Digitally Dangerous: Rewiring Our Minds

Helpful article by Chuck Colson passed on to my by John Burroughs.  I pray it's helpful.

Click here to read the article.

FLOOD High School Update and Upcoming Info...

Hi Parents,
Happy Monday (hang in there :).  I just wanted to give you an update about what's been going on and what is to come this week.

UPDATE:
Last Wednesday night at FLOOD, in case you missed it from an earlier update, we saw four high school girls surrender their lives to Christ.  This never gets old.

Yesterday morning at high school worship we looked at Hosea 1:2-3 and talked about the fact that God is anything but conventional.  I challenged your high schoolers to be open to the unconventional commands that God will give them and to strive to obey.  If you want to hear the message, click here and find Hosea 1 to download it from iTunes.

We also showed a video from our new lead high school pastor, Ryan Palmer, to your students to introduce him to them.  He is an amazing youth pastor and we are so thankful that God has brought him to our team. If you would like to meet him, you can see his video that he made for you by clicking here.

UPCOMING:
1).  This Wednesday night is full once again.  At 6pm we have RUSH in the B-building.  At 7pm we have FLOOD in the worship center.

2).  This Saturday at 1pm we are rock climbing at Hangar 18 in Upland.  The cost is $30.00.  The event officially goes from 1-4pm but Ashley has said that she will stay there as long as the students want to climb.  If you have any questions about this, give Ashley a call (909-938-4737).

Hangar 18
256 Stowell Street Ste. A
Upland, CA.  91786
www.climbhangar18.com

3).  This Sunday, after the 11:11 service at PFB, we are going to lunch and the movies to see the new Narnia Movie, "Voyage of the Dawn Treader."



For any questions, please call Ashley (909-938-4737).  Our goal is to be back to the church by around 5:00pm.  We will update you with all of the information as it comes.

Again, thank you for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your high schoolers to love Jesus.  God bless you all as you strive to honor Jesus in this honorable task.


                What a ride,

Meet Ryan Palmer: Our New Lead High School Pastor at PFB

Watch Baptisms from Wednesday's FLOOD Service

I LOVE THIS!!!!

Updates from FLOOD

Here are two updates from last night's FLOOD worship service.  BLOWN AWAY!!! Enjoy.

Can You Say Baptisms?
A STORY OF LIFE CHANGE @ Flood Last Night

Thank you for allowing us at FLOOD High School to partner with you as you raise your kids to love Jesus.


          What a ride,

Sick

High School Updates for this week at PFB...

Hi Parents,
I just wanted to give you an update on things going on this week at PFB for your high schoolers.  Here's the list:

1).  RUSH, Wednesday at 6pm.  This is our weekly high school meeting for just high school students to be high school students before going over to FLOOD.  It has been a huge success so far.  The first week we saw about 30 high schoolers show up.  Last week was down just a bit.  I want to encourage you to get your high school student there.  If your high schooler is complaining about not knowing anyone, RUSH IS THE REMEDY TO THAT PROBLEM!!! If you have any questions, go ahead and get in touch with Ashley Copenhaver about it (e: acope88@gmail.com; c: 909-938-4737).

2).  FLOOD, Wednesday at 7pm in the worship center.  This Wednesday night is our Thanksgiving Eve service.  I really want to encourage you to make this a yearly family tradition, to join us as we get very intentional about giving thanks to God for all that he does.  If you have any specific questions, let us know at the church (e: calli@pfblive.tv; 909-629-5277, ext. 3044).

3).  After FLOOD on this Wednesday night, we are watching "TO SAVE A LIFE" in the B-building.  Snacks and drinks will be provided.  The movie will start around 8:45 or 9 and end around 10:15 or 10:30.  Here's the trailer.



 It's a great movie geared at teens about the pressures of being a teen but the difference that Jesus does make in a life.  This is a great opportunity for your high schooler to bring a friend who does not know Jesus.

4).  On Friday, we are playing FLAG FOOTBALL.  Click here for all of the information on this event. I know that some of you may be shopping.  Good luck.  :)

I pray that your Thanksgiving is amazing.  Thank you again for allowing us at FLOOD HIGH SCHOOL to partner with you as you raise your high schoolers to love Jesus.



