Month: May 2020

-1 week

-2 weeks

-40 percent

-57 percent

Did you catch those statistics as you were reading Chapter 7, “A Sticky Bridge Out of Home“, this week?

Here’s the high-level explanation:

“…the first two weeks are where key decisions (they) make key decisions about drinking and other high-risk behaviors, right along with choosing whether to go to church or to a campus ministry.” (p. 151)

“Don’t skip church that first week, because it just makes it easier to skip it the second week and then the eight week…..” (p. 151)

“…during the fall of freshman year, only 40 percent of youth group alum were attending an on-campus fellowship once a week or more, and 57 percent were attending church once a week or more.” (p. 152)

Great chapter, once again.  Lots of related topics…..trusting God, granting new freedoms to our kids when they “leave the nest”, and even touching on helicopter or velcro parents!  (Velcro was a new one for me!)

Jason Schubert will lead us this week.  Meeting over Zoom.  (3-4 can gather in the treehouse…..text Mike if you’re interested in that option!)

Zoom meeting information below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88423078742?pwd=WnVJQzMvVjdqZFlvbitwTVh4dmVkUT09

Meeting ID: 884 2307 8742

Please note:  You’ll be asked for a password to join the meeting.  Mike is sending that out separately via calendar invite to our group list.

Gather on Friday starting at 7:30 am.  Jason will start this week’s lesson at 7:45 am.

Peace!

I’m loving this book.

Plain and simply, each chapter seems to speak directly to what’s happening (in my household).

For example, just this past week, my wife and I were talking about how to get our sons more “excited” about service projects.  There’s tons of need and tons of opportunities.  But, like many youth, they will only get involved under certain conditions:

-How long?  The shorter the better….

-Are any of their friends involved?

-Can they “fit it” into an already busy schedule?

So, I get it.  We can’t force these things and I try to truthfully think back to when I was their age….was I fired up and excited about serving others like I am today?  Maybe not.

Our reading this week tackles this subject rather nicely, in my opinion.  So whether you have teenagers, like me, or teenagers-in-waiting….then Chapter 6, “Sticky Justice”, will be a great read for you.

This chapter is all about the notion of not just serving God and others….but LOVING doing so!  And that ain’t an easy sell to any kids, trust me.

This week, David Parker, returns to the batter’s box to lead the group.  (Am I aging myself again?  Anyone remember the Pittsburgh Pirates slugger….Dave Parker….who played for the Pirates in the late 70’s and early 80’s).  I digress……

Zoom information is as follows:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88423078742

Meeting ID: 884 2307 8742

Please feel free to join the meeting starting at 7:30 am.  David will launch into the lesson beginning at 7:45 am.

Peace!

Confession.

I binged watched a show on the Travel Channel last weekend called “Expedition Big Foot“.  Fascinating!  Not sure if I’m sold on the notion that a species of hairy, smelly, 7-8 foot tall, human-like creatures exists…but the technology used throughout this series was amazing!  (Click on the image below for more details.)

So what does “Bigfoot” have to do with this week’s lesson, Chapter 5 from Sticky Faith?  Probably not much….truthfully.  I mean, this week’s focus is around the “who” are our kids aligned with outside of the immediately family.  And doubtful that anyone has a Sasquatch included into their circle….but that would be very incredible!

What I found most interesting in this week’s reading is this concept of “balance” as part of the segregation (or not) of youth church programming/development and what our authors describe as the rest of the congregation.  Pay close attention to that theme as you read this week.

Tim Sydejko leads us this week as we continue Zoom meetings.  Details listed below.  Feel free to join at 7:30 am ET for “checking in with friends”.  Lesson will begin at 7:45 am ET.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88423078742

Meeting ID: 884 2307 8742

See you then!

Peace!

Conversations.

How do the conversations go in your household?  If you have teenagers, I mean, how DO those conversations go?

Growing up, my parents didn’t talk about any of the tougher subjects: drinking, drugs, sex, etc.  They just expected, maybe through osmosis or something, they my brother, sister and I would make smart choices.  And, you know what….99% of the time we did just that….made smart choices.

So were we lucky in our household….or were we the most amazing, Leave It To Beaver, kids ever to walk the planet?  Maybe we’ll never know.

This week we’re focusing on the majority of American households where “leaving it to luck” is cannot be a reliable parenting strategy.  Homework this week is to read Chapter 4, “Sticky Faith Conversations”.  I’m happy to be leading this week….

We’ll continue to meet via Zoom.  Here’s the meeting information:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88423078742

Meeting ID: 884 2307 8742

We’ll open up the Zoom at 7:30 am ET, with the lesson starting at 7:45 am ET.

See you then!

Peace!