Sr High Parent’s Update – May 15th

Posted by kevinnorcross on May 16, 2013 in Featured, Parents, Youth Workers | 0 comments

Navigate – Week 1

May 15 2013

 

Leaders,

Everyday we are forced to navigate through the challenges and opportunities that life brings our way.  As we navigate through this mess, we need to follow Paul’s teaching and “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (I Corinthians 9:24)  We must keep our focus and attention on God in order to Navigate through the mess.  There is constant temptation for us to put our focus and attention on the things of this world, but that will get us in a lot of trouble.

 

Goals…

• To get to know your group and build relationships
• To understand the mess that we need to navigate through
• To remember that God is the only “prize” that we should pursue

 

Conversation Starters…

• High’s and lows
• Would you rather … live in a world with no problems OR live in a world where you rule?

 

Dig a Little Deeper…

• Is there anything that stuck out to you from the message tonight?
• What are some of the big things that you need to navigate through?
• Is there anything specific that you are navigating through right now that you want to talk about?
• What does it mean to see God as the “prize?”
• What are some things that we can do to pursue God?
• Why is it good to keep your eye on the goal?
• What are some other things that you are tempted to pursue as the “prize?”
  • How could pursuing these things get you in trouble?
  • Do you find it easy or difficult to put your hope and faith in God?
  • Do you think it is worth it to take that step of faith?

 

Personal…

• You could share about a time in your life when you put God first
• You could share some of the things that you have to navigate through

Applications…

• Pray with your students
• Challenge them to make put God first

 

Key Scriptures …

 

1 Corinthians 9:24

“Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

 

 

 

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Jr High Parents’ Update – May 7th

Posted by joshblack on May 8, 2013 in Featured, Parents | 0 comments

 

Parents,

This week we started our second last series before the summer hits! We’re only eight weeks away, and it’s incredibly hard to believe. This spring has flown by, but it’s been incredible. Our new series is titled ‘No Perfect People Allowed’ based on the book by John Burke. If you’ve never heard of it or read it, it’s definitely worth a read. It talks about how churches can truly approach the idea of imperfection. When it comes to our Jr Highs, a lot of times they know that they have imperfections. They know that they might not treat people perfectly all the time, they have not have the greatest devotional life, and they might think that they don’t have the necessary skills to succeed. Over the next four weeks we want to help them understand that despite their imperfections, God wants to use them. This week we talked about Moses and how he learned to overcome his imperfections to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, knowing that God would use him.

Here are the follow-up questions that I had their small groups leaders ask:

Question 1: What are some imperfections that you have in your life that you find tough to deal with?

Question 2: How do you think God could use you despite those imperfections? How has He done it in the past?

Question 3: Have you ever felt like Moses in the way that over and over again he refused to believe that God could use him?

Question 4: Why do you think we decide that God can’t use us, even though we know that God can use anyone?

Out Key Verse:

11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

Exodus 4:11-12 

Here are three things you can be praying for this week:

1. That our students would begin to understand that despite their imperfections, they can be used by God.

2. That as parents, you would learn to accept your own imperfections and overcome them to follow God’s plan.

3. That our students would continue to seek God in everything that they do, and truly begin to live out a life devoted to Christ.

Thank you so much for the example that you set week after week.

Josh

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Sr. High Parent’s Update – May 8th

Posted by kevinnorcross on May 8, 2013 in Featured, Parents, Youth Workers | 0 comments

Static – Week 4

May 8 2013

 

Leaders,

Life is busy and there are always so many things going on that grab for our attention.  There are friends and family who we want to be with.  There is school and studying that take up so much time.  There are so many fun things going on around us to get involved in.  In the midst of all of this, God has called us to filter through the noise and focus on Him and give Him our praise and worship.  As we make the choice to focus on God above all things, the greatness of God drowns out the noise going on around us.

 

Goals…

• To get to know your group and build relationships
• To talk about worship
• To encourage the students to filter through the noise to hear truth

 

Conversation Starters…

• High’s and lows
• Would you rather … free starbucks for a year or free itunes for life?

