loveless clothing line

I got family in the clothing biz!! My cousin-in-law Chris Phillips is launching a clothing apparel line--loveless--

Here is the message from their facebook group...

Why Loveless?
Our message is simple: Loveless to love more. We know what it means to pursue and love things that are meaningless. Our passion is to love and focus on the people and causes that matter most. Through a unique set of divine twists and turns in our respective lives, we were brought together to create something bigger than ourselves. We believe that leadership manifests itself through service. At Loveless we hold fast to the communal pursuit of Love and Freedom.

"Premium artistic apparel…global vision"

more LOVE LESS hate
more LOVE LESS oppression
more LOVE LESS hunger

I love the designs! Clothing with a purpose, it's almost Biblical (ha ha ha) Go Chris-Bring the Love!!!!

check out more to come at www.lovelessapparel.com

calling young adults!

I am really excited about the ways in which we are increasing our growth, support, and connection for young adults at Resurrection. Some new things to check out...

--Our new "minister to young adults", Nathan Webb, has set up a new young adult blog, managed by Nathan and his team.

--Join the facebook group titled "Resurrection Young Adults".

--We are searching now for a new staff position focusing on College-Aged young people. This person will serve out of student ministries, alongside Nathan, with the goal of reaching post high-school up through young 30's. Check out the job posting here.

Camp-week 1 is here

Over 200 8th-12th graders will arrive at youthfront south beginning Monday. I am always excited for camp weeks. It was a camp where I truly recognized the deep relationship I have with Jesus. I look forward to the walls coming down around kids and adults hearts throughout the week. This year's theme is simple, yet profound.

God's Story

Monday-Creation
Tuesday-Seperation
Wednesday-People of Promise
Thursday-God with Us
Friday-Death to Life
Saturday-The Church

Please join me in praying for the students over the next week. Pray for strength in the many adult leaders who have given up a week of vacation and time with their own family to serve. Pray for wisdom in all the leadership, and pray for open hearts and open minds in the students that they might recognize the Holy Spirit's presence among them!

New LIVE Bible is awesome!

Check out this great new Bible from simply youth ministry and Group publishing. I got an early print at this conference I've been at and I love it. It has cool creative spaces for students to doodle, draw, and express, neat stickers, a poster, and the best part--It's not called a "youth", or "teen", or "student" Bible. This is revolutionary when it comes to Bibles specifically developed for teenagers. They won't "outgrow" it!!! New Living Translation

Here are the specs from simply...

LIVE Bible

LIVE isn't a book your teens will just read...they'll live it.

That's because as teens dive in, they'll come face to face with hundreds of opportunities to do something about what they're reading. To respond. To grow. To roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. Sometimes they'll apply what they're learning alone. Other times they'll find someone to help. But always they'll stretch themselves, finding ways to infuse their faith into life at school, at home, and with friends and family.

LIVE delivers easy-to-understand NLT text and hundreds of relevant opportunities to respond to God's Word right on the spot. Illustrations are by teenagers, for teenagers. Brief devotions and challenges peppered through the Bible invite honest, open responses.

This youth Bible takes "interactive" to an entirely new level! Teenagers who use the LIVE Bible will find:

Introductions to 16 real-life, remarkable people from around the globe.
Room to respond in their Bibles. To question. To think. To express themselves.
Jesus sightings. Teens will see the thread that runs throughout the Bible from Genesis straight to Jesus.
Straightforward, means-what-it-says NLT text that makes for great devotional reading and solid study. Clear, concise, and accurate.
An invitation to join the community. Upload their faith expressions to www.group.com/roughedit--We'll post their photos, poems, sketches, whatever images honestly reflect how God is speaking to them. Think of it as an online gallery showing how God's revealing himself through teens like your and teens, well...not like yours.

Legacy and Beginnings

I have been with a group of 25 or so youth ministers all day exploring system approach, tracking and follow-up, and developing Christ-centered teens.

This was not the best part of my day

I have heard great stories of discipleship through equipping parents and small group volunteer development.

This was not the best part of my day

I have engaged in best practice approaches to staff management, inspiration, and affirmation.

This was not the best part of my day.

The best part of my day was spending time alongside this beautiful mountain stream with my prayer partner for the day-Doug Fields. We ended up connecting and then paired up for our guided prayer walk, which became a great movement of the Spirit through each of our hearts.

