Amp'd Blog

Middle School Questions About Sexual Purity

2009-03-17T14:18:00.002-04:00

We gave some students a chance to ask any question concerning sexual purity that they want an answer on. Here's some of those questions:

Questions by Students for Purity Day

1. Why are guys so obsessed with sex?
2. Why do guys act so immature?
3. Are guys intentions as bad as some people say they are?
4. Why are guys so demanding?
5. How do you tell a friend that she is going to far with someone?
6. What are herpes?
7. How do you get AIDS?
8. Would the average Christian guy go all the way, with any girlfriend is she asked him to or thought it was ok, even though his standards are high?
9. Is oral sex bad for Christians? What about in marriage?
10. Why do guys most of the time pressure girls into doing things?
11. What are some good Bible verses to help keep you strong when standing against sexual temptation?
12. How far is too far?
13. Is masturbation bad?
14. Why do rappers use language and sexual terms that are demeaning?
15. How do you ask your boyfriend if he is pure without insulting him?
16. Why is sex inside of marriage ok, but outside of marriage it’s bad?
17. How do you know what to do? (I assume this person is talking about sex?)
18. Does sex hurt?
19. Why do people make kissing seem so bad?

You think your teen sends too many texts?

2009-01-14T14:45:00.003-05:00

Check out this story. This might make some parents feel a little better about thier "always texting kids."

Teens and the Economy

2009-01-08T16:51:00.002-05:00

I was reading USA Today (the actual newspaper, not online) and came across an interesting article on teens and the economic crisis that we find ourselves in. Do you talk to your student about the financial side of your family? Judith Sachs from Parenting Teens Online says, after sex "money is the least favorite topic among families." But, after reading this article it looks as if this generation is ready to scale back on their spending. Some of the things reported on in this article surprised me (not much, but a little). Teens from a very economically well to do community said that packed lunches, part-time jobs and walking were in and that resturants, allowances and driving are out. Jim Taylor, vice chairman of the Harrison Group, which canvases young gamers for its market research says, "except for boy/girl relationships, the economy is the No. 1 topic with kids right now." Some areas in the country are seeing some kids actually competing to see how cheap they can get their jeans, or who managed to find an iPod on eBay. One student said that, "On the surface, your friends make you feel they're doing well. But I guess you see very quickly it's affecting everyone." This article spends some time talking about the concessions students are having to make and how reality is beginning to hit students who never had to worry about money. College funds are something that has taken a big hit during this time and some teens are realizing that helping out the family is the only way to make that dream come true.

Here are some tips USA Today gave on talking to teens about money:

1. Nix the Plastic
Plastic is not real to kids and cash is something that is real and reassuring.

2. Encourage employment
This helps the teen understand with it means to work for pay.

3. Explain yourself
Give them a reason why you're saying "no" to something they may have taken for granted.

4. Open the books
For older teens parents should consider showing the basics of the family's finance.

20% of teens say they've put nude pics of themselves online

2008-12-12T18:56:00.004-05:00

The internet makes anyone who works with students very nervous. These statistics don't make you feel better.

"A survey of 1,280 teenagers (users age 13-19) and young adults (age 20-26) conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and CosmoGirl.com has revealed that one out of five (20 percent) teens overall have posted nude photos or video of themselves on the Internet—that number goes up to a third when young adults are included. While 71 percent of teen girls and 67 percent of teen guys who have sent these photos say they've sent them to a boyfriend or girlfriend."

Here's the survey.

I found this MSNBC video on Kate McKay's blog, and it deals directly with this issue.

Brian Mills also has a blog post on this issue.

I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me

2008-12-11T09:37:00.001-05:00

Take a couple minutes to watch this video.

4 Warning Signs of an Abusive Teen Relationship

2008-12-10T13:26:00.002-05:00

Our friend James West over at Total Life Counseling Center had this to say on the topic of "Abusive Teen Relationships."

"Having a teen dating in today’s world is quite a challenge! Because so many
teens are accepting some level of abuse as 'normal' in relationships, knowing
the warning signs of a potentially abusive relationship become critical."

He goes on to list and discuss 4 signs that parents should be aware of. These are:
1. The relationship becomes very serious quickly.
2. Controling behaviors are very aparent in the relationship.
3. One begins to isolate the other from friends and family.
4. Veberal abuse

He talks more in depth on his blog about these 4 red flags.

Elf it!

2008-12-08T13:10:00.000-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Tis the Season for Spending

2008-12-03T14:31:00.000-05:00

Came across some staggering statistics about Christmas time economy at the local Starbucks.

