living Like Jesus". Guys meet at 507 (I think?) Homer St. Girls meet at 1109 Carey Ave. Groups meet from 7-8:30. Bring yourself and your Bible!

The Great Escape 2010

2009-11-20T15:23:00.001-06:00

The Great Escape from Youth Conference Ministries on Vimeo.

6th-8th grade students and their parents, check out this video for what we will be participating in this coming summer! And watch the whole thing, because there is someone towards the end that you will recognize.

A thought on missions

2009-11-19T19:59:00.002-06:00

"There is no participation in Christ without participation in his mission to the world."

- Willingen Conference of the International Missionary Council

Missions have been enterprises that belonged to the exterior of church life. They were carried on somewhere else - in Asia, Africa, or the South Pacific, in the slums of the city, or among the gypsies, the vagrants, the marginal people... The church has approved of "missions" but has not been the mission.

- "The Open Secret", Lesslie Newbigin

What do you think? If we are not participating in mission to the world, does that have an effect on our belonging to Christ? And have we allowed for our churches here in America to push missions away? We feel good about throwing money at missions, but we would never do anything on our own to participate in missions.

Your thoughts?

Worship and Theology

2009-11-11T17:10:00.002-06:00

Some people say you don't need theology in order to worship. Some say you can't worship without knowing theology. How do you react to these points?

It is Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that makes possible the sending of the Spirit who, in uniting us to the Son, draws us into God's triune life and enables us to worship in spirit and in truth.
We worship what we know. If our knowledge is not deep, our worship won't be either.
Worship has a cognitive dimension: what we are to know, and thus to worship, is who God is and what God has done.
What we have come to understand in life we should come to celebrate corporately. The meaning of Christian life comes to focus in worship as nowhere else.
Theology is not only the study of God, but a means for improving our worship. Conversely, worship is not only the praise of god, but a means for improving our theology.
Our worship is the index to how well we have understood our faith.
The worth-ship of our worship is a function of how deeply we perceive God's worth. In true worship the Spirit relates us to the Son, the truth of God, enabling our worship to correspond to who God is.

- Kevin Vanhoozer
Professor of Theology
Wheaton College Grad School

2009-10-28T06:44:00.001-05:00

If I told you I knew of a popular Christian rock band that gets drunk every now and then, how would you react? What would you think about that band?

MLS Top 10 Goals Of The Year - ESPN Video

2009-10-27T05:27:00.001-05:00

Mayne Event: Peyton's Language - ESPN Video

2009-10-26T13:50:00.001-05:00

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-10-15T21:48:00.002-05:00

Hey yall. Let's go see "Where the Wild Things Are" this Saturday. Let's meet at the theater at 11:15am. Showtime is 11:45am.

Click here for a review.

I'M PUMPED!!

Piano Stairs

2009-10-15T10:47:00.001-05:00

10 riskiest foods to eat

2009-10-06T12:06:00.000-05:00

Came across this list of the 10 riskiest foods to eat. Just thought it was interesting and worth sharing. And (as you will see), since my eldest son does not like to eat lettuce (or any vegetables for that matter), I'm not as concerned anymore.

It's 6am...

2009-10-05T05:54:00.002-05:00

Tucker decided to wake up REALLY early, so I figured what better time than now to write a movie review!

So, I went and saw Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All By Myself". Actually, I didn't go see it on my own accord. I was coerced into seeing a movie, and only after I found myself in the car with these friends did I learn of which movie we were going to watch.

If you don't know who Tyler Perry is, allow me to give the very little info I know of him to set the stage for my opinion of his latest movie. He's made some movies. He has a TV show. And he owns his own studio set in Atlanta. Don't you feel like you know him so well now?

The other major piece of information about Tyler Perry is that he has made his fortune by portraying middle class black America in humorous ways. For me, I have never watched his TV show (I think it's on TBS). And this is the first Tyler Perry movie I have ever seen. So this review is coming from a well-informed person.

So I'm working on vulnerability in my life. Hopefully I can achieve some level of that here. If this movie is a good representation of how all of Perry's stuff is, I will not be seeking them out. For me, "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" was way too predictable, poorly written, disjointed, too musical, and just all together bad. As the Boston Globe said, "Tyler Perry can do bad all by himself, too."

