Call 4:1- September Recap (Video and Pictures)

CALL 4:1

September Recap

Call 4:1 is a monthly worship service for students from 6th grade through College. Call 4:1 is Student led. All students are welcome, and other youth groups are invited! Call 4:1 is held on the 3rd Sunday PM of every month from 7-8:30.

 

Our first Call 4:1 was Sept. 15th! I felt like it was a HUGE step in the right direction. It was awesome to see students come together for the cause of Christ. I'm super proud of all the students who made this Call 4:1 possible. It's encouraging to see students stepping up, and really taking on the responsibility of leading others in the way of Christ. I can't wait until next month! There were at least four different youth groups represented. Hope you will join us in October!

 

Check out the recap video and pictures below!

 

 

 

 

 



 



CALL 4:1... What is it and Why we want you!

Your invited to CALL 4:1!

 

 

Call 4:1 is a monthly worship night for Students from 6th grade all the way to College. Call 4:1 is for students and BY students. Students will be planning and leading the services each month.

 

The name Call 4:1 is based off of Ephesians 4:1, "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling..."

 

 

Call4:1 will be the third Sunday night of every month from 7:00-8:30. Our first night will be THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, September 15th.

 

 

 

 How awesome would it be to see students from our area rally together in support of each other and for the cause of Christ? This is the vision. That students will worship and walk in the name of Jesus.  After each worship session we will have FREE food and time to just hang out. 

 

Here is a link to the event page on Facebook. The time listed on the event page is wrong. The actual time is 7-8:30pm.

https://www.facebook.com/events/672387992789049/

 

Our church address and my contact info is below. If you are interested in taking part, attending, or have any questions please do not hesitate to shoot me an email.

 

Harmony Community Church

1984 Pulpwood Yard Rd.
Peachland, NC 28133
 

 

All About Jesus,

Seth Springs

tsethsprings@aol.com

Being and Doing rather than Going and just Hearing...

Jesus came back from the dead.

maybe you didn't hear...

Jesus came back from the dead.

THAT IS HUGE!

The fact that our God lives is what our entire faith hinges on. Paul said (to paraphrase) that our faith is useless if Jesus stayed dead. But, He didn't. JESUS LIVES! Don't forget it, and the rest of this post means nothing if you don't get that.

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
Matt 28:18 (NLT)

Because Jesus died and rose again, we should take everything He says seriously. I mean, resurrection is a pretty BIG deal. But, not only should we be awe-stricken by this work, we should bow down and recognize the fact that Jesus is victorious over death and has power over everything. When Jesus talks we should listen.

Jesus went on to say...

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matt 28:19-20 (NLT)

Risen Jesus, with all authority, tells us Christians what we are to do with our lives: Make Disciples.
What does this mean? It means that as followers of Jesus, we ought to reproduce. We are commanded to multiply. We are called to take the good news of life through Jesus, and teach people how live from that salvation.

James, the brother of Jesus, wrote...

"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves."
James 1:22 (NLT)

So we know our call. We know what Jesus said. Are being hearers only? Or, are we doers? So many of us who know what God's word says about disciple making continue to go to church each week and just listen to a sermon rather than being the Church and actually doing what the Word says. Coming together as the Church, the church being a people and not a place, is a good thing. It's one of the things that God's word teaches us to do. But, God's word teaches us not to stop there. Jesus said, "Go and make disciples."

What does making disciples look like?

Pouring your life and love for Jesus into someone else. Jesus was the ultimate disciple maker. He introduced men to Himself, by saying "Follow me." That's how it starts. Us saying to a lost world, "Follow Jesus."

Jesus didn't stop there. Jesus then did life with these men. They didn't meet at church once a week and do something called discipleship. Nah, discipleship was everyday. It was doing life together in community and relationship. Discipleship is doing life together and growing together towards Christ. Jesus walked and talked with these men. He ate with these men. He prayed, and went through struggles and triumphs with these men.

How was I discipled? The man who introduced me to Christ became my mentor. We began to spend lots of time together. I was a high school student then, and he would come pick me up for breakfast once a week and take me to school afterwards. We would talk about everything. He would teach me what it meant to follow Jesus. He would encourage me, but also tell me the truth when I didn't want to hear it. We would pray for each other. He had me over to spend time with his family. He would call me and let me know he was praying for me. He began to do life with me and showed me what it meant to do life with Jesus. Til this day he is my best friend, and I'm thankful that he took the time to invest in me.

