Shallow Waters Devotional 4

Here is another Shallow Water Devotional from my great buddy Jesse Watson, click on his name to visit his blog. He is one great guy and has a deep insight into the life of swimming with your clothes on can be applied to your spiritual life.


Shallow Waters Daily Devotional of the Week from Student Impact on Vimeo.

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Twitteranked and Self-Branding

"Twitteranked? Sweet now I can see how good I am really doing. 14.47, what a loser!

(click on the picture to read the full story)

Notice how I got twitteranked 17 hours ago then low and behold my great friend, God, updated me 10 minutes ago that I was scammed! It coulda been worse than it really was, I guess that's why God was 16 hours and 50 minutes late, the guy likes teaching me lessons.

It is amazing how Twitter or Facebook or Myspace or any other aggregate feeds and social networks create such a desire of self-branding. I will rabbit trail for a moment on 3 studs of professional self-branders, for the simple point for you to realize that...

"Anyone doing anything better than you is providing you the resources, strategies, and ideas for you to be better than you already are." - Me

• Seth Godin, who is a business genius and has an amazing ability to see what many others don't. He made famous the idea of permission marketing, which is as simple as it sounds. He has three elements that is seen in most of his writings. First, he realizes that advertisers can't command the attention of anyone they choose (great thought for church leaders in a post-modern world, that is basically post-modern marketing). Second, consumers are gaining more power, which means more respect, truthfulness and less bias on the marketers (more here for the church leader, are we slow to teach and explain theology in a philosophical way, why are so many Christian college students leaving? They lack the ability to argue theology philosophically). And third, the only way a product or idea will be spread, is that it has earned a buzz by being remarkable. (church leaders please re-read that then repeat two more times. Are we making a buzz in our culture, making a buzz in our community, neighborhood?!?)
  
• Josh Spear, is a youth specialist, trendsetter who saw the blog-phenomenon as a major thread in credible form of media. He, via his blog, has set out to be a "source of inspiration for marketers, brand managers, advertising executives, and a wide range of everyday people from around the world who love to stay ahead of the curve." (What could the church leader be looking into as the next main thread of getting into people's minds and hearts? Are you looking or are you doing tomorrow what you did yesterday?)
  
• Brian Shaler, this guy is one of my favorites, he's a jumper! He's a web developer, marketer, writer, speaker and photographer. He banks the term self-brander, probably one of the best in the field.

Now back to the original post before the rabbit grabbed my attention. In our personal seeking to be self-promoters which by all means we should be. Every human has something to market. The professional business person, themselves, their resume, their accolades, their education. The homeless, their loss, their story, their history. The Christian, their purpose, their life, their hope, their calling.

Our postmodern world leads us to be self-marketers, people want to know you, what you think and what you identify with. What is your brand? Your brand highly dictates your audience, your audience highly dictates your success. Many people get in the wrong arenas and begin to self-promote and fail because they had the wrong audience. You must sell your GENIUS, the Geenie-in-us. What is it in you that is special, that is magical, that sets you apart. Make your story and begin to sell it. Every person has an audience, a circle of people that are influenced by you. One general question I ask is who is your mentor and who are you mentoring?

Your audience was created because of your brand, now learn to market to that audience to hear the best message they have ever heard. For you Christians, be real, authentic, take off the mask regardless how ugly it is beneath the whitewash, then allow your audience to hear the best spoken message God has given voice to. Be an eikon, be the representation of God into your world not just in word but in action and deed too.

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MADE Week 1

Our church is doing a 5 week series based off the MTV show Made where Pastor Jeff will be discussing what is our purpose in life. We will be hitting several areas, lifegroups, where real life happens, worship encounters, where we get to experience God, and volunteer teams, where we get to serve the body and people of our community. Join us as I get to coach Cougar McSangston on life and how to get made into what God has him to be.

This videos is week 1, hope you enjoy.

I still debate if I shoulda gone the Hollywood route, not bad acting if I do say so myself. Maybe not a Pierce Brosnan but maybe in the likes of Brat Pitt or Denzel Washington, minus the skin tones. I could be a star. What do you think, comment me and let me know if I got the marks of Hollywood.

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Shallow Waters Devotional 3

Here are some of the most challenging, thought provoking devotionals from some of the most thoughtful minds of our culture. I am honored to be the newest member of their tribe and to even associate with such modern minds!


