THE NEVER-ENDING STORY - Week 2

Session Two: participate in (Sunday, December 11)
The Christmas story is more than just one we respond to individually, it’s one we participate in—and we’re not talking bathrobes and kids in sheep costumes. The participation the Christmas story calls for is more earth shaking than a quiet stable and a clear sky with a bright star. This story shook the way the world operates when it started to unfold thousands of years ago. But it has the potential to do the same thing today when we become an active part of it. What would our world look like if we became a part of the vision God has for the world—a vision revealed with the birth of His Son, and rests on us now?
Session Two Parent Cue: What can we as a family do to respond to the Christmas story?

THE NEVER-ENDING STORY - Week 1

The NeverEnding Story:
Series Overview
A manger. A baby. Shepherds. Stars. The Christmas story is one we look at with great reverence. The peaceful scene is recreated and plastered on everything from phone backgrounds to lawn decorations. But the Christmas story is more than a just a story we look back on and remember. It’s ongoing. It’s active. It’s a story that required a response over 2,000 years ago, and one that requires a response today. It’s a story that invites us to participate in it even today—because the Christmas story is the neverending story.

Session One: invited to (Sunday, December 4)
When a story is small and distant, it really doesn’t have much impact in our lives, does it? It solicits a nod, a smile, a “that’s nice.” But it doesn’t affect us. It doesn’t move us. It doesn’t shake us. And while many people, us included, tend to approach the Christmas story, the story of Jesus’ birth, in a familiar, typical and remote sort of way, it’s not that kind of story. The Christmas story, at its very core demands a response—good or bad—from you, from me—from anyone who hears it.
Session One Parent Cue: How has the Christmas story become too familiar to you? Read the story together in Matthew 1-2 and in Luke 1-2:40. Did you notice anything in the story you may have forgotten about or ignored in the past?

THE BATTLE WITHIN - Session 3

Week Three: Fixing the Fight (Sunday, November 27)
Bottom Line: We are tempted to believe we know how God works and how we think we can work Him.
In the boxing world, sometimes things aren’t always what they seem. Sometimes the winner is known before anyone walks into the ring. Sometimes the outcome is pre-determined by a person who has manipulated things behind the scene. Sometimes a fighter takes a dive. Sometimes a boxer throws the fight. And if each one of us were completely honest, sometimes we try to work things as well in our fight with temptation. And who or what we are manipulating isn’t the temptation, it’s God.

THE BATTLE WITHIN - Session 2

Week Two: In This Corner (Sunday, November 20)

Bottom Line: Every time you’re tempted, your confidence in God is at stake, not just your self-control.
When facing temptation, it seems like it’s always about the choice, the decision, the temptation. But it’s always about more than that. It’s not just your reputation or your innocence that’s at stake—it’s your confidence in God. The lure of temptation makes us question whether we can really trust God to come through for us, to be there for us, to provide for us. We begin to think He’s not in our corner, that He’s not looking out for us. But what if we began to see Him there? What if we realized that whatever is luring us away really has nothing to do with what we think it’s about, and there’s a deeper issue, a trust issue, at work? It might completely weaken the pull of that temptation, and it might help us get to the heart of what is really going on.

THE BATTLE WITHIN

Each one of us faces a battle within, a battle that may go unseen by those around, but inside there is major brawl. It’s a battle with temptation. And depending on the temptation and its hold on your life, it may be a battle that seems impossible to win. In this series, Andy Stanley takes a look at the temptations Jesus faced in the desert, and identifies the driving forces behind the temptations we all face every day. Because once you realize what the pull is behind the temptation, you can find the confidence to follow Jesus’ example and respond as He did.

Week One: The Main Event (Sunday, November 13)
Bottom Line: In every single temptation you face, there is always more at risk than you think.
In the sport of boxing, the main event is the big fight, the moment where everything is on the line. But for most of us, we are oblivious to the truth that in every temptation we face, there’s a lot at stake as well. When face to face with temptation, the choice feels insignificant sometimes. There are times when it feels like no one will notice, or it’s not really a big deal. But in looking at the temptations Jesus faced, we realize just how much is at stake—not only in His life, with the temptations that were before Him—but in our lives as well, with the ones we face every day.

Parent Cue: What are some of the temptations that you face daily? Weekly?

THE THIN GREEN LINE week 3

Session Three (November 6)
Chances are you have a list of “someday” items. Things you are going to buy, repairs you are going to make, vacations you will go on someday. The trouble is saving money for these things takes time and self-control. But when saving becomes a part of a monthly, weekly or daily routine, then we will be able to ultimately do more with our money than we can do today.
Session Three Parent Cue: What are some things you save for?