2007 Holiday Retail Sales = $474.5 Billion
30 to 35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year.
$9.3 billion in jewelry-store sales during November and December, 2007.
20 billion cards, letters and packages are delivered by the US Postal Service between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
$19.8 Billion in computer and video game, console, and accessory sales during November and December, 2007.
In November and December of 2007, consumers accumulated an estimated $12.8 billion in new debt, according to cardtrack, an organization that tracks credit card use. That is 16% of the total debt accumulated that year. (According to a 2007 survey, 1/3 of consumers were still paying off debt from the 2006 holiday season.)
In 2007, the average consumer planed to spend more that $800 on Holiday related shopping and more than $100 on themselves.

Crazy stats.

Students Cheat, but STILL See Themselves as Ethical

2008-12-02T08:23:00.003-05:00

Found this article on Drudge Report. You can read it here. Here are some of the most concerning points of the article.

“American teenagers lie, steal and cheat more at "alarming rates," a study of nearly 30,000 high school students concluded Monday.

The attitudes and conduct of some 29,760 high school students across the United States "doesn't bode well for the future when these youngsters become the next generation's politicians and parents, cops and corporate executives, and journalists and generals," the non-profit Josephson Institute said.

Boys were found to lie and steal more than girls.

Overall, 30 percent of students admitted to stealing from a store within the past year, a two percent rise from 2006. More than one third of boys (35 percent) said they had stolen goods, compared to 26 percent of girls.

An overwhelming majority, 83 percent, of public school and private religious school students admitted to lying to their parents about something significant, compared to 78 percent for those attending independent non-religious schools.

Despite no significant gender differences on exam cheating, students from non-religious independent schools had the lowest cheating rate, 47 percent, compared to 63 percent of students attending religious schools.

Despite these high levels of dishonesty, these same kids have a high self-image when it comes to ethics."

Some 93 percent of students indicated satisfaction with their own character and ethics, with 77 percent saying that "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know.”

Vision, Purpose and Values

2008-12-01T13:45:00.004-05:00

It's always important for volunteers and staff to know the vision, purpose and values of the ministry. Keith keeps this in front of us all the time so that it is something that we never loose sight of.

Vision and Purpose
*Love God (Passion for God) = Great Commandment
*Love People (Passion for People) = Great Commandment
*Go Tell (Passion to Serve) = Great Commission

AMP’D Student Ministry Core Values…
*God loves lost people, therefore we love lost people.
*God’s Word is our authority for faith and daily living.
*Life-Change best occurs through discipleship.
*Excellence honors God and inspires people.
*God’s unconditional love and grace transforms lives.
*Christ-followers pursue spiritual growth.
*Uncompromising integrity reflects God’s character.
*God uniquely gifts Christ-followers regardless of race or gender.
*We are culturally relevant without compromising God’s Word.
*Loving relationships permeate through every aspect of AMP’D.

Lunch with Brent Crow

2008-12-01T10:31:00.006-05:00

Keith and I had a chance to spend time with
Brent Crow over lunch at Orlando Airport a week ago. Brent is Jay Strack’s main man on the Student Leadership University front. He sees a lot of student ministries all over the world, so it was cool to get his take on what’s on the horizon for studnet ministry.
Here are some bullet points from our time with Brent:

-Do what no one else is doing.

-Students are looking for an experience.

-You have to let students lead and they must have ownership. Students love to create things and experiences and opportunities.

-“The greatest things going today are student created. Youth Ministers aren’t coming up with the new things, because it’s coming from the students.”

-Students want to be challenged like adults.

-“We treat a lot of our students like kids and we don’t tackle the deep things of God.”

-Teach them the Word of God. They can handle the Word, they have algebra, chemistry, etc.

-Give students a cause. Students are hungry for the Word and for a cause, something to believe in and run with i.e. social injustice…

-They have passion for these “causes” so you have to give them an outlet.

Keith and I keep getting reconfirmed on this thought that I have posted on before: the students of this generation are a cause oriented generation. They are more plugged in to the world affairs than any other generation.

Sometimes I Wish I Was Stupid

2008-11-23T08:52:00.002-05:00

The reason I say that is because this video is amazing. I wish I was stupid, becuase that is exactly what these guys are! But....I would LOVE to do this. This is an incredible 8 min documentary of these 2 guys who go to Dubai and base jump from the tallest, yet uncompleted, building in the world. It's worth the 8 minutes.

Jay Strack Dropped Some Knowledge On Me Over Some Coffee!

2008-11-20T15:56:00.004-05:00

Jay Strack, one of the world renowned evangelical leaders of our day sat down with me, Keith Harmon and Brian Mills at a local Starbucks.
Here's a couple things that he said to us "young guys."

