DIRT Blog

2012 DIRT Camp!

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:10:00 GMT

WOW! Only $225.00 for Five Days of AWESOME!
Monday, June 18 to Friday, June 22, 2012
Includes: 2012 D.I.R.T. Camp Tee
TONS OF FUN, Challenges & Exciting Experiences
MISSION PROJECTS Ministering to the Needy
AMAZING WORSHIP that will Change Lives

Help Your Students Write Their Testimony

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:04:00 GMT

When I'm asked "Why do journals?" (because it's the hardest thing to pull-off in youth ministry), my response is that if you don't then I guarantee no one will ever benefit. BUT, if you do, then some will "get it" and grow spiritually because you introduced them to spending a daily quiet time with God!

What Happened Wednesday night is Another Great Reason...
So we started the new "Spiritual Journey" 4 week journals in January. On the following Wednesday night I began our first review allowing students to freely talk and ask questions about the journals. I did not know what to expect but was thrilled to see how many were already engaged!

A Very Interesting Question...
As we discussed the journals, one student asked, "Do we have to do the testimony pages in the back?" She went on to express that she accepted Christ at a very early age and could not even remember it. Then she asked if her salvation "...could simply be a growing process that she would fully realize one day?" Wow, do you see what the journals have accomplished? This student may have never questioned her salvation had she not see that testimony template outlining the different parts of a person's testimony!

A Powerful Teaching Opportunity!
My response to her was that she had asked a very important question that we should address so everyone could better understand how we are saved. The next Sunday morning I did address her question using this outline - click to download PDF. The outline walks through the five parts of the testimony template which will allow me to share with our students how a person is saved according to God's Word.

I am sharing this with you (both the story and outline), to encourage you to promote the "55 Plan" (5 minutes in the Word & 5 minutes in prayer every day) as one of your highest discipling priorities. Remember if you don't, no one benefits - Guaranteed! The journals are simply a tool that helps students to stay focused on a daily quiet time with God. By the way we have just redesigned them better than ever with some cool new features (click here to see how they look). Let me know if you need to order new ones. If you have old unused journals I will swap them out for new ones!

Keep Loving Students for His Name's Sake!

Living Waters Presents '180' shocking documentary!

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:03:00 GMT

180movie.com
Share This Award-winning Controversial Video, Save a Life.
PLEASE forward this to your Christian friends
and those who are concerned for the unborn...

		“Brilliant...” ~ Kay Arthur

		"I give my unflinching, joyful, trembling Yes to '180'. Unflinching, because it's right. Joyful, because it's good. Trembling, because this our defeated enemy is still vicious.” ~ John Piper

		“Extremely convicting. It made me question my courage. I pray it causes many to evaluate their silence.” ~ Francis Chan

		“Watch this video now…and then pass it on to everyone you can. ‘180’ is a poignant, eye-opening, heart-wrenching film that exposes the moral darkness of our hearts and the hidden horror of our culture—all through the lens of the indescribable love of our God.” ~ David Platt

Three Wise Monkeys

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 22:40:00 GMT

Want a good starter for teaching on guarding your heart? Here it is...

Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” (NAS)

So I am in the third week of a teaching series on temptation...
Week 1: Hebrews 4:15 Jesus knows how we feel struggling with temptation.
Week 2: Matthew 4:1-11 We're tempted like Jesus, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Week 3: Proverbs 4:20-27 Even a monkey knows you have to guard the gates!

The Illustration: “The Three Wise Monkeys”
The source (picture above) that popularized this pictorial proverb is a 17th century carving over a door of the famous Tōshō-gū shrine in Nikkō, Japan. Together they embody the proverbial principle to "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The three monkeys are:

Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil.
Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil .
Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.

 Did you know there was a fourth Monkey?
Sometimes there is a fourth monkey depicted with the three others; the last one, Shizaru, symbolizes the principle of "do no evil". He may be shown crossing his arms.

Now here is the illustration's Proverb...
It is vitally important to guard our spiritually heart. This is the holy place of who we are. It is the sacred enclosure where we commune with Jesus, the living water, from which "flow the springs of life.” Such an important spiritual wellspring must be guarded from any filth that might contaminate this precious fountain!

