FAMILY PLUS High School - Sept. 22

Hi HS Parents!

This past Wednesday night was our "Give It Back!" night. We had high school students serving all over our campus. Students were praying, planning, worshiping, picking up trash, cleaning out trailers, leading children, and several other things - it was a GREAT night! We learned some things about how we can tweak it going forward, but overall - Robert and I were both excited about opportunities for your students to serve and to watch them step into them.

This coming Sunday we will wrap up our series on "Destinations." David Watkins will be leading our group this Sunday discussing "Judgment." Some of the questions your students will discuss during class time are:

1 - How does it feel to wait for judgment from a teacher? Your principal? Your parents?

2 - What fears do you have about the final judgment?

3 - How does someone get their name in the Book of Life? Can your name be erased from the Book of Life? Why or why not?

Next Wednesday night will be our "Transformed" night where we ask students to bring their lost friends to hear the gospel clearly communicated. We will offer a dedicated/intentional time of response for your students and their friends to step into or rekindle a relationship with Christ.

Don't forget that by this time next week high school students will be on the road to New Orleans. We will have a special prayer of commissioning for them this coming Sunday at the end of the service.

Hope you're having a GREAT weekend!! Let me know what I can pray about for your family.

-Michael

FAMILY PLUS High School - September 15

Last Wednesday night was our "Give It Here" night - the night where we focus on teaching. On our last Give It Here night, we discussed the ordeal of God leading His chosen people out of captivity, and how He moved in with them in a tent. That set the stage for Jesus moving in and becoming one of us. Last night, we made the connection of Jesus sacrifice leading to His moving into US - that WE are the temple.

Part of our discussion focused on the story where Jesus ran the money changers out of the temple. I shared with students how those who wanted to make sacrifices were being taken advantage of by those selling animals in the temple, and how infuriated Christ was that someones forgiveness was turned into a price gouging opportunity for the money changers. To illustrate His disgust with it, we had David Gai-Chis read passionately the text in Matthew 21:12-13 while having Chris Lee play the role of Christ turning over the table. Check out the Scripture reading here and the Video of Chris and David

This Sunday we will be in our third week of destinations. We'll move from our conversation last week about what heaven will be like to the other destination and what hell will be like. We will discuss questions like:

1 - Why do some people choose not to believe in a real hell?

2 - How do you think hell will compare to other "bad places" you may have experienced?

3 - How do you think it might feel to be separated from God for eternity?

Any time I teach on hell, I do so with an extremely heavy heart. I would covet your prayers this Sunday as we discuss a sensitive topic for all of us and step right into a reality that non-believers and believers alike would many times wish to leave undiscussed. 

Don't forget that this coming Sunday is the deadline to signup for New Orleans and receive the discounted rate. Let me know if there's something I pray about for your family.

- Michael

FAMILY PLUS High School - September 9

Hi HS Parents!

This past Wednesday nights was our "Give It Up" night where we focus totally on adoring God and worshipping Him. Our student worship team led our group in worship, then we broke up into separate groups and read prayers from the Psalms to God. We closed the evening by receiving communion together. It is a very rich experience watching your students kneeling together reading Scripture, lifting hands in worship, and preparing their hearts to receive communion. I also asked students to share any prayer requests with me by writing them down on a card and leaving at the altar during our last worship song/communion. They were very honest and transparent in sharing the struggles they are having and the things they dealing with. I will continue to pray through these over the next few weeks.

This Sunday we will be continuing our new series on "Destinations." Students will be discussing:

1. What comes to mind when you think of heaven? what sights? what sounds? what smells? 

2. What is the best part about heaven for you?

3. What comes to mind when you think of worshiping and serving God forever?

Don't forget that the deadline to sign up for New Orleans is next Sunday, September 16. Cost is $175. After Sunday, the price jumpes to $225, so please take advantage of the discount by signing up by next Sunday.

Please let me know if there's anything I can pray about for your family.

-Michael