"Remember that promotion comes from above. God has you in the place you are for a reason, so have confidence in that."
Have a passionate commitment to keep growing. Stretch yourself. Personal development is key.
Churches that are growing usually out grow leadership. You have to keep growing personally.
Time management and event management can make or break you, so learn to do that effectively.
You’re building a "brand" with what you’re doing today. That brand is you. Everything you do from youth camps, to d-nows, to bible studies and how you interact with others is apart of how people perceive you. Work hard and grow to be better.
His book recommendation: The Lunar Men .
The future of youth ministry will be what he called “incarnational ministry”. Students want truth, and they want to know that you care about homeless, and the environment and the AIDS epidemic etc. and how they fit into those bigger stories. How can you get them to be apart of these larger stories?

I was blessed to be at the table with two youth pastors from a couple of the largest baptist churches in America, and Jay Strack, probably the most connected man in the evangelical world. Not many people can say they got to do this.

Time With Alvin Reid

2008-11-20T15:15:00.006-05:00

I had the privilege of sitting with some of the great minds in Youth Ministry over the past few days. And so I’ll share with you over a couple blogs some nuggets of truth I gleaned from them.

Dr. Alvin Reid spoke for an hour to us and here’s some notes that I took from that.

“Don’t let your kids graduate high school without going to a 3rd world country. Let them see the world that is out there.”

Acts 11:22-26 22News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

**this is a significant turning point in the scriptures.
**there was a movement that was beginning with lay people (verse 19).

Barnabas gives a great model for what the leader must have or exemplify:
1) Vision- verse 23- Barnabas saw the vision because he was looking for it.
2) Faith-you have great faith because of the vision.
3) Encourage- he rejoiced and encouraged them
4) Example- verse 24- Be a Godly example to others. “I want to plant trees that I never sit under”-Dr. Reid
5) Life on Life- verse 25- mentoring. Barnabas took a guy named Saul and mentored him for a year.
6) Instruction- verse 26- taught the people for 1 year
7) Impact- first called Christians. Understood missional living.

A Week with Brian Mills

2008-11-20T13:12:00.002-05:00

Keith and I had the privilege of spending 4 days with one of the top youth pastors in America, Brian Mills of Second Baptist Houston. It was great time of hanging out and just getting inside this guys head and getting his thoughts on all things youth ministry. It's so great to get a fresh take on this whole world of students, and to get that from a guy like Brian was amazing.
He's the real deal.
It's been awhile since my last blog, and I kinda got convicted since Brian blogs 5 times a day(and they're all really good). So, I decided to add some entries. Here's just some of the stuff that I gleaned from my time with Brian.

Brian has been at 2nd Baptist for about 14 months now so I asked him, "what were some of the first things you did when you got to 2nd Baptist in Houston?"

He said that the first meeting he had with his youth staff he did 3 things:
1) Set the vision and purpose for the ministry. “Everything flows from the vision.”
2) Set expectations for the youth staff. He gave them goals and requirements to be apart of that staff.
3) He began meeting with 3 people every week. He would meet with a principal, a coach and a volunteer youth worker every week.

**He said that you have to be very intentional with what you do. It must have purpose behind it.

He also made an analogy about the direction of his youth ministry, but I felt it's true in all cases. He said that in his youth ministry they’re on a 8 lane highway headed to downtown Houston. “We’re headed the right way, but I want to get us into the HOV lane. We need to be more focused with what we are doing. We’re not going to teach 2 topics a week, one on Sunday and one on Wednesday, but 1 topic for the whole week on Sunday and Wednesday."

You've got to be intentional in everything you do.

Coffey Anderson at Amp'd

2008-10-09T15:37:00.002-04:00

This was a fun few days spending time with Coffey Anderson. We met him in LA on our mission trip with the Dream Center. What a great guy, who loves the Lord and wants to use his talents to glorify Him. Here's some Youtube videos that will tell you more about him and also let you see a little of what he did here on this past Wednesday night for a group of nearly 400 students. So much fun.

This aired on Nashville Star.

This is his "Umbrella" Remix that he did for us at Amp'd.

Here's the Ampdcast he did for us.

Amp'd Parents Podcast #2: Ben Trueblood

2008-10-02T14:07:00.003-04:00

Long time no blog. Here's Keith Harmon and Ben Trueblood, the student pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton, VA, talking about how important parents are to what we do here in student ministry.