In this Proverb passage, chapter 4:20-27, you can find four gates mentioned that have a great impact on our heart and soul. They are the "Ears" what are you hearing? (v.20), "Eyes" what are you seeing? (v.21,25), "Lips" what are you speaking? (v.24), and "Path" what are you doing? (v.26-27). How about that? Just like the Monkeys. Have fun with this one. I plan to this Sunday!

Is it a Pygmy or Papaya?

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:27:00 GMT

Matthew (my teen son) and I have decided we need an International Word Consortium. The world has been communicating long enough to realize some words just do not fit where they are being used. We need to do some word swapping here and there to clean things up a bit.

We decided to start by swapping "Pygmy" for "Papaya". Think about it, "Pygmy" does not sound very nice when referring to people. But "Papaya" now that's a great sounding word that rolls sweetly off the tongue. "We are taking the Gospel to the Papayas" sound so much nicer than, "We're taking the Gospel to the Pygmies." On the other hand, "Pygmy" is the perfect name for a fruit. "Get your pygmy fruit, low in calories and high in anitoxidents!" No offence there at all.

So ask yourself, what words in your vocabulary need to be swapped when you are talking about students in your youth group? Maybe you say he's a "troublemaker" when a better word might be "energetic". Full of energy to do something, so give him something to do before he gets in trouble doing something! Maybe you call her a "flirt" when a better term might be "outgoing". Put her in charge of your social networking and watch the youth group grow.

Make this down: However you see them greatly impacts reality because you are an influencer to those around you. If you want to go deeper read this from last October - "Students Need the Bar High".

Why I want to be on Junk Mail Lists

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 23:19:00 GMT

If you are like me the only thing you get consistently in your home mail box (snail mail) are monthly bills and junk mail (snail spam). Well don't be too quick to dump that pile of junk mail in the trash. Here is a great way to turn the tables and hopefully the hearts of the junk mailers. Go through every piece of junk mail and find the business reply envelopes. Now put your favorite tract in the envelop and mail it back to the junk mailers! Oh, and while you are at why not put some tracts in your monthly bills too!

Here is my favorite place to buy tracts including the "Presidential Million Dollar Bill" in the picture - livingwaters.com

Make Youth Ministry More Like Football

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:52:00 GMT

I just got home from our NCHS freshman football game (they won 20-7). Ever watch football at the freshman level? They fumble, throw interceptions, miss tackles and get lots of penalties. It is not very pretty....

Youth Ministry will not be pretty if you are doing it right. Instead of being managers (managing to make everything work out right), youth leaders should be coaches. The coach is confined to the sidelines and the players are expected to be on the field making the plays. A lot of youth leaders get it backward. They make themselves the stars and expect all the players to watch the game from the bleachers. Try that at your next football game and see who wins.

Coach, put the players in the game! Let the students lead everything. Let them make the plays. Put your ministry in their hands. Yes it will be ugly -- for a while -- but soon your freshmen get better and move to junior varsity and then to varsity. They get better and better! So give them the reins and the reps so they can become star players. You stand on the sidelines coaching and watch what happens. A lot of your players will develop into champions!

'Forget the pizza parties,' Teens tell churches

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:55:00 GMT

The headline of this blog is copied from a recent article in USA Today that highlights some of the challenges of keeping our teens involved in the church and growing in their faith. Teens want something that challenges them and stretches them. How else will they grow. If we continue to feed them a diet of pizza parties, tired games and shallow religion (the easy way to do ministry - water seeks it's on level!), then what should we expect other than them dropping out as soon as they get a car or their first job?

Are you doing the hard work of growing students into spiritually powerful adults that will become champions for Christ? Have you heard that todays teen wants to change the world? Society in general is quickly moving to a desire for "the cause" whatever it is: Charity Water, Tom's Shoes, Kiva, etc.

The sad thing is that many the greatest benevolent causes today have no connection to Christ and therefore offer no lasting spiritual transformation. While at the same time the dilema of today's church is "Irrelevance". How can we the church be irrelevant when over 70% of this generation says that they are "Spiritual"?

I think we have become fat and lazy on pizza!
Stop being a second rate entertainment venue and start giving students what the world does not offer. A not so easy, challenging, disciplined, high expectation, drive you to your knees journey with Christ.

Note: Many do not lead at this level because they do not live at this level themselves - ouch.