There were definite laughing spots in the movie. The characters of Madea and her husband (both played by Perry) are hilarious. But it seemed to me that the reason why they were in this movie was to guarantee that fans of Madea (who has appeared in most of Perry's other movies) would come and see this one. Madea and her husband had roles in this movie that, quite honestly, didn't need to be there. It almost made it seem like Perry was writing two separate movies, couldn't figure out an ending to one or a beginning to the other, and then slapped them together.

Another major negative I had with the movie is how much performed music was in it. I felt like I was watching a musical. I have nothing against musicals. I love "The Sound of Music", "The Music Man", and "Guys and Dolls", but I didn't pay to see a musical. Again, it seemed like all of the music was thrown in there to fill time and space.

Yes, there were great themes of love, second chances, and forgiveness, but they were completely clouded over by the poor writing and plot design.

So I guess if you like all the stuff I didn't, then go see it and enjoy!

"America" by McDonalds

2009-09-30T09:52:00.002-05:00

This picture shows the contiguous 48 states as represented by the distance from one McDonalds to the next. See if you can figure out what major cities are located where. Have fun!

Tech/Hawaii football game!

2009-09-29T14:46:00.000-05:00

hey all. this will be posted on the blog, through our facebook group (crossroads student life), and text message. so hopefully, the info will get to everyone today!

tomorrow night, wednesday, is a tech home football game against hawaii. anyone who wants to go, we will meet at the church at 6:15pm and walk over to the stadium together. anyone who will be joining us but not until after gametime, i will have my cell phone. so give me a call and we'll hook up with you.

tickets are $15 (i think). we'll buy them at the gate.

i'm assuming the game will be over by 10. we'll walk back to the church after the game.

wear a red shirt to support the bulldogs! (great chance to wear your crossroads student life red shirt...if you have one. and, by the way, i have more in my office if you want to purchase them for $8).

okay, i think that's all the info. call with questions. otherwise, we will see you at the church at 6:15pm tomorrow night!

Being in the Storm

2009-09-27T22:47:00.002-05:00

Tonight at Student Life we talked briefly about Jesus calming a storm. So, Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and take it to the other side. Jesus falls asleep. a major storm comes up, the disciples start freaking out, and say to Jesus, "Wake up! Don't you care about us?" Jesus wakes up and replies back to them, "You of little faith." Then He calms the storm.

Here's a topic for the dinner table: Why did Jesus respond to the disciples while the storm was still going on? He could have calmed the storm, then talked to the disciples. But He didn't. Why?

Info to come on Tuesday about our outing to the Wednesday Tech/Hawaii game.

Making Significant Connections

2009-09-23T15:58:00.002-05:00

Dear Parents,

This is week two in our five-week small group study designed to help students understand God's purposes for their lives. This week's lesson, called "Making Significant Connections," focused on understanding the basic need that humans have to be connected with others on a deeper level. Students will be challenged to make their small group a safe place where members can be real and honest about their lives, and get help from each other to become more like Christ.

Sometime this week, take a moment to ask a few questions to generate some discussion with your teenager about connecting with others:

Share about how you've been shaped or "sharpened" by your involvement in a small group or church fellowship. Then ask: How do you think you'd benefit from being involved in a small group?
What are some moments in your life when you felt completely accepted for who you are? What factors helped you experience that freedom?
How can you become a more encouraging person to others?

Reminder of community group time: Thursdays, 7-8:30. Let me know if you need directions!

Thanks for your prayers for our community group ministry. It's exciting to see God work in our teenagers' lives. Have a great week!

Two Services!

2009-09-19T21:23:00.002-05:00

We are moving to two services! Man, this is an exciting time. If you are wondering why we are doing this there are two main reasons: 1) There is zero space left in the Crossroads Kids area; and 2) There is little to no space left in the gym. Isn't that awesome!

So, there will be two services each Sunday morning: 9:30 and 11:00. You can pick which one to attend. They will be identical services.

And maybe this will open up the opportunity for you to serve in Crossroads Kids. Because you could serve, then go to worship; or go to worship, then serve. If you are interested in helping with Crossroads Kids, email Kelli Skinner.

Parking will be tricky as we get going. Two things we ask: 1) Arrive early. You'll be glad you did; and 2) A way for all of us to serve our visitors is to park on the outer parking lots and leave the spaces closer to the doors available for others.

Hope to see everyone at Crossroads!

Peyton Manning keeping the world spinning

2009-09-02T14:08:00.001-05:00

Regardless of your opinion of him as a player, you gotta admit that Peyton Manning is a pretty darn-good actor. Here he is doing a spoof at the ESPY awards.

