Holidays

I made it. I survived the Christmas Drama Presentation, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
The last Common Ground of the year was last night and after the dust settled,
I started reflecting on this year & I saw something. I saw two different worlds evolving, and it so very evident. What I see causes varying emotions, so here's what's on my brain.

I see two different types of students. One group wants a deep intimate worship with NO DISTRACTIONS. I mean to really focus on Christ and get closer to him.

on the other hand,

I see students who are constant distractions. They are too busy trying to keep me from seeing their constant text messaging during the student worship service. They are constantly talking or causing small disturbances and distractions for others who are there for the right reason.
They may be there to learn or grow "in their mind", but wordly issues like boyfriends or girlfriends or just plain gossip has them clearly in the "world's grasp". BOYS seem to be all that is on their minds. They have no clue what is actually going on around them because their eyes, ears & thoughts are far far away. So I have a decision to make. I can let it go on or address the issue or go in a complete different direction. So for now, I elect to pray and see where God leads me.

Last night in the Discipleship 101 get-together, I made a statement that popped back in my mind. "If I let God help me make the right decision, (even though it's small), maybe the right decision will be made and therefore small problems won't get to be BIG problems & I can address it the way God wants me to. That it will happen in HIS TIMING, NOT MINE. As for now, I have set the cruise control on automatic pilot & I am cruising down life's highway at a moderate speed. Just cruising toward Christmas & New Years. No more lessons to prepare, no more Wednesday night messages to get done. A MELTDOWN may even occur. Maybe I can sit & just THANK GOD for it all. Time to sit & meditate. Time to sit & read. Time to be with family and Time to be alone with the Creator.

Life Hurts

God Heals.

TC

GEE WIZZZZZZZ

Why is it that between Thanksgiving and Christmas things just go CRAZY?

Have you seen the metamorphis in people trying to get everything done on their monthly planner in ONE DAY ?
Have we totally lost our vision on this time of the year?

I remember back to mid-October when I saw Christmas decorations in stores, what's that all about?

Hey, life just goes too fast anyway, so why put it in afterburner to make it get here quicker?

I do admit, I (like you) have lots going on, BUT after this next weekend, it's time to start slowing the train down. You know that Christmas train that has 6 engines and hundreds of box cars loaded with goodies for kiddies. So I thought IF I can start to slow down on Dec 10th, I just may make it to Christmas eve and actually celebrate Christmas as a normal person (if that is physically possible).

So for all you GET-R-DONE folks out there, go ahead and "knock yourself out". This is one Christmas I intend to spend thanking Christ for all me has so truly blessed me with. A wonderful family, a caring church, a job, hot showers, my dog "aggie", hot chocolate, warm fires, hayrides and last but not least an incredible bunch of AWESOME STUDENTS that drive me to do the sometimes crazy things I do in this thing called the Hope Student Ministry.
So before the Christmas train passes you by, I'll just say from me to you
MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Till next time,
TC

Distractions

I love technology, like cell phones, web sites and BLOGS..... BUT, cell phones really get under my skin sometimes. Especially when you study and prepare for about 6-8 hours to get a relevant message to your students for the Wednesday night student service that could be the pivot point in their life. You find a great video, a great song from yet another artist, the worship leader and other students have set the stage for a God honoring time to praise God for ALL that he has poured on us and what happens, text messaging has snuck in on the back row and has found a resting place. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Obviously some people either have ADD or who Jesus is and what he did for us, is just not very relevant to them. Obviously there are several things that may be wrong.

#1- I am a horrible student minister who can not relate to students.
or
#2 - The other person on the other end of the text mesage is hotter than I am. (Which doesn't
take much there.)
or
#3 - Jesus is just not kelw to them.

I think I will hire a cell phone policeman to confiscate all cell phones as students enter the worship area. Yea, that's what I will do. Put them out of their misery. But then who will text me at 2am & wake me up. Oh well, It was a good thought, don't you think.

Till next time
TC

God's Timing

God's Timing

Have u ever questioned God's purpose for your life and found that you try to do things yourself which are best left alone & let God handle it for you..................... You make the moves that you felt were right but in retrospect you were trying to escape from your frustrations. God's timing is perfect. He knows when we are ready to move even when we feel like it should be now. I was listening to David Crowder's song entitled "Rescue is Coming" check out these lyrics the will rocked your world.