 

Dig a Little Deeper…

• Is there anything that stuck out to you from the worship experience tonight?
• Why do you think some people raise their hands during worship?
• Why do you think that some people close their eyes during worship?
• Why do you think that God wants us to worship Him?
• What do you find difficult about singing and worshipping God?
• What do you love about worshipping God?
• What do you think it means to be genuine in your worship?
• What are other ways that we can worship God?
• Share something with the group that you learned tonight about worship

 

Personal…

• You could share about a time in your life when worship was helpful for you
• You could share some of the struggles you have faced in worship

Applications…

• Pray with your students
• Challenge them to make the best of the opportunities that they have in the future to worship

 

Key Scriptures …

Hebrews 13:15

Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

James 5:13

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Psalm 95:1-2

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

 

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Sr. High Parent’s Update – April 24th

Posted by kevinnorcross on Apr 25, 2013 in Featured, Parents, Youth Workers | 0 comments

Static – Week 2

April 24 2013

 

Leaders,

The reality is that friendships are super important.  It is important in scripture and it is important in society today and especially for teenagers; they value friendships a lot.  Each of us must recognize that we need to choose our friendships carefully because each friendship has an effect on us either positive or negative.  It is important for each of us to choose carefully a few people who are willing to walk close with us and to help us move towards a healthy relationship with God.

 

Goals…

• To get to know your group and build relationships
• To recognise the impact that friends have on us
• To encourage the students to choose their friends wisely

 

Conversation Starters…

• High’s and lows
• What station was the most fun for you?

 

Dig a Little Deeper…

• Is there anything that stuck out to you from the message tonight?
• Can you think of a friend who has a positive influence on your life?
• Can you think of a friend who has a negative influence on your life?
• “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”
  • Do you agree with this statement?
  • Why do you agree or disagree?
  • Thinking of the chair illustration …
    • Would you say that you have more people pulling you down?
    • Would you say that you have more people pulling you up?
    • Are there people in your life that you are walking alongside with?
    • Why do you think it is important to be a part of a small group throughout your life?

Personal…

• You could share about a time in your life when friends were there for you
• You could share about a time in your life when friends led you down the wrong path
• You could share some personal experience to explain why choosing the right friends is super important

 

Applications…

• Pray with your students
• What changes could you make moving forward?

 

Key Scriptures …

Proverbs 18:24

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity

Proverbs 16:28

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 12:26

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Matt 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

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Sr. High parents update – Apr 17th

Posted by kevinnorcross on Apr 18, 2013 in Featured, Parents, Youth Workers | 0 comments

Static – Week 1

April 17 2013

 

Leaders,

In order to filter through the noise and hear from God we must first understand what to listen for.  Tonight we are going to focus on how to study and interpret God’s word.  Not simply stating the fact that bible reading and study is important, but actually going through some scriptures and breaking them down.  We are going to look at the classic story of Jericho.  Hopefully by the end of tonight, we will all have a better grasp on how to study scripture and filter through the noise to hear God’s truth.

 

Goals…

• To get to know your group and build relationships
• To recognise the importance of bible study
• To talk through the “how to” of studying scripture

 

Conversation Starters…

• High’s and lows
• Do you think you could break that tv with a bat … AKA is Kevin a wimp?

 

Dig a Little Deeper…

• Is there anything that stuck out to you from the message tonight?
• What are some things that would be considered “noise” in teenager’s lives?
• What would you say is one of the loudest “noises” in your life?
• Is scripture reading an easy thing or a tough thing for you?
• What is the difference between something being “TAUGHT” and “CAUGHT?”
• What are some reasons why a commitment to daily bible reading will change your life?
• Why is daily bible reading simple and yet difficult?
• Have you tried reading your bible and found it to be tough?
  • Why was it tough?
  • What do you need to do to overcome those challenges
  •  

Personal…

• You could share about a time in your life when reading your bible had an effect on you
• You could share about a time in your life when reading your bible was tough or challenging
• You could share some practical things that helps you focus on reading your bible

 

Applications…

• Pray with your students
• Do you want to make a commitment to daily Bible reading?

 

Key Scriptures …

Joshua 6:1-21

 

 

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Jr High Parents Update – Apr 16th

Posted by joshblack on Apr 17, 2013 in Featured, Parents | 0 comments

 

Parents,

Let’s start a new series! Last month’s teaching series was incredible, and it was so cool to see small groups take what we were learning to heart. Over the next three weeks we’re going to be looking at the idea of habits, and what they mean to us a Christ followers. This week specifically we talked about how to develop habits, how we can decipher between good and bad habits, and finally, what the Bible says about habits, and the importance of developing Godly habits. We  took a look at what Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4, and how it relates to our lives today. Over the next three weeks, try to take a moment to talk to your students about good habits you’ve been able to develop, and speak to them on a personal level. It’s one thing to hear from me up front the habits I can develop, but when they hear that you also have similar good habits, and have had to weed out bad habits in the past, they are really able to connect with what you’re saying!