Time Magazine: "The Truth About Teen Girls"

2008-09-18T13:30:00.001-04:00

Just got finished reading this article in Time Magazine. I think parents should take the ten minutes it would take you to read it, and do so. There are some pretty interesting things reported on in this piece. One thing that caught my attention is what Belinda Luscombe called the "drip-drip effect". She said that tweens and teens aren't influenced by the big "firestorms" that have been erupting lately, (Miley Cyrus's semi-naked photos, the Jamie Lynn Spears pregnancy, the Juno effect, etc.) but that teens are more influenced by the constant message they receive through the media. More than these high profile happenings teens are effected by the consistency of the "worlds" message on sexuality. So, parents of tween or teen girls, take the time to read this article.

Communication with Parents

2008-09-17T10:29:00.003-04:00

After grading aspects of our ministry at the end of the summer, we found that our communication with parents was a "C" at best, and you'd probably have enough ammo to give us a failing grade if you wished. So, over the past month and half we've put some things in place to help us in this area. Here's what we have:

Video Podcast For Parents:
We're not sure what this will evolve to, but we want a way to be in front of our parents. Parents are so busy that it's difficult to have meetings that they can attend. So, we're going to try and answer questions about our ministries in a quick 10 minute monthly video podcast.

Parent Newsletter:
This is just a another resource to put in our parents hands. This newsletter has basic info and upcoming dates.

Website:
We're trying to keep the website updated weekly. This is probably the greatest resource for our parents, but getting them there is difficult at times.

Text Messaging:
We're in the process of getting a text messaging software so that our students and parents can be reminded of events.

Are there any methods of informing your parents that works well? And if you use any of these methods what is some information that you include in them?

MTV VMA's

2008-09-09T23:17:00.002-04:00

So the biggest thing to come out of MTV VMA's wasn't the videos, but the purity ring battle. Russel Brand, an english comedian and MTV's host for the 2008 VMA's, made some crazy remarks about the Jonas Brothers wearing purity rings. This didn't sit well with Jordin Sparks and she let everyone know about it.

Brand later apologized for his comment. Any thoughts on the resurgence of the purity ring? We've given away 600 purity rings in our ministry since April of 2007 when we had our last "purity conference".

The Common Catalyst

2008-09-09T15:39:00.004-04:00

Today was filled with hours upon hours of meetings. And, I'm happy to say that I actually gleaned some good info from it. Something I thought was note worthy was some data that has been collected on our church and other churches across the US. One of our pastors visited Willowcreek in Chicago for the "Reveal" conference, which surveyed 157,000 church members. There was some amazing data that came from this that will hopefully help us be a more effective body. One of the things that this survey gave us were the "catalyst" that would move a person in their journey from a new christian to becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ. The #1 "catalyst" came in the form of an activity. That "activity" was service. Plain and simple. Service was the #1 mover of Christians in their journey in drawing closer to Him. It makes sense doesn't it? Being the hands and feet of the one who died for us? It makes sense to me. When we make it more about others, and less about ourselves we begin to see this life through the lens of Jesus. I thought we did a really good job of giving our students chances to serve, and we aren't going to stop. I can't wait to see the hearts of these students continue to change as they catch a glimpse of heart of Jesus.

1st Ever Ampdcast for Parents

2008-09-04T17:34:00.003-04:00

Well, we finally have our first ampdcast done. This is a resource speciffically for our parents. We're looking to give parents of our students here at First Orlando a way to ask us questions and have them answered. I'm sure we'll get better and more relaxed as we do more. In this one we discuss "how to get your student involved" as well as the series we're currently in on Wednesday nights.

The Gloves Came Off!

2008-09-04T11:23:00.002-04:00

Did you catch the Sarah Palin speech? I don't think I've ever smiled during a "polictal" speech. I did last night. She had some great jabs that were delivered flawlessly. In the begining I was intrigued by McCain's choice for VP, but wasn't sold. Last night I was sold. I'm on board. Any thoughts?

24 Hours in Texas: Unveiled Girls Conference 2008

2008-09-03T09:53:00.003-04:00

I just got back from a whirlwind day in Texas (my home state). It was a real blast hanging out with Keith Harmon, the high school minister and Colby Weaver, the girls minister. The trip had a simple purpose: get the word out for Unveiled Girls Conference. It was really great to see the passion Colby has for this project and for the girls that it will influence. As she spoke to some of the most influential youth pastors and Christian school big wigs in Dallas/Ft. Worth it reminded me of the battle waging for the hearts and minds of teenage girls. She did a great job explaining why this conference should be a must attend for the girls of their ministries and schools. It's always fun to be around those you work with and see them share their vision and get excited about the changed lives. The dates for the Dallas Unveiled Conference is October 4th, and the Orlando date is October 10th & 11th. It should be a blast, and she's got some great speakers and worship leaders showing up, such as: Lisa Whelchel (from "Facts of Life" fame), Kari Jobe and Superchick. The official website should be up in a matter of days, but you can already buy tickets here.

