"Love One Another" Part 2 - 09.18.19

Middle & High School Message
Continuing to discuss what it means to love one another, we look in-depth at God's love described in 1 Corinthians 13.  The importance of loving one another in the Kingdom of God cannot be overstated but is frequently underplayed or neglected.  We really need to grow in this as individuals, as a group and as the church universal.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Love One Another" Part 1 (HS) - 09.11.19

High School Message
As the first application of seeking to live the "abnormal" life for Christ we are looking at how unique, powerful and complete the love between believers is supposed to be.  Much introspection and grown may be coming.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Love One Another" Part 1 (MS) - 09.03.19

Middle School Message
As the first application of seeking to live the "abnormal" life for Christ we are looking at how unique, powerful and complete the love between believers is supposed to be.  Much introspection and grown may be coming.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: epilogue" - 08.28.19

Middle & High School Message
As a final piece of the Abnormal series we discuss eternity - where we belong.  We had a brief time reading through Revelation 21 and into 22.  Then we broke up to read through and discuss Hebrews 11.  By request, I am attaching the artistic imagery of the new Jerusalem I showed during the lesson.

Also, if you're curious about the discussion of Hebrews 11,

I'm including a PDF of the leaders' sheet.  :)

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

> click here for the Hebrews 11 discussion PDF <

(click on images to enlarge them)

"Abnormal: eight" - 08.21.19

Middle & High School Message
As a final wrap-up / review we discussed again what it means to have an eternal perspective.  To drive the point of the series home we briefly walked back through several of the passages from it to recognize the lies that directly oppose living and seeing eternally ...and how naturally we hold to them instead.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: seven" (MS) - 08.14.19

Middle School Message
This week students read through chapters 5 and 6 of the book of Ephesians.  They used it like a personal evaluation quiz comparing their life and spiritual maturity to the instructions laid out for believers in those passages.  All this led up to a few questions for application of their findings:  How “abnormal” are you?  What are your struggles?  Where do you need to grow?

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: CALEB" - 08.07.19

Middle & High School Message
Tonight a 2010 graduate from our group who has also worked with the youth some since then returned to share his thoughts, concerns and advice about growing up and heading out on your own.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: seven" (HS) - 07.31.19

High School Message
This week students read through chapters 5 and 6 of the book of Ephesians.  They used it like a personal evaluation quiz comparing their life and spiritual maturity to the instructions laid out for believers in those passages.  All this led up to a few questions for application of their findings:  How “abnormal” are you?  What are your struggles?  Where do you need to grow?

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: six" (HS) - 07.24.19

High School Message
This week we took time to discuss the symbolism of the Abnormal theme video.  Then we read from 1 John chapter 2 about how important it is to not love the world's system or what it offers.  We're not to be wrapped up in our feelings or our stuff or plans but to deal with them like they're all passing away.  Finally students took time to ask God what they may be clinging to like this and begin to deal with it.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: six" (MS) - 07.03.19

Middle School Message
This week we took time to discuss the symbolism of the Abnormal theme video.  Then we read from 1 John chapter 2 about how important it is to not love the world's system or what it offers.  We're not to be wrapped up in our feelings or our stuff or plans but to deal with them like they're all passing away.  Finally students took time to ask God what they may be clinging to like this and begin to deal with it.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: five" (HS) - 06.26.19

High School Message
Continuing our trek through some passages in 1 Corinthians that instruct the church on how to live for Christ and NOT like the world we get some specific advice.  The Kingdom of God isn't just about talk but about living by God's power!  And then we get some examples of how that should be transforming our attitudes and how we handle things in this life.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: five" (MS) - 06.19.19

Middle School Message
Continuing our trek through some passages in 1 Corinthians that instruct the church on how to live for Christ and NOT like the world we get some specific advice.  The Kingdom of God isn't just about talk but about living by God's power!  And then we get some examples of how that should be transforming our attitudes and how we handle things in this life.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: four" (HS) - 06.12.19

High School Message
With a quick glance through history (mainly church history) and Rory's own story we get a picture of how humans naturally turn to religion and away from the radical, life-giving, life-changing relationship with Jesus.  We see the distractions life offers that keep us from truly following Jesus as He wants us to and evaluate ourselves based on the parable of the soils.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: four" (MS) - 05.29.19

Middle School Message
With a quick glance through history (mainly church history) and Rory's own story we get a picture of how humans naturally turn to religion and away from the radical, life-giving, life-changing relationship with Jesus.  We see the distractions life offers that keep us from truly following Jesus as He wants us to and evaluate ourselves based on the parable of the soils.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: three" (HS) - 05.22.19