Delilah

2009-08-19T14:51:00.002-05:00

Check out this video. It's an absolutely hysterical song about Delilah and Samson.

ONERuston

2009-08-05T22:46:00.006-05:00

What a great time at ONERuston tonight! If you couldn't make it this week, you have GOT to make it a priority for next week. It's too good to pass up. There were at least 230 students there. Two Empty Chairs did a great job leading worship (they'll be back next week). And Scott Wright, director of Wesley Fellowship at Tech, gave the message. He challenged us to recognize a few things:

We are each created in the image of God. The image of God is in every single person who is alive on the planet. Everyone we come in contact with on a daily basis has the image of God imprinted on them and in them: the checkout clerk at the grocery store; the telemarketer who calls during dinner; your home's garbage collector; the person who has done something so horrible to you that you can't forgive them; the person who you did something so horrible to that they can't forgive you; and the list goes on and on and on.
If we call ourselves Christians, we need to start acting like it. How many times on Sunday do you look around the gym and judge other people who are worshiping the God that you are worshiping? How many times on Sunday do you look at other people and think about how you are better than they are? That is NOT being ONE. Corinthians tells us that if we belong to Christ, then we are all members of the same body. And when one member of the body mourns, we all should mourn with them. And when one member of the body rejoices, we all should rejoice with them.

I could keep going on these two points. There is so much to be said. But I think the point is made. So, I hope that many more students can show up for next week at 8pm @ Railroad Park. Greg Pampel, director of Chi Alpha at Tech, will be speaking.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-08-01T16:33:00.000-05:00

hello all! hope things are going well for you and your family as the summer begins to wind down. hard to believe that school starts in two weeks.

this email is to find the interest in taking a student life trip over labor day weekend. lincoln parish schools are out, not only for labor day, but also the tuesday and wednesday!

if you heard my last sermon, you heard me talk about a place called new frontiers. some of the activities they have are a 500 foot zip line; something called the breath-taker swing on which you freefall about 50 feet before swinging out 100 feet; and, my favorite, the cave.

the schedule would look like this:
saturday, september 5th - depart at 10am
tuesday, september 8th - return at 10pm

cost is $215 per person. scholarships are available! this does not include four fast food meals on the road and snacks.

please reply by wednesday with your student's interest!

Wickedness!

2009-07-23T10:25:00.002-05:00

So last night at Student Life, we started a great discussion. It was getting so good that we chose to leave it open, let everyone talk about it and think about it over the next week, and we'll see what kind of a conclusion we can come up with next Wednesday.

We started out simply talking about the differences between wickedness and righteousness. Proverbs 10:23-30 gives a number of hints in that direction.

But then we tried to answer the question "How do you think a person becomes wicked or righteous?" (pick one of the following as your answer - taken from Talksheets):

People become righteous or wicked based on their upbringing.
The choices people make determine if they will be righteous or wicked.
A person is born one way or the other.
God makes some people righteous and some people wicked.
Wicked people are that way because they've gotten involved in the occult.
People who give Christ control of their life will be made righteous.
People become wicked or righteous based on who they hang out with.
People can never be just wicked or just righteous - everyone is a mix of both.

Which one would you choose? Are people born wicked? Is there a difference between "wickedness" and "being in sin"? Is there a difference between "wickedness" and a "sin nature"? Are people born good but choose wickedness? Can a person be "in sin" and "righteous" at the same time?

I would encourage each family to talk through these questions over the next week. We'll look forward to moving closer towards a conclusion next Wednesday!

Crossroads Student Life Ruston Experience

2009-07-09T16:12:00.001-05:00

hey all . please read the final few paragraphs. here are general schedule details for next week for all 7th-12th grade students!

Wednesday, July 15th
6:30pm - Arrive at church. From there we'll all head out to dinner, and then back to the church for evening activities and sleep.

Thursday, July 16th
Morning - Boys and Girls Club Christmas in July
Afternoon - IA Lewis Landscaping

Friday, July 17th
Morning - Boys and Girls Club Field Day
Afternoon - Monroe for fun afternoon and concert

Saturday, July 18th
Morning - LifeChoices painting and cleaning
Done at the church at 1pm

Cost per person is still to be decided. I'm not positive what Friday afternoon will look like. And meals are still up in the air.

Explaining this could get a little confusing. But let me try.

The goal is for everyone to stay at the church each night and go on each work project during the day. Now, I do understand that there are jobs and sports practices and the like that could keep some from participating in each work project. But don't let a little scheduling conflict keep you from being as involved in this experience as possible!