Theres a darkness in my skin
My covers wearing thin,
I believeId love to start again,
go back to innocent And never leave
Dont give up now
A break in the clouds
We could be found
Theres nothing wrong with me
Its just that I believe things could get better
And theres nothing wrong with love
I think its just enough to believe
Rescue is coming
Rescue is coming
Rescue is coming
Rescue is coming
And theres nothing wrong with you
And nothing left to do
But believe something bigger
And theres nothing wrong with love
I know its just enough to believe
Dont give up now
A break in the clouds
We will be found
Rescue is coming

I hope this encourages you to hold on a little longer.
Rescue is Coming!
Till next Time.
TC

WHEW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, ya made it to the ends week, grrrrrr, I mean weak end, no I don't, I mean weekend.
There we go. Anyway, it's been that kinda week. Sometimes I had to ask if I was coming or going & then once I got to were I was supposed to be, I fergit' what I wuz thar fer'. hmmm.
Anyhooo, I just wanted to share with you two quick stories. Both are similar in nature but yet so far away from each other. Both have to do with GOD.
In both situations God is using his orchestrated situations to bring people back to their families and back to him. The first part of each story has been written. The characters have done their part. The middle scene(s) are currently under development and the ending has not yet been written. Only time will tell, but you can be sure that GOD will get the glory from both of them.
FAITH in God is essential to being the Christian that God has called us to be. Regardless of the outcome, lives have already been changed with what has already taken place.

Stay tuned for the details as they develop.
Have a great end week, I mean weekend.
TC
Romans 5:1

Worry

Last Night if you missed the guy/girl cell group, you just missed a great time of fellowship & growing together in Christ. Hey, I knew the Homecoming dance was Saturday night & thet you crashed sometime during the early morning hours of Sunday. I was once there myself. But now I am not. YAY for that !!!!!! WORRY, was our subject, of which we all do at some point in time. Regardless if we admit it or not. I worry if I am doing what I am suppossed to be doing in ministry. I worry that there are tooooooo many hurts in the students for me to ever address. I worry that I might miss opportunities that God has put right in front of me and I was too BUZY to notice. I worry if get into the Mary/Martha syndrome to often. But besides all the buzyness of just being involved in student ministry, I mainly worry about this. If I spent just a little more time in the word and less on wordly stuff, I just might reach one more student for Christ, then another and then another and so on. I worry that sometimes, well many times, it does cross my mind. Oh , I read alot, like all day long. But there is absolutely NOTHING like God's word. NOTHING !!!!!!!
Being of the older student minister sector, I enjoy my comfortable chair upstairs where I can kick back & just read & rest. There's no better place on the planet to sit and think and sit and read and just sit and dwell. Dwell on good things not bad. Things that are pleasing to God. Things of HIS WORLD and not of this.
Hmmmm, I think my chair is calling my name.
Till next time.
TC
Romans 5:1

Fields of Faith

When you get a "nudge" from God, I have learned, over the years, to act on it.
Today was a PRIME example of letting me know that GOD, knows what he is doing.
About 2 months ago, Merebear, (Meredith, for all you goober heads that don' know this outgoing & sometimes highly energetic middle schooler), was in the youth office helping her self to a few of the LifeSavers I convienently keep in a jar on my desk. I had just come from a Youth Pastor meeting about M-Pact. I ran an idea by her that seemed to initially bounce of her like a basketball off a backboard. So I figured," she's just not interested". Several days later she asked about that which I thought was a "no go". The next thing I hear is that several of the West Ridge students have taken the initiave to go to their FSC & FCA sponsors and ask if they can do it.
Well, today was the high point of their efforts was this morning at 7:25am at the West Ridge Middle School Football Stadium. 275 strong too. They quoted scripture, they prayed for each others, they sang, they fellowshiped and they encouraged others to stand up "for what they believe in". What they believe in is Jesus and the impact he has made on these students lives. Many times in student ministry you see students on fire for Christ and by the time they are seniors in High School, their fire has dwindled to just steam coming off a smoldering fire. But at times like these, I see a ray of hope for the future. I see students who will still be God Chasers well beyond their middle school years. It is indeed an honor to witness these students grow in Christ daily.
It is indeed an honor to be at the "best seat in the house".
It is amazing to know that God has a plan for everyone IF we go with his nudge.
TC

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day!!!

