Parents: 5 Absolutes about your Teen

Dear Parents,
Here are 5 absolutes that our Student Ministry absolutely “gets” about your teenager.

1.  There will be amazing moments.
2.  There will be difficult durations.
3.  God loves your teenager more than you do.
4.  God made your teenager for a great, the greatest purpose (His purpose).
5.  God desires that your teen know and love Him.

Be encouraged that God made your child, that God made you, that God made you your child’s parent, and most importantly God is in control.

Swarms of Students

It’s not everyday… It’s some-days.  It’s the day I run home to grab something I forgot, It’s my half day on Thursdays, when I go home mid afternoon… It’s some-days.  The days when I drive through swarms of students who are walking home from school.  Students with who I have never seen before.  Teenagers, who cuss, hate, smoke, possibly do drugs, have family problems, are struggling at school, live in friend drama-ville… swarms of teens.  I drive slow because they are disrespectful and will not get out of my way… swarms of high school/middle school students walking home after school.  I don’t know them, don’t know their issues, problems, likes, dislikes, pains, sorrows, but, I know they are students, I do know they get in my way, I do know there are swarms of students.

Wednesdays – The Wave, it’s our mid-week student ministry worship service.  Every single week there are students… swarms of them.  Students I know, I recognize, students we invest in, encourage, build up, love, minister to, listen to their drama-ville drama, walk with, share Christ with… swarms of students.  Students we care about… Students we know, love, cherish… swarms of them.

What’s the difference?  Attitude? Perspective?  Values?

YESSSSSS! All the above?

How do we (me, myself, and I), our leaders (all of them), the Church, our communities, begin to REALLY value teens the way Jesus does???

Swarms of Students 2

Never Underestimate the Creativity of Students

Just hung out with a couple of our students that play in our student band.  Not gonna lie, it’s one of the best student praise bands I’ve ever heard, and I’m not saying that because they’re my students.  They pretty much rock.

I love hearing their stories, and seeing how God is using them to great things.  If it’s not some of our worship band students, it’s our student ministry video producer who is 18 years old, and brilliantly creative.  Or maybe it’s Katie, who takes some of the most beautiful photos I’ve ever seen.  It was a High School student that built our student ministry website (www.cbgstudents.com).

Teens amaze me, and when they live for God it’s explosive.
Never underestimate the Creativity of your Students.