Sunday, October 31

Grade 5 Families: There is a grade 5 Faith at Home event for parents and their Grade 5 students.It is happening in our 56er classroom at your choice of 9:00, 11:00 or 6:30 service.

Grade 6 Families: For Grade 6 Only it is a Sunday Serve event. If you have signed up to serve somewhere in the church, meet Pastor Mike at the top of the slide 15 minutes before the service you are scheduled for and I will deliver you to your serving post.

See you on Sunday!

THE THIN GREEN LINE week 2

Session Two (Sunday, October 23)
Have you ever walked into Zellers or Wal-Mart to buy toothpaste? You walk in the door focused on the one thing you need, and walk out with $40 of stuff you realized you “had to have” once you entered the magical land of marketing. This week we will be talking about how what we see affects our desire and ultimately our pocketbook.
Session Two Parent Cue: What do you typically spend your money on during a normal week?

THE THIN GREEN LINE

The Thin Green Line: Series Overview
We live in a culture that moves fast. We can get a burger and fries in less than three minutes, and we can download new music in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, this fast pace usually means we don’t stop to think about the money that constantly comes and goes, passing through our hands feeding our desire for more. But did you know throughout Jesus ministry one of His most prevalent topics was money? That’s right. The way we use our resources is important to God. The next three weeks we are going to take a look at the way we give, spend and save our money, and how these habits reveal the thin green line between our hearts and our money.

Session One (October 16, 2011)
We all want to make a difference in this life. We want to be a part of something beyond ourselves. This week we will show how giving connects you to something bigger.
Session One Parent Cue: What are some opportunities or places that you given to financially? Why did you choose to give to those particular things?

Session Three (Sunday, October 9)
We can’t talk about prayer without addressing the obvious question—what happens when God doesn’t answer? Jesus has a surprising response to that—you keep asking. Because if something is that important to you, if something has captured your heart that strongly, then it’s something that you can’t let go. It’s something you can’t simply walk away from. So keep asking. And Jesus says that maybe, just maybe, God will honor your persistence.
Session Three Parent Cue: Is there anything on my heart, anything that I feel so strongly about, that I would keep asking God about . . . even if He doesn’t answer for a long time?

Can You Hear Me??

Session Two (October 2, 2011)
If we spend time with God intentionally, if we make time for Him, then what do we say to Him when we get alone with Him? What are the things we talk about? After all, He knows everything about us, our lives and our world. It’s not like we have any “news.” It’s not like we have to give Him an update on how things are going. So what do we talk about? In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus focuses on three things, and leads us through a process that will not only change our perspective about what is going on around us, but also our perception of God.
Session Two Parent Cue: How does spending time with God put things going on in my life into perspective? How can we do a better job of honoring this time and making it a priority?

Can You Hear Me? Begins September 25

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:
Here is an overview of what we’re talking about. Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? Series Overview:
Doesn’t it seem like there should be more to prayer than just our typical “Help me, bless me, protect me, give to me” prayers? Prayer has to be more than just talking to God—because He knows our thoughts, right? It has to be more than just us making our requests known to God—because doesn’t He already know everything that’s going on in our lives? It’s like there’s some secret, some mystery we hope to unlock so we can “get through” to God. If we could just say the right words, maybe we can break the code and get a “yes” to all our requests. But what if prayer was something much bigger than that? What if prayer went beyond us getting what we wanted, and became about how to grow closer to God’s heart instead? What if prayer wasn’t just about changing our present situation, what if it was about changing us?

Session One (September 25)
Have you ever noticed how relationships seem to drift apart when we don’t get to spend time together? There’s just something significant that happens when we intentionally carve out time to connect with a friend or a family member. We get to hear what’s on their minds and hearts. We get to see the person beyond just what he or she can do for us, and see who he or she really is. That’s the heart of prayer—it’s our chance to connect with God in a way that goes beyond “Help me, bless me, protect, give to me.”
Session One Parent Cue: Do you have time every day or every week when you intentionally carve out time to spend with God? How do you guard that time? What are some challenges in keeping that time?

