elevate young adults

stuffchristianlike

2009-07-07T11:03:00.001-05:00

here's a link for all of you to check out: http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
#574. Grumbling

If the Stuff Christians Like book sells well I’m probably going to fund an event called “The Church Olympics.” The competitions will range from VBS scissor skills to prayer shot blocking to palm branch sword fighting. There will be dozens of events but the one that I think will draw the most spectators?

“The complain off.”

In this thrilling bout of athletic prowess, each church that enters the Olympics will put forth their greatest grumbler. They will find their best complainer, the person who is never happy, never tired of whining and forever spreading verbal vinegar or paragraphs of poison and then put them on top of a platform. The platform will be ten feet high and will be sticking out of a pool of Miracle Whip and Cinnabons. (Miracle Whip is like mayonnaise’s underachieving cousin and Cinnabons smell roughly 900% better than they actually taste. So as they’re falling the loser will briefly think they’re about to land in a delicious cinnamon roll. Nope. Just a Cinnabon slathered with Miracle Whip.)

Each person will yell their best church-flavored complaints at the other person until only one is left standing.

I try to be a pretty positive person most days but I could probably win this event. Know why? Because I know the greatest church complaint ever – “I’m not being fed right now.”

That is the worst because it’s one of those complaints designed to inflict hurt while at the same time making you look super spiritual. And every time I hear someone say it, I want to ask three things:

1. Are you doing the simple things right now?
When people say, “I’m not being fed,” what they’re really saying is, “This church is too surface for me. These sermons are too simple. I want to dig into the meat of the Scriptures. I want to explore the deeper mysteries of God.” And at the heart of it, desiring to explore God and dive deeper into who He is can be a wonderful thing. But when we get drunk on the idea of “not being fed,” we often skip right over the “simple things” and focus instead on the “complex things.” We lose sight of the simple things like “loving our neighbors” and “being salt and light.” So when someone tells you, “I’m not being fed,” ask them how they’re doing on the simple things. Ask them if they feel like they’ve completed the “easy things” like loving God and loving others and are therefore ready to move on to the meatier topics.

2. Who are YOU feeding?
"I’m not being fed” is such a “take” statement. It’s about me making sure my needs are met in my life and taking what you’re giving to do that. But if the desire to get fed is truly from God, there should be a large degree of giving present in the person’s life. If feeding is important to them, there should be evidence of them feeding other people. Even if you feel like the sermons are too simple, have you shared that simplicity with people at work who don’t go to church? Are you feeding people further down the line from you? Are you taking the small seed of knowledge you feel like you received and scattering that in your neighborhood, your community, your workplace? If the answer is no, then you’re not really into feeding. You’re into devouring. Devouring things for yourself, and that’s completely different than feeding.

3. Is this something the Pharisees would do?
I think this is a litmus question we should ask ourselves constantly. If I took the complaint, “I’m not being fed,” and placed it in the New Testament, who would be saying it? Is that something Jesus and the disciples would say to each other, or is that something the Pharisees (old school religious law zealots) would say? If the little Pharisee on your shoulder ever chimes in, “Great point. Thanks for letting everyone know how we feel,” about something you’ve said, you’ve got a problem.

Ultimately, a member of your church might blow off all three questions and still beat the “I’m not being fed” drum loudly and proudly through the halls. These are not silver bullets, and depending on how deeply someone is in a complaining funk, they might ignore a thousand questions you ask them.

But if they refuse to listen to you, the least you can do is make sure they enter the Stuff Christians Like Church Olympics. Who knows, you might think they’re an amazing complainer but maybe there’s a dude in Ohio whose complaints are so solid your friend will end up waste deep in a pool of Miracle Whip. Which in a weird way is win-win for you.

Posted by Prodigal Jon at 3:00 AM 35 comments
Labels: church culture, stuff Christians say

Christmas Party at the Guintos

2009-02-24T11:16:00.007-06:00

ELEVATE CHRISTMAS PARTY

2009-02-24T10:35:00.005-06:00

Christmas Party at the Guintos

2008-12-11T13:48:00.003-06:00

Christmas is just around the corner and I just want to greet you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Just a reminder, on Saturday Dec. 20, the Elevate(Young Adult) will have Christmas Party in my house, and everyone is invited. We will have a White Elephant as usual; and carry our Elevate tradition every year...if you are wondering what it is, then you'll just have to find out!