Amp'd Students in Baptist Magazine

2008-08-26T15:07:00.002-04:00

Someone brought it to my attention that I was in the Florida Baptist Witness, a printed state wide magazine. The article was written on the Youth Evangelism Conference that went on the first weekend of August here at First Orlando. After finding this article on their website I saw that our students had also made the article (the very top of the page), which is super cool. Here's the link to that article.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Movie Review

2008-08-23T23:46:00.002-04:00

Three months ago I was super pumped to see this movie.
I grew up on Star Wars. I had action figures. I dressed up as Darth Vader for Halloween (gasp!). It was series that had all the elements a kid with an over active imagination could want. Anything that I could turn into a light saber (or a light saver is what I called them) I would. Canes, poles, random sticks lying on the ground would transform me into a Jedi Knight. I loved it. Twenty two years after the first one came out George Lucas gave us the prequels to the original trilogies. I actually slept outside and waited with some buddies in line for my ticket to the 12 o'clock showing of Episode 1. I'm not a hater, but it didn't quite have the same magic as the originals. The rest were ok, with Episode 3 being the best of the prequels, but nothing captured the magic of the original trilogy.
So, what do you do with an animated Star Wars? In the prequels, Episode II ended with the Clone Wars beginning, and Episode III began with them ending. We never really were able to see Anakin, who later turns into Darth Vader, live up to what we have pictured in our heads for 25+ years. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Obi Wan Kenobi says that Luke's father was "the best star fighter in the galaxy and a good friend". We never were able to see that in its fullness. In the prequels we never get to see Anakin as a hero. We see Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in that light, but we never get to root for Anakin. This why I really liked Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
A week before this movie opened I read some early reviews that really chewed it up and spit it out as garbage. Those critics that I hold in high regard hated it. My eagerness to see this movie left quickly and so I waited 2 weeks before I actually took the time to watch it. That was a mistake.
For the same reasons the critics I read hated this movie, are the same reasons I think it works. From the beginning you realize this is a different take on Star Wars, and I'm ok with that. It needed some new blood.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Anakin and Ahsoka. Ahsoka is a new female character who is introduced as Anakin's padawan (student). She's a spunky young kid with a nickname for everyone and a quick remark for every situation. She adds a lot of fun and character to this series. I think that was the main thing that was missing from the prequels. I really enjoyed the brother-sister relationship that Anakin and Ahsoka begin to develop. But, the reason this movie works for me is because we FINALLY get to see Anakin as a hero before his fall to the dark side. You actually root for him. And you seriously begin to like the guy, which makes his turn to the dark side much more tragic.
This movie was a lot of fun, and the more I think about it the more I enjoy it. If this is the way the TV show goes, then we'll be in for a weekly treat. Final grade: B+

Rare Talents and the Olympics

2008-08-18T10:21:00.002-04:00

I'll be honest. I didn't think this years Olympics was going to hold my attention very well. And, truth be told....it didn't. Except for, you guessed it, Michael Phelps. It was fun watching "history in the making". But, I'm calling your attention to a video that is connected to the Olympics, but in a different way. This is incredible in its own special way.

Tweens and the "R" Rated Movie

2008-08-05T10:12:00.003-04:00

As a minister to tweens and teens I am constantly looking at the culture, trying to understand the M.O. behind ad campaigns and movies. It isn't a shock to hear that many tweens watch "R" rated movies....because I believe that is who they are marketing to. I know, shocking right? How do you market "R" rated movies to tweens? Very carefully. Take the new movie "Step Brothers" with Will Ferrel. The movie was advertised for the longest time in front of PG-13 movies. It was "not yet rated" and because of that many tweens were drawn in to the hilarity of Will Ferrel and John C. Riley. It's not difficult to wander into a movie while holding the ticket to a different movie. I did it as a teen, and I'm sure if I did it as a teen then it is still going on today. In case you were wanting some statistics on this, you can read it here at USA Today.

Here is the Plugged-In synopsis of "Step Brothers".

Youth Evagelism Conference

2008-08-04T09:20:00.005-04:00

We hosted the Florida Youth Evangelism Conference this weekend. It was a fun weekend where an about 600 students attended the conference from all over Florida and even Georgia. David Nassar, one of the top youth communicators in America, spoke on the theme of Urgency. When it comes to communicating to students what it means to live out a life that is pleasing to Christ, there is none better. I was fortunate enough to be asked to lead a session titled "Cultural Youth Thoughts that Drive Actions and Attitudes of Youth Culture (Gothic, Hip Hop, etc)". Keith just called it "Facebook, Myspace and more", which was a little easier to swallow. But, it was basically a sprint through Youth Culture and the prevailing thought of today's teens and those we would consider "lost" or "un-churched". Keith taught a session on sharing your faith and Colby did the always great "Modest is Hottest" topic. All in all it was a fun weekend. Big Daddy Weave brought the worship and did a great job with that as well. Urgency was such a timely topic for what the students are facing now. The church, for reasons we won't go into, has a horrible name with the outside world, and the students need to bring the truth of God's word to them without compromising it, but couple that truth with love. It was a great weekend.

