Pandora or I Tunes

How much time do you spend with your ipod?  Do you spend hours creating the perfect set list?  Or do you put it on shuffle and let it ride?  Recently I discovered Pandora and enjoyed listening to it.  Its a great free way to make your own radio station.  But there is something missing.   I don't have ownership in the music.  I have no buy in to the experience with the music.  Because it is all random and thrown at me even though I choose the artists and genres. 

I think our relationship with God is the same way.  We choose the time to pray or read.  We even choose the book of the Bible to read (often by the point and shoot method).  But we don't have buy in we don't develop a relationship with the scriptures.  So therefore we get frustrated and lose interest in reading.  We say the Bible is boring or I don't understand it.  I can say the same thing about music that I don't understand or don't feel.   When we develop a plan or a goal in reading the scripture we are going on a journey with it.  This is when it become alive to us and we can experience what God is teaching us through His word.  You can check out all kinds of reading plans on Bible Gateway.  You can look at reading the Bible in Time order, or a little Old Testament little New Testament. You can read through your favorite characters or discover new ones.  You can take a Proverb a day.  Mix and match, make it your Playlist, your plan.  Take ownership in your encounters with the scripture.  It will change your life.
http://www.pandora.com/
http://www.biblegateway.com/

Don't worry your not cheating

Recently I have been talking to a bunch of different students about their reading in the Bible.  Several of them have told me how they are reading from a different translation then they usually do.  Then they look at me like is that okay?  Is he going to be mad?  Is the Bible Im reading a real Bible?  Am I cheating on God?
The answer of course is its okay your not cheating on God.  God doesn't care if you are listening to His word, reading in the old KJV, even older Greek, older Hebrew, newer NIV, or even newer NLT.  God wants you to read His love letter to you! 

I am so excited that our students are excited about the Bible and what God has to say the them through it.  What an amazing thing to be apart of.  Of course when you read the scripture you will have questions.  So ask them.  No question especially when asked about the Bible is a dumb question! 

Compartments

I have been talking in conversations with people and thinking about being holistic about our lives. The Leap program this year is a complete leadership paradigm.  The new small group ministry Elements is set up to help you experience God in a complete way.  Fusion is transforming not to just be about the people who come but what to do with our faith once we have it.  As I explore this idea of being holistic in minstry I can't help but think about our faith journey.  To often we talk about our spiritual lives, work life, home life, or social life.  But we aren't living several lives at once we are one person, living one life, with one opportunity to live once on this planet.  Our tendency to compartmentalize our lives hurts us in the faith area the most.  When we put our life in catagorize we can rationalize sin.  Because this sport, activity, relationship isn't about God.  But that is fundamentaly flawed.  It is all about God.  He doesn't want a few hours of our time or 15 minutes a night before you go to sleep.  He wants your life, all of it. 

If you are in love with someone you don't just want to be around them ever once in a while.  You want to know them deeply, fully, passionately.  The same goes for God.  God wants to know you completely and work through your life completely.  When we start living like God is active with us all the time not just when we worship or pray or read the Bible but with ever breath that we take and every step that we take our lives will be changed.  Evidence of our faith will pour out.  The world will know that we are madly in love with Jesus by our words, our actions, the way we drive, speak, dress by everything that we do and are.  Because when we get serious about faith it takes over all of us.  When the compartments come down, we tear down the walls down that keep us from bearing fruit and being know for faith.  Because that is who we are a person of faith in Jesus Christ.

Indiana Mission Trip

What an amazing time we had in Indiana working for God.  This trip was the end of the year trip for our Leap Program.   We worked at YCL youth camp and the Fort Wayne Rescue Mission.   Thank you Cody for putting it all together.

The Power of Team

In the last few weeks something has been changing in the midst of our student ministry.  It is a subtle change but an important one.  We have released leaders to do what they do best and it is having a huge impact.  From our students stepping up into new roles of leadership and responsibility to some volunteers giving days of there week to the ministry.  This started with Miranda Strong stepping up and owning the pre worship music and taking over some of Britt's role, it moved forward in Cody Rodgers making videos for us, Steven Black coming straight from school in Cobb county to set up, progressed in Daniel Boerner owning the production aspect of the night, Alyse Tucker, Shane Buquet and James Cagle faithfully cleaning up and pouring into the students.  (There are at least 10 other people I could mention in this list but I'll brag on you latter.)  Instead of the student pastor being responsible for everything it has become a team atmosphere.  In this team everyone plays different positions but they are all vital to the success of our ministry.  Since developing this team we have seen more students come to know Jesus than in the last six months.  The Team is effective, the Team is enlarging the Kingdom of God, The Team is getting souls a place in heaven.  I am reminded of how the early church go out in teams to do ministry or when the Apostles develop Deacons to help them.  I feel like we are catching a wave that God has brought our way.  It is going to be one crazy ride!!!  This Wednesday after Fusion we are having an adult volunteer meeting.  If you are interested in riding this wave with us make sure to be there.

Check out Acts 6 or Luke 9 for your Jesus Time on the idea of Team

Changes are coming!