              What a ride,

Update from Brian about FLOOD: High School

Update from FLOOD...

Hi there,
I just wanted to give you a quick update about what happened on Wednesday night.  IT WAS AWESOME!!! We started a new series called, "PUNCTUATION" (click here to see what it's about).  But here's the thing: God changed things up on me.  Last Friday, while I was sitting in the airport waiting for my flight, I was reading Mark 4-5.  JESUS ROCKED MY WORLD!!! As I read through it I knew that I had to preach for the next few weeks what Jesus had just shown me.  However, this didn't fit with my new series.  And that's when it hit me: When God wants to change things up, he gets the final say, not my series plans.  So, we went with it.  The result: two young ladies stood up to surrender to Jesus.  And the truth: THAT NEVER GETS OLD!!!


God is on the move.  Thank you for praying.  Thank you for allowing us at FLOOD Next Gen to partner with you as you raise your kids to love Jesus.  We consider it a great honor that we do not take lightly.

What a ride,
Brian

Update from The Past Couple Wednesdays at FLOOD

UPDATE: FLOOD on 9/29/2010

Here is the video of the message that Brian's cousin, Megan Fate, gave at FLOOD a week ago yesterday.  I warn you: you may have to change things in your life after watching it.



UPDATE: FLOOD on 10/6/2010

Did you hear heaven celebrating? If not, PAY ATTENTION!!!! :)  Last night I spoke from John 8, the woman caught in the act of adultery.  We looked at how Christ showed compassion to the woman while then challenging and calling her to stop sinning.  It was a message to bring people to a surrendered life to Christ, whether for the first time or for Christians to live as citizens of heaven rather than as citizens of hell.

As I called people to surrender to Christ for the first time, two young ladies stood up.  The place went CRAZY!!! The thing that excited me most (after the fact that they now belong to Jesus) was that they were both brought by other people committed to Flood.  They put into practice the Oikos principle – striving to impact the 8-15 people that God has put into their sphere of influence to encourage them to follow Christ.

On top of the two people surrendering to Christ, four people professed their faith in and love for Jesus by being baptized.  Three were planned and one decided that night as she watched the example of her parents who were both baptized (and by the way, our next baptism service is Wednesday night, November 3rd).

Last night was explosive.  I met a good chunk of people who had come for the first time last night and are excited to make Flood a part of their lives.  I LOVE IT!!! Keep on praying. God is moving.  It’s a stinking blast to be part of it.

Update from Dancing with Friends

Here is what a high schooler wrote after Dancing with Friends:

"Dancing with friends is a great way for the high schoolers to get to know one another. Going to dinner as a group is a lot of fun and getting to dance with the people at the workshop is truly amazing! When we got there and started to dance, many of the people appeared excited to see us and came up to dance with us! They looked truly happy to dance with new people and it brought joy to us to see them having so much fun!"

I want to encourage you to get your high schooler to the next Dancing with Friends (Friday, November 5th). If you have any questions, call Ashley (909-938-4737).

Thank you again for allowing us to partner with you as you raise students to love Jesus.

Upcoming Events...

I wanted to let you know that we've got some exciting things coming up in October.  Click here to check out the info on the high school website.

Here's the video promo for IGNITE (Oct. 23).  Please join us that night.

Update from Last Wednesday at FLOOD

First off all, thank you for praying for me. I meant to get this update from last Wednesday's worship service to you last week, but it didn't happen. I'm so sorry. Here's why I wanted so badly to give you the update from last week:

Salvation came to Flood this past Wednesday night. We saw between 8-10 people stand to surrender to Christ during our Wednesday night worship service. When they stood up, the place went NUTS!!! It was awesome. Here's the thing: the message really didn't have anything to do with a call to Christ but rather a call for Christians to accept his missional call on their lives. Even still, I did call people to surrender to Christ. And they started standing.

Every salvation was exciting. What was even better about them is that every person that stood came because of someone who brought them to Flood. Most, if not all, were first-time visitors to PFB when they surrendered to Christ. AWESOME!!!

