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FEBRUARY 2017 STUDENT MINISTRY

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Dear Church Family,

It has already been quite a year for some of us this past month. As I talk with students, there are still a lot of troublesome things going on in their lives. This could lead one to
despair and sorrow. For many, anxiety-driven depression can take hold and deal heavy blows to their lives. This is the reality that our students live in. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (https://www.adaa.org), over 27 million people
experience General Anxiety, Panic Anxiety, or Social Anxiety yearly. Most of these people start experiencing these feelings at a very young age. One of the most frequent conversations I have with students is about anxiety and depression. One wonders how this could be. What is the cause of such hopelessness in the lives of our young ones?

There are probably a million factors as to why students experience anxiety and
depression. If we wanted to eliminate all of those factors in order to secure an anxiety and depression free life for them, it would be impossible. Is the problem social media? Is it bullying? Is it self-esteem issues? Is it boredom? Is it cell-phones? Is it entitlement? In one sense, it is all of these and many more. In another sense, it is none of these. These things are symptoms of much deeper heart issues. As any good doctor knows, if you treat the symptoms but not the illness, then the patient will not recover. So what is the illness? What is the solution?

This is a problem that I think the Word of God ultimately answers. The definitive problem is our sinful desires. This does not mean that God or the Bible simply overlooks all those things like bullying or self-esteem. Those are very important issues that the Bible speaks to; and the Word of God gives us everything we need to overcome those issues. Ultimately, Christ is the One who gives students the grace they need to overcome worldly woes. As sin causes us to be bound to depression, addiction, fear of man, lust for entertainment, unhealthy relationships, and the like, Christ gives us all we need to overcome and live healthy, godly lives. 2 Peter 1-3 says:

To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

This means that Jesus is what our students need. Don’t get me wrong; students may need to see a professional and talk about the problems in their lives. There may be symptoms of the problem that need immediate attention. But that should not replace the antibiotic of the gospel of Jesus Christ being preached to them in their circumstances. Do not doctors often prescribe medicine for the symptom and an antibiotic to kill the illness? That is what the gospel is for our lives. The cure to our anxieties and sorrows.

This month, if you or people in your family are suffering with anxiety or depression or anything really; remember that Christ is the final solution. In Him you can find peace and grace to overcome this world.

 

Posted by Brian Van Doren with

FEBRUARY 2017 WORSHIP

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Church Family,

Let’s consider this question together. What motivates our worship? What  motivates your personal worship? There are a lot of ways in which our worship is motivated on Sunday mornings. It can be motivated by the type of morning we’ve had. Did you have a good, peaceful morning? If so, you might be motivated to sing and worship powerfully. Did you have a tired, restless morning? If so, you might not even feel like opening your mouth to sing. What else motivates our worship? Could it be the songs we’re singing? Could it be the worship lighting? Could it be the style of music? We have a tendency to let our
preferences and emotions motivate our worship. And these aren't necessarily bad things. It’s normal to have preferences in worship when it comes to style, songs, ect. We’re human, and we all have opinions. But our emotions and preferences cannot be the chief motivator of our worship. Worship is a response to who God is, and what He’s done for us. Therefore our worship should always be motivated by the greatness of God, and the truth that this great God saved sinners like us. This truth is driven by the word of God, and our worship should be driven by the Word of God, as it points to the greatness of God. This truly motivates our worship. We love the Bible, because it shows us the glory of God.

Bobby Jameison said, “ If you want your people to praise God, show them the greatness of God. If you want them to bring God glory, show them God’s glory.” We want to see the Glory of God together, through His word. And when we truly see God for who He is, our worship is no longer motivated by the songs we enjoy, the time of the day, or our personal emotions, but this all takes a back seat to the Glory of God, who is worthy of
worship, no matter the circumstances. Jameison goes on to say, “We stir up worship not by focusing on worship, but by filling the mind’s eye with a panoramic vision of the beauty and holiness of God.” We all enjoy certain songs, certain styles, certain worship settings, ect. But they are all just vehicles for our worship. They help take us to a place where we can passionately worship God.

Just a few weeks ago, Annaclaire and I went hiking up in Illinois. The hike was a beautiful hike, but the entire time, I kept commenting on the new hiking boots I had received for Christmas. The entire trek up the mountain, I kept annoying my wife with comments about my new boots. But when we got to the mountain top, and when I looked out and saw the view, I no longer cared about my new hiking boots. I could have been barefoot, and I wouldn't have noticed. The shoes may have brought me to the mountain top, but I was there for the view. In the same way, we have vehicles in worship that come in the form of songs, styles, and preferences. But these are vehicles that help get us to a place to see the greatness of God, and we can’t help but to respond in passionate worship. So as we come together on Sundays, let’s not forget that we are there to worship God because of who He is, and what He’s done for us, and our preferences won’t change that.

Posted by Jared Mitchell with

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