I was being fed by spending time with Doug as one of my long-time heroes in faith. I listened to him share vulnerabilities, fears, and wonder of what God is calling him to for the next fifteen years (the amount of time Doug has served at Saddleback and the amount of time I have served in local church youth ministry).

I shared my vulnerabilities, fears, and wonder of what God is calling me to for the next fifteen years. We thanked God for His abundant grace in each of our lives, and prayed for each other as we moved into a sense of the Psalmist words

Trusting in the Lord with all our heart, leaning not our own understanding

Doug has left and is still leaving a great legacy in ministry at both Saddleback and the resources through Simply Youth Ministry. I couldn't help but wonder where God is calling me to be next. It was an interesting connection between Legacy and Beginnings that fired me up to focus my whole self into God's call and task for me!!!

The Kingdom of God is small!

Just got back to my hotel after spending the evening at the home of Thom and Joani Schultz. Thom is the President of Group publishing and Joani is the Chief Creative Officer. Joani asked about Debi Nixon, Resurrection's Executive Director of Catalyst and Adult Discipleship. She remembers her fondly as Debi used to serve Resurrection as the Director of Children Ministries.

I met many youth ministers from all over America tonight. There are close to 30 of us here representing all denominations and traditions of faith. It is pretty neat to be in a room where everyone speaks the same language, speaks from out of the same context, shares the same interests, even look a little bit alike (ha ha ha). It feels like a family who is reuniting, even though many of us have never met.

There are even a few Methodists here as well, and two of them asked me when I would be gathering the largest Methodist Youth Pastors. We have already been thinking about this, as Adam set the tone with the largest Pastors gathering. I was glad they asked, and very glad they were hoping for it-I will be moving on this soon!

The Kingdom of God feels small tonight in a good way!

We begin tomorrow early with such "best practice" topics as:

Organizational Leadership
Strengths
Challenges and Threats
Opportunities
Pastoral Leadership

large church youth ministers unite

Headin' out to Loveland, Colorado to a gathering of the 30 largest churches youth minister's. I know Doug and Kurt from Saddleback will be there, as Group Publishing is putting this thing on, and they now own "simply youth ministry".

This gathering of ministry minds should produce amazing ministry insight, don't you think? I sure hope we can stay focused long enough to play some hardcore 4-square.....Come on, it is a gathering of youth ministers, largest churches aside, fun and hijinks will be had by all-I'm sure of it!!!

Into Marvelous Light I'm Running

That beautiful song is still ringing in my ears after last night's closing worship session here in Dothan, Alabama at Covenant Church's Youth Encounter Week.

Into marvelous light I'm running
out of darkness, out of shame
by the cross you are the truth,
you are the life, you are the way

The band leading worship at this event was the David Walker Band.

David and his band did an awesome job as the "lead worshipers" this week with the students at Covenant Church.

I am glad to be headed home today, but it was an exciting time seeing the Spirit at work through this youth group. The theme of the week was fashioned after Erwin McManus book-"Chasing Daylight", wherein he challenges us all to-JUST DO SOMETHING! My hope and prayer is that God spoke through me each night there and sent his message deep into these young people's hearts....

Interesting notes: Adam Hamilton, my Senior Pastor, happened to be speaking just down the road at the Annual Conference in Montgomery, Alabama.

Covenant's two full-time youth ministers are both female-Rock on wonder twins!

82 years at the same church

Last night I arrived very late into Dothan, Alabama. Where is Dothan you ask? About 90 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. I am here to speak at Covenant United Methodist Church and their "Youth Encounter Event".

A couple of things I have learned about Dothan...There is an Army base here that is the principal location for all helicopter training and operations throughout the Army...there are around 60,000 people in the greater Dothan area...and the church I am going to speak at is "on fire", according to the gentlemen I am blogging about today. He grew up here in Dothan and happened to be waiting with me for the only taxi in the area. He and his wife were full of southern hospitality and concern that I would get to my hotel. They are members at First Baptist here in Dothan, and were returning from visiting one of their daughters in San Clemente, CA. This past Sunday they went to Saddleback Church to worship and hear Rick Warren preach with their daughter, who is a member.

He has been a member at his church in Dothan for 82 years. I think that is the longest membership of any church of any person I have ever met! Looking forward to what today brings...