Update for this week in High School Ministry...

Good morning, parents.

Here's the the quick update about what's been going on and what is going on this week in the life of the high school ministry here at PFB Church.

UPDATES FROM LAST WEEK:

• Last Wednesday night we started a two-week series on the vision of the high school and next generation ministries here at the church.


• On Saturday, a small group from the high school ministry met at the church to make lunches.  They then went to Ganesha park and passed them out to the homeless while also sharing Jesus with them. AWESOME!!!!


• On Sunday morning, we looked at 2 Kings 25:27-30, asking the students if they had settled for comfortable rather than freedom in Christ.  To read about what I spoke on, click here to read my blog from this morning.

INFO FOR THIS WEEK:

• We are spending today, Wednesday and Thursday interviewing candidates for the lead high school and discipleship pastor position.  Please pray for myself and the interview team during this process.  We ONLY want God's choice for this position.


• This Wednesday night we will finish up our series on our vision for the ministry.


• This Saturday, from 12:30 - 4:30, you and your high schooler can serve the homeless right here at PFB Church at the monthly homeless feast.  For more information, please call the church and speak with Nancy (909-629-5277, ext. 3014).

FOR THE FUTURE:

• On Wednesday night and Sunday morning, we announced the upcoming Ignite Worship Event.  We had it last year and it was EXPLOSIVE!!! Everyone is welcome to be part of this event.  Cost is free!!! Click here to read all about it.

There you go.  I hope that this is helpful to you.

And thank you again for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your teenagers to love Jesus.

Thoughts about Sunday morning...

Hello parents,

I just wanted to give you an update from the high school worship time from yesterday.  We looked at the topic of being busy.  Every person is busy.  In fact, I don't know if I've ever met someone who says that they aren't busy (I'm sure they are out there but I just haven't met one yet).  The main point of the message was this: as school is starting with every activity under the sun that students can be involved in, there is a need to set their priorities so that they decide what they do, according to God's direction, rather than allowing life to dictate what they will do.  Example:  It seems like one of the first things that gets pushed out of a student's life when school starts is Jesus.  I'm not saying every student, but I am saying many.  Why? Because he's always there.  They've heard that he is.  So, it's easy to set him to the side in order to do those things that are pressing.  However, the problem with that is HUGE! An intimate and personal relationship with Christ will affect every aspect of a person's life.  So to set him to the side for the temporary is foolish, because it shifts the focus off the the reason for life and onto different activities of life.

Please understand: I am not anti-sports in school.  I am not ant-band.  I'm not anti-drama, dance, or whatever.  However, I am anti-those things, and any other things, when they take Christ's rightful place in someone's life.  So I encouraged students to be involved in those things.  I told them to do those things, as well as their school work, as doing them unto Jesus.  However, I also challenged them with this: there may be times when Jesus wants them to skip a practice, game, performance, or competition for something else.  It seems like the schedules are the map by which so many walk that listening to Jesus' daily instructions are ignored because "God's will" is already on the calendar according to the school schedule.  Just like students will have to miss worship services and mission trips because of games and practices at times, I'm convinced that it is not beyond Jesus to ask those same students to miss a game/competition/performance for something else that he has in mind for them.

I know - it's kind of a touchy topic.  We had a lot of fun.  :)

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your teenager(s) to love Jesus.

Some Upcoming Events

Hey parents,

I just wanted to point you toward some info  of events that are coming up in the near future.  Click HERE to read all about them on the InsideOut website.  Here is a summary list of the upcoming events:

• September 8th; 7pm - "The Calling" - A Night of Worship


• September 18th; 12:00-3:00pm - "Pathway: Lunch at the Park" (evangelism)


• September 22nd; 7:00am - See You At the Pole (based on involvement of students from each school).  Check out the See You At The Pole Website by clicking here.


• September 25th; 12:30-4:30pm - Feed the Homeless, PFB Gymnasium

We also have a new girls small group forming on Monday nights.  It is lead by Nurse Terry [909-263-2545] and Pam Carney [562-618-2596].  The address of this small group is 1679 Woodbend Drive, Claremont, CA. 91711.  It would help us out a lot if you would RSVP with either Pam or Nurse Terry as soon as you can.  We are convinced that the key to spiritual growth is being involved in a small group.  If Monday nights do not work for you or your high school girl, please contact us at the church and let us know when might work best and we will try our best to accommodate.

