Successful Student Ministry

LOVE LOVE THIS!! TOOK it from Perrynobles blog and as a student leader this has really helped me a lot!! Enjoy :)

#1 - Support and Vision from the Senior Pastor

If you are going to have a thriving student ministry you’re going to do so because you’re leading volunteers and students with the same heart and words that are emphasized in every major platform of your church. I cannot accentuate this point enough. The best-case scenario for a ministry that ignores this point is a ‘flash in the pan’ momentary success that ends up splitting a church up because there were 2 visions…aka Di-Vision. Student ministers that embrace their leadership’s heart for people will avoid frustrations and pave the way for a healthy church long after their season of leadership is over.

#2 - Teaching the Bible

Every human being on planet earth needs the Gospel. Humanity is universally broken and therefore everyone needs the good news of Jesus Christ. No matter the demographic, the Gospel is the universal language of life and hope and healing. Preach it. Say ‘no’ to other things/activities in order to say ‘yes’ to teaching the Bible. Otherwise we are not being the church, but rather some kind of new version of the YMCA or Boys & Girls Club or daycare. Every student in our ministry needs the life altering words of the Bible.

#3 - Evaluation and Follow Up

Once your vision is clarified and the wins are known, then evaluation and follow up is a next step. This is where momentum really starts to get built. Challenge. Change. Progress. Find a way to weekly celebrate the people that are doing a great job in your ministry area. Don’t just talkabout how they are doing a great job, but talk to them about how they are doing a great job. What you celebrate is what others will replicate, so work on the art of celebration. Likewise, you must point out the opportunities for improvement and you must talk to the individuals that are responsible for improving (this is a true test of love). Commit to this discipline weekly with your team leaders. It will change your culture.

#4 - Relationships with Students

Relationships are the glue of every ministry. They are what take a ministry from a one night of the week gathering to an everyday of the week lifestyle. Truths may be preached from the platform but they will be learned and applied inside of the context of relationships. We must value them. Cultivate and celebrate leaders who make this a priority. Remember what you celebrate is what they will replicate, so make a big deal about relationships in your ministry. Leader, you must model this, not simply say it.

#5 - Grit…Willingness to work hard!

WARNING: Here’s my soapbox. Historically, I think lots of student ministries don’t win because of good ol’ fashion laziness. If you’re the youth guy who plays video games all night, sleeps in every morning and are constantly the last one to staff meetings… WAKE UP! Heaven is real and so is Hell. Jesus taught the parable of talents and I think it’s a great parable for youth workers. God might bless you with something more if you invest what’s in your hand now and stop burying it in the back yard. Don’t whine because someone else has more. Realize that there is no one with a greater voice and opportunity to change the future of the church than you and the folks you are pouring your life into.    

The secret place

The secret place is where you hear the father heart of God speaking to you. The voice that is powerful yet tender. You will know what the father heart is thinking of you, over your situation. Come back to the secret place, blessed are those who have yet not seen and yet believed. 

The secret place is more important than those seen in the open. Every prayer, desperation, cried in secret, even in the barren times you felt nothing and not see the reaping, it moved the Father the most. Because it's Faith that moved the father heart of God. Come back to the secret place.. just you and Him

The secret place is where you hear the father heart of God speaking to you. The voice that is powerful yet tender. You will know what the father heart is thinking of you, over your situation. Come back to the secret place, blessed are those who have yet not seen and yet believed. 

The secret place is more important than those seen in the open. Every prayer, desperation, cried in secret, even in the barren times you felt nothing and not see the reaping, it moved the Father the most. Because it's Faith that moved the father heart of God. Come back to the secret place.. just you and Him

Merry Christmas 2013

It's that time of the year again, every year I wish I have enough to be able to give gifts to everyone. Unfortunately, for a recent graduate that does not have a full time job for a couple of months its not easy to do that. I've come to realised I'm going to give what I can and have, be it if it is just a small Christmas card. If people can't accept that, then they are basing their friendships on what they receive rather than being remembered and just being together. I dislike the feeling of not being remembered (who doesn't?) especially during times like Christmas. But what I want to do is to let y'all know you are remembered and from the bottom of my heart I wish EVERYONE including strangers, aliens, stalkers, friends that I have not spoken to for awhile a MERRY CHRISTMAS to YOU!! yes YOU!!!

Splatters and Bouncers

“Our response to discouragement holds the key to our future.

I’ve noted two types of people in the world: splatters and bouncers. When splatters hit the bottom they land with a thud and stick like glue. No matter what you try to say and do, there’s no use trying to pick up a splatter who has fallen flat. Bouncers on the other hand, pull themselves together and rebound after hitting the bottom. Give them a little bit of encouragement, and they will ride it back up to the top.

