Welcome

We at national youth ministries thank God for you and your commitment to youth! Thank you for loving and leading students. This monthly e-publication is about you, the youth leader. Every issue aims to encourage excellence and spark ideas in you as you endeavor to “make disciplined-learners (disciples)” of youth for Jesus Christ. We want to help you win, build and send them to fulfill the Great Commission. You are our heroes in this charge. We believe in you! Pray daily. Live like Jesus. Tell the Truth. Serve others. Give generously. You’ve got Momentum! —Jay Mooney, national youth director

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From Leader to Leader

Rachel Chima has been married for ten years to Ferdinand Chima, who is an Evangel graduate. They have two beautiful children, Rachel Amalachukwu (3) and Ferdinand Uchechukwu (1). Qualified speaker and communicator, Rachel Chima has been an abstinence educator and program coordinator for over 13 years.  She has taken the message of “abstinence until marriage” to schools, churches, and communities across the nation.  Throughout Rachel’s tenure, more than 200,000 students have heard her powerful and life-changing presentations on character, abstinence and positive life choices. Rachel’s “directive” teaching effectively tackles the issues of premarital sex, drugs and alcohol with insights and humor.  She is in great demand nationally and in other countries, such as Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana and Haiti. What I wish someone would have told me about ministry…… I have a unique situation when it comes to ministry. I didn’t obtain any formal Christian education or training. Ministry just kind of “happened”. Most people have read my story by now, but allow me to recap. My family is unique in the way that God chose to use people that had “jacked up” pasts to be “modern day Moses”. My dad was a street thug and heavy heroine addict. He was just released from jail when two men from Teen Challenge approached him in the streets of Harlem and said, “Aren’t you tired of living this way? We know a place where you can get help.” This was all it took - evangelism in full effect! My mother was raised in an emotionally and physically abusive home. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at the age of thirteen and was determined to have a better life. She would go to church, read her bible and depend on God to deliver her. God honored her faithfulness. Because of my mother’s faith as a teenager, her mother – my grandmother – accepted Jesus Christ. She also met my father. Now, grandma was no normal grandma, she is the reason why I have a passion for youth ministry and teaching sexual purity. Here’s a woman who got pregnant at sixteen and almost placed her daughter in an adoptive family until the nurse made a mistake and showed her my mother…divine appointment. My grandmother always says, “Who knew that I was carrying my salvation in my womb”. Well to make a long story short, I left for college at eighteen and returned defeated and depressed. I have had years to figure out why I never finished. Although, I have had the privilege of being raised in a “sho nuff” Christian home and environment, I lacked the character and total dependency of the Holy Spirit. I was under the assurance that “I” will be okay. I mean, I am not just a PK. I have been teaching in children’s ministry since I was twelve (toddlers and preschoolers). I was a part of the worship team, drama ministry and participated in street evangelism almost every weekend. Although my heart was in it, my heart was not fashioned after the potter’s touch. This is what gives me a passion for teens. I don’t want to just lead them to the cross, but to give them biblical principals and to teach them the character of Jesus Christ. By the way, I will be attending college in the winter and my heart is fashioned after the Potter’s touch!

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Ice Breaker (5-10 minutes)

Self Control vs. Temptation Materials Needed: Plenty of plain Hershey’s kisses for every student and a waste basket. Procedure: Pass out candy in the beginning of your lesson. Do not give any instructions. You may even decide to pop one in your mouth. Proceed to open your lesson by reviewing last week’s lesson or announcements, Have all the students who ate their candy to stand up. Discussion: 1. Why did you eat your candy? (Ask several students) 2. You didn’t wait for my instructions and this was part of an object lesson. How does this make you feel? (keep it light and funny) 3. Okay sit down and observe as we demonstrate Self Control vs. Temptation. Have the remaining students complete the following instructions: 1. Place the candy in the palm of your hand. Without bringing it to your nose, how many of you can smell it? 2. Okay, now try to bring the candy closer to your nose, can you smell it now? 3. Some of you are still having difficulties. Open the tip of your candy and take a deep sniff (ha, now don’t inhale the wrapper). How many of you can smell it now? 4. I want to hook you up, so take a tiny bite of your candy and let it “marinate” in your mouth. How many of you can smell and enjoy your candy now? Now do me a favor and wrap it back up and throw it away (don’t let them). Wait for some of the responses from your students. Discussion: 1. Why was this difficult to do after tasting it? 2. In order to not tempt you to eat this candy, what should I have not done? (pass it out, smell it, taste it etc.) 3. At what point were some of you tempted to pop the candy in your mouth? 4. People are tempted at different levels. For some of you, you lost it as soon as I gave it to you. There was no hesitation. A few of you were curious and waited for direction and when you saw me pop it into my mouth you went for it. 5. How does this relate to sex, alcohol and drugs? It is very important that we recognize our tempter and where the temptations are coming from and set limits in regards to the people, places, parties, and positions that we place ourselves.