So please reply with the following information on your student(s):

1) will they be sleeping at the church?
2) are there any projects they will not be able to participate in?

There are other details to get sorted (food and such). I will cover those in emails over the weekend.

PLEASE REPLY ASAP IF YOUR STUDENT(S) WILL BE JOINING US NEXT WEEK

Ben Utecht

2009-07-08T16:12:00.002-05:00

Next Friday night, Crossroads Student Life will head to West Monroe for a free concert with Ben Utecht. Ben is a brand-new face to the Christian music world. He is more famous for the being a tight end on the Cincinnati Bengals.

Click here to read an interview with Ben. And then look forward to hearing and seeing him next Friday!

Public Enemies

2009-07-06T11:15:00.002-05:00

Today's post is a review of the new Johnny Depp/Christian Bale movie, Public Enemies. It's interesting to me that this review gives it 3-and-a-half stars (out of 4), yet the readers of this review have, so far, given it 1-and-a-half stars.

And don't forget, Crossroads Student Life Bible Study this week. We'll be looking at some specific verses from Proverbs 26.

At the church, in the commons, Mon-Thurs, 7-8pm.

Activities this coming week

2009-07-04T15:07:00.004-05:00

Two things happening this week that we need to let everyone know about:

1. Pool Time, Sunday night, 6:30-8 @ the Parks (check the calendar at the bottom for directions). Remember appropriate swimwear!

2. Monday thru Thursday, this week from 7-8pm we will gather in the commons at the church. This is our 2nd study of the summer. We covered Ruth in June. This coming week we will tackle some specific verses from Proverbs 26. You don't have to attend every night. So come on the nights when you can! And bring your Bible.

And don't forget July 15-18 is our first Crossroads Student Life Ruston Experience. I'll be calling everyone this week to see who will be attending. Check out a blogpost down this page with details about the Ruston Experience.

Sin Tamer

2009-06-30T12:27:00.001-05:00

Enjoy this article on sin and how to deal with it from John Ortberg.

our expectations of God

2009-06-29T16:08:00.002-05:00

Had a great time last night at Movie Night. I haven't watched "Napoleon Dynamite" in a few years. There were many parts that I had forgotten about. Like Uncle Rico and Kip are sitting on the front steps of the house eating steak, Napoleon comes up riding Pedro's bicycle with Pedro standing on the pegs, and Uncle Rico grabs Kip's steak and throws it at Napoleon and hits him in the head. Who is the person who thought of that?

Anyway, after the movie we talked about expectations and the expectations that the characters had of themselves and had for each other. Some of them exceeded those expectations. Others were still floundering at the end of the movie.

Then the conversation turned to what expectations people had of Jesus during His time on earth. And it seemed that, for the most part, those who were sick had great expectations of Jesus. And He lived up to those expectations by physically healing them, but then He also exceeded them by also healing some of the spiritually.

Then there are the disciples who had certain expectations of Jesus. They thought He needed to act and speak a certain way. And when He didn't, they questioned Him and asked Him why He did certain things. And a few times, Jesus looked at them and said, "Where is your faith?"

May we know that any expectation we might have of Jesus will never be bigger than Him. And yet, somehow, He's small enough to be with each of us individually.

Reminder: Wednesday 6-7 is open gym. Then Student Life from 7-8:30 in the commons.

Sunday's Movie Choice

2009-06-27T16:20:00.003-05:00

Napoleon Dynamite (PG). @ Peshoff's from 6:30-9. Great opportunity to bring friends!

movie night sunday

2009-06-25T19:28:00.003-05:00

We get back into town late Friday night. Please be praying for safety as we travel. But we are PUMPED about getting back home to be with all of you!

Sunday night from 6:30-9, all youth will be at the Peshoff's for movie night. Which movie is TBD. We had a blast about a month ago as we watched "Big Fish" and talked about the role of stories in our lives. Check back Saturday for the movie choice.

The Ruston Experience

2009-06-24T16:13:00.003-05:00

Hey all. This is the official announcement for the first annual Ruston Experience. Starting at approx noon on July 15th and ending Saturday afternoon, the youth of Crossroads will be living at the church in the evening and heading out during the day to help out different groups in need throughout the city.

As much as we want for all of our youth to be able to live at the church and experience every moment of this "trip", we also know that jobs and sports practices are also calling. So please look at your schedules and if you see conflicts, talk to Caleb. Our main desire is for everyone to experience a part of this opportunity.