Everyone who falters has a choice: are you going to get up or give up? The difference between the splatters and bouncers lies in their attitude. Splatters bemoan their fate and blame others for their problems. Bouncers learn from their failures and find supporters to help them recover.”

John Maxwell

ExMe

Check out this awesome site!

www.exme.info

First post of 2012

I know I have not been updating my blog but I have been through a lot last year. There was a lot of stretching and growing for me which is painful... I think for the next few weeks the posts that you will read will be just a room for my thoughts, I'll post my thoughts publicly and not sugar coat on anything so if you would to join me in my journey of faith you're welcome to :)

For years I have dreamed of becoming a leader in the church, to do great things for God and extend his Kingdom. Last year the pastors in my church approached and asked me if I was willing to take the next step and be a leader.

I took the offer but little did I know I actually had second thoughts of becoming a leader in the church. I had a lot of flaws and saw myself as incapable of leading other people. I do not love people wholeheartedly, I really dislike doing administration and planning for the church or life group, comparing myself to other leaders I feel that I am so far behind. I feel like dropping everything and just go back to being a regular member serving in the church.

I don't know, the feeling is weird because I did not have this kind of feeling before I became a leader, I was more passionate, had plannings for the group/church and dreaming with God but now it seems that I just don't want anything to do with this even though I know the calling God has for me. I think it's lack of confidence and all the negative thoughts that just get in my head.

Those are just my ramblings but if anyone who knows anything about being in leadership or has anything experience please feel free to share, your comments will be greatly appreciated :)

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year to Everyone!! So what is your plan and resolution for this year? I know one thing for sure is to update this blog more often !

Off to Singapore and Malaysia

For the next two weeks I'll be going to Singapore and Malaysia for a much needed rest, to get away from the busyness, computer, and work. Not only that it'll be a resting period but I want to use this opportunity to enlarge my capacity spiritually as well. I can't wait to eat the good food, do some shopping and visit City Harvest Church, I'be been waiting all my life to visit the church and now is my opportunity :)

One of the simple yet most powerful thing I have learnt to do in my life is to make a list. As I'm going for a holiday I made a list of what I needed to do and buy, as a student teacher I have learnt to write a list of what I need to do for my class and my students, even in ministry I need a list of things that will help me focus on what I need to do rather than focusing on things that will burn me out or things that are not important.

Write down your problems, the things you need to do, your vision, your dreams. Fab asked me to plan what I intend to do in the next 5 years and what to achieve, along that the strategies on how to get there. It's simple but yet you'll realized how much it will help you in your life and how powerful it is :)

'Write the vision, make it plain...' Habakkuk 2:2

apologies + giving significance

Gone are the days where I used to update my blog at least once a week, and post posts that will somehow encourage different ones who stumble/follow this blog. I have been caught up with my teaching that I hardly have anytime for this anymore, but today I just had this sudden thought to check on my blog and I remember why I started writing this again, and I remembered that I wrote

"My heart is that through this blog, lives can be touched, bring encouragement and revival to their hearts. "

I do apologize that I have not been doing that lately but I will try and update my blog more.

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I do however has learnt something for the past month on leadership which is to give significance.

Have you ever been to a conference and experienced something great? Have you ever been to a restaurant and the food tasted like heaven? If you answered yes, then there's got to be someone who has had a hand in making that happen.

Say 'thank you' - people love it when they are appreciated, they feel valued. It's simple but sometimes we don't do that often!

Text them, phone them and let them know! People will wonder if the things they did really was significant. Let them know that they count and they ARE significant.

Here's an excerpt from an email that I received from my high school teacher 2 years ago after telling her how much her teaching has helped me do well in my IELTS exam.

Hi Jason,

I can't tell you how much your email has meant to me. It is so rare in this job to get any sort of thank you, but your email helps me continue to believe that even though many students don't say it, they are thankful for the work we put in. Well done on your IELTS result. I still continue to examine IELTS and know how rare such a great result is.

Be a person that will give significance today! :)

Teaching

Gonna be my first placement for this semester tomorrow! I'm just praying for the kids to be good and I can teach well ... will be teaching math...algebra to be exact.. got to love algebra :)

Water Baptism

Loving this! Spontaneous Water Baptism, and really captures the importance of it, be blessed :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh4SFQP3RRY&feature=player_embedded

80 Followers and counting

So I have not update my blog in awhile because of my busy schedule with work and class, when I logged on to blogger to edit some posts I noticed I have 80 followers on my blog....wow! I have never imagined that it will reach out to people around the globe. It does not seem like a huge number compared to other celebrity bloggers out there but it is huge to me. It brought me a sense of achievement and joy that through this blog, it has touched lives and brought revival and hope to different ones.

I might not be a good communicator but I hope that through the revelations that gave me life, I hope that it too will bring you life =) Thank You and Bless ya!