Thank you again for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your teenagers to love Jesus.

What a ride,

Update from Wednesday Night...

Where in the heck am I supposed to begin? I will do my best.

• We finished up the series called, "Moxie" - a study on boldness.  We look at having boldness to BE the Church, boldness to COME to God and together, and finished up with boldness to GO after the lost.  POWERFUL SERIES!!! Seriously!!! We had people come forward last night, filling out a card to commit to being committed to GOING OUT on their campuses/workplaces/neighborhoods for Jesus.


• We baptized three people last night.  We planned on one, prepared for two and dunked three.  The last guy didn't plan it and went in his clothes.  He went home wet.  SO AWESOME!!!!


• I spoke with a man who was watching the service online.  While watching it he felt the need to come to the church.  So he walked to the church and said that he was supposed to speak with me.  So after the worship service, we got a chance to talk.  I asked  what he was supposed to talk to me about and he said, "I don't know."  Honestly, it's a tough thing to go onto the next part of a conversation when the initiator of that conversation doesn't know what we're supposed to talk about.  So I asked if he knew Jesus.  He said that he had known God all of his life.  So I talked to him about the need to make a real decision for Jesus because we aren't born into a relationship with God.  I told him that Jesus was the only way, and he said, "If the name for God is Jesus, I'm fine with that."  I told him about how there is salvation only through Christ.  He proclaimed Christ as his Lord right there.  I then prayed over him with James Braum, proclaiming freedom and liberty from those addictions that he was struggling with.  WE PRAYED BIG!!!! As he walked away, I stopped and thanked Jesus for the technology that is used at PFB to reach people, and the tech crew that makes it happen.  This man came to Jesus because he was watching the service online and felt the need to come to the church.  AWESOME!!!


• I had two people come up and tell me that they want to get baptized the next time we have a service (which is the first Wednesday of October if you want to join us).

God is at work.  He is on the move and I am blown away.  But it's only just begun.  The best is yet to come.  Thank you for praying.

Update...

Hi there,

Just wanted to let you know a few things.

• Yesterday, after a time of praise and worship and breakfast together, we broke the students up into small groups to discuss community.  Within that context, we  asked for the kids to give us ideas of events that they would like to do, events that they would actually come to.  I haven't seen the list yet, but I've heard that they came up with some really creative ideas.  We want to provide events in this ministry that the kids just HAVE to come to because they don't want to miss out.  The reason: it builds community.  The events that we have done have not brought a lot of students as of late.  The ones who have come have gotten pretty tight (which is the goal of the events), but we want the whole high school ministry to impacted by this.  This is where you come in: if you have any ideas we would love to hear from you as well.  Go ahead and email your ideas to Ashey Copenhaver (acope88@gmail.com) if anything comes to mind.


• This Wednesday night we are finishing up our series called, "Moxie".  The topic is being bold to go and share the gospel.  We are also having baptism this Wednesday night.  If you or your teenager have not been baptized, I would like to challenge you and/or your high schooler to follow Jesus in this step of obedience.  If you are able come, I would love to see you come and worship with us this Wednesday night (7pm in the main worship center).


• This Friday night we have "Dancing With Friends" at the Pomona Valley Workshop.  We go and help throw a dance for those who are devel0pmentally disabled who work at the Pomona Valley Workshop.  I invite you to join the group as they ministry to this group of people.  This is a great time and a great opportunity to serve with your high schooler.  If you have any questions, email Ashely (email is above) or call her at 909-938-4737.


• MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!! Ignite 2010 is coming.  October 23, 2010 from 5-8pm.  This is a worship event that God has put on my heart to start and lead.  If you want to see what it's all about, click here.

Thank you again for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your teenagers to love Jesus.

Update for this week...