Here are the follow-up questions that I had their small groups leaders ask:

Question 1: What habits are evident in your life? Are they good or bad? Do you think they fit in your life, and make you a better person?

Question 2: What types of good habits do you know that you need to develop? How are you going to do that? What things will you have to cut out to make room for those habits?

Question 3: In 1 Timothy 4, Paul knows the importance of telling Timothy about developing good, Godly habits. How can you be like Paul, and tell others about developing good habits? Who could be the ‘Timothy’ in your life?

Question 4: Why do you think you need to develop Godly habits? What will you see change in your life personally? Will it matter?

Out Key Verse:

Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 (Msg)

Here are three things you can be praying for this week:

1. That our students would find habits in their lives that shouldn’t be there, and have the courage to cut them out of their daily life.

2. That our students would develop Godly habits and find room for them day to day so that they grow stronger in their relationships with Christ.

3. That our students would see Godly habits in your lives, and that they would follow your example daily.

Thank you so much for the example that you set week after week.

Josh

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Sr High Parent’s Update – April 10th

Posted by kevinnorcross on Apr 11, 2013 in Featured, Parents, Youth Workers | 0 comments

 

 

Servant Leader

April 10 2013

 

Leaders,

Tonight we had the chance to hear from the team that went down to Sanctuary Toronto during March break.  If you have had the chance to go on a trip or visit or even hang out with someone who went, you would quickly realize the huge impact that these trips have on people.  One thing that I notice about these trips is the immense amount of time that the youth spend serving Sanctuary and the people involved.  This is the type of leadership that Christ modeled to us.  Tonight’s questions come out of a book that I have read and studied called “The Servant Leader – Transforming your Heart, Head, Hands and Habits” By Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges.

 

Goals…

• To get to know your group and build relationships
• To better understand why Christ was a servant Leader
• To talk about what the other students learned from their trip

 

 

Conversation Starters…

• High’s and lows
• Who has been on a missions trip before?

Dig a Little Deeper…

• Were there any stories that stuck out to you from tonight?
• What do you find interesting about the sanctuary trips?
• What do you think it means to be a servant leader?
• How did Christ model this concept of being a servant leader to us?
• Why do you think God calls us to lead and live our lives this way?
• What do you think it means to have the HEART of a servant leader?
  • Raising up the next generation of leaders
  • Life is about what you give and not what you get
  • What do you think it means to have the HEAD of a servant leader?
    • To gain an understanding of Jesus’ leadership model
    • What do you think it means to have the HANDS of a servant leader?
      • To actually follow through on what you have learned and live it out
      • What do you think it means to have the HABITS of a servant leader?
        • Before something can become a habit, it must be first practiced as a discipline
        • Understand and live out the habits that Jesus had when He walked the earth

Personal…

• You could share about a time when you went on a trip and what that meant to you
• You could talk about what is fulfilling and challenging to you personally about serving

 

Applications…

• Think of one thing you could do to serve someone that you are in relationship with and be a servant leader

 

Key Scriptures …

Matt 23:11-12

¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Matt 20:25-28

²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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Jr High Parents Update – Apr 9th

Posted by joshblack on Apr 10, 2013 in Featured, Parents | 0 comments

 

Parents,

This was the final week of our It’s a Miracle series. It’s been so awesome to be able to teach on the miracles that Jesus did and how they related back to His character. This week we really wanted to be able to end off the series on a really positive and energizing note. We’ll finished off the series with the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead, and how it reflects Jesus’ character. We saw through this story that Jesus was willing to do crazy and unheard of things to bring glory to God, and that He was always committed to keeping His promises. He promises Lazarus’ sister in John 11 that Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death, but in life. A lot of times for our Jr Highs, it’s hard for them to understand the idea of kept promises. Between friends, family and people around them, there are a lot of promises that are broken. When it comes to Jesus, He keeps his promises, and this can be such a relief for our students. We also gave our students an opportunity this week to pray with their leaders and either to recommit themselves to living like Christ,  or to make their first commitment to living like Christ. It was a really unique moment that many of our students took seriously. We hope that it was an experience that they won’t forget.

Here are the follow-up questions that I had their small groups leaders ask:

Question 1: Throughout this series what are some of the characteristics of Jesus did we talk about? How were you able to put these characteristics into practice into your own life last week?

Question 2: Jesus was able to do some crazy things throughout the gospels that led to God’s glory. Why do you think that these crazy things led to giving glory to God, and why was that so important to Jesus?

Question 3: Why do you think that its so hard to keep promises? Do you find it hard to believe that Jesus was able to keep all His promises? What do you think that means for us?