DOUBT: Session 2

Session Two (September 18, 2011)
It’s one thing to recognize that doubt can strengthen faith—but HOW do you get there? How do you handle a doubt that you just can’t seem to move past? One way is to look back. When you look back, you draw on the things you do know to help you live through the things you don’t know or can’t understand. When you remember the things that God has shown you, you remind yourself of a bigger picture that can help you deal with the close-up situation at hand. The ways you have learned about or experienced God in your past are still true in the present, and can be used to pave the way to belief now—in spite of and in the midst of doubt.
Session Two Parent Cue: What are some things that God has taught you in the past about Himself? How can those things specifically help you with the doubts you now have?

56ers Kicks Off September 11 with "DOUBT"

DOUBT: Series Overview
Everyone has moments of doubt. We doubt if we are heading in the right direction when going some place new. We doubt if that low-fat snack is really as healthy as it claims to be. We doubt if the people in our lives really care about us—even in spite of the evidence that they do. And sometimes our doubts are about God. Can we trust God? Does God really have our best in mind? What does a particular Bible verse actually mean?

When questions arise, they can be a little unsettling, especially questions about faith. But what if God was big enough to handle the questions? He is. What if God was secure enough to handle our uncertainty? He is. And what if doubt actually paved the way to a deeper belief, a stronger relationship with Christ? It can.

Session One (SUNDAY, SEPT 11)
You know those nagging questions that seem to linger in the back of your mind? The ones you hesitate to ever speak out loud, admit you have or let anyone else know you think? Questions like: “Does God hear me when I pray?” “Does He have a plan for my life?” “Does God really have everything under control?” Questions and doubts can be unsettling if they are left unsaid. We begin to think we are alone in our doubt, and often our doubts only grow until they paralyze our faith. But when we learn to admit our doubts openly, we learn that we are not the only ones—that everyone deals with questions. And when we learn to live with doubt, doubt can be a tool that strengthens our faith.
Session One Parent Cue: Do you ever have doubts about God? If so, what are they? What do you do with them—vocalize them or keep them to yourself?

THE INVISIBLES: Week 2: June 12

In Focus (Sunday, June 12)
Some people go unnoticed. There are people in the background of our lives we never see. Maybe it’s the guy at the gas station or the girl at the coffee shop. Maybe it’s the girl sitting in the lunchroom, or the guy hanging out in the back of the 56er classroom. There are people all around us who we treat as invisible. But because of how God has seen us, because of what we’ve experienced personally, our vision is changed. How can we begin to see the people in our lives every day that may normally go overlooked? How can we see the people halfway around the world that go unnoticed? What can we do to bring those around us in focus?
Session Two Parent Cue: Who are some people that are consistently in the background scenery of your everyday life?

THE INVISIBLES: JUNE 5, 12 & 19

Series Overview:
We are surrounded by the invisibles. These are people who simply want to know someone cares, someone notices—people who want to know God cares. Some of us would even say we feel that way—invisible to an entire world, daily passing us by. Whether that feeling is a familiar one or not, the reality is that each one of us has felt invisible at one point or another. But we didn’t stay that way. God saw us. He sees the invisibles. And because God took notice of us, we are able to open our eyes to see those around us.

Session One: Can You See Me? (June 5)
Sometimes you can stand in a room or walk down a hallway or sit in a chair and no one notices you. It’s not that you have some type of special ability that makes you invisible—people just don’t see you. They know nothing about you—nor do they seem to want to know anything about you. It’s like you’re not even there, even when you are physically in the room. You’re invisible. The good news is Jesus sees invisible people—even those who never realized they were invisible.

Session One Parent Cue: Describe a time when you felt invisible.

Sunday, May 29 - 56er Serve Sunday

For the past month 56ers have been given the opportunity to sign up for an area to serve in on our 56er Serve Sunday. This is the last one of the year. Meet Pastor Mike at the 56er door 1/2 hour before the service you are scheduled to serve at. Don't know what time you are serving? Check your email!

WE: New Series in 56ers for May 2011

WE: Series Overview
In following Christ, there is one truth that most of us forget—we were never meant to do this alone. We need other people. It’s critical not just because we need friends, but also because in community we understand more about who God is. We see how He is working in other people’s lives. We learn things that God has taught them, and we get an opportunity to love and serve others. The WE series helps us discover the “WHY” behind community—why we need it, why we should pursue it.

Session One (May 1)- led by Jr. High Pastor Rob Mudde
We need other people. We get that when we feel lonely, don’t we? But the reality is that there are times when the last thing we want is someone around—whether it’s our own grumpiness or because we just don’t want to be hurt again. But God made us in such a way that people fill a very specific need in our lives. And while God does supply all our needs, He created us to need other people, too.

Session One Parent Cue: Where do you have the greatest sense of community in your life? How has this been a good thing? How has it been a difficult thing?

