Sr High Parent’s Update – May 15th
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
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
more infoSr. High Parent’s Update – May 8th
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
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 …
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
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
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
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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