We are still in the process of finalizing details for this trip, including cost. So check back for more announcements!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Put the dates on your calendar so you don't miss out on this awesome opportunity to serve!

Delinquency

2009-06-22T09:19:00.002-05:00

So, if you look below this post you will read the statement, "Check the blog regularly for pictures and updates!" That was posted on June 11. Today is June 22. I think we can safely say that I am officially delinquent on my promise.

My sincere apologies for this delinquency. The schedule here at The Great Escape (for planning team, at least) is in bed around 1am and up at 6:30am. We do that for five straight nights, sleep in one day, sleep in a little less another day, then back to five days in a row of 1-6:30am, and then it's time to head home. It's a CRAZY two weeks of activities, but it is all fun and worth it and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

But I was convicted this morning listening to a friend share about what was going on in his life and ministry setting. As soon as he started talking about his church and youth group, I began to greatly miss my new family at Crossroads! And then I realized very plainly that I had been neglecting them. For the past five/six days, I knew in my head that I needed to make contact. But this morning, God hit me upside the head with a 2-by-4. And I needed to feel it.

So Crossroads, my sincere apologies for "disappearing". We miss you very much. We love you. And we are SO looking forward to being back with you. We will arrive back in town either on Friday or Saturday. And when we do, we have no other travel plans for the summer!

Constantly praying for each of you,
Caleb (for the fam)

Divided on Discipline

2009-06-11T16:06:00.003-05:00

Hope that you, parents, can find some good advice and counsel in this article from Christianity Today on how to handle discipline when you think your spouse is being too hard or when you think your spouse is being too soft. "How do we find the middle ground?"

click here for the article.

Tisha, Jackson, Tucker, and I leave tomorrow for The Great Escape in Cleveland, TN. We'll be back on the 27th. Check the blog regularly for pictures and updates!

Ruth study this week

2009-06-10T08:59:00.001-05:00

hey everyone. tonight we will be covering ruth chapter 3. quick review of the past two chapters:

1 - How will you respond in times of crisis? Will you focus on "What am I going to do now", or will you ask "Why is this happening to me"?

2 - What's your reputation? If everyone you have ever come in contact with was asked about you, what would they say?

tonight's schedule is open gym from 6-7 and then bible study from 7-8.

hope to see everyone there!

Crossroads Student Life T-shirt

2009-06-02T17:52:00.008-05:00

It's time to unveil the first Crossroads Student Life t-shirt! So here's the deal. There are three choices. Pick as many t-shirts from any of the colors available. You can have two of the gray ones, one of the red, and three of the blue. I'm not sure why you would need that many. I'm just saying you can do that. Price breakdown is as follows:

1. Red shirt - $9
2. Gray shirt - $10
3. Blue shirt - $12

There is another kicker here. You need to contact me (preferably by email) and tell me which shirts you want and how many because, in order to place an order for a particular color shirt, we have to have at least 24 of that color. For instance, say you want a gray shirt. We cannot get you your gray shirt until we have at least 23 other people who want a gray shirt. Make sense?

Bottom line for now is to get back to me on what you want. Then we'll go from there. "Crossroads Student Life" with the big mountain is on the front. "Jesus, the rock on which I stand" with the small mountain is on the back. If you click on each picture, a large image will appear so you can see the words and design better.

Ruth update

2009-06-01T09:14:00.003-05:00

Hey all. So we were supposed to start a study on Ruth this week. We were going to be getting together each evening this week from 7-8pm. I was late on deciding where we would be doing this, so in order to make sure everyone has the opportunity to be there, we're going to move it to next week. If any of this sounds confusing just check out the calendar at the bottom of the page for more information. I am confirming our location today, so that will be announced hopefully by tomorrow.

Don't forget the Decyfer Down concert this Wednesday at South Parkway. It's FREE. The gym doors open at 6:30. So be there at 6:30 and then we'll head in to find some space for our group. Parents, South Parkway says the concert should be over around 8:30pm. Please pick up from South Parkway.

Have a great Monday!

UP

2009-05-30T01:54:00.001-05:00

Click here to check out a review for the Disney Pixar movie "UP".

And don't forget, Sunday night is movie night at the Peshoff's. Check out the calendar at the bottom of this page for all the details.