Soccer Ball Or Life

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:33:00 GMT

Driving home Saturday night was very quite and uneventful. As I prepared to turn off at my exit I made out a figure crossing the road about 30 yards ahead. I could barely see him in his dark cloths and at this time of night that was an accident waiting to happen. I slowed down for him as he got across the road just as a car was approaching from the other direction. As I reached the intersection a second figure darted in front of my car.

I was instantly frozen with fear seeing this person run directly into the path of the oncoming car. I screamed as loud as I could for the girl to stop but all I heard was the screeching skids of a car whose driver was realizing too late that there was a human being directly in front of them. I heard the skids and that unmistakable dull thud as the car hit the girl. Looking left I watched the human silhouette spinning in the air as cell phone and purse followed the same path. Quickly turning my car around, I parked on the side of the road. With no other hope for the poor girl my instant cry was, “Please, please God please, God help her.”

I called 911 on my cell and the operator answered asking me where I was and what my cell phone number was. I could not answer because I was in shock. I could not react. Thank God, that within a few seconds, He gave me a clear mind. The 911 operator proceeded to guide me through what to do for this badly injured girl.

Because of her head injuries the operator told me to get a towel or napkins to help stop the bleeding. I ran over to get some napkins out of my jeep and as soon as I opened the back my soccer ball that I enjoy kicking around with my friends fell out on the ground. The Jeep was parked on a hill so the ball, following the lead of gravity, rolled quickly down the hill. For a brief second I thought about chasing the ball but instead I let it rolled out of sight. I quickly ran back over to the bloody girl and applied pressure with the napkins to try and reduce the loss of blood. in a few minutes the paramedics arrived and rushed her to the hospital.

What if I had spent several minutes chasing my soccer ball down the hill instead of helping that girl? I did consider it for a brief second... Man, that is terrible isn’t it? A good for nothing soccer ball over trying to save a life. This caused me to ask myself, “How many soccer balls do I have in my life?”

Philippians 3:7 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”

When we get to the end of our life how many things we be like a lousy soccer ball? Things we hold dear. Things we spend hours and hours buying, chasing, collecting or cheering for that will become a piece of trash that some one will have to clean up.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

This wraps it up. Fear God and do what He tells us. Get rid of those worthless time consuming idols.

Chris Galloway
Preaching & Teaching 
“The Way Of The Master” 
Read the full story here:
 http://www.tntministries.info/

Iron Sharpens Iron

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:19:00 GMT

"Iron sharpenth iron;
so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
- Proverbs 27:17

(Note: This article is from the July newsletter for Jason's House. Chuck Carver is the director of Jason's House, a community youth ministry that is making an impact in the world. He is also a member of the DIRT Crew board of directors...)

Three weeks ago we started meeting on Friday evenings in the Trenton City Park for a time of accountability. This was suggested by one of our college students and it has turned out to be a great time for us to get together in small groups and ask some tough questions of each other. The following are the questions we ask each other each Friday night.

Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?
Have you been exposed to sexually alluring materials or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another this week?
Have you lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
Have you been honoring, understanding, and generous in your important relationships this week?
Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?
Have you given in to an addictive behavior this past week? Explain.
Have you continued to remain angry toward another?
Have you secretly wished for another’s misfortune?
(Your personalized accountability question)?
Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What are you going to do about it?
Have you been completely honest with me?

The reading is a book of the bible that the small group had agreed to read during the week. By getting together each week and asking these questions helps us all to stay on track during the week for we know we must answer truthfully on Friday evening.

Your Brother in Christ Jesus,
chuck carver (chuck daddy)
Jason's House, Trenton GA

Go-Tell Students about these College Scholarships!

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:20:00 GMT

Here is something awesome that I want to share. My daughter recently graduated and I know how hard it is to find scholarships. So check this out...
Four FREE tuition scholarships are available to give to new students who feel called to ministry and would like to attend one of the following:

Participating Colleges and Universities:

Liberty University
The College at Southwestern
Campbellsville University
North Greenville University
Southeastern College

If you are interested or know someone who would be interested in being a GO TELL Summer Intern and would like to receive a full tuition scholarship, contact the office of Go Tell Ministries immediately at 1-866-I-GO-TELL. You also may visit them online at www.gotellministries.com/interns for more information.

Take advantage of this incredible life-changing opportunity by sharing it with students heading to college!