So, where do you stand in this? Do you need to follow Jesus and be made into a disciple? Seek out someone in your life that follows Jesus and ask them to show you what it means to follow Jesus.

Or, are you one who knows the word, but has yet to do it? Jesus is risen, has all authority, and is calling you to make disciples. Who is someone around you, maybe younger or maybe older, that needs to know how to do life with Jesus? Show them. Invite them to lunch, coffee, or have them over to have a meal with your family. If they aren't a real Christian, say "Come, follow Jesus", and go from there. Refuse to sit on the sidelines and miss out on what God is wanting to do around you.

Quality Christian Music is hard to find...

All Christian music is not good music. The lyrics may be awesome, but from a pure listening to music on the radio, ipod, or whatever device you choose, there is a lot of "Christian" music that is just not easy to listen to. I don't mean to sound sac-religious or insult your taste.

Over the past month or so I have heard a few sounds from bands that I'd never heard. Maybe you've known them forever, but maybe you're like me and have been searching for music that is filled with Jesus and that is as good on the ears as it is on the soul. Here's a list of 5 bands that I've come to enjoy, both new and old. Listen, leave what you don't like, and enjoy what you can!

1. Rend Collective Experiment.

2. All Sons and Daughters

 

 

3. Trip Lee

4.  Shawn McDonald

5. DC Talk (Wanted to throw in an "oldy" but a goody)

 

 

Back To School Bash @ DRM (Pictures)

This past Saturday was our youth group's Back to School event. The event was hosted by Damascus Road Ministries. DRM is a ministry to those struggling with addiction and is located in downtown Monroe, NC.

There were 3 or 4 youth groups represented and a total of around 45 people in attendance for the pizza eating, couch sitting, and Jesus worshipping event.

One part of the event was an open mic for any student who wanted to share. To my amazement, several students got up to the microphone to sing and encourage the other students.

After all the pizza and worship, we headed over to a local ice cream place called the Bus Stop Soda Shop. It was good, and I highly recommend the strawberry milk shake.

It was fun to see God move among the students, and it was a huge faith-booster for me to see this thing come together. I'm super thankful to work with the students that I do, and to have ministry friends like those at DRM!

ALL ABOUT JESUS!!!

 

You Are Not Alone...

I struggle with constant worry. I worry about everything. I ask way to many questions out of fear that something will go wrong. I'm all about having a plan.

It may seem odd to you that I deal with fear and worry yet constantly post about evangelism, stepping out in faith, and being "on mission" with Jesus.

Well, since I'm in the confessing mood, those things do not come easy to me. Most of my posts are usually pointed more at myself than at anyone else. I, like many, constantly struggle to get out of my bubble and do things that just don't come natural to normal people.

So, am I just writing this to tell you that I'm a jacked up person. No, you already knew that. What I want to do is give those who are struggling with worry or who are fearful of being all in and all about Jesus a little bit of encouragement that the Word has given me lately.





"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matt 28:19-20 (NLT)

With one of the greatest commands Christ ever gave He also gave a promise! Christ tells us that WE ARE NOT ALONE! He has called us to live a life that comes with challenges and opposition, but He let's us know that we don't have to live this life alone.

If you are a true follower of Jesus, whatever you're facing, or whatever you feel God's leading you towards, remember that He is with you. You are not alone.

Spent.

Spent:

Adjective

Having been used and unable to be used again.       18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me,23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. Acts 20:18-24 (NLT)     When Paul said goodbye to the Ephesians, he could honestly say that he had done everything that he could do to make sure that the Ephesians knew Jesus. He was SPENT for the cause of Christ. He was spent so that this community would know Life and have life.   When we die and stand before a holy God, who knows the truth of our hearts and efforts, will we be able to speak the words of Paul in Acts 20? Will we be able to honestly say that our time was spent doing "the Lord's work"? Will we be able to say we put others first and spent tears for our people? Will we be able to say that Christ was our message and we spent our lives not shrinking back from making Him known?   What are we pouring our lives into? One day the last drop will drip. Was it spent well?   But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. Acts 20:24

Painting The Youth Room

This weekend was one of the highlights of Taylor and I's time with the youth at Harmony Community. We painted the youth room!