Dinner Conversation

2009-05-28T16:12:00.002-05:00

Every once in awhile, I'm going to give a quote from a book/magazine/site/etc. that can be a good conversation topic for the dinner table. So here is one for this evening or tomorrow.

"We may never know until we get to heaven how our service and our simple acts of kindness have affected the course of a life, a community, or even a nation. If we do nothing, the result will be - nothing! However, when we engage in a pursuit to serve others, we will witness the most amazing results. People will find hope and healing that can be found only in Jesus. We will find that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves as we join with Him in building His kingdom."
- Dino Rizzo, "Servolution"

Starting question: How can you, as a family, engage in a pursuit to serve others? And it can't be anything through a church! Come up with something that is unique for you and your family.

Also, reminder that Sunday night is Movie Night. Check out the calendar at the bottom of this page for time, location, and what movie we will be watching. Movie Nights consist of some snacks, a movie, and a discussion time after the movie. This would be a great time to bring friends!

A Teaching Moment

2009-05-26T10:08:00.001-05:00

A mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl's grip and said comfortingly to the boy, "There, there. She didn't mean it. She doesn't know that hurts." He nodded his acknowledgement, and she left the room.

As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she asked, "What happened?"

The little boy replied, "She knows now."

—Joke a Day Ministries Group; submitted by Keith Todd, www.sermonfodder.com

A Worthwhile Conversation

2009-05-21T07:37:00.002-05:00

Over the past few weeks, a worthwhile and divisive conversation has been taking place in the Christian music world. This is not the first time for this particular conversation to happen, just the most recent and the most public, mainly because the artist made it public.

Derek Webb, former front man for Caedmon's Call, has been in a tiff with his recording label over a number of issues, the most public of which is the use of the "s-word" in one of the songs on the yet-to-be-released album.

Follow this link to see the conversation that has been happening through Christianity Today's website. Read over it. Share it with your youth. Have an open and honest conversation about it over a meal.

Star Trek movie review

2009-05-20T13:33:00.000-05:00

Today's post: A review of "Star Trek". Enjoy.

A Marriage Trend

2009-05-19T15:08:00.004-05:00

The Problem With Idealizing Marriage

Mark Regnerus is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, and the author of “Forbidden Fruit: Sex and Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers.”

Marriage no longer anchors the adult life course in Europe, and the U.S. is on the slower track to the same station. That’s pretty obvious. Western societies’ lengthy economic prosperity has brought about a scenario in which men and women alike are losing the motivation to marry. To many it just doesn’t make sense anymore. Only cultural motivations seem to resonate, and those only modestly.

The Europeans have an extensive social welfare system that can support their marriage-less families. We don’t.

Take a look at our nation’s 20-to-24-year-olds. Historically, this was a peak period for marriage, but today the pattern of nonmarital births in this age group is pronounced, climbing from 20 percent in 1980 to 60 percent in 2007. That’s not a gently sloping hill. That’s a Mount Everest of change. This leap suggests a wholesale drop in “consumer confidence” in both marriage and men.

Indeed, young Americans don’t really know what to make of marriage: they idealize it, expect a great deal from it, and are refusing to settle. So we’re choosing to live alone now. We’re cohabiting. We have joint custody. Indeed, there’s an almost palpable antagonism and mistrust between the sexes today. We’re content to bed each other, and even make babies, but expecting and delivering mutual emotional and financial support — and institutionalizing it by marriage — is more than many young American men and women feel like offering today. While I’m an unabashed fan of marriage, it’s obvious to me that Americans expect too much from it, yet will settle for nothing less than their unrealistic expectations.

The trend we’re seeing toward nonmarital births will continue. Of that I have no doubt. Some are happy about it, and some, like me, are not so optimistic. The Europeans have an extensive social welfare system that can support their marriage-less families, at least for now. We don’t. Our Social Security system even has an expiration date on it.

So while this news is not surprising, it is sad. Kids lose out on fathers. Women lose out on husbands. And men lose out on the one institution — other than the military — that can pull them out of their extended adolescence. All of it reveals how little our communities actually expect from us anymore.

Bicycles

2009-05-18T11:05:00.001-05:00

my own angels & demons review

2009-05-15T22:26:00.004-05:00

So, I saw "Angels & Demons" tonight. First movie I have seen in the theater since "Prince Caspian". I thought that was bad until a friend told me that he hadn't been to the theater since "Passion of the Christ".