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Shallow Waters Devotional 2

Here are some of the most challenging, thought provoking devotionals from some of the most thoughtful minds of our culture. I am honored to be the newest member of their tribe and to even associate with such modern minds! This is one of my greatest friends Sam, check out his blog here!

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Shallow Waters Devotionals 1

Here are some of the most challenging, thought provoking devotionals from some of the most thoughtful minds of our culture. I am honored to be the newest member of their tribe and to even associate with such modern minds! Jesse is the Senior High Pastor over at Phoenix First and is a awesome guy and a lot of fun.

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AZ Youth Workers Conference Session 3 of 3

Speaker: Doug Reed

The Greatest Responsibility

Reading this generation, this generation looks bored, they weren't made to be captive and caged up.

1 Samuel 16

Like a custodian makes sure ever door is locked, we need to access the corridors of our life and make sure every door is OPEN for God to move in.

My thoughts:
Success is when someone has let their guard down and I get to go inside and mess some things up that makes them think differently for the positive, getting the backstage pass into their life. When a student gives that access they are letting you into their life to penetrate and find the hurts, brokenness and bring healing. Through the authenticity, creativity, and hard works and the kid is standing their defenselessness and they cry out for help.

We should have 3 responses:

1. A prophetic response - Samuel knew there was someone else
- 1 Samuel 16:1
- 4 Elements of prophetic response
1. We must see the Big Picture
2. Be willing to take a Risk
3. Do not deny the moment
- We can't deny the moment just because the moment is controversial.
4. There must be follow through

2. A Parenting Response - Jesse left David in the field
- So many of your students have had parents, that instead of speaking life to them, they have spoken death to them.
- What happens to the kid when their protector becomes their predator?
- Ephesians is a good book that speaks of self-worth
- Part of our redemptive process was not only the beating that was for our healing, not only the salvation from his death, but as they hurled insults he redeems every negative attack that has been said about us, every word that has broken us down.

3. A Prepared Voice - Samuel went off to Rama after anointing David
- Use your hurt to help someone in life instead of using your hurt to hate and have an excuse to never help anyone. As if a girls who was raped to ask how would God let that happen, did God see that happen? The truth is God says He would never leave us nor forsake us, so yes God was there.
- John Wayne movie, The Cowboy, John teaches a bunch of boys how to be men, being a father to them.
- When you awake the man inside a boy you can expect a war every time.
- Come out of your cage to fight for a generation.

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AZ Youth Workers Conference Session 2 of 3

Speaker: Garland Owensby

Topic: Postmodern Church/Emerging Church
Postmodern is a philosophy

Postmodern Youth Ministry

Book: Soul Tsunami - Leonard Sweets

Modern world says I don't need proof, post-modern says prove it.

Postmodernism is the reaction to the unfulfilled process of modernism

Science, education and rationalism were supposed to end war poverty and sickness.

Modernism:

• Learn truth
• Reality is out there to be discovered
• Individual emphasis
• Progress undeniable
• Logic is convincing

Postmodernism:

• We make truth
• Reality is simply to be constructed
• Team emphasis
• process is highly questionable
• stories are convincing

Earl Creps AGTS July 2003

1. Objectivity is out

• The FBI would not ask for your son if there was a bomb to go off if the bad guys ordered for him OR a box of chocolates and a case of beer. There is either another option or there is only ONE way.
• Postmodernists do believe in truth, their truth is 't'ruth, ours is 'T'ruth.
• Any time we see certainty they see arrogance, hard to be a win-win.
• Feelings are subjective, truth is objective, postmodernism basically stands on subjective source over objective truth.
• Mandy Moore Seventeen 2003 p187, "Truth is discovered from passion."
• We should discover Truth then become passionate about it.
• We must proclaim truth in Love, if we feel guilty then we must search our heart for subjective thoughts.

2. Question everything/Try anything

3. You will know me if you know mt story. (Experience)

• When we read the epistles, every rule is about a real life situation.
• Every dumb rule in life is about a real situation.

4. Tolerance is a necessity

• No absolutism, we must be tolerant

5. Multi-culturism and Pluralism

• Many faiths all competing together.
• Greg Steir about Starbucks Christianity quote, this is a generation that embraces a "Starbucks spirituality. Teens today are used to customizing every aspect of life, so why wouldn't this spill over into the areas of their spiritual lives...

Modernism: Facts - influence - belief - influence - behavior
Postmodernism: Experience - influence - belief - influence - behaviors

Modern truth affects relationships experiences and feelings, postmodern affects the others.