Here are some things to know:

1).  On Tuesday night we are going to an Angel game.  The sign-ups for this event are closed but I wanted to let you know the info.  We meet at the church at 5pm and get back by 11pm (hopefully sooner).  Should you have any questions about this, call Ashley at 909-938-4737.

2).  This Wednesday night, we are continuing through our three-part series called, "MOXIE".  Last week we looked at the topic of boldly being the church (click here to watch the message from last week).  This Wednesday we are looking at the being bold to come to God and to come together.  Please come and worship Jesus any Wednesday night that you are able to.  If you can't make it, you can watch it live online (click here).

3).  Beach trip.  Thursday, August 25.  Have your high schooler at the B-building at PFB by 4pm.  We'll be back by 10pm

That's about it.  Thank you for allowing us to partner with you.  We don't take it for granted.

Update...

Just wanted to give you a quick update.  This Wednesday night we are starting a new series called, "Moxie."  It's a three-week series on boldness.  I am so excited about this series.

This past Sunday morning I shared with the students about the direction that we are going in the Next Generation department with regards to hiring our next team member.  You should have received a letter in the mail about it.  If you haven't, please let me know and we can get one out to you.

That's a real quick update.  Thanks for letting us partner with you as you raise your kids for Jesus.

Update from Wednesday Night...

Thank you for praying.  Last night we finished up our series called, "The Resistance."  We finished by looking at the topic of victory—that we have already won because of Jesus.  It was a powerful evening.  We set up a table with pens and paper off to the side of the worship center.  We invited people to go up to the table and write down anything that has been holding them back or something that they feel that they are in bondage to.  After writing that thing down on the paper, they were invited to walk up to the cross we put in the worship center and rip the paper up and put it at the foot of the cross signifying that they were done with whatever that thing was.  There were a lot of pieces of paper at the foot of the cross.

The worship singing time was powerful.  It was incredible to hear the people singing out to Jesus.

Thank you so much for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your kids for Jesus.

An Update...

Hi there,

I just wanted to give you a quick update about some things coming up.

1).  This Wednesday night we are finishing up the series called, "The Resistance."  We will look at the victory that we have in Christ to overcome our own sinful appetites and the the devil.

2).  Next Wednesday we will be starting a three-week series titled, "Moxie" - which means boldness.  We will be looking at the boldness that Christ has called us to with regards to coming to him, going for him, and being the church that he has called us to be.

3).  Be looking in the mail for an update about the search for a new team member to join the next generation ministry at PFB.  A letter from me will be mailed out to you on Wednesday.

That's it for now.  Thank you so much for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your teenagers for Jesus.

HANG IN THERE MOM AND DAD!

This morning I was spending time with Jesus in his word.  I read 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33, both chapters telling about the life of one of the most evil kings to ever rule Judah.  How bad was he? "Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel" (2 Chronicles 33:9, ESV).

Manasseh started reigning as king of Judah when he was 12 (a junior higher).  He reigned for 55 years.  And for most of it, he was a bad a kid.  And here's the part that scared me as a parent: "And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.  For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed..." (2 Kings 21:3, ESV). Hezekiah, Mannaseh's father, did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.  He tried to follow God in everything that he did.  And yet his boy came along and did completely the opposite.  I stopped there and wrote these words in my Bible:

"My loving Christ does not guarantee that my kids will love Christ.  Jesus, my prayer is for my kids to surrender to you and adore you—to serve you with a love and faith that convicts me of my lack of both.  Show me what I can do to lead them toward you."

Some of you are at the same stage I am: little ones at home that you are trying to figure out how to point to Jesus so that they will hear his call and surrender their lives to him.  Some of you are wondering if your son/daughter is Manasseh come back to life.  You're broken and hurting.  You are at a loss.  And if I stopped here in this blog you would feel like there is no hope.

Click here to see the hope and be encouraged.  HANG IN THERE, MOM AND DAD!!!

What a ride,
Brian

Update on Wednesday from Another Perspective

You have go to read this blog posting that I posted to my blog concerning what God is doing on Wednesday nights in worship service geared toward our next generation.  It will blow your mind and probably encourage you to join us soon.

Click here to read it.