Where is Goa Zhisheng?

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:46:00 GMT

Last year, Gao Zhisheng was a world-renowned Chinese Christian attorney, a champion of human rights and equality before the law.

Last year, Gao Zhisheng was a Nobel Peace Prize 2008 nominee, a hero of the Chinese people.

Last year, Gao Zhisheng fought for freedom for religious minorities, risking everything to defend the persecuted.

Last year, Gao Zhisheng shared the truth of his torture at the hands of the Chinese government.

Last year, Gao Zhisheng could see, hear, and touch his family, loving them with faith and courage.

Then last year, on February 4th, 2009, everything changed.

Today, Gao Zhisheng is denied the basic human rights he fought for every day on behalf of his fellow countrymen.

Today, Gao Zhisheng is hidden from the world by the Chinese government, masked by a shroud of secrecy and doubt.

Today, Gao's wife and children face devastating separation, suffering from the pain of loss and uncertainty.

Today, Gao suffers silent torture, never knowing if he will see his loved ones again.

Today, is the day to make the truth known.

Today, on February 4, 2010, we refuse to let Gao Zhisheng be forgotten, and we challenge the Chinese government to answer our cry: "Where is Gao Zhisheng?"

On the one year anniversary of Gao's forced disappearance, ChinaAid calls again on the international community to raise their voices to Free Gao Zhisheng.

ChinaAid thanks the more than 126,200 people who have signed the petition, the thousands of supporters who sent 469,500 e-mail inquiries to Chinese businesses and government offices, the 11,202 individuals who contacted their U.S. Representatives, and the countless others who faxed and called the Chinese Embassy for Gao's release in 2009.

In the coming months, we will be taking Free Gao campaign to the next level, calling on the United Nations and the European Union to defend human rights in China, and intercede on behalf of Gao Zhisheng.

Visit www.FreeGao.com to Sign the Petition, Contact your leaders, and discover new ways to get involved today.

Circles of Prayer - developing a “habit of prayer” in student's lives

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:02:00 GMT

By: Bryan Fox Youth Pastor, Northwest Church

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42 KJV

Have you ever watched students when you announce Circles of Prayer? A few jump right into groups ready to go, some quickly form a group with their friends over in the corner and a few just kind of stand there wandering what is going on.

Circles of Prayer can be a difficult activity for students not used to praying in a group and for visiting students not used to anything “Christian”. It can also seem like a lot of work to the leaders when we begin implementing it into our group. We end up spending the entire time helping students find groups, splitting up the one or two massive groups, making sure visitors understand what is happening and reminding the talkers to relax and be respectful.

Over time though, the regularly attending students begin to grasp the concept and help others form groups, explain to visitors what to do and calm down interruptions. You still may need to help the lone student find a group or split up the massive one but eventually Circles of Prayer becomes an integral part of the student meetings.

This is when Circles of Prayer becomes alive and vital to the group. It provides a place for students to pray and ask for prayer in a safe environment, it builds confidence in students as they pray out loud to God in front of their peers, it brings the entire group together in prayer and it creates a habit of joining together in prayer.

This habit of prayer becomes a huge blessing to the students. I witnessed this in action a few days ago. A student received a call saying one of their friends was having family difficulties. After the call, he shared his concern for his friend with some other students. They immediately joined together in a small circle to pray for his friend. They didn’t need to discuss how to pray, should they pray or who was going to pray. They just joined hands and began praying. These students were in the “habit of praying” . I’m certain having Circles of Prayer a part of their regular meetings had a lot to do with that.

If you aren’t doing Circles of Prayer in your meetings, I challenge you to begin. If you are, keep it up. Even those students who may seem completely oblivious and uninterested to what is going on will be blessed by being part of a group of God’s children calling out to their father. Eventually they will develop a “habit of prayer”.

Put Your Students on a Healthy Diet

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:11:00 GMT

Eating Manna? Again?
One of the things we know about the Children of Israel is they got tired of eating manna and they started whining and complaining about it being "Boring" to eat the same old thing every day. Does that sound like some students you know?

Of course Manna is symbolic of God's Word. I want to quote from page 55 of the Warren Wiersbe commentary...

