Triple Threat Thursday

Today FRC Student Ministry hit the streets in Cooper City. After some collaborative thinking with the Student staff, we came up with the idea to go TO the students. Our first mission was to canvas the shopping center that they hit on early release days, so we began with Cooper City High School/Pioneer Middle School area. We offered a free item from Tijuana, Starbucks, or Coldstone, added Duce the DJ with loud tunes and WOW, instant party. The students really liked it and they were so surprised to receive a free gift, no strings attached. We had some of our core students handing out the coupon card and talking to kids about Flamingo Road Student Ministry. Of course, with teenagers and loud music, the police stopped by to say they had received a complaint. Once we explained to the police what we were doing, they were cool, just asked us to turn the music down a tad. Some people just do not like to see young peope have a good time. No harm was being done, and the free items and music were drawing a crowd inside of each of the 3 locals. FRC teens passed out almost 300 cards and created a curiousity for these students to come check us out. If we could get 10-25% of them, not a bad return. More than that, I hope they saw teenagers just like them, who are willing to take a stand for Jesus Christ and not be odd for God! We are planning the next one near a different set of schools and for football season we have an idea to do an outreach event called "Fifth Quarter" and find the places the students frequent after football games and, what a concept, meet up with them on their territory!

Easter Weekend Highlights

* Over 20 Students came to every service and helped hand out free Peep candy/promo cards for Student Ministry. Check out the cool blue T-shirt Grace has on, spray paint and stencils!
* Students serving as Bunnies, in Preschool, Children, Parking, Greeting, Serving Communion* Students and Student leaders singing in the choir (Amber, Tyler G, Carson, Rachel, Shannon, Sam, and Duce!)

Plus:

*Over 50 students baptized from all the campuses!

*Able to help baptize my 12 year old cousin at Beach Baptism, reppin Hallandale!

*275 students attended the Student Easter Service

*16 stood to accept Christ in the Student service!

*My family always trys to do a holiday service together, but it didn't exactly work out, didn't get that Easter family photo, but no regrets, instead we all were able to serve together!

*My son served at Sawgrass in the set-up ministry and played percussion during service; he also helped with the Student service at Cooper!

*My daughter served at Cooper in the Preschool ministry, handed out peeps and joined the choir!

*Watching Heather P worship in the choir! and seeing Chris Brown join for the last service!

*479 baptized each with an individual story, was able to meet, talk and baptize a few on an incredible Easter morning!

*After the last service on Sunday, about 18 of us went to grab dinner and just celebrate a great weekend! We invited the waiter to church and he left with business cards and The Bed CD!

*Doing life and serving my Savior in the best church in the world!

HE knows my name!

On Monday and Tuesday, March 17 and 18, the Student Ministry staff and friends were able to attend the Youth Pastor Summit in Orlando. This is a conference that is hosted by Student Leadership and was held at Hard Rock Live in CityWalk. This year the main speakers were Ed Young, Francis Chan and John Eldredge. They were all awesome! I had never heard Francis Chan speak before and I was so impressed. His overall message was about how we should remember that we serve to use our gifts, not gain God's love or approval; we do not need to serve out of insecurity, but we must remember that our names are written in the Book of Life and God knows our name - HE knows my name! We each had our favorites, I really liked Francis and Carson and Matt P. really liked Chris Hill. Not only is the conference free, but they also give you free tickets into Universal and Islands of Adventure. We had a blast and it was great to get away and get re-energized for the Easter Weekend ahead. We are going to have a kickin' Easter service for Students on Saturday night at 6:30pm. I am so excited for the party, my son and Javan are going to sing, Love Addict by Family Force 5, we are going to baptize after the service and I know that some more names will be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. I will let you know about the great weekend ahead, we are so pumped to be a player in this God story. I also get to be a part of Beach Baptisms at Dania beach this Easter morning. We have over 500 registered to get baptized and I know a few of those are students!!!

Truth? half-truth? no truth?

Ok, all you Oprah lovers, do not get angry. I like her too. Oprah is always promoting books and the latest book tends to promote a relativistic worldview. I like that Chuck Norris does question the timing and relevance of the book. Chuck is exercising his freedom of speech regarding the latest book and book study she is promoting. Check out the link, read the article, think for yourself...

Chuck Norris takes on Oprah

Please note that I am not promoting Chuck or Oprah, I am promoting that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man gets to God except through His son, Jesus!!!

Hearing the truth

Spending time alone with my God allows me to hear the truth from His Word. I also love listening to music that inspires, the 2 songs below give me encouragement...these songs are not brand new, but their message build's strength and speaks truth for a lifetime...click the links below to watch the YouTube videos.

My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust

Strong Enough, by Stacie Orrico

Listening to Strong Enough reminds me to be very careful to bring every thought into the presence of God because of the lies that the enemy wants me to believe especially when he speaks the 5 word lie, "you are not good enough," trying to make me feel that my God is not God-enough to clean me and forgive me, to cover my scars, so that I may be used for His glory. The enemy likes to use the little lies to make me feel inadequate to even be in the presence of the Almighty. My God IS strong enough, pure enough, brave enough to protect me, to clear the path so that I can reach my potential.

Join me and my family this weekend as our church starts a new series called RationaLIES - the battle for truth. Pastor Troy will be shedding light on the darkness, the lies that the enemy uses to destroy our lives with, the lies the enemy uses to keep non-believers from believing. The series will cover the big lies, like "hell is not real", but I know that we all can struggle with the little lies that can come through our thoughts each day. The key to a successful life is to know that if you make a mistake, you can learn from it, be forgiven and be used by God, to know that our scars are not seen by God, thanks to His Son, Christ. Everyday He gives me the chance to start again! Thank you Lord! I pray that others find You as their strength and courage to start again or just start! Invite someone to this 4 week series that includes Easter weekend! Celebrate He Lives and He is Strong Enough!

x3 = Multiplication

Today I went to the same book study three times!! I know you are thinking, how do you have all that time. I really do not, but it truly is an investment that needs to be made. I attend one book study for myself, to be taught, to interact with my peers and engage; I attend another book study to be an example and network because I invited leaders from Student Ministry and if they are coming at 7am in the morning and I invited them, I need to be there also; and I attend the third to lead and teach the book to 6 guys and gals between the ages of 18-24, we hope to add a few more. In each hour that I attend, I learn something new, whether it is from the teacher or students. Thinking is one of our values, ETHOS, at Flamingo Road Church. This book we are studying, Launching a Leadership Revolution is really well written, very practical and can be applied and understood by everyone. Any time that you are spending to invest in reaching your God-potential or help others reach there God-potential is not wasted time, it is time well spent!!! And by the way, to reach the God-given vision of 50/100,000/150,000,000 means we need to be launching a leadership revolution because it will take a revolutionary mentality to build this army to conquer this goal.

No Excuses!

This morning at the gym, as I was working out I watched as a blind man came in to work out. At first I noticed how he walked in on the arm of a lady and I just thought that they were happy to be together. As he began to work on the machines, I watched as he would use his hands to guide his way through the machines, where he would sit and how he would manuever the machines as he worked out. As I watched him, tears came to my eyes, I was inspired. If this man who is blind can come in here and work out, I have no excuses. I do not know him, or his story, but he is a very successful man to me. I hope I run into him again at the gym and get an opportunity to speak with him. I guarantee he can teach me alot about pushing past obstacles to reach your God-potential.