(H)SELF

So lately I have really been trying to control my human tendency to be selfish. Through the last few months God has been making it clear that I have everything I need and SO MUCH MORE, yet I still want and think I need.  I "need" (emphasis on the apostrophes  ["need"=want]) to be recognized, noticed, acknowledged, exalted.

These past 3 days the staff here at The GBC attended the Newspring Leadership Conference at Newspring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. It was a day full of 7 of the best known pastors in America. It was 8 hours of sermon after sermon spoken by church leaders for church leaders. Needless to say, it rocked my world.

Of all the pastors that spoke, the one message that hit the closest to home for me was not from one of my "favorite" pastors. Don't get me wrong, I think this dude is amazing, but he's not one I typically watch sermons of online. His name is Craig Groeschel. Craig spoke on (coincidentally) my favorite verse in the whole Bible. That verse is Acts 20:24. At first I thought "Sweet! I'm definitely going to relate to this since he's using my favorite Bible verse." Well, I was right, but not for the reason I thought it would be. Here is the verse:

 

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. 

- Acts 20:24

 

Craig broke this verse down into 4 points. I'm not going to type every point he made, but I am going to share the 2 things that absolutely destroyed me and my ego.

 

First, his fourth point was selfless passion. He talked about how we say that we agree with this verse, but it's so easy to say and extremely difficult to live. Think about the first sentence "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me...". Who have I been kidding all this time I've been a Christian and lover of this verse?! Of course I consider my life worth everything! 

 

Second, he made a chart with 3 levels - Me, We, and God. The Me level is all about those who want to make a name of themselves. They want to be noticed. We is all about the "look at our church and the difference we're making." This is a step up from Me but still selfish. Finally, the God level is focusing all attention, all glory, all acknowledgement, and all exaltation on our Creator. After explaining all of this, Craig asked people to stand if they felt like they were in the Me category, then the We, then the God. Here's where I'm going to be very transparent: I stood on the Me category. Sad but true. The Holy Spirit had hold of my heart saying "You're always wanting people to notice you." I couldn't argue. I struggle with being noticed by more than just 6-12 graders and their parents. That's crap! The Bible says in Colossians 3:23-24: 

 

 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

 

 Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly in the We category as well. I am so proud to be part of such an AMAZING church, and I let it be known, but then again, I'm taking the emphasis off of God, making it sound as if our church is awesome because of Us rather than God.

 

In closing, I just got out of the shower. I do a lot of thinking while taking a shower, mowing my yard, anything that has a constant noise to block out the world's noise all around me. The Holy Spirit just gave me an amazing idea that I will not go into major detail with but would like to share the main point of what I believe He is telling me to make into a sermon series.

 

"FLESH" is "SELF"spelled backwards with a silent H. Hence the title of this blog: (H)SELF.

 

A spelling coincidence? Perhaps. Coincidence that I thought of  it? Not a chance. That was all God.

 

I just hope and am striving to make it to the God category level where Kingdom-minded selfless passion is all I know.

 

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

- Galatians 5:24

STEP UP

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? - 1 John 3:17

Hey GBC,

I can't tell you just how much I LOVE MY CHURCH and how much it excites me to see all of you stepping up to serve our community. For example, we distributed over $2,000 between four ministries that are literally changing lives thanks to the pennies your children brought in at VBS! I just watched a sermon last night talking about how we are to serve the non-Christians, the less fortunate, the poor, the hurting, the lonely and how everything we do for "the least of these" (http://bit.ly/duc0Tf) is free for them. We are to expect nothing back. But, obviously, it isn't free for everyone. Pastor talked about this on Sunday when he mentioned there being many needs in our area. To a "normal" church this may sound like we are begging for your money. Nope. I just want to encourage you to step up and help those in need in our area. Get involved in all that we have going on here - between the soup kitchen that 5:16 does once a month, Angelfood meal donations for families in need, Celebrate Recovery on Friday nights helping those with hurts and hang-ups,  AMPED's upcoming trip to Evansville Christian Life Center, etc. There are so many people in need all around us, and we offer so many amazing ministries here at The GBC to help them. Go to our webpage here: http://bit.ly/o6MQVm if you would like to get in touch with any of the ministry leaders. Just speaking from a personal standpoint, our students decided they want to do more than just go and serve for a day at the Evansville Christian Life Center on July 20. They want to bring items that the center uses every day to serve the less fortunate. We have a list of these items on the Welcome Center outside the sanctuary as well as a drop off box just inside the doors at the church.
Let's step up. Let's Be The Change.
Love. Grow. Serve.