Thoughts About Wednesday Night...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Seriously. I can't explain what is happening.  It's the middle of summer and God is growing this ministry and exploding the worship services on Wednesday night.  Believe it or not: people are coming.  And they are bringing friends who are getting all jacked up about it.  And as God's Spirit continues to gear us up for what next, I am excited to take the people of Wednesday nights and let them loose on the surrounding communities.  I was talking to my buddy Ryan Hall today, who led worship last night, and he told me that he has never heard the people bring in worship like that they did last night.  In fact, he said that at one point, the people were singing so loud that he heard them over his speaker monitor.

I taught on the topic of demons: what the Bible says about them and our response to them.  Honestly, I felt like there was so much information to try to pass on in such a short amount of time that I wasn't too excited about how the message came out.  However, it's at those times that I have to trust that God's word went out and accomplished exactly what he wanted it to accomplish (Isaiah 55:10-11).

I will continue to try to explain what is happening on Wednesday nights the best that I can.  However, if you can make it, join us on a Wednesday night at 7pm and see for yourself.  Thank you for praying.  Please keep it up.

Topic for Tonight

Just wanted to give you a quick update to let you know that tonight we continue in our series called, "The Resistance."  Tonight's topic: Demons.  We are going to take a look at what the Bible says about demons and our response to them.  Last week's topic was Satan.  It was a powerful time together in praise and worship and studying God's word.

I personally want to invite you to join us.  Starts at 7:00pm.  All that I require is that you come ready to bring your best for Jesus.  That's it.  If you can't join us in person, join us online at 7:00pm (www.pfblive.tv).

God is on the move.  It is absolutely incredible.  Thanks for letting us partner with you as you raise your teenagers for Christ.

What a ride,
Brian

Let God be God in Your Children's Lives

I read this article by Rick Warren this morning.  As a parent I was encouraged and convicted all at the same time.  I wanted to pass this on to you.

Click HERE to read the article.

Bass Update...

Hi Parents,

Just wanted to let you know that if your high schooler is signed up for Bass Lake, they should be receiving the packing list and balance due information in the mail by this week.  If you have any questions until then, go ahead and call Marguerite at the church and she will be able to help (909-629-5277, ext 3038; email: marguerite@pfblive.tv).

Thanks for letting us partner with you as your raise your high schoolers for Jesus.  Take care.

BASS LAKE REGISTRATIONS...

Hi there parents,

This is just a quick reminder to let you know that Bass Lake registration forms are due tomorrow morning with your high schooler's $50.00 deposit.  Have your high schooler give their registration and deposit to Ashley Copenhaver at high school worship (9:45, b-building).  If you have any questions, go ahead and call Marguerite at the church (909-629-5277, ext. 3038).  Thanks.

What a ride,

Brian

BASS LAKE IS COMING!!!!

That's right. It's right around the corner.  Registration for Bass Lake is due next Sunday, June 13th.  You should have received a registration form in the mail.  If not, please contact the church (909-629-5277, ext. 3038 and speak with Marguerite) or click here to download one.  This is a the big trip of the summer that high schoolers always talk about it.

DATES: July 7-11

COST: $250.00

What Does Marijuana Do To The Growing Brain?

Read this article.  Important to know.

Article: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100530/NEWS01/5300302

Another Myth...

Emerging adults behave similarly whether religious or not.

"Actually, emerging adults devoted to religion are significantly more likely to give money, volunteer for community service, decline alcohol and drugs, and abstain from pornography and premarital sex.  For example, 35 percent of non-married emerging adults who are devoted to religion have had sexual intercourse, compared to 67 percent of emerging adults only regularly involved.

"Trouble is, only 5 percent of emerging adults are so devoted to their faith that they attend religious services weekly or read Scripture as much as once or twice per month.  And that group includes Mormons, Muslims, Jews, and all Christian denominations.  Another 14 percent regularly attend religious services a few times per month.  But their behavior often resembles the irreligious more than the devoted.  They practice a different creed: so long as you don't hurt others, almost anything goes.  And since every single person is different, different rules apply, depending on the situation.