Another Monday rolls around. I caught myself daydreaming today. I was looking back to look forward....... "What did he just say?...... Well, in other words, I was thinking what road this student ministry is traveling on right now. So many times I see incredible students who come to church everytime the doors are open. Then they get their drivers liscense & their first car & then their first job and then they get involved in everything under the sun from school clubs and organizations to dancing groups and the like. Then all of a sudden I wake up one day & in Sunday bible study the number has slowly trickeled down to way to few to mention. The one time mighty army of incredible Jesus warriors has been swallowed by the world & are totally wore out from trying to work & do eveything under the sun PLUS a very tough school curriculum that you couldn't drag them out of bed with a wrecker on Sunday morning to do anything else but sleep.
I know where I'm coming from, so just bare with me & don't get a wedgie just yet.
Why should you get up on Sunday morning? That question I will just leave you hanging on for a bit. Like I have said countless times before, I start to get ready for Sunday morning on Saturday afternoon. I want all the clutter out of the way. That's just my way of being obedient.
I found an old student ministry planner book from about 5 years ago a few weeks back. I gazed with eager anticipation to reflect on some great memories and things we did. But to my surprize, it didnt have much stuff written down in it. But I did remember a few things. So I started to ponder on what I saw & realized something. Maybe we are doing too much & wearing out meeting together & everyone is getting tired of coming to church to play dodge ball & watch movies & play Christian Guard & cells groups & iron man & golden girls (may they rest in peace) much less Common Ground and Sunday bible study & oh yes CORPORATE WORSHIP, Lord help. I looked at other peeps web sites & saw an average amount of activities. So maybe we are just doing tooooooooo much stuff. Even when I offer a really good Discipleship class that will CHALLENGE YOU TO GROW IN CHRIST, only 1 person signed up. That was depressing. But I admire the one who did sign up. That person said that they knew that they needed to dig into God's word to be able to better share what they had found in Christ with others. THUMBS UP to AR.
I was looking forward to about 8 to10 students who I thought would sign up, to really experience God up close & personal with this discipleship material. Oh, well. I was told many years ago that I was only the messenger & that it was the Holy Spirit's job to convict to heart. So with that being said I will go back to my earlier statement.
Why do students so easily fall away from ther first love, Jesus. The blame falls on us. The leaders of this ministry & every student ministry on the planet. It is our job to do everything we can to encourage & to build up students who have such a strong conviction that nothing & I mean nothing can block their obedience to Christ. That by it's own actions of just being at student ministry functions means that they support this ministry and all it has to offer. Good & Bad. REGARDLESS.

To be able to do more & equip more requires three things
#1- Dedicated ministry workers
#2- Financial resources
and
#3- The Holy Spirit
not necessarily in that order.

The workers are few.
The resources are very limited.
But the Holy Spirit is so willing.
But it's all a matter of choice.

Till Next Tim, err Next Time haha

TC

M-Pact 2006

As I sit at home on the day after M-Pact. I am totally wore out. So I deceided to answer emails, comments & the like. But I catch myself reflecting over the past 4 days with some incredible stories and some truly amazing worship experiences. Like the consession stand worker who was working his jail time off in the ULM concession stand and came down to the floor & met Christ for the very first time and accepted him as LORD. This list goes on & on & on.
When M-Pact was in it's early "cocoon" stages, we had no idea of how this event would turn out. I admit, we were all a little nervous at going in a totally opposite way than YOUTH IMPACT have ever gone before and we have taken our criticism and "HITS" over it. M-PACT has bridged many gaps that just a few years ago were bigger than the Grand Canyon. But the fact is that THIS YEAR 86 students accepted & met Christ for the very first time. NO ONE can agree with that.
WE have received emails and comments about HIP HOP being NON-Christian & some went to the edge of saying it was EVIL. I say tell that to Toby Mac & KJ52 who have been impacting students for years with the gift of HIP HOP that God gave them....... HIP HOP is not my choice of the music. I prefer to listen to. But say Christ Tomlin, Mercyme and Jeremy Camp & you have my full attention. Just because some one doesn't understand it, does not make it evil.
I don't listen to bluegrass gospel or southern gospel either but I surely don't think it's of Satan either. It all comes down to where are students today, PLUGGED INTO MUSIC and Most aren't coming to church either. So my thoughts are to embrace the idea, go where Jesus did & go against the grain. If it draws students to Christ & that inward change starts to reflect a change in their direction of their lifestyle and their outreach to others, then all I got to say is MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
M-Pact 2207 is already in the early planning stages. HIP HOP may slide to the back burner, but my desire to reach students for Christ has gained momentum and NO ONE can ever take that away from me.
Till next time,
TC