Passion- Where is it

I remember people saying to me that they love my passion and zeal for God. How it inspires them and wants some of that passion for themselves. I'm always in passionate in my worship, prayer and everything I do for God.... However somewhere aorundthis year I have never been so down in my life, I have never experienced this in my 5 years as a christian. Like a marathon we give up once we are out of breath, or we feel that our legs can't move on anymore and we give up. I felt like giving up, felt like throwing in the towel and say 'okay I give up, I can't do this anymore'. The pressures of life, of people, money and the sense that everything is meaningless begins to set in. Where is my passion and purpose?

I believe that this statement I read from an article is true.. it says

People quit because they no longer believe in what they are doing.

I did not believe that I could make a difference

I did not believe that I could make an impact in an individual life

I did not believe that God loves me

I did not believe in my dreams

I did not believe in my destiny

I was drained and weary

...almost to the point where I decide to just drop everything and be a spectator or heck even change church for a season. (nothing against my church) just felt like running away

It took awhile, but thanks to God and my best friend and the most beautiful angel that God sent me (Baby Angela). She had to put up with all my complaints, pmsing and lack of passion, but with all her encouragement I managed to pull through. Seriously this girl is amazing.

God has been speaking to me about my mind, the thoughts that I think and along with the 'seasons' of my life. You see Jesus had to go through a season in his life where he had to be tested in the wilderness. Jesus was tested in His Identity and His Destiny (all these from Angela, see how amazing she is??) and resisting the temptation, the devil flees THEN the Holy Spirit came on him with Power. Are we utilising the Power of the HS in our life because the bible says the devil left Jesus until annother opportunity comes and when that time comes we have to overcome it with the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have seasons of spring time where there are dancing and singing with full of grace

or the summer season where we are tempted and needing to overcome like Jesus was in the wilderness

or the Autumn where we will begin to reap the fruits of what we sowed

or Winter season where we feel like losing our faith, and everything is just cold, even our hearts are cold.

No matter what season we are in. The key lies in the power of Praise, to praise God when you do not see it, to Praise God when you don't feel like it. why? because God is good and His love never fails even if we fail because when we are unfaithful, He is faithful. (2 Tim 2:13) He is our Hope, the anchor for our souls. That's just who He is. Know that God is out there holding YOU in His hands.

You can hope, you can rise, you can stand

He's still got the whole world in His hands-

33 Miles, Arms that Hold the Universe

What Faith can do

I have lost my dreams, lost hope, lost purpose.... but the lyrics to this song really spoke to my heart. Hope it blesses you too

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you're stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Listening to and Hearing God's Voice

I did not write this but I got this from facebook and thought I would share this wonderful article

Listening to and Hearing God's Voice:

All of us need to hear G-d’s voice, but for most this is very difficult. In reality I took it for granted. Then my Iraqi daughter Lina said to me one day, “Daddy you always talk to us about hearing G-d’s voice but I can’t, He doesn’t talk to me”. I then started to think HOW? If my dear Lina did not hear it must mean that many others can’t hear as well. She was one of the most spiritual people I knew. I started to teach her and others how to hear G-d. It was not very long before she was coming to me saying G-d was saying to her about me. I told Caroline my wife back in the UK what G-d was saying to Lina. Caroline reminded me that this was not the first time this had happened and young people in Baghdad had come to me before telling me what our Lord was saying. She told me that G-d was telling the young people because I would not listen to what G-d was saying to me about me.

This was actually very true and that day I learnt a major lesson! G-d will speak to us about our self. It is possible to hear God's voice? Since G-d is a person, who desires intimacy with those who he calls his friends. God wants us to listen to his voice - he created us for that very purpose. In fact, I believe everybody hears G-d speaking. The real question is - is it possible to learn to reliably recognise G-d's voice when we are listening for it?

The answer is most definitely YES!

G-d is not human – G-d is Spirit. So we would expect that listening to G-d might be a bit different from listening to another person. Is not that much different, because humans also are spiritual beings, made in the image of G-d, and created for communion, and therefore communication, with him. G-d has built numerous ways into the creation by which we hear Him speak. Some of these are:

1. Human conscience

2. Awe of his created world

3. Our spirit can respond to his Spirit

4. He can 'speak' thoughts into our mind

5. The witness of the Holy Spirit - e.g. inner peace

6. He speaks through other people

7. Spiritual gifts, such as prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, wisdom, knowledge, discernment of spirits

8. Dreams and visions

9. His written word, the Bible

10. And the primary revelation of God - his Son Jesus Christ

In addition, G-d has provided ways for us to test and confirm whether what we are hearing is accurate and if we are really listening to God. This is because His is not the only voice we might hear. We can, of course, listen to our own thoughts, but it is also possible to hear the thoughts of others and of angels and evil spirits.