SHIFT: Easter Sunday

Session Three: The Empty Tomb (Sunday, April 24)
People who die don’t get up. The grave is usually the end of someone’s story. That’s what people thought about Jesus—that His story was over. He died a brutal death and was placed in a tomb. Those close to Him were in shock, others were glad that He was gone. But things were about to shift. The tomb would not keep Jesus, and because of that the grave is no longer the end of our stories. The place of death became a place of life—not only for Jesus, but for each one of us as well. And what once seemed hopeless now shifts to become hopeful.

Session Three Parent Cue: Have you ever thought something was over, only to find out that there was still “life” to the situation or dream?

SHIFT: Sunday, April 17 = Palm Sunday

This Sunday, 56ers will be sitting in the Big House and cheering for the 56ers (and everyone else) that are getting baptized. We will meet in the 56er classroom at 9:00 & 11:00, then move downstairs to the Big House to sit as a group for the service. Your 56er can also choose to sit with your family, if they choose.

There is NO 6:30 K4 or 56ers, as the majority of the kids are getting baptized at the 6:30 Service. Big Splash Birthday cake to follow in the cafe!

SHIFT:Sunday, April 10

SHIFT: Series Overview
Over 2,000 years ago, people were looking for a change. They wanted their lives to look different. They wanted freedom, they wanted a shift. Many thought that would come through a political takeover. Some thought it would come through personal gain. But in the last days leading up to and following Jesus’ death, there was a significant shift that happened. A shift that forever changed the way you and I connect to God. A shift that redefined who we are. A shift that brought freedom and change—even if it looked completely different than what we expected.

Session One: The Triumphal Entry (Sunday, April 10, 2011)
Have you ever noticed how sometimes things don’t turn out the way you expect them to? Okay, for some of us, that happens a lot. Sometimes our expectations are really big—we think one person, one event, one word will change everything in our lives. And while that may make things different for a while, it never seems to last, does it? And when it doesn’t end up lasting, it’s easy to be really disappointed in that person, that event, those words. But what if the problem isn’t with any of those things? Consider this—what if God, who sees and knows everything, has a bigger picture than you or I can see? And the things that we think will either fulfill or advance our lives aren’t even close to what we need in order to become who we were intended to be. If so, maybe it’s time for a shift in what you and I are expecting from life—and from God.

Session One Parent Cue: Have you ever experienced a time when your expectations weren’t met, but later you saw that what you were focused on really wasn’t that big of a deal? What caused you to come to that realization?

Forward Motion: Sunday, March 27

Session Three (March 27)
What if you acknowledged the steps you took every day in your own “walk” with God? What if you realized that even though you may not be where you want to be, you may be exactly where God wants you to be, learning the things you need to know one step at a time? It brings a lot of freedom, doesn’t it? But not only that, what if we started celebrating not only the steps we take every day, but the steps those around us do as well? Because what may not be a big deal for you, may be huge for someone else. And all that celebration begins to turn into one big party.

Session Three Parent Cue: Celebrate the steps you take in your relationship with God, and celebrate the steps others take as well. It’s all about celebration, not the cheap kind of celebration that comes from making a big deal out of nothing, but the real party that comes naturally when we know that we have made even the slightest move in the right direction. Your 56er will talk this week about what it looks like to encourage each other and celebrate with each other whenever they make progress toward one of their goals. What are some specific areas of growth you have seen in your teen in the last couple of weeks, months or even year?

Forward Motion: Sunday, March 20

Session Two (Sunday, March 20)
The goal of every Christian is to become more like Jesus. But the problem comes when we think we’re going to achieve that today. It’s a lifelong journey, a process, a walk. Following Jesus is about the steps we take every day, and as Christians, we have divine help in taking those steps--the Holy Spirit. What is the step God is asking to take? What’s holding you back from taking it?

Session Two Parent Cue: The way you get from where you are to where you want to be is one step at a time. This may sound ridiculously obvious, but we all forget it. We want to go to the gym one time and look like a model; we want to make one smart comment at work and be promoted right to the top. But we know deep down that isn’t the way things work. The good news is that in our spiritual development, God has not left us alone to work out the mess. He has sent His Spirit to guide us. This week, students will look at the power of the Holy Spirit to guide their paths, and they will make a plan for beginning to take the first step toward their goals. What is an obtainable goal that you can work on achieving this week?