In the coming weeks all kinds of new things will be happening.  Some of the new things will be: new band members at Fusion, Bible classes, different teachers, new lighting, a different stage, and new volunteers, not to mention a whole new Leap program.  Plus all kinds of stuff that is too top secret to share.  I am really excited about all the changes about to happen.  Fusion is rocking with more than doubling our attendance in the past three weeks.  There is an incredible energy in the room and because of that, Wednesday's are my favorite day of the week.  I hope that this momentum that God has given us will carry on and we can continue to change people's lives through our incredible experiences.  Last week my facebook inbox was filled with people telling me how there lives were changed.  That makes my day, month, year when that happens.  Get ready for the changes, get ready for the crazy roller coaster that awaits us.  I can't wait to see you all at Fusion!

God Talks Back

In your prayer life do you ever feel like you are talking to a wall?  I know I do and I'm a Pastor (as if that makes me special).  Seriously though prayer can be very frustrating.  You pour out your heart, your problems, desires and more often than not you get back....nothing.  Its kind a like when you are on a cell phone call and the other person drops but you don't know and you continue to talk for five minutes to yourself.  Sometimes if Im honest I feel like that is my prayer life. 

Until something happens like this morning.  I was praying during my morning routine, really not expecting a life changing encounter just kinda going through the motions, and BAM! POW! WACK! God showed up.  After about 10 seconds of prayer God answered my questions and put words on my lips.  I get so used to offereing prayer after prayer and feeling like it is my duty that I get jaded to the fact that God is alive and active and wants to talk to us.  I was caught so off guard by the experience that I am embarrassed to admit it.  But its the truth!  I had to stop myself and actually think in my hazy morning stupor, that's God answering my prayer huh,  wait WOW!  That's God answering my prayer!!!!

I write this not to brag about my God encounter but to encourage you!  God will talk back.  Are you ready to hear from Him?  Are you so used to going through the motions that you don't recognize His voice anymore?

Holy Wait

This summer we had some amazing experiences at Fusion.  Things happened that I had very rarely experienced before.  Maybe you had never seen those things happen.  The Holy Spirit moved in our midst changing lives and healing bodies.  The whole time all this was happening I new this wasn't the end it was only the begining.

Our students are not just on a spiritual high from Motion or the Baptisim Bash.  I believe they are making choices that will define this year and their life.  I am thrilled at the excitement level at Fusion each week.  The anticipation before the night begins amps me like no other.  In the spirit of that anticipation.  I want to encourage us to do something I call "Holy Wait".  I personally am so tempted to force Holy Spirit moments.  I want to jump ahead of what God is doing in our midst.  But what I need to do is wait on God.  I need to make sure that the moment is of God not of Jarad.  I want to encourage each of us to prepare our hearts for God's move not our emotions.  When we bring our friends and want them to experience God not a emotional high.  So before Fusion ask God to prepare your heart and your friends heart's.  Ask God to show Himself to you.  Come with anticipation and a prepared heart.of God moments but not a desperation of an emotional high. 

Desperation leads to spiritual attacks.  Preparation leads to God moments .

Slow you heart to seek after God.  Embrace the "Holy Wait"

Parent Opportunities

We have a couple of terrific opportunities for parents.

The first is this Sunday Night there will be a parenting growth group at he Outback from 6:30-8:00pm led by Mike Downey.  Last week was a great time of sharing and learning about how we can all be more effective parents.  I recommend that all our parents come to this community building time. 

The Boerner's let us know about another opportunity coming soon.

Saturday, August 28th 9:00 - 2:30

Cherokee Christian Schools

Cost: $30 for Individuals

$50 for Married Couples

Speakers: Joel Teague from Faith Community Church in Woodstock, GA

Tim Keeter from Grace Community Church in Huntsville, AL

Registration Deadline: Sunday, August 22nd

You may register online at www.faithcommunitycounseling.org

Please Pray For Jarad

Alright gang!  I have a serious problem.  I had four wisdom teeth pulled and now I have dry sockets.  Which is basically the kiss of death.  I need prayer.  Pray that my mouth will heal,  Pray that I can think straight enough to let God use me at Fusion. Pray that I can be nice to my family.  I know there are a bunch of prayer warriors out there and I need it.

This week's set list!!!

Are you ready to Bring it!!!!

One Way        
Rise And Sing         
Beautiful Jesus
I Lift My Hands 
Healer
You Alone Can Rescue           
With Everything

You may want to bring a water cause we will be worshiping hard core!  Last week was amazing!  Remember to invite all your friends!! 

Welcome to Student Life

As school starts back up.  We are rethinking the way in which we communicate with everyone about the happenings of the Student life ministry at BP.  Do we need to txt, email, blog, send letters home?  What are the effective ways in which to communicate with parents and students.  To start off we decided to integrate this blog into our communication flow.  Hopefully by subscribing to this blog you will be subscribing to a even flow of information that will equip you to be fully involved in Student Life.  I look forward to developing this into an avenue for all sorts of helpful information.