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Sermon Outline

Fear Factor: Here’s a Reality Show for you! Everyday in America….. 1. About 1,000 teens become unwed mothers 2. About 4,200 teens contract a STD. 3. About 500 adolescents begin using drugs. 4. About 1,000 adolescents begin drinking alcohol. 5. About 135,000 kids bring guns or weapons to school. 6. About 2,600 teens are assaulted, around 80 are raped. 7. About 2,200 teens drop out of high school. 8. About 6 teens commit suicide. In today’s society there is a very real enemy that is trying to destroy the institution of marriage by distorting our teens’ perspective on SEX! Biblical Text: Genesis 3:1-7 Enemy’s Plan: 1. To Cast Doubt 2. To Keep us Discouraged 3. To Make a Diversion 4. To Cause Defeat 5. To Delay the Promises and Purpose of the Lord To Cast Doubt: Gen. 3:1-6 1. There are too many rules in the bible. God doesn’t want me to have fun. 2. Making out is not a big deal. We are not going all the WAY. 3. What is wrong with having sex if we are in LOVE? Hebrews 13:4- Sex belongs to marriage only. It is a beautiful gift that we give our spouse. To Keep us Discouraged: Gen. 3:4 1. The enemy gets us to focus on our problems other than God’s goodness. a. Marriage is not for everyone – look at what happened to my parents. b. What is wrong with me? I never get asked out on any dates. God wants us to be respected and admired! 1 Peter 3:16 – If the person you are dating dumps you because you choose to live a life of purity….they aren’t worth having. Make A Diversion: Gen 3:6 1. The enemy will try to make wrong things seem attractive, so we would desire it over good. a. At least I attend church and come from a good family. It doesn’t matter what my family or youth pastor says. We must stay focused and not compromise. We should strive to be like Jesus – tempted, but unwilling to compromise (Hebrews 4:15) Proverbs 5:22-23 and Proverbs 6:25-26 talk about keeping a clear head when making important decisions. To Cause Defeat: Gen. 3:6-7 1. When we have given in to temptation, it makes us feel like a failure or that it’s too late. a. What’s the big deal - everyone makes mistakes. Everybody is doing it anyway! b. It wasn’t my fault and it’s my choice…so why try to live pure? c. I keep messing up. We must learn to RUN and stay away from things that arouse our curiosity and make us tempted. I Corinthians 6:18 says that when you feel yourself being tempted, you should get away! Delay the Promises & Purpose of the Lord: Gen 3: 8-9 1. The enemy will try to make us forfeit our dreams, compromise and settle for less. a. I don’t want to lose him - we are going to get married after high school. God wants us to have the best life, peace and to see how our troubles turn out for good. Psalms 37:4-9, Romans 8: 6, 28. For Real- How Can We Defeat The Enemy! We must understand that God desires to have an intimate relationship with Him. Thank God for Jesus who opens the way for us to renew our relationship and have fellowship. Remember, God longs to be with us and offer unconditional love. The Best Defense is A Good Offense! 1. Visualize what you will say and do in a situation where your faith is on the line. What would your response be in each of these situations? a. C’mon, everybody’s doing it! b. What’s the big deal? c. I thought we loved each other? d. I’ll only go as far as you want me. e. We’ve done it before, why can’t we do it again? SET YOUR STANDARDS BEFORE Area Scripture Standard Respecting Parents Colossians 3:20 I will obey my parents desire about who I date. Person to date Galatians 5:19-23 I will only date growing Christians Response to a “come on” 2 Timothy 2:22 I will ask to go home immediately. Accountability 1. Two are better than one…. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 2. ...encourage one another… I Thessalonians 5:11 Guard Your Eyes 1. …..if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light - Matthew 6:22-23 2. I made a covenant with my eyes - Job 31:1 Avoid Tempting Situations 1. …make no provision for the flesh - Romans 13:14 2. Can a man scoop fire into his lap - Proverbs 6:27 3. Can a man walk on hot coals - Proverbs 6:28 Be cautious! (Certain parties, people, places, positions, conversations, movies and websites, music and dress) WALK IN THE SPIRIT “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 By Faith: 1. Desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 2. Confess any known sin – 1 John 1:9 3. YEILD Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you – 1 John 5

