DIRT Blog

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!

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:

1. Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil.
2. Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil
.
3. 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!

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/

(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.

1. Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?
2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring materials or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another this week?
3. Have you lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
4. Have you been honoring, understanding, and generous in your important relationships this week?
5. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?
6. Have you given in to an addictive behavior this past week? Explain.
7. Have you continued to remain angry toward another?
8. Have you secretly wished for another’s misfortune?
9. (Your personalized accountability question)?
10. Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What are you going to do about it?
11. 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