X-Games

2008-08-04T09:16:00.002-04:00

I think I have gotten more into the Summer X-Games than the Olympics. This vid is of Kyle Loza who I found out later is a Christian. Pretty cool. There were a lot of great moments this weekend, and this is just one of them.

Blob

2008-07-31T15:55:00.002-04:00

The video says it all.

Things You Learn at VANS Skate Park

2008-07-31T15:41:00.003-04:00

-you don't heal as quickly as kids do. A couple kids were trying to get Jeremiah, one of our summer interns, to drop in on a 3/4 pipe. Their encouragement was as this,"You can do it! I've broken my arm, wrist, ankel and I'm allright!"

-The skate culture that kind of went away in the 90's is back.

-No matter how hard I try. I'll never be able to grind a rail. Won't happen.

-Kids are fearless. I love that about them.

Some Quik Thoughts on West Palm Mission Trip

2008-07-20T10:42:00.002-04:00

-I believe and have for some time now that the best way to get a student involved in our youth group is to send them to our mission trips/mission projects. I've seen more students get engaged in our ministry through these trips. It just seems that walls come down when you're all working towards one common goal....and deep friendships usually spring forth from that.

-Even students that "don't like kids" can make an impact on kids.

-Getting out of your comfort zone always pushes you to re-evaluate areas in your life. And more often then not...change them.

-Most students that go on mission trips will have to answer this question at least once before they leave: "is He calling me to missions?"

-It doesn't surprise me when students do stupid stuff. But, unfortunately, it does surprise me when they do amazing things. I'm praying that the Lord changes that in me.

-Twitter is a wonderful way to keep parents in the loop on some little things that happen through out the week.

-Hearing testimonies of young men who grow up in the "hood" selling drugs, getting kicked out of the house; and then turning it around and using the story of their life for God's glory to impact those kids, always gets me choked up.

Noteworthy

2008-07-11T16:10:00.002-04:00

-The iPhone 3G launched today. I'm not sold on an upgrade at this point. I love my iPhone, but I'm not sure faster internet and GPS will entice me enough to throw down $200 dollars.

-I did however update my "old" iPhone with the 2.0 firmware. Now I can get all sorts of free applications. It's been fun. Can you say "free light saber app"?

-Saw Hellboy 2 last night at the 12:01 showing. It was kind of a last second thing. I kept hearing good things about the movie. I enjoyed it more than the few that went with me. Not as good as Iron Man, but I thought it was as good as the Hulk (which I thought was really good). Definitely better than Hancock, though (but I know that's not saying much).

-JP spoke to our students Wednesday Night. Loved having him back for a night. Such a great guy. Still miss him like crazy, but I know God has him where He wants him.

-I am now up for twitter. I think this will be a fun experiment. Get yourself an account and start following some people. That sounded very stalker-ish, I know.

-We load up the vans tomorrow at 12 noon to head down to West Palm Beach where we will work with Urban Youth Impact. For a week we will run back yard Bible clubs, assist them with neighborhood clean-ups and set-up for a "back-to-school" bash. It's going to be a lot of fun, and I know some students will come back changed.

-We took 25 students down to the Frontliner's ministry Wednesday afternoon. This is a ministry that up until a couple weeks ago I didn't even know existed. Our students were able to pour their lives into some 7-10 year old kids. It was a blast. Look forward to partnering with them in the future.

"Buzz Spotters": Tracking the Trends of Youth

2008-07-07T13:32:00.002-04:00

I ran across this article on the Sydney Morning Herald. They're reporting on a group that does world wide research on what teens are after and what they think is "in". A couple of the statistics are:
57% of teens prefer facebook to myspace
71% of teens prefer text messaging to IM
65% would rather use a Mac than a PC
93% of teens prefer Internet to TV
Nothing I read that's really all that surprising. One thing they did mention that made me say hmmm, is that 1 in 10 teens are happy with their tech gadgets. With the rate at which new tech gadgets come out, and the millions in marketing that are pumped into those products (which make you unhappy with your tech) it's no wonder how anyone could ever be satisfied with what they have. There's always the next model or the next upgrade waiting to be released before you can figure out how to turn on your phone. Crazy.

Summer Movie Poll

2008-07-03T11:58:00.000-04:00

Are You Serious?