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For Your Library

recommended book for guys A Guys Guide to Growing Up BOOM! by Breakaway magazine’s, Michael Ross. recommended book for girls BLOOM: A Girls Guide to Growing Up by Brio magazine’s, Susie Shellenberger. book summary These books are very teen friendly with engaging questions and fun quizzes. It helps teens finds answers to the uncertainties of an adolescent’s life – physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational.   Quote from guys book “Sex is like fire. In the right place – like a fire place or fire pit – fire can save your life by warming you up. In the wrong place – like your house or a forest- fire can kill you. That why God set up guidelines for sex.” (page 76) Quote from girls book “Impurity is more than just a forbidden fruit – it’s a life changer. No other decision can be responsible for so many broken hearts and wasted dreams than the decision to throw away purity before being united in a total commitment through marriage.” (page 52) Purchase guys book online: www.christianbook.com Purchase girls book online: www.christianbook.com

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Quotes for Leadership

(taken from The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotes  copyright  (c)1979,1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.) Keep yourself pure. The Bible, 1 Timothy 5:22 Purity of heart means to love God above all things and at the same time to see him everywhere in all things. Teilhard de Chardin Remember your ultimate purpose, and when you set yourself to your day’s work or approach any activity in the world, let HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon your hearts in all that you do. Richard Baxter Holiness consists of doing the will of God with a smile. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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Statistics that Speak

see Sermon Outline above.

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From the Field

FINE ARTS The Assemblies of God nym Fine Art Festival began on Monday, August 7 and ran through Friday, August 11 in Orlando, Florida. As tropical storm, Chris, passed by, the festival kicked off with a record attendance of more than 35,000 presentations and 30 scheduled workshop sessions. As daylight broke on day two of the National Fine Arts Festival in Orlando, Florida, hotel lobbies spilled with students anticipating the first scheduled day of performances that ran from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8. On Wednesday night, missions was in the forefront of the service as Ron Maddux, Assemblies of God World Missions Northern Asia director, addressed the crowds of students with a sermon entitled "Surrender." After the sermon, a Speed the Light offering totaling $30,812.79 -- the largest on record -- was taken. Along with continued presentations, day three of National Fine Arts Festival included the unveiling of the 2007 Speed the Light theme. The service that night focused on the theme of Sacrifice with a message from National Youth Ministries Director, Jay Mooney. "The diverse make up of the youth of the Assemblies of God is something of great value to the Church today," Mooney says. "It is amazing to see a generation of world changers all come together as one body to commit to living how Christ lived -- sacrificially -- and not settling for any thing less than giving it all over to be used up for Kingdom purpose." While Thursday brought more presentations and workshops, on Friday night, students came together for a "Week in Review" video and an opportunity to share favorite festival moments -- presentations, worship and more. The Celebration Service included special performances by many of this year's Award of Merit recipients -- the highest Fine Arts Festival ranking.   NATIONAL YOUTH WORKERS CONFERENCE This year's National Youth Workers Conference, Dream ’06: Impacting the Next Generation, will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, from Thursday, September 28, to Saturday, September 30, 2006. Packed with over 70 workshops, 12 super session, and 3 general sessions, Dream ’06 will focus on today's issues, tomorrow's challenges, and God's answers. Graduate level credit will be available through Assemblies of God Theological Seminary to youth leaders who attend. Please join the national team along with Scotty and Casey Gibbons, Jeanne Mayo, Earl Creps, Jeremy DeWeerdt, Jeffery Portmann, Mark Vega, Allen Griffin, and many more speakers. Tim Bach will be our featured worship band along with other musical guests. This will prove to be an outstanding experience for our nation's youth leaders, while giving them the opportunity for rest, resource, relationship, reason, and renewal. For more information about the conference or graduate level credit please visit http://www.youth.ag.org/nywc/ or call 417.862.2781.

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Resources

Take a tour of thefiftytwo.com! Go to www.thefiftytwo.com for samples of just a few of the online resources that are available. Thefiftytwo.com includes sermons, powerpoint presentations, ministry graphics, small groups, parent-teen connects, leadership helps, drama sketches, ministry strategies, and multiple lists of ideas, for an entire year! Memberships are available August 1st.

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