"Their real problem was that they still had the old appetite and needed to learn to enjoy the new food God had for them...
...Feeding on the manna is also a picture of your daily appropriation of Christ through the Word of God. Just as your food becomes a part of your very being, so the Word strengthens your inner person when you read it, meditate on it and obey it. Just as the Jews could not live on yesterday's manna (if they kept it, the next morning it would stink and be filled with worms), so we cannot live on yesterday's spiritual diet. Begin each day with the Lord, and He will give you what you need for facing the burdens and battle fields ahead."

Here are my thoughts...

1. We can expect "children" to grumble and complain but we know if they do not have a daily diet of the "Manna" from Heaven they will not survive the wilderness of the world.

2. When they complained to Moses, he did not respond by giving up or giving in because he knew they must eat or they would die. When they came to Moses with complaints, Moses went to God in prayer.

3. People often ask me, "When is the best time to get in the Word?" Well in this story they went out to gather the manna early in the morning. If they waited it would melt away. Likewise if we do not take advantage of first thing in the morning, our opportunity could melt away in the heat of our daily pressures and cares of life.

3. Spiritual food is essential for spiritual growth. The manna is God's Word. Not someone's opinion about God's Word. Only by getting students to eating the Word will we see them blossom on the Vine of Christ (John 15).

More from Wiersbe...
"God's Word is food for the inner person. It is Milk (1 Pet. 2:2), bread (Matt. 4:4), meat (1 Cor. 3:1-2; Heb. 5:11-14) and honey (Ps. 119:103). Feeding on the Word should bring joy to our hearts (Jer. 15:16), and we should desire spiritual food more than physical food (Job 23:12; Luke 10:38-42)."

Jesus said "Feed My Sheep". Just as we provide place settings for dinner at the family table - plate, spoon, fork, knife, glass and a napkins; the journals are the place settings for enjoying a daily helping of manna.

When I was a boy mom would make me eat veggies (YUCK!). I would complain and she would tell me, "You would like them if you would just eat them. You have to acquire the taste." I did not believer her for a minute. If it were up to me I would have had a steady diet of ice cream and peanut butter on ritz crackers and wash it all down with Coca-Cola.

Today I love veggies! I can't imagine not having some on the table... Today I love Manna! I can't imagine not feasting on the Word of God every day. Keep doing what you are doing Moses (insert your name here)... Keep feeding my sheep!

Students Need the Bar High!

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:57:00 GMT

Have you ever heard of the “Pygmalion Effect”?
I must credit my pastor for the inspiration behind today’s thought. Several weeks ago in a sermon he mentioned a term that has not crossed my mind since I was a student, “Pygmalion”.

Plenty of research and books are available on the subject and I will not do it justice here, but with a broad stroke, I just need to make a point about how we impact students. The Pygmalion effect basically refers to situations in which some students perform better than other students simply because they are expected to do so.

In one notable study, teachers were given information that certain students were brighter than others. The purpose of the experiment was to support the hypothesis that students can be influenced by the expectations of their teachers.

The study showed that if teachers were led to expect better performance from some children, then those children did indeed show marked improvement. In some cases, the improvement was about twice that shown by other children in the same class. The improvement was not because of a particular curriculum, but was in fact attributed to the expectation of the teacher.

I have had the privilege of observing youth ministries of all shapes, sizes and cultures. Every time I have found a productive and vibrant group of students, it is inevitable that the leader(s) of the group(s) have a high level of expectation for their students. They believe in them and in their potential for great things (as did Christ for His Disciples).

Unfortunately, what I see most often, are youth leaders who do not believe their students would ever want to share their faith, or have a love for God’s Word, or want to “love their neighbor” by serving them. It breaks my heart to see such low expectations put before one of the most dynamic generations of students to ever live!

Why Youth Leaders Have Low Expectations
Whenever I have questioned leaders with low expectations, if the truth is revealed, they do not want to live by such high standards themselves. I have yet to experience a group of students unwilling to respond to a “Love God, Love People, Share the Gospel” challenge, but I have met many leaders who have literally argued against it.

Jesus’ theme throughout His ministry was to “Love God, Love People, Share the Gospel”. We call it the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Why should we expect less of our students than Christ expects of them? I want to challenge you, weather using the D.I.R.T. Crew identity or your own design, create an expectation of discipleship in the hearts of your students. They will clear the bar no matter how high you place it!