March Series - Forward Motion

Forward Motion:
Series Overview
We’ve all made resolutions and set goals, but too often we fall short of what we expected to accomplish. Unfortunately it’s often the same when we try to become the Christian we really believe God has called us to be. We fall short of the goal and become increasingly discouraged. In this series, your student will learn that following Christ is more about the small steps we make every day, not about the huge leaps of faith that we think we need to make. They will set a goal, determine the first step and then make it. The series will end with a celebration!

Session One (Sunday, March 13)
So many times we look at our lives with great expectations, thinking we should be leaps from where we are. We expect perfection. We expect to arrive at some level. The reality is that following Christ isn’t about leaping to instant perfection. We’re walking with Him daily--a walk that involves steps, not leaps. Following Jesus Christ is about the small steps we make every day, steps of obedience, steps in relationship with Him. Sometimes those steps are small, sometimes they are big--but they are all still steps, moving us forward.

Session One Parent Cue: Following Christ is about steps, not leaps. This week your students will be introduced to the myth: that Christianity is all about taking big leaps of faith. They will encounter some of Scripture’s most daunting verses, and wrestle with what it means to have a life of consistent spiritual growth. Each student will set a goal for himself or herself, and the next few weeks they will revisit their goals. Discuss with them what you think may be some unrealistic goals you have for yourself.

TEN: Unto Others

Session Five: Unto Others (Sunday, March 6)

Bottom Line: God places value on each person, and desires for everyone to be free.
The final six commandments illustrate a key truth about God—He cares a great deal about how we treat each other. In fact, these commandments were so revolutionary at the time because they showed that everyone had worth and value. God gave us these laws, not as some type of admissions test into heaven, but as instructions on how to live and be free in Him. He knows that not only is our relationship with Him important, but so are the relationships He has placed in our lives.

Session Five Parent Cue: Go through the final six commandments (Exodus 20:12-17) and discuss how these commands are about valuing other people. Talk about ways we “steal,” “murder” etc one another, ways that may go beyond our traditional definition of these words.

TEN: That's Not My Name

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Bottom Line: When you use the name of God to dodge the will of God, you will ultimately miss out on God entirely.

Have you ever said God’s name when you were angry or rattled off “OMG”? If so, you may have heard someone talk about you breaking one of the Ten—the one about misusing God’s name. But there’s much more to this command. Just think about it, do you think that’s all God was concerned about? Do you think that was the only reason He put it on such an important list? The reality is that we abuse God’s name when we choose to use it for our own selfish purposes—and that’s a dangerous game that involves more than just a careless slip of the tongue. If we dodge the will of God in the name of God, then we run the risk of missing God entirely.

Session Three Parent Cue: Beyond swearing, what are some examples in history or in our world today of people abusing God’s name. What are some situations when you are tempted to abuse God’s name?

TEN: One & Only

Session Two: One & Only (February 13)

Bottom Line: The most important decision you make is what you place in the center of your life.

The first two commandments—“You shall have no other gods before me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol”— are two of the most often forgotten. They have nothing to do with ego—in fact, they have more to do with us. If our lives revolved around God, then all of the other commandments, such as stealing, lying, adultery, etc., wouldn’t be an issue. So what would your life look like if you had no other gods but God?

Session Two Parent Cue: What are some things that are other “gods” in your life? How can we help each other not make those “gods” the center of our lives?

New Series for February 2011: TEN

TEN: Series Overview
Thirty-five hundred years ago Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with a short list of rules that has shaped the values of people and nations for centuries. We know them as the Ten Commandments, but do we really know them? Many people believe that the rules are a condition for a relationship with God, things we must do to get in His good graces. But just the opposite is true. The relationship came before the rules. And the commandments were meant to not only reveal God’s heart, but to keep His people free.

Session One: The Rules {Sunday, February 6, 2011)
Bottom Line: Relationship always precedes rules with God.
To many, Christianity is about following a set of rules. And if you asked them “Why?” they would point to a single source—the Bible. Specifically, they would probably mention the Ten Commandments. But what most people miss is the whole context for that list. God established a relationship with the Israelites long before He even gave them the rules. He wanted them to know they were His people. The reality is that following the rules will never make God love us more. In fact, when you try to live them out, you begin to see just how much you need Him. With God, the relationship always precedes the rules. Always.

Session One Parent Cue: The relationship and rules connection is something that you live with in your role as parent/child. Talk about how relationship always precedes rules in your home.