"'This, it seems, is not merely basic American individualism,' write Smith and Snell.  'It is individualism raised on heavy doses of multiculturalism and pumped up on the steroids of the postmodern insistence on disjuncture, difference, and differences 'going all the way down.''"

Taken from The Leadership Journal article by Collin Hansen titled, "5 Myths about Merging Adult Faith."

Just Giving You A Heads Up...

I wanted to let you know that tonight at Wednesdays at PFB we will be looking at Song of Solomon 4.  This is a very graphic passage of Scripture as we take a look at the young married couple in their honeymoon suite.  I'm convinced that this is necessary for us to look at as a ministry so that this next generation has a biblical view and understanding of a sexual relationship between a husband and wife.

I would appreciate your prayers for tonight as we dive into this topic.

A Myth...

I was reading an artical by Collin Hansen in Leadership Journal called, "5 Myths About Emerging Adult Faith".  As I read through it, myth number two stood out to me and I wanted to pass it on to you.

"Emerging adults reject their parents' religious influence."

"As children approach the teenage years, their parents anticipate conflict.  Because many parents worry about dragging their teens to church against their will, many resign themselves to parental irrelevance.  Yet Smith and Snell find that most emerging adults fall into their parents' religious patterns one way or another.  Still, parents are slow to realize they need to change how they relate to foster maturity and independence.

"'So just at the time when teenagers most need engaged parents to help them work out a whole series of big questions about what they believe, think, value, feel, are committed to, and want to be and become, in many cases, their parents are withdrawing from them,' Smith and Snell lament."

PARENTS: Hang in there as you continue to raise your kids to love Jesus.  Don't give up.  Keep pressing on.  We're praying for you.

Rainbow Acres Mission Trip Update

Check out all of the updates about this years trip to Rainbow Acres here:

Click here

Vodka Eyeballing

I read this article and was amazed that this is something new to look out for our teens. This is just an FYI for you as parents as you continue to strive to raise young people who are lovers of Jesus.

Click here to read the article about Vodka Eyeballing.

ELEVATE Update (5/16/2010)

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/11790925]

High School Event: ICE SOCCER

That's right: you read it correctly.  ICE SOCCER. We keep our tennis shoes on.  We go the Ontario Ice Arena (1225 W. Holt Blvd, Ontario) and play soccer on the ice.  It's a blast.  Here's the quick info for this event:

COST: $10.00 (free for first time guests that are brought)

TIME: 10:00 - 11:115pm

MEDICAL RELEASE FORM IS REQUIRED TO BE PART OF THIS EVENT!!! You can download a medical release form to fill out and bring with you when you drop off you high schooler by clicking here.

If you have any questions, please contact Ashley at 909-938-4737  or email her at ashley@insideoutnow.tv and she will be able to help you out.

This is an incredible opportunity for your high schooler(s) to invite a friend who doesn't go to church to get to know some amazing high schoolers who do.

Thanks for allowing us to partner with you as you strive to raise your kids to love and follow Jesus.

Update from Wednesday Night...

We kicked off our new series last night: "Love, Sex, and the Bible."  It's a 6 week journey through the Song of Solomon (yep, God's sexy book).  We had a ton of people there last night.  I was absolutely blown away.  A ton of new people.  There were a bunch of people that we hadn't seen for a while show up to be part of this series.  And then of course: the faithful who have been there from the beginning of what God has been doing on Wednesday nights were there.  We went through chapter one which talks about attraction, and how Godly attraction for someone else is not a sin.  It's part of the process.  However, attraction is not the foundation that we are to build a romantic relationship and marriage relationship on.  That attraction should lead to the priority of loving the person's character.  An incredible evening.  It was so much fun.

At the end, I invited people to surrender their lives to Jesus if they never had.  It blew my mind when I saw a hand go up from a young college-aged girl from the front row.  It was her first time ever at PFB and she gave her life to Jesus.  But here's what hit me when it happened: the whole message had to do with the beginnings of a dating relationship with another person.  And with that topic, she gave her life to Jesus.  It just proved to me that where the Holy Spirit is, he is calling people into a relationship with God through Christ.

Thank you for praying.  It is always amazing to see someone surrender to Jesus.