High School Message
As followers of Jesus we need to choose who or what we're truly serving, loving and pursuing - God or ourselves.  This week we began a short trek through 1 Corinthians to see how Paul confronted that church about just this issue.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: three" (MS) - 05.15.19

Middle School Message
As followers of Jesus we need to choose who or what we're truly serving, loving and pursuing - God or ourselves.  This week we began a short trek through 1 Corinthians to see how Paul confronted that church about just this issue.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: two" (HS) - 05.08.19

High School Message
What you treasure... what you value most is what holds your heart, and is ultimately what you live for.  God redeems people through the death and resurrection of Jesus to make people right with Him FOR HIMSELF!  He wants to be our treasure - our heart's desire!  But somehow many who claim this salvation are divided between many loves and never consider whether or not it pleases Him.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: two" (MS) - 05.01.19

Middle School Message
What you treasure... what you value most is what holds your heart, and is ultimately what you live for.  God redeems people through the death and resurrection of Jesus to make people right with Him FOR HIMSELF!  He wants to be our treasure - our heart's desire!  But somehow many who claim this salvation are divided between many loves and never consider whether or not it pleases Him.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Abnormal: one" (HS) - 04.24.19

High School Message
For the first full lesson in the Abnormal series, you have to start at the beginning.  The transformation we're calling people to can't be manufactured and only makes sense for people who have become a new creation.When YOU are different, how you live and see the world is too.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

CLICK HERE to view the series intro video on YouTube

"Abnormal: one" (MS) - 04.17.19

Middle School Message
For the first full lesson in the Abnormal series, you have to start at the beginning.  The transformation we're calling people to can't be manufactured and only makes sense for people who have become a new creation.When YOU are different, how you live and see the world is too.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

CLICK HERE to view the series intro video on YouTube

"Abnormal Series" intro - 04.10.19

Middle & High School Message
This is the introduction to our "Abnormal" series which, in a way, could never end because it is a call to a lifelong, perspective transformation under which everything we teach falls.  When people repent, are born again, adopted into God's family and made a new creation they are no longer the same and should live differently than the world.  We must be ABNORMAL to the standards we are surrounded by in favor of God's way of seeing and doing things.  It is altogether different but we are easily lulled into a hybrid that isn't what God had in mind.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

Here's the intro video used to set the stage for this new series:

"Romantic Relationships" - 03.20.19

High School Message
It was time once again for a direct conversation with our high school students about sex - the beautiful physical aspect of a romantic relationship that God designed specifically to make two people into one in marriage.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Sex is for Marriage" - 03.06.19

High School Message
It was time once again for a direct conversation with our high school students about sex - the beautiful physical aspect of a romantic relationship that God designed specifically to make two people into one in marriage.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Relationships are Necessary 2" (HS) - 02.27.19

High School Message
We took more time to discuss how relationships take time and work and how to recognize the roadblocks we face in creating & maintaining them.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Relationships are Necessary 2" (MS) - 02.20.19

Middle School Message
We took more time to discuss how relationships take time and work and how to recognize the roadblocks we face in creating & maintaining them.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Relationships are Necessary" (HS) - 02.13.19

High School Message
Relationships being necessary may seem like a no-brainer to some, but we frequently substitute, shallow, or even virtual relationships for deep & genuine ones.  They take time and work and we need to recognize the roadblocks we face in creating them.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Relationships are Necessary" (MS) - 02.06.19

Middle School Message
Relationships being necessary may seem like a no-brainer to some, but we frequently substitute, shallow, or even virtual relationships for deep & genuine ones.  They take time and work and we need to recognize the roadblocks we face in creating them.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Friendship Circles" (HS) - 01.30.19

High School Message
We've talked a lot about the theory of friendships and what God says is wise and important.  Now we turn toward evaluating our friendships and figuring out how to handle them intentionally.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Friendship Circles" (MS) - 01.23.19

Middle School Message
We've talked a lot about the theory of friendships and what God says is wise and important.  Now we turn toward evaluating our friendships and figuring out how to handle them intentionally.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Influence Matters" - 01.09.19

Middle & High School Message
One of the biggest driving forces in making and keeping friendships is a desire for acceptance and a fear of rejection.  It is a powerful component that can even lead to making us people we never thought we'd become.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Acceptance and Rejection" (MS) - 12.12.18

Middle School Message
One of the biggest driving forces in making and keeping friendships is a desire for acceptance and a fear of rejection.  It is a powerful component that can even lead to making us people we never thought we'd become.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<

"Friends: Acceptance and Rejection" (HS) - 11.05.18

High School Message

One of the biggest driving forces in making and keeping friendships is a desire for acceptance and a fear of rejection.  It is a powerful component that can even lead to making us people we never thought we'd become.

>>click here to listen of right-click to download<<