Life's Journey! radupasca.com » Ministry Corner

Hiking Fall Activity For Youth Groups

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:58:15 +0000

A great Fall activity for our youth group is the “Fall Color Hike”. Every year we go to the mountains to see the leaves change color. This is a very low cost activity. The only expense was the gasoline. If you don’t have vehicles, invite adults who love the outdoors to join and drive students.

SYATP Bohemian Rhapsody Video

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:45:44 +0000

See You at the Pole™ connects believers together at the beginning of the school year, so you can stand strong together throughout the year.

See You at the Pole™ is all about prayer. It’s about you coming together and laying aside all of the labels and groups for one day, to simply engage with God in prayer and connect with fellow Christians in unity around the flag pole.

STUDENTS!!! DON’T FORGET TO ASK YOUR PARENTS FOR A RIDE!

Biblical Advice At Beginning of School Year

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:05:05 +0000

Following are some practical things Christian students can do during the school year:

a) Ephesians 4:25 Stop Lying and start telling the truth!

I dare you in the name of God to start telling the truth all the time to anyone in any circumstance. This will be extremely hard if you are in the habit of telling lies. Stop lying to your teachers! Stop lying to other students! They will notice it and they will know that you live by a higher moral standard.
b) Ephesians 4:26 Control your anger!

There will always be someone at your school who knows how to push your buttons. They will say or do something that angers you. What can you do? “In your anger do not sin”! Satan will use your anger to push you to sin. Control your anger – self control is the fruit of the Spirit.

c) Ephesians 4:28 Stop cheating / stealing and start working hard!

Have you ever done your own homework? Have you ever cheated at a test? If you could grasp the importance of this concept, it will change your life forever.

Until high school no one challenged me to stop cheating (stealing). I knew it was wrong, but everyone did it. Until then all I cared about was the grades and looking good in the eyes of my teachers and my class mates. Then one day, a godly teacher challenged my class to stop cheating and to work hard. Today I challenge you to work hard and from now on when you take a test, write what you know, period.
d) Ephesians 4:29 Watch your mouth! Do not let any unholy talk come out of your mouth!

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

e) Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate!

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Youth Mission Trip Impressions

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:00:23 +0000

Impressions from the Youth Mission Trip to Chiapas Mexico.
Whitney Hackbarth
It was very different being around people who couldn’t speak your language at all. This mission trip showed me that God really is everywhere, not just in America where everyone speaks the same language that I do. God used this trip to change my heart. Today I am a lot more grateful for all the things that God has provided for me.

Zach
The first day while helping Randy in the dental clinic I noticed a very cool thing. The translator was praying the whole time for the patients. Some of the people walked 2 hours to the dental clinic. I am very grateful for all the conveniences we have here in the US as compared to the people in Mexico.

Erica
The thing that most impacted me was the first evening service where everyone sang in Spanish and prayed out loud in three different languages. I was also touched by the fact that our testimonies needed to be translated form English to Spanish to Ch’ol in order for the message to be understood by the locals.

Angela Schafer
Going to Mexico was an awesome experience. Toward the end of the trip we visited a witch doctor church. I was saddened to see people worshiping something other than the one true God of the bible. I am so blessed to have a God that is real, big and full of mercy.

Mitch
This trip led me into a whole new spiritual journey. I really love the Ch’ol people and feel that I can make a difference by sharing techniques on staying healthy by using fireplaces with chimneys and water filters. God has used this trip to call me into action about spreading his word throughout the world. Matthew 28:19-20.

Jessica
At first I was nervous about going on this mission trip, but once we got there, I felt very comfortable. I was amazed at how the Ch’ol people love each other and how they are willing to share what they had with us. Mexico is “part of me” and I desire to go back someday.

Centrifuge Summer Camp in Review

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:54:54 +0000

Youth Camp at Glorieta is always a new adventure. Though the format is similar, every year we have a unique experience. This year was no different. For me personally it is such a joy to see our students get excited about their walk with Jesus. Every night, we spent time together talking about what we learned that day and what the Lord was doing in our lives. It is one of my favorite parts of camp. No kidding, when a believer is focused on the Lord, and spends time listening to Him, he/she will hear from God. This year we focused on the life and calling of Moses. Each day we looked at one aspect of Moses’ calling. Day1 was on faith to go- when God calls we must respond with action. Day 2 addressed faith to take a stand even when it is unpopular or uncomfortable. Day 3 challenged us to have faith to go into the unknown – sometimes we have to take a risk for Christ. Day 4 helped us ponder faith to wait, not complaining, but waiting on God.

About a week after we got home, my wife asked one of the student’s opinions about camp. The response was very mature, “I think I got more out of camp this year because my attitude was different than last year,” she said. That is so true! Sometimes, our attitude keeps us from having an encounter with our heavenly Father. It keeps us from hearing His life-giving message to us.

A Dream Come True – International Mission Trip

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:46:31 +0000

International mission trips provide amazing experiences. It is highly recommended that youth groups provide the opportunity for students to go on a international mission trip. However wonderful it may be, may young people can’t afford to pay their way. On the other hand, those who “really” serve others less fortunate, will find a way…

Support letters are a wonderful way of allowing God to provide for you through family members and friends. Following is a Mission Trip support letter I sent out before our mission trip to Chiapas, Mexico.

Please allow me to share with you something I have been dreaming and praying about for quite some time now. It’s actually a desire I’ve had ever since I became the youth minister at Redeemer five years ago. God is making it possible for our youth group to take a foreign to Chiapas, Mexico this summer! Our desire is to help Nathan and Julie Terrell, a young missionary couple our church supports and take the good news of Christ to the Ch’ol people of Mexico.