Anyway, the movie was entertaining. I enjoy suspense and mystery, so on those levels it was good. Nothing sexual in it. Very few curse words. Fairly graphic, though. As I think about it compared "Da Vinci Code", probably the same amount of violence. "Angels & Demons" will not stir up the same type of controversy that "DVC" did. Without giving it away, I will say that "A&D" is about the sins and corruption of man. It is not about any perceived coverup/falsehood within the church. And because of the controversy surrounding "DVC", that definitely helped sensationalize it.

Finally, the commercials have all been saying that it was better than "Da Vinci Code". I would disagree with that. I like "DVC" better.

Angels & Demons

2009-05-15T15:27:00.008-05:00

Today's post is a link to a movie review of "Angels & Demons." It's from Christianity Today. Hope it helps to decide if this is a movie worth viewing for your family!

Angels & Demons review

How To Obtain Eternal Life

2009-05-13T10:38:00.006-05:00

Two ministerial students from a certain seminary were doing summer evangelistic work in a rural area. One hot day they stopped their car in front of a farmhouse and proceeded up the path through a gauntlet of screaming children and barking dogs. When they knocked on the screen door, the woman of the house stopped her scrubbing over a tub and washboard, brushed back her hair, wiped perspiration from her brow, and asked them what they wanted. "We would like to tell you how to obtain eternal life," one student answered.

The tired homemaker hesitated for a moment, looked around, and then replied, "Thank you, but I don't believe I could stand it."

- Derric Johnson, Easy Doesn't Do It, (Y.E.S.S. Press, 1991), p. 217

May we never call people to answer "yes" to a ticket. May we always and only call people to a life.

which came first: prayer or life?

2009-05-12T07:56:00.003-05:00

First of all, NO ONE got on me for not posting by 5pm yesterday! Come on people! Keep me accountable! :)

Yesterday was an interesting day. Our first full-day on-campus is always a decompression from everyday life and an orientation of preparing our minds, hearts, and souls for two weeks of intensive education time. So yesterday was a retreat. The theme: Prayer at the Speed of Life or Life at the Speed of Prayer.

We spent a lot of time praying, thinking, and meditating on this title. Is there one way that's the right way? Is there supposed to be a balance between the two? At a foundational level, what do these two phrases mean?

This is where I found myself at the end of the day (knowing that I'm not done thinking about it): I think for most of us on most days, Prayer at the Speed of Life is "normal." We have our schedules and to-do-lists. And we go through our day encountering people and sharing the Good News with them through our words and actions. As we are driving from place-to-place, we think of someone who needs prayer, so we lift their name to God. Before we go into a business meeting or a lunch time with a friend, we may pray for good communication or good fellowship.

But each of us needs a break from the daily. Maybe you need 10 minutes everday. Maybe you need an hour every two weeks. Maybe you need a whole day every 10 days. At some point we each need to experience Life at the Speed of Prayer in order to keep us grounded and centered on Him. We each need a focused time of being with the Creator. We each need to rest in the Comforter.

My encouragement to you today is to talk about this as a family. When do each of you individually take your time to be with Him? When do you as a family get together to be with Him? How can you make it a priority?

at the end

2009-05-10T08:36:00.003-05:00

I'm traveling today. Sitting in the airport in Montgomery, AL, waiting to fly to Atlanta and then Grand Rapids, MI. I'm posting now because there is no free wireless in the Atlanta airport. Why is that? In the 6-gate Montgomery Airport there is free wireless, but not in the bajillion-gate Atlanta airport. I don't know why. I'm sure if someone tried to explain it to me in technical terms I wouldn't understand it. But I have a feeling it has something to do with money. It's amazing how so many things come back to money.

Last night, I watched a DVD of one of the funniest comedians I have ever seen, Tim Hawkins. He tells the story of being in an airport, a guy comes up to him and says, "Man, those planes sure do come in low" (just keep reading that line if it doesn't make sense).

I'm still thinking about the challenge that I gave to the students this past Wednesday. We talked about Christ's return, what it would look like, how it would happen, and what it would mean for everyone. Our bottom line was this: all that really matters, the only common denominator in all of Jesus' "end times" talks, is that we had better be ready. And I don't think He's just talking about making sure that we have our ticket!

One of the "events" that Christians like to overlook is when Jesus judges believers based on their works. We only key-in on whether our name is in the Book of Life or not, and we organize our entire life around that.

"If my name is in the Book, then I can just show up for an hour on Sunday, feel forgiven, and then do what I want until the next Sunday" (for more on this, read "Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

We tend to forget that we will be judged for our words, actions, and thoughts.