Question 4: Over the past four weeks we’ve learned a lot about Jesus, but we can’t stop there. What is your next step? What are you going to do about what you learned?

Out Key Verse:

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

John 11:4

Here are three things you can be praying for this week:

1. That our students would take what they learned in this series and build on it, constantly being more like Christ.

2. That the students who made the decision to follow Christ for the first time would become deeply connected with Christ, and feel brand new.

3. That you would be able to challenge your students to continue to live lives devoted to following Christ.

Thank you so much for the example that you set week after week.

Josh

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Sr. High Parent’s Update – April 3rd

Posted by kevinnorcross on Apr 4, 2013 in Featured, Parents, Youth Workers | 0 comments

No Average Joe – Week 5

Resurrection

April 3 2013

 

 

 

 

Leaders,

As the aftermath of the Easter weekend passes and we look forward to the spring and even summer, I think that it would be fitting to pause and reflect again on the cross and the resurrection.  As we remember the cross it is good to realize that it was not just the weight of His body that brought on death but it was also the weight of our sin.  He died and rose again so that there would be victory over death and sin.  We are able to find new life in Him because of what he did for us.  The resurrection is such a crucial and critical part of the gospel, it is definitely worth our time and effort to dive into it and understand it better.

 

Goals…

• To get to know your group and build relationships
• To better understand why the Cross is so crucial
• To learn, discuss, and think about Christ’s death and resurrection

 

Conversation Starters…

• High’s and lows
• Anybody still do an Easter Egg hunt?

 

Dig a Little Deeper…

• Share something that you learned new tonight about Jesus’ death and resurrection?
• Do you think it is cool that Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies?
• What proof of the resurrection sticks out to you?
• Empty tomb, broken seal, disciple’s courage, eyewitnesses, Saul’s conversion, martyrs
• With so much evidence about the resurrection, why do you think that so many people still don’t believe?
• What are some things that you are skeptical about?
• Talk about the phrase “born again” … what does that mean to you?
• “Dying precludes resurrection” … how does that apply to our lives?
• What does it mean to “embrace the humility of salvation?”
• How should Jesus resurrection and what He did for you on the cross change the way you live your life?

Personal…

• You could share about when you gave your life to Christ and what that meant to you
• You could talk about what the difference of religion VS relationship means to you personally

 

Applications…

• Think of one thing you could tell a friend who asks a question about Easter or Christ or Resurrection?

 

Key Scriptures …

Prophecies

Hosea 6:2: After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Power of the Resurrection

Phil 3:10 I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Romans 8:10-11

Promise of Resurrection

Rom 6:4-8

2 Tim. 2:11 If we died with him, we will also live with him.

2 Tim. 2:12 If we endure, we will also reign with him.

 

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Jr High Parents Update – Apr 2nd

Posted by joshblack on Apr 3, 2013 in Featured, Parents | 0 comments

Parents,

This was the third week of our It’s a Miracle series. So far we had touched on when Jesus healed the Centurion’s son and when Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda. This week we moved into one of the more notable and famous miracles in the New Testament, when Jesus and His disciples feed the five thousand. Most times when we read this story, we only see the way that Jesus feeds everyone, but normally we don’t notice the way that Jesus leads his disciples to perform the miracle. Jesus points out to His disciples that the people are hungry, and then Andrew notices that there is a boy in the crowd with bread and fish. From there, Jesus enables His disciples to hand out the food until everyone is fed. I love the idea in this story that Jesus is enabling His disciples to help perform the miracle. We see in this story that Jesus was a humble and selfless leader, who was continuously showing his disciples what it meant to be a leader.

 

Here are the follow-up questions that I had their small groups leaders ask:

Question 1: Who in your life would you say is a selfless leader? What characteristics do they show? Why would you consider them selfless?

Question 2: What do you think was so significant about Jesus allowing His disciples to lead? What do you think it meant to the disciples for the future?

Question 3: What are some areas that you can see yourself leading in? Would you consider yourself a leader, or would you consider yourself a follower?

Question 4: How can you see yourself using these character traits that Jesus has showed us to become a better leader, and even a better person? What are some steps that you can take to start?

Out Key Verse:

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

John 6:10-11

Here are three things you can be praying for this week:

1. That our students would understand the importance of knowing about the Character of Jesus, and how they can mirror His character.

2. That our students would be encouraged to dig into God’s word on a daily basis and learn more about Christ.

3. That you would have the courage and strength to walk step by step with your Jr Highs as they engage in this journey.

Thank you so much for the example that you set week after week.

Josh

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