Jesus is Coming to Comedy Central

New blog from Walt Mueller, a man focused on understanding our next generation.  Thought it might be of help to pass on this info.

Click here to read his blog.

Resources

Just wanted to send a quick mention of the resources page on this website.  I know that there are only a couple of things up there so please keep checking.  Also, if you have found anything that has been helpful to you in parenting teenagers or improving marriages, or just fun stuff, please leave a comment here so that I can add it to the resources page.

Opportunities this next week (May 2-8)

I just wanted to give you a heads up on some opportunities for your student(s) to get involved in with the high school ministry at PFB this week.  Here goes:

• POMONA BEAUTIFICATON DAY. We want to be a ministry that is about making a difference in the community that God has put us in.  With that, a number of our high schoolers will be helping clean up a yard of an elderly woman in Pomona on Saturday morning.


• SUNDAY MORNING. Please encourage your high schooler to join us on Sunday mornings at 9:45 in the B-Building.  This is our time to be in community — just a bunch of high schoolers being high schoolers and worshipping Jesus together.


• WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT PFB. This Wednesday night at 7:00pm we will be finishing up our current series called, "REVELATE."  It's going to be an explosive finish.  Again, please feel free to join us for worship.  If you can't make it to the church, then watch the service live online at www.pfblive.tv.


• DANCING WITH FRIENDS. This is happening this Friday, May 7th.  This is one of the coolest ministry opportunities that we have.  We go and help put on a dance for some developmentally disabled adults in our community.  That's right.  We go and help with the food, take pictures, hang with the people and DANCE WITH THEM! It's an absolute blast.  If you've never heard about this, then shame on your high schooler. :)  If you would like to go and see for yourself, or want more information on this for your high schooler, please call Ashley at (909) 938-4737.  She is the one who heads up this ministry.

As I close, I want to encourage you to encourage your student to get involved in a LifeGroup.  We are in the process of organizing these LifeGroups (small groups) and getting them meeting.  These LifeGroups are so important for students to be involved in.  If you want more information about them, or want to sign your high school student up for one, please contact me at brian@pfblive.tv or call me at 909-629-5277, ext. 3044.

Also, please pass on this blog to any high school parents.  This blog will be the main mode of communication between us so that you are kept aware of things that are coming up or to hear about how things have been going.

Hang in there as you continue to strive to raise teenagers who love Jesus.  Listen closely: you just might hear the applause of heaven.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!

Oh my goodness!!! You have to come to a Wednesday night at PFB soon! It's absolutely incredible what Jesus is doing.  Last night, Pastor Josh spoke on the fourth pillar of the movement that God is doing in the Next Generation ministry at PFB: rapid mobilization.  The main point: we've all been called and gifted for God's service.  At the end of the service, people went forward and filled out cards to share possible ways that they can help and what they are passionate about in ministry.  POWERFUL NIGHT!!!!

If you can't make it into the worship service on Wednesday nights (or your high schoolers don't want you to :)), go ahead and catch it live online on Wednesday nights at www.pfblive.tv.  You can watch the whole service from start to finish.

Thank you again for allowing us to partner with you as you raise your teenager(s) to love Jesus.  Take care.

What a ride,

Next Series on Wednesdays

I just wanted to give you a heads up that we will be finishing up our current series called, "REVELATE" this next Wednesday night.  After that, we are starting a new series for six weeks titled, "Dating, Sex and the Bible."  It is a verse-by-verse look through the book of Song of Songs.  I've personally taught this same series to the high schoolers twice in the past five years.  Song of Solomon is an amazing book that takes us through a romantic relationship from start to finish, according to God's design for relationships.  It starts with attraction and then moves on to dating, courting, the wedding, the wedding night, marriage, the first fight, and reconciliation.  It is a blast to work through with the high schoolers.  I'm so excited about this series.

I do need to let you know that Song of Solomon is a pretty graphic book.  We will teach in good taste but we will also be teaching the book to everyone there on Wednesday nights, being true to what the text says and means.  If you have any specific questions, please call me at 909-629-5277, ext. 3044.  Thank you.

What a ride,

Brian