2008-07-03T10:25:00.003-04:00

OK. Not many things shock me anymore. It takes quite a bit for something to really get a "wow" out of me. Well, ladies and gentlemen I had a "wow" moment this morning while reading the news. I keep a pretty close eye on all things "youth culture" and the name Heidi Montag might not mean much to you, but she's definitely a part of that "youth culture". She's part of the popular MTV semi-reality series The Hills. Now, months back I read quote by Heidi in one the "entertainment" mags that was on the grocery store racks. She was asked what book she couldn't do without. Her response? "I can't go a day without reading the Bible." Seriously? The reason I question this because if you watch The Hills she's repeatedly bleeped out for the language she's using. Not only that, she's living with her boyfriend who recently became her fiance. And she has a horrible music video on youtube that has her splashing around in the ocean in a barely there bikini. Like I said, nothing really shocks me anymore. But then I read this article. Get this. This article tells of Heidi's intentions to record a "christian" album! You heard me right. What the devil? Seriously? It also informs the reader that she has, "been religious since she was 2 years old." She refers to herself as "non-denominational baptist." Suffice it to say, I was pretty shocked by the announcement. Here's why I think this is important. Let's say she does what she says she wants to do. She records an album. The album is sold in Christian book stores. Students pick this CD up because she has name recognition. Students will at that point be listening to "christian" music, which fits into most of our lists of "music that is OK to listen to." This is why I think labeling music "christian" or "secular" is dangerous. We can't be mindless. We can't set our thoughts aside just because it fits into a certain label. We need to be discerning. Not all "secular" music is bad. A LOT of it is! But, not all. We have to test it. Question it. View it through the goggles of our christian worldview. Let's not be mindless Christians. I'll jump off my soap box now. Here's the deal, she's not living what most Evangelical Christians would say is a life that lines up with Jesus' teaching. So is she someone you would really want to represent Christ? I leave you to answer that. And I'm aware that she could come out and say that she's been stupid and let Hollywood direct her instead of the moral compass that Christ has given her. I can understand the allure of Hollywood and it's seductive ways, and I could look past all that she has done. But, she hasn't yet. And with that I say, keep a look out for her album in the next year or so. The point of this post being, "don't be mindless in what you listen to."

Favorite Movie of the Year

2008-07-01T11:12:00.003-04:00

Don't get me wrong, I loved Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and I thought the first half of Indy was truly amazing, but.....Wall-E has my heart. I'm not sure another movie can touch what Wall-E did. If you love Pixar movies, you've probably seen it. If you're indifferent to animated movies you NEED to see this film. Have you ever left a film that just makes you happy? This one will. The thing that is great about Wall-E is that kids will enjoy the humor, but years from now they'll revisit this gem of a movie and love it for different reasons. Kurt Loder from MTV says this about Wall-E,

"The picture is truly brilliant on several levels. The first half is virtually
wordless, and it has the spare, kinetic beauty of silent movies, tapping into pre-verbal pleasure centers we've half-forgotten we have. The characters' anthropomorphic qualities never lapse into simple-minded cuteness, but remain rooted in their mechanical nature. To watch WALL-E rubbing his clamps together in clinking concern is to be charmed beyond all resistance; and his marveling response to the vast, junk-free reaches of outer space makes your heart swell in sympathetic wonder. Pixar has once again burst the boundaries of the animation ghetto, creating a world so intricately worked-out, so ravishing, that we don't feel we're just watching it — we're visiting. And at the end, in that rarest of responses, we don't want to leave."

So do yourself a favor and get to the theatre and see this film. Don't walk....run.

Lil' Wayne's Album Debuts at #1

2008-06-21T10:12:00.003-04:00

So what you ask? Many parents have probably never heard of Lil' Wayne. Well, here's your education. Lil' Wayne isn't new, in fact he's been around the rap scene since '97 when he was part of the rap group "Hot Boyz". The reason this is blog worthy is because he just dropped his first album, and it blew everything else out of the water. Billboard reported in this article that his album "Tha Carter III" debuted at #1 selling 1 million albums in 1 weeks time. This is the first time in 3 years that this many albums were sold (the last album to do that was 50 cent's, "The Massacre"). If you were wondering what what genre of music is America's favorite, wonder no more. Rolling Stone posted their review of his album here. So, what do we do this info? We need to understand what Lil' Wayne is preaching....cause he is preaching. Walt Mueller did a review of his first single off "Tha Carter III", which was titled "Lollipop"(he calls them 3-D reviews). Mueller does a great job of giving you the information and then answering the question, "what do we do now?" You can also preview the songs on iTunes, which I did, and was easily able to tell what kind of lyrics filled his raps. I love music, but there is some stuff out there you just shouldn't listen too as a follower of Jesus. Bottom line: This is one of those albums.

