United Student Ministry Culture
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
For those of you guys who are new the last couple of years. You may have noticed this poster over here and though what is all that. Those of you who have been around a long time may remember when we went over all this. I think it is important that if these things are going to continually be engrained in our culture our make up of who we are. We remind ourselves of them. Because as a group just like us as individuals, if we leave who we become to chance, to our own desires, or leave it up to what the rest of the world is becoming. We are not going to be the followers of Christ, the church, or the student ministry that will please God.
Mission Statement: Lead Students to become more like Jesus so they can radically transform their world for Him.
1. Jesus is Better
1. Jesus is Better
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Paul had everything a man from his culture could have ever wanted. He was respected, He had a great job, he was considered as religious as you could be but he reached a point where he looked at all he had accomplished and looked at Jesus. And he said Jesus is better. and now that he knows Jesus all of things that used to matter so much to him he considers them rubbish, dung, excrement.
If We didn’t believe that what you find here in Jesus wasn’t better than what the world is telling you will satisfy you. I wouldn’t be here. I love you guys too much to lead you in a direction that won’t satisfy. Every single adult here has looked at their life, seen what is out there, and said Jesus is better. That is what we want for you. If you truly believe that Jesus is better you will find satisfaction, joy, and peace, no matter the circumstances. Paul was in prison when he wrote that. And he still said Jesus is better. If we had an entire student ministry that believed that Jesus is better there is nothing God couldn’t do through us.
2. We Like to Party.
2. We Like to Party.
But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Celebration is an appropriate response to lives being changed. God is not against fun. God is the source of all joy. It is ok to have fun together. We like to have fun here. You guys make it fun. I told Nick the other day as I get older and get busier, I am getting less fun and I hate it. but being around you guys, you remind of the joy of simply being together, weather it is getting super messy, playing basketball, having a silent dance party, or singing kareoke. You guys are fun. We got to keep that.
3. Everyone Contributes
3. Everyone Contributes
from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
We all have different gifts. You have a gift. and when you arent here or you arent using your gift. It doesnt just hurt you it hurts all of us.
Back pinched nerve.
We need every one of you to contribute. Look at the example you have being modeled for you in our college students.
the church was made to be full of contributors not consumers.
If we all become consumers we will take and take until there is nothing left. God did not make you to come in here and sit and then go about your week. He gave you specific gifts and talents to contribute. some of you are encouragers, some of you can a, some of you can lead, some of you can discern, for some of you giving comes easy, some of you are great at finding how you can serve. Whatever your gift is use it. And if you don’t know. do everything until you find it.
4. We are Worship Leaders
4. We are Worship Leaders
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
When I say we are all worship leaders I don’t mean everyone needs to be singing on stage. Trust me you don’t want me singing. But we are to lead other people to worship with how we live our lives, how we praise God with our words, songs, and actions. A worship leader is someone who leads someone to worship. We can do that on stage singing, we can also do that by sharing the story of how Jesus saved us, and letting people know why it is that you worship. If the lives of every person in this room pointed people to worship our savior. Imagine what this room would be like when we put words to our worship in song.
Worship is not about the quality of the music it is about the quality of your heart. God prefers a beautiful heart with a bad voice, way more that a beautiful voice with a bad heart. If everyone in this room had your heart what would worship be like? Present your heart to God as a sacrifice. He will change it and enable you to lead not just yourself into worship but others as well.
5. We are People Bringers
5. We are People Bringers
So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.
How can we grow this student ministry? how can you leave it better than you found it after you graduate. You got to bring people. And im not talking about trying to get students that go to another ministry to come here. I am talking about doing what the woman at the well did. She encountered Jesus and went and invited others to encounter him as well. When is the last time you invited someone who doesn’t go to church? When is the last time you invited someone who’s maybe not your crowd, but you know that Jesus can change them the way he changed you.
Inviting your classmates to come here isn’t about us growing our name or coming to here from me because I am so great. It is about bringing them in so they meet Jesus. If we truly believe that he is better shouldn’t we want them to have him too? isn’t inviting them the best thing you could do for that person.
The only reason I am standing here today is because someone invited my grandpa to a church volleyball league in Brandon Florida 40 years ago. It was through the witness of those guys that he started taking his faith seriously, got my grandma, dad and aunt in church. Through the power of Jesus broke the chains of alcholism that was a death sentence for every Hampton male going back mulitple generations. The invite wasn’t what did all that. But it was through that invitation that my grandpa encountered Jesus, and Jesus changed everything because he is better. Through a simple invitation you have the opportunity introduce people to Jesus who can change them, their children, and their children’s children, and everyone who they invite to meet Jesus for all of eternity.
Lastly for tonight the one you guys like to make fun of. Every time I say something slightly negative
6. We are Tone Setters.
6. We are Tone Setters.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Excitement is contagious, joy is contagious, positivity is contagious, But you know what is also contagious Gossip, being uninviting, apathy, negativity, treating each other badly, a consumer mindset, being accepting of sin, are all contagious.
I am reissuing the challenge to you all set the right tone. When people step through that door they need be able to feel what we are all about even if they cant define it yet. We need to set the tone. We don’t let our culture, our unbelieving friends, our friends who claim to be Christian but aren’t living like it set the tone. We set the tone because we believe and live out that Jesus is better.
We set a positive, welcoming, encouraging tone because it is important that people can tell there is something different about us. not because we are so awesome but because we have encountered the one who is truly awesome.
What type of tone are you setting in this building? at school? at your extra curriculars? at work? at home? This should be the easiest place to set a tone where we are surrounded by other believers. take advantage of it, use it as practice for when you are in places where you are out numbered.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I want to end tonight a little bit different. I want us to spend some time praying first for yourself that through Jesus transforming you he would help you live out these things. That you would truly believe Jesus is better, he wants you to have fun together, That you find your place to use your gifts, That your life would lead people to worship, That God would place a burden for your lost friends on you that you can’t ignore, and that you would help set the tone that will help people encounter jesus. and then we are going to pray that as a group we would do all this better together than we could ever do apart.
1. Jesus is Better
2. We Like to Party.
3. Everyone Contributes
4. We are Worship Leaders
5. We are People Bringers
6. We are Tone Setters.
Questions:
Take some time go around and list things that we believe Jesus is better than that the world would say he isnt. (don’t let them just say everything challenge them to get specific)
Which of these things do you think we do well as a group? Which is the one we need to improve on the most?
Which of these things do you personally struggle with doing? How can you improve that this week?