Bart Wagner
Student Minister
students@thegbc.net

NUMB3RS

 READ THIS FIRST:
http://bit.ly/ojdMoJ

Believe it or not, I'm constantly being given a hard time about my obsession with numbers when it comes to attendance. One thing is true: if you are so worried about attendance that you spend all your time figuring out how to get people to church but never actually heavily invest time in God's Word with them, preparing them, discipling them, and just plain getting to know them, then the numbers obsession is a stumbling block. But we should never be happy with just having the same kids/people in our youth groups/church each week. Proof: http://bit.ly/5NHTMv  I heard this in a sermon that I watched this week, and I am actually going to preach about it in one of my sermons this fall: God is exclusive in that there is only ONE way to Him (http://bit.ly/3cURCT). God is also inclusive in that He invites us all to walk through that door known as Jesus. We as the Church can NOT be content with keeping our faith to ourselves. We may have a personal relationship with Jesus, but it is NOT to be kept quiet! Our motto in AMPED is making disciples that make disciples that make disciples that make disciples...etc. You get the point. (Making disciples that make disciples [for short]). I love how the guy (a high school pastor) ended his blog: "If that’s what being “all about the numbers means”…then yep, I’m all about the numbers, just like Jesus and the apostles. I want more…"  Awesome. Jesus was always on the lookout for the lost, hurting, and lonely. Let's mirror that here at The GBC. He also never turned away or ignored anyone in need of His saving grace. Neither should we.

Bart Wagner
Student Minister
The GBC
www.thegbc.net

School's Out For Summer!

Well, so far, it's been an awesome summer. VBS rocked! I still find myself singing the songs. Carrie Butler and I led the students (incoming 5th graders through outgoing 8th graders). We had between 45 and 50 each day just in our group alone. Wow, she was a huge help! Thanks Carrie!

Last Wednesday we rented a 12 foot outdoor movie screen and watched Transformers out on the grassy knoll. The students loved it! Thanks Kevin, Richelle, Carrie, and Meagan for helping set up the BIG screen and serving snacks, drinks, and cleaning up!

You may notice how much we appreciate our volunteers. That's because they ARE the backbone to our ministry...any ministry!!!

Reminder: this next Wednesday 6-7:30 is Human Air Hockey. It's one of AMPED's favorite games. Basically we put an enormous tarp in the grass and cover it with baby oil, shampoo, shaving cream, chocolate syrup, and anything else slimy and slippery we can get our hands on. We then take a watermelon (the "puck") and smear vaseline all over it. Two teams line up on each side of the tarp. When I call their number, members from each team rush out and try to score the "puck" through their goal.

AMPED and parents: Don't forget about "Just Lunch" at Sandy's on Thursday, July7 from noon to 1 p.m. Yes, it is what the title says: Just Lunch. It's a way for us leaders to meet with the students off the church campus to see how their summer is going, what they're up to, etc.

Wednesday, July 20 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. we are going to be serving at the Evansville Christian Life Center. Personally, I am most excited about this event. This will give our students the opportunity to serve the less fortunate in our own community and see that there are many people in need all around us.

