Later than normal

After telling you all to check the blog, I figured I better actually update it. It's been a weird week, so it took me this long to get around to it. Sorry if you checked already and got last weeks stuff.

Youth Group this Sunday is at Faith Fellowship. Last week was a new experience for us being down there. I'm looking forward to being back there now that I know what we're getting into (casket in the next room!) Regular time of 6pm. Hope to see you there!!!!

Remember that next weekend is the retreat. PLEASE try and bring me your registration form this Sunday. You don't definitely need money this week (you could just bring it when you come to camp) but that form would be SUPER helpful. We did a bunch of planning yesterday for the retreat...and I have to tell you that I am STOKED for next weekend. It's going to be a lot of fun.

I have another surprise of an upcoming event that's going to happen in the next couple weeks, but I'm not going to tell you here....you need to come to youth group Sunday night. IT'S COOL!!!!!

For those of you who are new to a blog format, here's how it works. The newest post is always at the top of the page. As you scroll down the older posts are below. I would suggest scrolling down a bit because some weeks I might post more than once. ALSO....if you would like to comment on the post or on youth group or on anything at all....at the bottom of each post there's small print that says X Comments. Right now this post says 0 Comments. If you click it, it'll bring you to a screen where you can post a comment. You can leave it annonymous if you want or put your name to it. Pretty easy stuff. Now for something funny.

choking hazard

REMEMBER!!!! This week we're at Faith Fellowship NOT the YMCA. That's the church across the street from the library. There's a parking lot right next to the church on Market St. Same time as normal.

Retreat papers need to be in soon. Money isn't as important as those sheets. If you lost yours I can give you another one tomorrow night OR you can download the form on the right sidebar there--------------------------------->

This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen

Followed closely by this. Sharks spinning in the air.

Comparative Faith Part 2

So this past week at youth group we talked about Comparative Faith and a our faith costing us something.

I talked about how I think we look at people around us and say "well I'm better than them, so I'm good." We say, "well I go to church, I don't swear, I don't drink or do drugs or anything really bad....so I'm doing exactly what God wants of me."

As the week has gone along I've thought of two other possibilities for Comparative Faith and I want to share them with you.

The first is almost the inverse of what we talked about Sunday. It's seeing people around us and say, "I'm horrible. What's the point in trying?" It's choosing to do nothing. It's hearing stories of faith and saying, "that only happens to missionaries and pastors.....the really "holy" people". It's believing that God doesn't have a plan for YOU....just everyone else.

The second is actually a positive Comparative Faith. This would happen in more of a mentoring type relationship. I think it's possible to see amazingly Godly people in our lives and say to ourselves, "I want that kind of active God seeking faith that consumes their lives." I know in my own life I can point to people in church and even my parents who have served as roll models in my faith and encouraged me to take my relationship with Jesus Christ to a deeper level. Be clear here....our real pursuit isn't to be like another person....it's to be Christ-like. However seeing other people passionately pursuing Christ could spur us to also passionately be pursuing him because we see what He has done in their lives.

Reset

Does anyone actually check this? I pretend that you do.

We're at the YMCA this coming week. Can't wait to see you. I know this is unspoken, but you're always welcome to invite a friend or 3.

This week I passed out registration sheets for the Time 4 Revolution retreat at Mission Meadows. It's March 6, 7, 8. I want you to go. If you want to get the registration form right this minute I've put it up on the right hand column over there.

DON'T LET MONEY BE A REASON NOT TO GO!!!! I know money is tight for some of you. If that's the case, talk to me and we can work out either a partial or a full scholarship for you to go. I want you there. I'll make it happen. I WANT YOU THERE!

Also, if you have a Bible that you normally read, or should read, why not bring that along on Sunday nights. I'd like us all to be looking in God's word together instead of me just reading to you each week. If you don't have a Bible, or you need a new one, I have some cool teen ones that I bought and you can HAVE one.

I feel like I'm forgetting something. OK whatever. Later.