The Ch’ol people are one of the indigenous groups of Mexico (Mexican Native Americans or Indians). Their roots are Mayan. A vast majority of the population speaks only Ch’ol. They speak Spanish at the same level of a US high school student. The Ch’ol people have an agrarian subsistence living (corn, beans squash, cattle, sheep, goats and some vegetable) and they cook their food on open pit fire, usually with no chimney.

In April of this year (2009) I had the opportunity to go on a scouting trip to Chiapas, Mexico. It was a life changing experience! You can see pictures from that trip on Redeemer’s website www.rbcaurora.org. I can’t wait to take our six (6) students to the jungles of Mexico where we will help install water filters, and assist dentist Randy Sanders. (Date: July 25-August 1^st, 2009)

The water the people in the jungle are drinking is unsafe. They try to purify it by boiling it on an open pit cook fire. Our goal is to install the filters in their homes and during that time play a gospel message already translated in their own language. Since 80% of people are illiterate in Spanish or their own language, we will leave with them audio Bibles made available by Nathan Terrell (www.terrelltimes.com/njthome.html).

As we prepare for this upcoming trip, we ask that you lift us up in prayer. We will leave Colorado on July 25, 2009 and we will return on August 1^st, 2009. Colossians 4: 3-4 says, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Please pray also for group unity, safety in travel, and for the hearts of the Ch’ol to be prepared for the message.

Why Do You Love Your Church?

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:52:40 +0000

Several weeks ago I had this idea of asking people in our church the following question, “Why do you love your church?” To make it more interesting I videotaped the answers. The finding was nothing short than amazing. Watch it!

Disciple Now Curriculum by Max Lucado

Radu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:26:40 +0000

It’s not about me! When was the last time you heard these words? When was the last time you spoke these words of self-denial? Our vocabularies tend to be more characterized by terms of self-promotion, self-preservation, and self-centeredness.

Our culture encourages us to be as self-focused as possible. The advertisement industry is telling us that we need and deserve to have the things they sell. So, we indulge ourselves thinking that maybe this time we may achieve happiness.

If the world is telling us to GET as much stuff as we can, God is calling us to GIVE as much as we can. He is calling us to lose our lives in order to find them. (Matthew 16:25) More than ever before, we need someone to rescue us from the me-centered life we thought would make us happy.

The God-centered life works. When God is number one in our lives, we start seeing life and people differently. This year during Disciple Now, we want to help teenagers see everything in their lives – friendships, family situations, their bodies, and even their problems – as platforms to bring God glory.

“It’s Not About Me” bible study is much needed for today’s culture. Young people are not the only ones that need to understand that God is the center of the universe. “When God looks at the center of the universe, He doesn’t look at you.” God loves us and desires a relationship with us, but He doesn’t need us. “Our comfort is not God’s priority. If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?”

This bible study will help students begin to see everything – our pleasures, our problems, our gifts and talents – as being all for the One who created us.

“It’s Not About Me” bible study has 6 sessions and it is perfect for a youth retreat or disciple now weekend. This material can also be used by the young adult ministry.

Redeemer Senior Recognition-Slide show

Radu — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:22:54 +0000

This year we had a total of 9 high school graduates. Some of them have been in the youth group for a long time while others have been more recent. At any rate we are very proud of all of them.

In order to make their graduation special our church set aside a time in the morning service to recognize each one of them. During that time we shared with the congregation few things about each high school senior – what they have accomplished, some memories and where they plan to go from here.

At the end of the service we invited everyone to eat some cake and congratulate the seniors. It has been a blessing to see church members hug and share words of affirmation and encouragement with our HS graduates.

Several months ago while talking to one of the seniors, he suggested that he would like to have as a gift some photos (old and new) from different events he participated in while in youth group. So, I decided to put together a slide show with all of the seniors and show it to the congregation. It was such a great idea!

The following presentation was created with animoto.com

Youth Disciple Now and Retreat Curriculum

Radu — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:03:29 +0000

If you are a youth leader and you are looking for a good/solid youth bible study for your disciple now event or youth retreat, then continue reading. Today I am going to share with you my top 4 favorite places I go to when I need a 6 session bible study for my youth group retreat and disciple now events.

Certainly there are other ministries that offer good bible studies, but in my opinion, the following 3 are the best:

1. The Cutting Edge Youth Ministry Resources – The Cutting Edge Bible Studies are formatted into activity studies, discussion based, and youth camp studies. Some of them are available in hard copy online while more and more are now available in digital format. Do you wonder what an activity study looks like?

Sample Hard copy lesson (Activity format): Image is Everything (Session #4) – Sample #1
Sample Digital download (Activity format): Bottom Line (BS outline + PP) “Thermostat vs thermometer” – Sample #2
Sample Digital download (Discussion Format / Bible Study) Innocent by Associaion -Lesson #2 + PP – Sample #3
Sample Digital download (Camp Format) Innocent by Association – Lesson #2 – Sample #4

2. Student Discipleship Ministries – SDM is a non-denominational ministry that exists to provide Biblical-based evangelism and discipleship resources.

3. InQuest Ministries – Here you will find a sample lesson of our curriculum, Teacheraides, and other great teaching resources. There is also information on our camps and conferences, links to great Biblical resources, and much, much more.

4. Dare2Share – here you will be able to find great resources about evangelism.