Awesome Worship

Have you ever been given a vision?

Have you ever been given a vision & see it develop right in front of you?

Have you ever been given a vision & did absolutely NOTHIN' to make it happen?

Well that's just a God thing.

About last October, I started daydreaming about ministry. Student Ministry.
This Student Ministry to be more precise. I have probably have more daydreams, night dreams, visions whatever you want to call it in the last 6 months that probably the last 51 years totally wrapped up in one easy package. But here's what I dreamed about, thought about, written about and prayed about.

A Student Ministry that is not large in numbers but LARGE on their calling. Their calling, meaning their call to WORSHIP. Which is what we are all called to do. Last night was the first step of a journey. A journey which began with God. God placing me right here & right now FOR SEVERAL REASONS. Which is a 3 part matter. #1- To weather the storm yet to come(a church without a pastor) and #2- T0 keep the most prized posession this church has INTACT during yet another time of transition. What is this prized posession you may be asking? Well, it is this Student Ministry. Which has been through way to many transitions.
#3- To lead Students to the real meaning of what it means to be called a "Christian" and to insure their knowledge of the Gospels while Worshiping God with our daily lives.
The first two I'll personally take care of with the help of Derrick, Cristi, Heather, Josh and a few others. #3- Is where the meat and potatoes are.

I see just down the road ahead a different Hope Student Ministry. One that will "draw" Students not only for the Wednesday night messages that actually mean something. But for a true WORSHIP Experinece that is so XTREME that you are "wore out" when it's over.
A Worship Experience that goes beyond what most Students have ever experienced.
But to accomplish this STUDENTS have to be willing to "serve" and that all starts with prayer.
Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TC

A new chapter begins !!!!

"Life is all about change. It's how we accept that change that determines our future path".
"Life is all about choices. Some choose poorly, but some lsten to wisdom & choose wisely".

Have you ever heard me say these things before?
I say them for a reason.
I don't want you to make the same stupid mistakes I made growing up.
Why? Simply because I care.
ENUF SAID about that.

Now for the meat & the potatoes of the reason for the blog.
Two things came out of my message on Wednesday Night.
#1- We all have GIFTS for God & we are expected to use them. If we don't we will have to answer to God one day for not using them.
#2- Why do you come to church?
Do you come just to hang out with your peeps?
Do you come to get away from a troubled home life?
OR
Do you come thirsting for TRUTH?
Most people from middle school through adulthood simply don't believe there is 100% TRUTH.
TRUTH is found in one guy. Jesus Christ.
So why do we come to church anyway?
If you don't don't have the answer to that, then you need to be plugged in somewhere and fixing that problem.
We come to church to learn, to grow, to fellowship, to listen, to talk, to encourgae, to give hope, to connect and to humble ourselves before the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE, God.
Going to church is playing church. A very favorite famous quote of mine goes like this,
"We should be worshiping coming to church, instead of coming to church to worship".
Romans 12:1 talks about a living sacrifice.
That verse is talking to you & to me.
In a few weeks, during the Wednesday Night Student Service, we call Common Ground, I want us to start examining ourselves. Start looking on the inside to see what is changing on the outside.
Worship is many things to many different people.
For example: Coming to corporate worship.
Why is it always about the music?
Why is it always about, I didn't get much outta that preaching!
That message didn't do me any good today !
Why do people sit as far back in the church as they can get?