How do we reach the Postmodern World.
1. Invite them into the body of Christ, ecclesia
2. Invite them to experience God
3. Use authentic Language
4. Speak Love before Judgment
5. Relationships
A. What's it like to be ______________?
6. Build Community - small groups
7. Train students to share their testimony
8. Emphasize Dialogue

My thoughts:
There are emergent theology and emerging praxology. One has rebuilt it's foundation while the building is standing, the other is always making sure the building will continue to stand shoring up any areas of question. Emergent theology saw the postmodern movement and changed it's foundation of theology, the emerging praxology saw the postmodern movement and changed it's ways of teaching it's theology, these are big differences to be noted. When we have exchanged our core theologies to match the desire of our culture we risk huge losses when we cash in our stock, however when we realize that the culture has changed and we begin to chase it and adapt our inadequacies to meet the demand blessing ensues and the one being chased recognizes the relevancy or at least the futile attempts and realizes the status quo has changed. The average, typical person that has set his mind against the church has perfectly adequate reason, we have met every doubt in his mind, as I always say, the worst of us (the radical rights) represent the best of us. Paul said it best, follow him as he follows Christ. Case in point, it was also Paul who recognized this when he was in Athens in Acts 17. He recognized that the culture had changed, not that culture changed literally but his surroundings had changed. He picks up right from their belief system and applied biblical theology to their pagan praxology. The theology stayed the same that he had instilled but his praxology changed to using Greek mythology and an altar that had some writing on it. This is one of the most beautiful chapters in the bible for cross-cultural communications. The bigger admittance is realizing that we live in a cross-cultural nation, no longer do we need to go over seas to recognize this. And I don't say this due to the many languages in America nor the skin tones, but the modern thought versus the post-modern thought.

Let us not change our belief to accommodate all thoughts. Yes it is true that all truth is God's truth, his inspired truth. Yes, this truth can run deep in the pagan practices and ruthless extremists, even they wouldn't approve of you raping and pillaging their families. We can't assume that morality leads to God if different religions all agree on common morals. All truths definitely share common thread but those threads eventually weave ropes of theology that are tied to anchors of religions... we can agree in the midst of truth but must not be ignorant to realize that they all lead to their own individual 'gods'/God. I love my fellow Jew and even the radical Islam, the Jewish person deep down inside might even find love for me and the Islam and same for the Islam, that doesn't mean our belief lands us all on the same cloud with the same harpist as be knock on heavens door, let us not be so arrogant/ignorant.

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AZ Youth Workers Conference Session 1 of 3

Speaker: Doug Reed

Lack Of Passions

Colossians 2:3

We become great at methodology but lack the passion that goes beyond theology.
Their has to be a soulfulness to communication.

Sometimes we struggle with passion because we don't like the position God has put us in.

IQ - our intelligence quotience.
EQ - our emotional quotience.

God Is About Making Us Passionate About Him.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 - (rephrased my me) God chose the nobodies to point out the shallowness of the somebody's.

5 Principles of those who are passionate:

1. Principle of Solitude

• Satan fights your personal time because he is so afraid of the value it brings.
• Passion grows in the dark, it has to settle into your heart
• Dr. Cho, said, "I have more to do, I guess I better spend another hour with my creator to get it all done."
• Ezekiel spent three years before God used him to kill the Baal prophets.
• Principals of greatness begin with principles of solitude.

2. Principle of Self Encouragement

• Passion will die if it is not encouraged by yourself.
• enCourage is when courage is put in, disCourage is when courage is stolen.
• "Shut up and drive, we have all been shot" - Black Hawk Down

3. Principle of Sacrifice

• Personal cost will build passion

4. Principle of Simplicity

• Passion is like an arrow, it must have a target.
• If you live without a vision you make life more difficult to live.
  

5. Principle of Spiritual Experience

• Jesus is the vine and we are the branches and apart from him we can do nothing.

Great One Liners:
The problem with the lack of passion is not what happened, it is what didn't happen.

You get tired when you live below your destiny.

All jobs have their own set of challenges.

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donkey & cow are smelling brown baby Jesus' butt

Sound like a line from Talladega Nights? Appropriately yes... "donkey & cow are smelling brown baby Jesus' butt" was the instant message this morning when I got in to my office from my assistant (http://twitter.com/…dybecerra). Apparently some of my interns and possibly someone else on staff ransacked her cubicle, turning everything upside down and around, stuff in her drink, trash can on her desk, and messed everything up. Of course when something of the sort happens you is to blame... well typically the fingers point toward me. I am by nature an instigator and surprised even myself that the messy cubicle was not brought by myself. And as you can see in the picture, it all made sense. I had gotten this nativity set when I had gone to Peru to lead a Leadership Conference. The great thing is the nativity set was that of a Peruvian baby Jesus, etc. Sometimes somethings are too good to let pass by so this had to be shared.