56er Serve Sunday

This Sunday, January 30, 2011 there will be NO 56er class happening during the service. The reason isn't because our leaders are lazy, or because we have ran out of things to teach. The reason is that we like to give our kids an opportunity to serve around their church - our church, CrossRoads.
56ers have had the opportunity to sign up for an area to serve in over the last couple of weeks. This Sunday our 56ers will be found serving as ushers or greeters, in the compass or info center, or serving in other ares of CrossRoads Kids...K4, Pre-K or Little Lambs.
This last weekend I (Pastor Mike) was at a pastor's & spouse retreat in Banff. While there I was talking to another pastor and she told me a stat that you may be interested in. Kids graduating out of high school that had a deep faith in Christ were compared with those that had grown up in the church, but were struggling with faith issues. A majority of the kids with the strong faith, had been giving the opportunity to serve others while growing up and a majority had done that serving alongside their parent! Chew on that for a bit!

Have a great week and we'll kick off the month of February with a look at the Ten Commandments with a series simply called "TEN".

Road Signs - Session IV

Sunday, January 23, 2011
Have you ever been walking down the street, deep in thought, but oblivious to what was going on around you—that is until you snapped out of it and realized that you passed your destination two blocks ago? Your attention was elsewhere. Your mind wasn't focused on what you were doing. The reality is this: what you give your attention to determines your direction. When something captures your attention, it will alter your direction and eventually lead you to a predictable destination—for better or worse. This week, we will wrap up the series by helping your 56er take a look at the things that capture his or her attention. We will challenge them to be intentional about paying attention to the things that will ultimately lead them in the direction they want to go.

Session Four Parent Cue: What are the distractions along the way to reaching your “destination”?

Road Signs - Session III

Sunday, January 16, 2011
Everyone makes stupid choices—even smart people. Why? Because we’ve all had moments when we know the right thing to do, we have the right information, and we ignore it. We know we should order the fruit cup, but we order the mega-size fries. We know we should not spend all our money on that one shirt, but we do it anyway. We know we should avoid that one relationship, but we just keep coming back because it’s comfortable. So there has to be something more to it than just knowing the right thing to do. It’s not just about knowing the right choice, it’s about actually taking that first step. It’s the difference between knowing the right choice and trusting that the choice will lead you to a better path. It’s the difference between information and submission.

Session Three Parent Cue: Concerning the “destination” where you want to arrive, how will it require you to yield? What would you have to change or give up?

56er Group New Years Resolutions - Small Change, Dramatic Impact

On Sunday, January 2, 2011, we marked the beginning of the new year by asking our 56ers to draw a picture of their New Year Resolution and then get their leader to try to guess what their life change would be for the next year. Some of the Resolutions that made our lists were:
+ Not eat Ice Cream
+ Sleep-in More Often
+ Do better at math
+ Play better with my friends
+ More time outside, less time on computer
+ Read more
+ Not talk-back to my mom
There were many more, so ask your 56er what they chose for themselves. I then asked the group if we could choose 1 New Year's Resolution to do as an entire group of 56ers, and leaders, what would it be? The kids surprised me by giving some great suggestions. But we tried to make it 1 simple change in our lives that would have dramatic affect if we all did it this year. And here are the results:
+ 9:00 Service 56ers couldn't decided between their top two, so they agreed to do both! Talk to God at least once a day & Read 1 Verse from the Bible a day. We decided we needed a verse for Sunday so Travis Fleming opened his Bible and pointed to Proverbs 12:1. Go read it, it is an extremely powerful verse!
+ 11:00 Service 56ers decided on something that they could do as a group on every Sunday morning or every time they are at the church. They chose to "Look for ways to clean up or help out around the church." They said, "sometimes we are done before the Big House, instead of disrupting the service, we can pick up garbage or clean the gym, and stay quiet." As their Pastor, I like it!

So depending on which service your family attends, encourage your 56er with their group New Year's Resolution. They impressed me with their ideas and their willingness to be a part of something bigger. And truly these small changes can make a dramatic impact!

Road Signs - Session II

Session Two - Sunday, January 9, 2011
When we’re behind the wheel, most of us stop if we see a street sign that says “danger” or “dead end.” We put ourselves on alert if we see a “caution” sign. But when it comes to our daily lives and the choices we face, sometimes we ignore the warning signs completely. We trudge right through the “don’t say that” sign and deeply cut someone close to us with a wounding remark. We plow right through the “don’t date that girl” sign because we believe that having someone who’s not great for us is better than not having someone at all. The Bible warns us that when we see danger to take action, because when we don’t, things can get really ugly.

Session Two Parent Cue: What are some cautions that you’ve had in past? Did you pay attention to them or ignore them? What happened as a result of your decision?