I'm convinced (by nothing else than my own belief) that a part of our "so what did you do with your talents I gave you"-judgement is that Jesus is going to go over every single name of every single person we had an opportunity to share the Good News with. And He's going to show us where we stepped up to the plate, and where we compromised His name and His glory.

May each of us step up to the plate. May we hold each other accountable. And may we not shy away from sharing the greatest story ever!

Things My Mother Taught Me

2009-05-08T23:47:00.002-05:00

My mother taught me about the food groups: "If you put one foot outside that door, you're not getting any homemade bread."

My mother taught me contortions: "Have you seen the dirt on the back of your neck?"

My mother taught me to stand firm: "You'll sit there till all that spinach is finished."

My mother taught me about weather: "Looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

My mother taught me about hypocrisy: "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times—Don't exaggerate!"

My mother taught me the circle of life: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about behavior programming: "Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about envy: "There are millions of less fortunate children who don't have parents like yours!"

—Compiled by LaughALot@editors.crosswalk.com; submitted by Mike Herman, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Great Marriage Advice

2009-04-25T22:38:00.000-05:00

John Madden quotes

2009-04-23T14:27:00.002-05:00

Hey all. Over the past few days, I've been in a number of conversations with the staff guys where we have mentioned a John Madden quote and just rolled over laughing. So I thought it would only be appropriate to search some out and put my favorites here.

Be reminded that my only assurance that Madden said these is that each of them appear over and over again on other people's blogs and discussion boards. So, Mr. Madden, if you did not say any of them, I apologize for attributing them to you.

In no particular order:

1. "When your arm gets hit, the ball is not going to go where you want it to."
2. "Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they're bigger than everybody else, and that's what makes them the biggest guys on the field."
3. "The goal of football is to score more points than your opponent."
4. "Whenever you talk about a Mike Shanahan offense, you always talk about his offense."
5. "Here's a guy who when he runs, he moves faster."
6. "From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back."
7. "He would have scored a touchdown if he hadn't been tackled right there."
8. "Here's a guy who can use his arms and legs at the same time."
9. "90% of the time, the game is half mental."

Youth Reminder: This Saturday, game time at the church, 4-6pm. Bring friends!

Another Group Dance

2009-04-18T14:32:00.001-05:00

Ken Lee

2009-04-08T13:15:00.001-05:00

The Church and Depression

2009-03-31T20:16:00.003-05:00

"Christians are called to weep with those who weep, and should welcome emotional pain that results from empathy and draws us alongside the afflicted. If we have grown numb to the pain and suffering around us, we have lost our humanity...Those who bear the marks of despair on their bodies need a community that bears the world's only sure hope in its body. They need communities that rehearse this hope again and again and delight in their shared foretaste of God's promised world to come. They need to see that this great promise, secured by Christ's resurrection, compels us to work amidst the wreckage in hope. In so doing, the church provides her depressed members with a plausible hope and a tangible reminder of the message they most need to hear: This sin-riddled reality does not have the last word. Christ as embodied in his church is the last word." - Dan G. Blazer, Christianity Today, March 2009

The Black Hole

2009-03-31T19:59:00.000-05:00

Laugh at yourself!

2009-03-25T14:02:00.003-05:00

One of the biggest lessons I have learned in life is how to laugh at myself. I used to not be able to do this at all. Then I got married. Tisha laughs at me so much that I felt left out.

As Christians, we have to be able to laugh at ourselves! I believe humor is a integral part of being, not only human, but children of God. We, as Christians, do some dumb things and communicate things to the "outside world" that we don't realize sometimes.

So occasionally I will share some of those things. I may become creative at some point to write my own, but at least for today I will borrow from Joel Kilpatrick's "A Field Guide to Evangelicals and Their Habitat" and his website, http://www.larknews.com/. NOTE: his website is full of fake news! He's a Christian who simply thinks that we (Christians and more specifically, Evangelicals) are a hilarious group of people.

Here is what Joel lists as the work schedule for Associate Pastor's:

Monday - Wipe down urinals; gather up used tissues and bulletins in sanctuary
Tuesday - Empty Diaper Genies in nursery wing; sanitize
Wednesday - Work on "sermons I'd give if I had the chance" project
Thursday - Wash pastor's golf balls
Friday - Drop off pastor's dry cleaning; visit dying elderly
Saturday - On-call for counseling
Sunday - Give announcements