The important thing to know is that when mom and dad's back are turned who knows what is happening, poor brown Jesus.



Take care.

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mobilePOST

Grocery shopping with the family. Our daughter is amazingly beautiful. It is quite amazing how much you can love someone or in my case two ppl. God is amazing with giving us the option and free will to love.



Did I mention how talented I am to write this and push the buggy and play with the kid all at one, the champion of multi-tasking.

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@ The Leadership Summit // really fast

IT - Craig Groeschel

What is “it” in church that some have and some don’t?
• The “it” is the thing/essence/atmosphere/spirit that people feel @ church.
• Something so special of God that when people encounter “it” they would meet Christ.
• The Spir”it” of God.
• Someone can kill it, it is not a system, not a model, not a purpose deal or seeker deal, not an emergent deal, it can be found in all those types of places. Some can catch it, some can lose it.
• “it” happens, and sometimes it doesn’t.
• Dude falls out of a window when church is boring and dies, then they raise them from the dead, that is “it”.
• Acts 2:42-47 - 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
There are certain qualities that exist when “it” is present:
• Ministries has a Razor Focus.
o Don’t have 287 ministries, that is not better. Better ministries are better.
o To reach people that no ones is reaching then you have to do things that no one is doing. But in order to do things that no one is doing then we can’t do what everyone else is doing.
o What ministries are working and are producing maturing disciples?
o The 5 areas of focus of Lifechurch.tv
• Weekend Worship Experience, Small Group, Kids Ministry, Student Ministry, Missions.
o What are you doing that you need to stop doing?
• They see Obstacles as Opportunities
o You have everything that God needs in order for you to do everything he needs.
o God often guides by what He doesn’t provide.
• They are Willing to Fail.
o Failure is a Necessity.
o When you fail is when you see God.
• If Peter didn’t fail he wouldn’t have believed in Jesus in the way he did.
o God may want you to do something but there may be three steps of failure to get to what God has for you.
• They are lead by people that have “it”.
o Your ministry will not have it if you do not have it.
o We have to be careful to not lose it.
o “I had become a full time pastor and a part-time follower of Christ.”
o If you've lost IT- getting back to center/core is part of the process to get back
o You need to have IT for your ministry to get IT. Ministry can kill IT... when we focus on building our ministry rather than His Kingdom- we can start losing IT. Leaders that have IT seem to draw people because they want to be part of IT.

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Donations Now Being Accepted

Pathetic? Maybe. Creative? More so. I have been challenged for many years to fulfill my Masters degree. I have been contemplating where and which degree for a long time. I have narrowed the degree to Ministerial Leadership. I know God has equipped me with a large amount of leadership skills. I don't take this lightly, as a matter of fact I know that in order to be a leader one must continue to be a learner. I love to learn and grow, it is not optional for me, I make it a requirement for my living. I am always reading a book, typically two or three at a time. Books are not nearly enough, that is the reason for pursuing my academia.

The things that God has called me to in my life are quite amazing. God gives vision that is much bigger than myself or my own dreams. I have also come to the conclusion that when God calls you to something you must be moldable in life so that you can fulfill His desire. I never have felt adequate to be a fulfiller of His desires yet I can't be comfortable in life to simply just waste time. His visions for my life cause me to live with conviction to pursue the desires of my heart, those desire that ultimately came from Him. He is beautiful, unchanging, big, beyond explanation, beyond understanding, without beginning and end, He is my best friend, my redeemer, my best friend, my comforter, my all compassing help in every moment of need. To Him I owe my life for everything I have done wrong. He has help salvage my life that was becoming a wasteland of trash and smutt. God, thank you for challenging my heart to pursue what you have for me. Thanks you for your word that was recorded in the anals of time and your word that beacme flesh and dwelt among us. Always hold me to the vision you have for my life. I can do nothing else in life than to continue in pursuit of learning and growing.

If you feel the need, the challenge, or the desire to donate to a worthy cause (me), then follow this link and you can donate to my PayPal account.

http://www.digitalcharity.com/m.php?id=33258

Thanks So much.