Here's the address to our place: 14803 W 93rd St. Lenexa, KS 66215. USA

See you!
Ptr. Ferdie

GRILL MASTER

2008-09-26T15:31:00.000-05:00

"Fireproof" The Movie -

2008-09-12T15:24:00.007-05:00

Hey guys!

I am glad that some of you guys got to go to the lake trip, and for the rest, well you have another year to plan for this trip again. I hope you guys make it next year. We all had a blast.

Anyway, this month of September, instead of having fusion night on the third Saturday of September, we will have it on the 4th Saturday instead. We would like to encourage all the couples in the church to plan a movie night with the couples in our church at Studio 30, Olathe. They are showing this movie called "Fireproof" and it has received excellent reviews.

So mark your calendar and email me at ferdie_ian@yahoo.com for more info or just post here in this blog. We will provide a babysitter and we will try to make it to the 4:15 pm show. The child care drop off would be on the Hasketts.

Well, I hope you guys had a wonderful summer.

Ferdie

Fireproof

2008-07-30T14:54:00.005-05:00

Hello guys,

Please visit www.fireproofthemovie.com for more information about this movie. It has received good reveiws from various movie critics and will be showing on September 26, 2008 (Friday). It is a must see movie especially for couples.

FERDIE

Lake of the Ozarks

2008-07-18T15:02:00.004-05:00

Hello guys!

Lake of the Ozarks is coming up soon! August 22nd -24th (Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon) Check out or blogsite for more information.

Pastor Bill and Wendy will be there to join us for Love, Courtship, and Marriage session on Sunday morning.

Don't miss this year's all fun experience at the lake. Remember, "What happens in the lake, stays in the lake!"

Here are some few pics from last year's trip. Enjoy!!!

Hancock vs. Iron Man

2008-07-10T17:49:00.007-05:00

Hey guys!

Have you seen any movies lately?! I know some of you guys like horror movies (I'll give you a clue... these two look very much alike), drama, adventure, comedy, action and the on and on... but I heard cool things about Hancock and I will definitely watch this movie. I thought Iron Man is the best action movie I've seen this year. What do you guys think about this?

I would like to open up this blog and ask you guys: "What recent movies have you seen that brings out some moral truths that we can learn from?"

Ferdzman

July-August

2008-07-08T13:33:00.005-05:00

These are some things coming up and happening the next couple months.
*Men's Softball on Monday Nights
*Drive-in Movie on July 19th (2 movies will be announced later)

*Coffeehouse hang out Fusion Night on August 16th
*Lake of the Ozarks trip August 22-24th

+Wednesday Night Bible Studies, Sunday School and Home groups!

2 Month schedule

2008-02-25T11:43:00.005-06:00

Saturday, March 1
- College Age Worship night in coffeeshop at 6:30PM

Saturday, March 8
-Young Adult Couples Home Groups at:
Jeremy Jerguson's home
Brandon Jameson's home
Kevin Juhl's home
-College Age Bible Study

Saturday, March 15
-Fusion Night Movie Night

Saturday, March 22
-Young Adult Outreach
-College Age Hangout?

Saturday, April 5
-Fusion Night March Madness! Final Four

Saturday, April 12
-Young Adult Home Groups
-College Age Bible Study

Saturday, April 19
-College Age Worship Night

Saturday, April 26
-Young Adult Outreach Night
-College Age Hangout?

progressive dinner

2008-02-16T12:00:00.001-06:00

fusion night tonight at 6:30pm.

start at church for appetizers.
pastor ferdie's house for main dish.
cold stone creamery on the plaza for dessert.

come join in the fun!

young adult brochure

2008-02-04T12:30:00.000-06:00

here is our new young adult brochure...we recycled the picture for the blog title but the title will change from time to time.

oh and if you click on the pictures you can have a closer enlarged view of them and can actually read what the brochure says.