I know I just stepped on a few toes, it won't hurt long.
My point is this. There are 168 hours in a week. How much of that time are you giving to God in some way or another and how much are we making up excuses why we either didn't come or what we did or didn't like about something, including the corporate worship.
GUYS, its NEVER ABOUT US. It never has & it never will be. I like most every bit of worship or Christian music that exist (except for about 3) that I just don't relate to, but I still think if it glorifies God, I'm ok with it.
It's not about a certain kind of music, it's not about a pastor or a student minister, it's about that very special relationship with Christ that drives us. If you are lacking that aspect of your life then you my friend are living toward a dead end road.
There should be some " COMMON GROUND" where we as the body of Christ can mutually come together & focus for at least 1 hour a week on HIM & NOT on our minor differences.
It's about HIM, not us.

In Christ,
TC

Hmmmmmm

Have you ever been going 5 different directions & never going anywhere?

I guess what makes someone sit up & pay attention, is that no matter what you
do or how much you put into something, some people just don't get it.
I guess in a way it really doesn't matter to some but it does to me, so YES IT DOES MATTER.

You can plan and talk it up & put it all on a web site. You can print up posters & flyers and do all the right stuff that leaders are suppossed to do, but sometimes they just don't get it.
Frustrated, not really. I feel sad that a fellowship that could have gone deeper didn't. It didn't
because of the world's pull on today's students. For example last night. An amazing night of bonding with other students from other churches and other denominatons. A small but incredible group of middle school girls came & were blessed because they came.
There are SOOOOOOOOO many things going on in students heads these days it's amazing. School, homework, dancing, gymnastics, band practice, dating and relationships much less the jobs to buy the car & the insurance so we can all go faster & faster. Jesus is hardly on the Interstate but He is at the rest stops along life's highway and when we can take the time to stop, He is calmy waiting to talk about where you are in life. Sometimes you've got to slow down to grow.
It's never about us but ALWAYS about HIM.

Till next time,
TC

Labor Day

Here in the US today it is Labor Day. A day of rest to honor those who work. A day to reflect on the impact their effort makes on the country.

However, this holiday did not begin in America... God created a weekly "labor day."

Exodus 34:21"Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest."

It was a day to reflect on God's provision and to show faith in him. In that time people didn't get paid weekly or monthly. They got paid daily. A day of no work meant a day of no pay. A day of no pay meant a day of no food. Unless they trusted God to "give us this day our daily bread."

Are we trusting our effort and energy, or trusting God? Do we put more faith in our talents and abilities or in the ONE who gave us those skills?

Take time to thank God for the way he created you and for income you receive from those talents.

Amazed & bewildered !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#2 Points
8/30/06
11:07pm

Point #1- As I was delivering the message God so kindly had me change at 1:30am this morning, I sometimes sit in bewilderment at what you see from the "hot seat". The "hot seat", is my little RED stool that I have had for many years. I sit on it when I am delivering God's word. I call it the hot seat because when you are saying bodly what God's Holy Spirit wants you to say, well sometimes it gets HoT. Hot with a passion that hopefuly others will see & grab hold of what you are saying OR it can bring a flow of criticism. Either way, is fine with me. As long as I am led by the spirit, I can handle the heat of the tongue. I just hope the ones on the receiving end can handle the heat where they are likely headed. "The Law of the Lord is perfect for converting the soul." or is it? Accept or reject. Deal or NO Deal? The choices we make today determine our future path. To die to self means just that. Meaning it's not me it's the Holy Spirt that is saying these things. I am just the messanger. Shoot me if you want. But you'll have to take it up with the BIG GUY at some point in time. Nuf Said !!

Point #2- How can a person come to a worship service of any kind for 45 minutes and NOT remember anything that was said. Are you even on the planet with your daydreaming? Hello? God's word is the most powerful energy source in the universe and if IT does reach the very core of your existence, then you need a complete self-examination of a very false converstion that took place. Accepting Christ is a bold step and should NOT be taken lightly. God will NOT be mocked & God WILL judge you some day and probaby when you least expect it. Scripture tells us very clearly that "It is best to do a self check of one's relationship or non-relationship with Christ while you still have the opportunity, than to bear first hand the Wrath that is yet to come". At some point God will judge fairly to all.