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Apple Store

WOOOOWWWW

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Broadway Community Soup Kitchen

Our team is at a soup kitchen around 116th upper Mahattan to feed the homeless. This is a tough area with some tough people. This area doesn't really have a lot of legal accountability. It is kind of a don't ask, don't tell society here. There are drug dealers, gang affiliated people, hard life guys, etc. We are instructed to not openly discuss God and our testimony. We have to be in one accord and trust the Holy Spirit to guide our speech, body language, etc. The hope is that they ask us questions but no matter what we are here to serve!

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Rock The Block Teen Challenge Outreach

We are at a park in a tough area doing an outereach with about 500-600 people. Stomp, breakdancing, preaching and a rap fest. Teen Challenge does an incredible job with these Rock the Block outreaches. Their teams are incredibly abled; we are glad to be able to be working with them. The pastor is sharing the story of when he was 26 he loaded his brother's arm with 3 hits of heroine and he watched his brother die in his arms. God revived his brother in the ambulance and has changed his life ever since. His story, like ours, has the testimony of changing lives because of what God has done. About a hundred responded for salvation and many for healing. The students are getting the ability to pray at the altars, hand out bibles, and walk people throught the salvation prayer. God is showing up and moving in this outreach and with our team.

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The Bowery Mission Chapel Service

We are at a homeless mission/church. This is the 3rd oldest church in New York with an almost 40' pipe organ. This missio was founded by Rev. Albert G. Ruliffson in Nov. 1879 and was active in it's work until Sept. 1895 and was laid to rest in May 2nd 1897. This mission seats approx. 225 people and serves as a homeless mission. This truly a beautiful mission with detailed architecture in stone and wood.



Our group will be conducting the service this morning. Lukus will be leading in worship with the team singing with him. Chris R. will be preaching and Chris G. Doing the closing prayer and altar service.



LOL Moment:

We were at Gino's (possibly the best NY Pizza here).

Aubrey went to go get a fork and knife to eat her food. She grabbed them out of the cups that was near the napkins and salt & pepper. As she retuned to her seat to eat she realized that her utensils were VERY dirty and used. What she failed to realize is that the cup for utensils was structly for dirty ones. The actual clean ones were in thew drawer in your typical silverware drawer at home.



Come one Aubrey everybody knows the dirty ones are in the cup and clean ones are in the drawers. That's what drawers are for.

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Prospect Park Outreach Survey

We went out to Prospect Park to ask questions in a survey that hopefully leaves with students asking about if they would like to know more about Jesus. The weather is awesome and it is a beautiful park. I asked each student to pray for each person as they go to them. Prayer and trusting in the Holy Spirit is the only thing that we have as a tool. It is through the HS that comes conviction, the knowledge of our mistakes and knowing that we have failed God's expectations for our lives.

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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Synagogue

We went to a couple parts of New York that are Jewish communities. It is a very different world then we had thought about. We approached three Jewish guys in front of a synagogue and our approach was that we were hear to experience their culture. Our leader is a Jewish missionary and is very smart. We dialogued for a while then asked if we could go inside.



I have NEVER truly understood deeply the issues that Jesus had to deal with when he would debate an challenge the pharisees. It seemed that they were always out to get him and never listen, but that was because everthing that Jesus the Messiah is for was against their legalism.



"I am a Pharisee" was the first words out of the mouth of one of the guys who was quick to try to eat us apart and simplify our beliefs to everything short of the gospel and Jesus the Messiah. I was baffled at how much they are against Christians. I spent another 45 minutes dialoguing after I was called an infadel and terrorist to Judiasm. It actually was a very good conversation and an eye opener for us all.



The particular Synagogue was Lubavitch and they believe that Schneerson was their Mosiach, their messiah. "Long live our Master, our Teacher, our Rebbe, King Moshiach Forever and Ever. Very interesting!!!



LOL Moment:

We were going to go to Brighton Boardwalk/Beach to minister to Jews.



Caitlyn: Beach?

PShaun: Yeah, NY is on the ocean!

Caitlyn: What, are you serious?!?

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Chinatown Fresh!

We arer getting to experience Chinatown. This is a very fun place. We split up our team and are shopping. One group waved us into Teariffic, a chinese fingerfood and exteme tea bar... I think without alcohol, just kidding, teenage safe.



LOL Moment:

Brandyn: Shaun, this is good, do you like it?

PShaun: It tastes like b.o. Smells

Brandyn: So do you like it?

PShaun: Oh yeah. I love it.

Brandyn: Wow

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