With 6 adults and about 10 or 12 youth, we got the room painted in 3 days. Thanks to all who came out and put some time in! It was awesome to get to spend some time together, and to work together to see a project be completed. I hope that this will help us see it as OUR youth room, and that it will be somewhere the students are excited to come and bring friends!

 

Here are some pictures of us working and the finished product!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Your Best Friend

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

 

It seems that friends are important. Everyone wants at least one friend. Someone that they can call their best friend. Someone that they have fun with, count on, and talk to. The bible is clear, and teaches that two are better than one and that we will need help from a friend in this life. But, what are some other things that the bible teaches about friends?

 

 

 

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."-Proverbs 13:20

 

"Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." -Proverbs 27:5-6

 

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."-Proverbs 27:17

 

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." -Proverbs 18:24

 

4 Things to Remember When Picking Friends

1. Be Careful. Everything that we allow into our lives influences us in one way. Friends are one of these influences. Surround yourself with people that you can look up to.

 

2. True friends will be honest with you. Surround yourself with people who love you enough to tell you the truth. A good friend is someone who will tell you what you need to hear even when you don't want to hear it. Be careful of those who only say good things about you. We need friends who will encourage us, but also correct us.

 

3. Ask yourself, "Do they complement or complicate my relationship with Jesus?" Good friends are those who want the best for us. The best for us is to be in close relationship with Jesus. Surround yourself with people who bring you closer to Christ, not pull you farther away. We need friends who are partnering with us in our mission with Jesus. This is also a great question to ask when considering dating or courting.

 

4. Jesus is best friend material. You've heard the Christian cliché, "Christianity isn't a religion but a relationship." Well, it's true. Many believe that the friend that will stick closer than a brother mentioned in Prov. 18:24 is actually Jesus. Jesus wants a relationship with us, and though we will fail, He will not. Allow Jesus to be your best friend, and the greatest influence on your life.

 

Why Live For Jesus? (Video)

Here's a quick clip from a sermon I recently preached from Galatians 2:20.

Most believers know what we are supposed to be doing, but not why we are to do it? So, why should we live for Jesus?

Blazing. (The Week After Youth Camp.)

Last week we took our students to Fort Caswell in Oak Island, NC for Youth Camp. It was one of those awesome, turn you upside-down weekends. Worship was free, fellowship was fantastic, and the preaching was on fire. If you've ever been to youth camp, you know the kind of week I am talking about. It's kind of like a revival for teenagers, but at the beach. The kids were away and soaking in God's word for a whole week.

But, we're back and a big question we must answer is, "What now?"

We (yes, WE) are all on this spiritual mountain top and ready to set the world on fire for Jesus. But, that's how it is every year. We go to this awesome camp, we get emotional, and we come back committed to Jesus...for about two weeks. So, my question is, how can we make this year different? How can we fan the flame of our hearts for Christ, and not allow our selfishness or our surroundings to damper our enthusiasm for Christ?

 

"Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert."

-Isaiah 43:19

 

 

 

God wants this for us. I believe with all my heart He is wanting to do a new thing, and He is calling out a generation for it. But, we have to decide if we are going to get on board with God. God has a plan, and is calling us to take part in it. Will we be obedient? Will step out in faith and see God fill our hearts with passion for His name? Will we rise up as John's, or fall away like Judas?

 

Think today, what is one new thing that God is wanting to do in YOU? Maybe He is calling you to walk away from a sin, start reading the bible daily,

pray more for lost family, or start a relationship with a neighbor who doesn't know Christ. The possibilities are endless. What new thing is God wanting to do in and through you?

 

 



Make It Count: A Successful Life

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.Gal 1:10 (NLT)When this life is over, and I stand before Jesus, what will matter?Will my friend's opinions matter on that day? What about my boss's? What about the scoreboard of my latest game or the grade on my final exam? No.  What will happen to the rest of my eternity will not depend on any of those things that day. That day the only thing that will matter is what Jesus says. If He says well done, I pass. If He says He never knew me, I fail.So often we live our lives focused on what others say and think of us. We live lives soaked with a pride that rides on our title or status. It seems that we are buying into things that get us no farther than a full casket and eternal hell. I think the saying goes, "You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul." So, if we define success by all of these things, and all these things don't really matter, is that really success? No. A wise man once told me, "Seth, a man's level success is defined by His obedience to Christ."QUESTION:Are we living a life that counts to Christ?Please do not get me wrong, our salvation is not based on our obedience or anything else we can do. But, when a man experiences God's grace, he is driven by a deep thankfulness to live in a way that pleases God. Are we living out of thankfulness? Is Jesus really our Lord? Are we like Paul in our service, or are we wasting our lives away on things and opinions that don't matter?Don't waste your life.Make it count.