So in closing tonight , I told all the students 3 little three phrases that are permanently imbedded in my brain....

I know who I am.
I know where I am going.
I know who I serve.

If you can't answer those 3 then you are headed down a dead end street.

In Christ,
TC

Yet another Sunday goes by

Doing the BLOG thing can be risky. But sometimes the inside needs to be on the outside. 2 things came into my mind today. Scarey I know. So here goes.

#1- I was sitting in church today listening to an abbreviated message (due to time factor) & I thought, "why are we (or some) so worried about getting out of church ON TIME?". WHAT'S the BIG DEAL?
Is the pot roast gonna get a little over done rather than digging into God's word?
So if we are 1o-20 minutes late going to bible study, are the ones who didn't bother to come to worship, gonna get up & leave because we are running late?
I don't think so.
Which sets up yet another question.
Why does time control us rather than us controlling time?
Isn't a clock a man made device to help us manage our time?
What amount of time is worth the price of some one's eternal future?

I loved today's message & thought it could go alot deeper "IF" time wasn't controlling us & we were controlling time. I think we need to let God control "our clock". The closer I am to hearing God's word through someone else, the closer I grow to him and that's all the difference in the world to me.
Another thought out of today's message and THANK YOU Bro. Jimmy for being BOLD enough to say what I have been asking for years.

#2- Why is it that in a church our size, I don't have a long list of concerned people who want to see today's student's (middle school thru college) so filled up with God's word, that they are about to explode?

That question I will leave for another day.
After I sleep off my delicious chicken. beef & steak tacos from CC Life tonight.
Ahhhhh
Night
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
In Christ,
TC

Movie Night

OK,
I was asked since the University of West Monroe has it's football jamboree on Saturday, I was asked several times, "Please TC can we do the movie thing on Friday night, please, please". I easily caved in & said YES.
So, To ALL YOUR HIGH SCHOOL dudes & dudettes, WHERE U WERE?
But, YAY for the Middle School group who poured out in DROVES andbrought some really kewl peeps with them. THANX guys. If you would like to know we watched the Chronicals of Narnia, thank you very much. That movie just ROCKS.

I would like to add that Molly, Julius & Billy were in attendance. I don't want to leave you guys out, even if Molly was the popcorn queen of the student lounge area by keeping hereslf entertained by bombarding Tyler with popcorn for hours. Go Girl, sixth grade guys probably deserve it. Well most of them do anyway.

Well maybe next time.
GO Rebs.
Peace out,
TC

TC's Blog

TC's Blog
Have you ever had a day when you just didn't want to get up? You knew you had to eventually, but you kept hitting the snooze button on your worst enemy, your alarm clock. Well, today was that kinda day for me. For the past two nights, I am wide awake at 3am. Why that time, I just don't have a clue.But in the past, God is usually trying to tell me something,and he always uses the quiet still of the night to tell me something. What that something is I still don't have a clue. I struggle to listen & I hear nothing. I keep asking myself why is this happening at 3am. I pondered on that question and came to the realization that my heart was just not right to receive it. God probably knows that something is just not
right. When I will be ready to receive, I just don't have a clue.
But I have a strong feeling that it EVERYTHING to do with being toooooo buzy. I try to do too much for one person, therefore reducing my times of quiet reflection in where God wants & needs me. So since school has now strated and the days are slowly starting to get shorter, I am going to learn how to say NO to a few things & just slow down. Maybe that's the ticket to a less cluttered mind and a more peacful lifestyle. Hey, Jesus knew when to back off & if he could , why can't I.
Time will tell.
Peace out
TC

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Have you ever been going so fast, you forgot where you going & what you were going so fast to do WHAT? Geez. Life seems to be going faster & faster. I really don't think Jesus in all his ultimate wisdom intended us to be doing this to ourselves. While all the traffic is going 90 to nothing, let's both slow down at some point each day & just breathe in so good clean air & say ahhhhhhhh!!!!
Bretahe in - Breathe out. Wax on - Wax off. You knew that was coming didn't
ya !!!! Ooops. I just rememebred , I haven't had my quiet time YET.
Till next time,
CU,
TC