We will be leaving for our summer mission trip to Newport, TN on July 31 and returning August 5. The average household income in the state of Tennessee is 43,000 a year. The city of Newport is just half that. While there, we will be hosting a kids club for two days to minister to younger children and also doing home projects for the locals the other two days. Please keep AMPED in your prayers, as this will be an eye-opening trip!

Jackie and I have been meeting with our small group leaders for this fall, and they are on fire! Parents, your kids will be in good hands with these leaders! We have also started a student leadership program. We've only chosen two students to start with. After all, this is new to us as well. The goal of AMPED is to make disciples that make disciples. We have been watching for about the last 6 months or so, and the two we chose to start with have shown very good leadership capabilities. These include: good attendance to class and events, serving others, having a good attitude, praying and speaking up during lessons, and, of course, love for Jesus and giving Him their time daily. We have given them some material to study throughout the summer and are meeting with them periodically to touch base with them. We are very excited about this!

And finally, the LOUDHOUSE Back-to-School Bash is Sunday, August 21 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. We will be grilling out, having blowups, and worshiping Jesus. I'm stoked for this because each Sunday evening after this, we will be having LOUDHOUSE weekly! This will be AMPED's very own church service. We will be beginning and ending with worship as well as a sermon given by your's truly each week. We will also be taking up an offering.

Sorry for the novel. There is just so much going on in AMPED and at The GBC! The best is yet to come!
Love. Grow. Serve.

Bart Wagner
Student Minister
students@thegbc.net

My Jesus high

I'm still (happily) feeling the effects of the high from Sunday. Wow, this place was so excited about God's calling. It was so amazing to see people step up to join the church. We 100% believe God is calling us to go mobile, but that does NOT mean we don't need your prayers! We can't make this decision without Him, and we can't try to do it on our own even after we are out of this facility and in a new one.
Hebrews 11:6 says: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
It is obvious why I put this verse. We always hear about the first part, but we must also look long and hard at the last part: He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Church, if we want a facility that will better accommodate our ever-growing needs and ministries, we must passionately ask Him what He wants, and most importantly: how we can be used!
Before I end this blog, I just want to say one thing to all my GBC fam: I love you guys. I've never felt so much love, nor have I heard other people say the same so much as what I do now. There is a reason we are growing both spiritually and in numbers. Because we aren't doing church for church people. We are following the Great Commission.
Have a great week. Be praying for Easter and inviting EVERYONE!!!
The best is yet to come. Hosanna!!!

30 DAYS TO A WHITER SMILE!!!

      I have an obsession. Call it O.C.D., peculiar, self-conscious, whatever. But when it comes to my teeth, I am obsessed! A normal day for me is brushing, flossing, and using mouth wash 4-5 times. I have no idea why. It's something I have dealt with for about the last 10 years or so. So before coming into work today (while brushing of course), I was thinking how my obsession relates to our walk as Christians. At this point you're probably thinking "this dude is off his rocker." Allow me to elaborate.
      First I had to ask myself "Why do I do this?" The question wasn't at all hard to answer.
1. When I smile, I want people to see my shiny ivories. I want people to think "wow, he has pretty teeth."
2. I don't want people to think "holy crap, his breath reeks!"
      Then it occurred to me how hard I work to hide what's behind that "pretty" smile. I'm putting up quite the facade. Although much of what I think never becomes vocal, the smile I work so hard on is just a cover-up. When someone just really ticks me off, I try to just flash the pearly whites and walk away. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad thing, but it causes me to hold it all inside...which leads me to my next point of this bizarre blog.
      Last night at AMPED I issued a challenge that will start this Monday, January 24. It's called the "A.P. 30 Day Challenge". My lesson was all about the benefits and biblical reinforcement of having an accountability partner (hence the "A.P.") I mainly pulled this lesson from two verses - one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament:
1.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 -  Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
2.  James 5:16 - Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
      We discussed how when it comes to choosing an accountability partner we can't just settle for whomever. It takes one important thing...PRAYER! We must ask God to send the right person our way. It also takes time. People don't just earn our trust over night. Trust is time-proven. Just like when investing, we don't choose a single stock that's only been around for a year. No, we choose a mutual fund with a good track record. (Thanks Dave.) We also need to find someone who is on the same page as us spiritually. If that person isn't living his/her life for Christ, we may be good for them, but they will just be a stumbling block for us. You will NOT find a suitable accountability partner in gossip groups! One thing we've tried to ingrain in our students heads is that if someone is gossiping to you, they WILL gossip about you. An A.P. must be trustworthy and discreet. And finally, once the A.P. is in place, we must get past the mundane and surface level conversations. We must move beyond:
                                                     "Sup?"    "Nuttin"
                                       "How's it goin?"    "Fine."
                 "Think it's gonna snow today?"    "Hope not."