There are a number of effective ways for people to sharpen their spiritual hearing and discernment, For example, did you know that the human imagination is not only intended for us to make things up? Or, did you know that human memory not only recalls information from our past, but it is crucial to our ability to imagine the future?

I want to finish with three ways G-d has spoken to me. Two of them through young people and one directly to me this week. The first was through my Iraqi son David (Dawood) It was about 4 years ago. I had a very important meeting one evening with some Islamic leaders. I was due to go there with some Iraqi politicians and their security. David said “Daddy you cant go to the meeting tonight”. I said it was very important and that I had to go. He then told me that G-d had told him that I must not. I had never taught David about how to listen to G-d he just seemed to know when it was G-d talking. He became increasingly insistent even laid down in front of the door to prevent me going out. Eventually I gave in. The next day I learnt that most of the people I was meant to go had been killed in a serious attack when I should have been with them. I learnt that night that the voice of G-d had indeed come through a young teenager.

The next was earlier this year. I had another session of my stem cell treatment. The day after it I am usually back at work as normal. That night when Lina was sleeping she dreamt that Jesus came to her and told her that I had to stay in bed another day. Lina was the young person I had taught about listening to G-d. She was the person that my wife said G-d had told because she was one of the few people I would listen to. I did listen and I was far better after the treatment than times before.

The third voice came just three days ago. It was during my 20 minute rest that I try and have each afternoon. In a dream I remembered that I had certain dreams in my life all of them had come true apart from one. I had always wanted to work in Anaesthetics, I did. I wanted to be a priest, I am. I wanted to work in the Middle East, I do. Then finally I wanted to get married and have a family. I have this but I wanted one extra thing in that family, I wanted a daughter who would one day work with me and travel with me. It may seem a strange dream but I am rather a strange person. G-d said to me ‘you have a daughter, her name is Lina, she is about to start working with you, she will travel with you and I have given her the 5 year multiple entry visa to the UK”. I woke up, the TV was on and playing G-d TV. Andrew Warmack was speaking about dreams and how G-d wanted to give us our dreams because he loves us so much and wants the best for us. I suddenly realized that our Lord had indeed given me all of my dreams in ways I could not have imagined. I do indeed love Lina like my own blood children. If she was born in the UK she could not be in Iraq with me. She has been to the UK twice with me and call Caroline, Mum Caroline. It is unheard of to hear of an Iraqi getting a multiple entry visa to the UK for 5 years. This to is the work of G-d.

So in this situation G-d spoke to me through something that had already happened, a dream and the TV. So we need to be aware that G-d does indeed speak to us in a multiple of ways. We just need to listen with all our senses.

Andrew White

iPod magic - technoillusionist

This is so cool that you have to watch this.... Presenting Marco Tempest world's premier technoillusionist.

as per usual if you're reading this from facebook here is the link


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvXqXcVF5S8&feature=player_embedded#at=198

connect

A word that I got today from God is that sometimes we connect with God, we get the experience and we think that is enough. Enough to get by our day, we think that it is enough because we encountered God. It's good but its more than the encounter we get in the room, it goes beyond the church, the friday night service, the connection we get in the room. Its turning the connection we get from an experience to a relationship. If we go to God just for the connection to make us feel good then we are protituting God.

The fruit of the encounter will cause us to love Jesus more, not a life of discipline going 'oh I must love God more, I have to pray, I must read my bible' but these disciplines are the result of the heart being set on fire from God. You see when someone loves you, our response is to love them back if not a one way love is not a relationship at all but it takes two party loving, connecting and communicating with one another. I remember the days of my youth (I am still young mind you) when I first encountered the tangible presence of God. I cried for half an hour non stop, repenting and at the same time bowing before the king amazed at how much He loves me. The result was getting the filth in my life, living for Him, wanting to worship God more and reading the word of God. I'm not saying I'm perfect, days I struggle and I think that is why God reminded me to turn that experience to a relationship when I connect.

I just want to encourage you to turn your experience to a relationship. Loving Jesus, Loving people more. Being set apart for Him and eat the goodness He has for you from the word

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. " John 15:5-6

Watch this

and if you are reading this from face book here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mkXyPQ6HdA&feature=player_embedded

So I have not blogged for ages been busy with my assignments and exams and next week I will officialy be a pre-service teacher teahing math and business. I'm pretty excited yet nervous at the same time. nervous because of all the math and business concept that I got to re-learn so I can teach the class again.

Besides that I have sense in my heart that God is going to do something great in Griffith University and the wonderful city of Gold Coast, I can just feel it. People are rising up, with a burning desire to see God's kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven. Signs and wonders will be released and life will be touched. It has been too long since we had a salvation and I long to see that again! Key to revival: start off with praying praying praying and prayer that moves us into action!