Make It Count

Remember Him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

Eccl 12:4 (NLT)

 

 

Life is short. James wrote that it is like fog. Here, and then gone. We only have one life to live. Years will disappear as we live our lives. Today will be over before we know it.

 

So, what do we do with these minutes and moments that make up our lives? If we are going to die, and we don't when, how will we spend this life that we've been given? Whatever we do, I think we should do something that counts.

 

Life is easily made routine. We wake up, maybe eat some breakfast, and then we get busy with school, work, or whatever else our schedule is filled with. The next day? Probably the same thing. It's easy to get in a rut, much like a worn out tire in a puddle of mud. Spinning round and round but getting nowhere and accomplishing nothing but a deeper hole to try and get out off.

 

So, how did the wisest man to ever live say that we should make it count...

 

"Remember Him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed..."

 

King Solomon said to remember God. If we commit ourselves to remembering Christ, and we make Him the center of our lives they will count. Why? Jesus counts. The bible teaches that things of this earth with surely pass away. We live in a dying world. People pass, jobs are lost, money is stolen, and dreams are broken. What stands? What is absolute? What cannot die, be lost, be stolen, or be broken? Jesus.

 

So, if we live being all about Jesus our lives count. They matter. We will be making a perfect investment. It will not be easy. It will not be comfortable. But, it will be best.

 

We don't know how many days we have been given. So I ask, what will you do with today?

Make it count.

Missing the Shot

I remember playing basketball growing up. I was awful. I was the guy the coach put in when we were up by a whole lot or when we needed to foul someone. It was pretty bad.

I remember one of my first scrimmages. I was actually in the game. Crazy, right? We were on defense. I was guarding some guy that was nearly as bad as I was. He was trying to get the ball, but I stole it. YES! I stole it! But, what I did in the following moments wasn't so glorious. I remembered 3 things that I could do... 1. Pass it. Haha, no. 2. Shoot it. Haha, not yet. 3. Dribble it. Haha, worth a shot. I began to run and dribble at the same time. It was terrifying. But, soon enough I was near the goal and it was time to shoot. I launched it. Seriously. In that moment, without thought, I just threw the ball towards the basket. I'm sure my coach was in the background yelling, "NOOOOOO!". The ball sailed over the backboard. I was humiliated. I had missed the shot...by a lot!

Have you ever missed a shot? The bible says you have...

 

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

Romans 3:23

 

That word sin means "missing the mark" of what God says and has for us. We've missed it. And, our shot wasn't one that swirled around in the basket for a moment and then rolled out. We missed it by a long shot.

 

I never tried out for the high school team. Why? I was terrible, and I had no hope of ever making it. As a sinner and a shot misser, we don't start off on God's team. We start on the opposite team actually. This is a hard truth, because many of us know that the "other team" happens to be the one that loses. I've got good news though...

 

Despite our missed shots, and despite our ball(life) sailing over the backboard, Jesus has chosen us to cross the court and be on His team. Jesus calls our name. Jesus offers us grace. Jesus chooses us anyways...

 

 



 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

 

HOLY MOLY, this is good news! But, know this, Jesus hasn't chosen us to be the MVP. Jesus hasn't chosen us to sign autographs. Jesus hasn't chosen us so that we could play our own game. Remember, He chose us despite our lack of skill. He didn't choose us because we are awesome, but because He is awesome. He actually chose us despite us. He chose us because of His love. And, He lets us play for His purposes. He chooses us to play for His glory. If your faith/trust is in Him, you are on Team Jesus. He is who we play for.

 

Today, remember that you missed the shots, but that Christ has called you to play on His team anyway. Remember that grace today. And, let that grace grow you towards a life that pleases and glorifies Him.

 

Blessings!

 

All About Jesus.