      So what's the A.P. 30 Day Challenge? Starting this coming Monday, January 24, our students must choose someone to pray with a minimum of once a day for 30 consecutive days. They will each be given a sheet of paper that they both must initial each day after praying together, and they must both pray! Each one prays for the other. After all, that's what an accountability relationship is - two sided. They can pray together one of two ways: either in person or verbally over the phone...no praying via texting! At the end of the 30 days, we will be taking those that didn't miss a single day out to eat to celebrate.
      Obviously, without giving them ample time to pray and find the A.P. that's right for them, they don't have to be 100% transparent. The point of this activity isn't to find a life-long A.P. It's to get them in the habit of having one, holding that person accountable, being held accountable, and praying and caring for someone other than themselves.
      Jackie and I would appreciate your prayers for the next 30 days for AMPED. We believe this will be an eye opening and life changing month for them.

Bye Bye 2010

        After a little downtime stuffing my face, spending time with family, and opening presents, it was time to get back into the swing of things with our December 29th LOUDHOUSE. This LOUDHOUSE's theme was "TRANSFORMED". We discussed the before and after effects of knowing Jesus and how through Him our lives are completely and forever transformed. The band started it off buy playing and singing "What I've Done" by LINKIN PARK, which by coincidence (or was it???  ;-)  hmmm...) is the theme song to the movie TRANSFORMERS. Get it? TRANSFORMERS...TRANSFORMED. There ya go. Our guest speaker was Josh Dilbeck. Josh blew everyone away with his amazing testimony of how God completely broke him in order for the transformation to take place. Ryan Harpe followed up with a great message and an invitation to accept Christ. 5 students gave their lives over to Jesus that night! One student even said it helped him/her in a MAJOR crisis he/she was dealing with in his/her life. Praise God! After giving out the prizes to those whose name got drawn, Jackie and I had one more surprise for them. With money that AMPED had earned by buying and selling LOUDHOUSE bracelets along with a very generous donation from a couple who mean very much to me, we were able to buy our students something they kept hinting about even though I told them we didn't have the money. At the end of LOUDHOUSE we told them they had an hour to hang out downstairs, eat, play pool, the Wii, air hockey, and then told them there was one more thing. We then flashed up on the big screen their new toy: a brand new XBOX 360 and KINECT! They went nuts. The hardest part was peeling each of them away from it so someone else could have a turn. haha! 
        
        Well, 2011 is here. Here are just a few of the upcoming events:

1. This Sunday at 6 p.m. downstairs in the AMPED High School room we will be having a mission trip meeting for this summer for parents. Afterward from 6:30 to 7:30 we are having an UNSEEN meeting for all parents and volunteers. Please come and let us know where you would like to help!
                
2. February 4 we are going to Louisville to Winter Jam. 10 big name Christian bands for $10!!!                
    
3. February 11 is our second annual UNSEEN.

4. February 25-26 is our trip to Nashville for Acquire the Fire (ATF).


For more info, please see our calendar on www.thegbc.net under Ministries-Student Ministry-Calendar or e-mail me at students@thegbc.net.

p.s. Easter at Gibson Southern is just around the corner!!!