Pray for Darfur

2008-06-19T13:50:00.002-04:00

I just read a horrible news report at CNN.com. This article reports that rape in Darfur is becoming "a way of life" for girls as young as 4 years old! This was such a difficult article to read. I wanted to bring it to your attention so that you could be in prayer for these people as their government turns their heads and denies it all.

Read the article here.

Goodbye MySpace/Facebook, Hello Stickam!

2008-06-16T08:29:00.003-04:00

I heard about Stickam about a year ago, and thought to myself....that could be the next big thing on the web. It looks as if its time has finally come. Stickam works essentially like a MySpace or Facebook, with profiles and friends lists, but Stickam takes the social networking to a whole new level. Stickam's major selling point is its web cam activity. Thousands of students are showing their faces to the world for all to see. Now, you can set your privacy preferences so that only your friends can see your live video feed, or you can let anyone check you out. This place could be a parents nightmare or if used with the right monitoring and rules, could be a really fun thing. Stickam is now the most visited website by teens according to this article. Check this article out and even the website. We can't be scared of this technology, because it's not going anywhere and it'll only get more prevalent. But, we must figure out how to monitor and teach students the dangers that are out there.

The Next Big Thing

2008-06-15T07:55:00.004-04:00

I had my TV turned to the Fuse network, which is an actual "music video" network now that MTV is more "TV" than music. A song came on that caught my attention and not in the "hey this is a catchy song" way, though it was rather catchy. It caught my attention by what was being sung. The main line was, "I kissed a girl and I liked it". This was sung by Katy Perry. I didn't know anything about her background. I tossed it off as another example of Romans 1, until I read Walt Muller's blog. He did some research and found out a little bit about Katy Perry, and his findings were a little shocking. Read his blog post here.

CAMP O 2008

2008-06-03T14:27:00.003-04:00

Camp is just days away! Pierce will be back leading us in worship and our very own Pastor David Uth and Jack Fiscus will be the camp speakers. Camp Orlando is literally bigger and better than last year. How is it bigger and better you ask? 1) The amount of people going has grown in number (and we took the most EVER last year), 2) We have a Rec Team to lead us in games this year, 3) Our Late Nights will be longer and loaded with MORE coolness, 4) The morning and evening services will have MORE video and MORE fun, And 5) We will have MORE Camp Speakers to speak truth to us! So, please take some time to pray for us before camp starts and while we are there, that God would show up in a mighty way!

Weezer

2008-05-27T09:41:00.002-04:00

This is probably one of the greatest music videos ever made (if you're up on the "youtube" culture). "Pork and Beans," Weezers latest single pays homage to the memorable "youtube" moments, with some rather intersting cameos. It's fun.

46% of Teens Text While Driving

2008-05-22T11:22:00.002-04:00

That's what this article and video say about teens who text and drive. The boy this article focuses on said that, "it's easy to do." Really? You hit a cement truck, kid. Must not be that easy. I admit to texting and driving sometimes, mostly while sitting at lights. We're such a communication driven society that we have to be in contact even in the usually short amounts of time we're in our cars. Just thought parents should know the high percentage of teens who do this.

Just Cause It's Legal...

2008-05-21T14:51:00.004-04:00

Here's a pretty scary article about Salvia. Parents need to be concerned about this drug, because it's over the counter. More and more teens are trying these over the counter drugs such as cough syrup and now Salvia. Students are justifying this drug because it's not considered illegal. They need to understand that just because something is NOT illegal doesn't make it OK. Keith and I were first told about this drug by students in our ministry. So, this is not a "my student doesn't know about this and isn't doing it" situation. This is just a heads up for the parents of teens to keep this on their radar.

MTV's "Most Influential Show" Ever

2008-05-19T11:07:00.004-04:00

That was what Brian Graden, President of Entertainment at MTV, said about "The Hills". If you haven't heard of "The Hills" then you need to. For the President of the company, that more or less directs the trends and culture of America's youth, to call a show it's "most influential...ever" definitely got my attention. This quote came from the Rolling Stone article, "Are They For Real?" And, that is the question most people are asking about this show, "is this reality TV?" Yes and No. It's an interesting article that if one reads between the lines you can see what MTV tries to accomplish through this medium. I encourage parents to read the article about this show that has a "cult-like" following among teens. But, do so with understanding that there is strong language in this article and in most Rolling Stone articles for that matter. Even with that in mind I have to admit that RS has a good feel for what's coming over the horizon.

Marriage and Ministry

2008-05-15T11:17:00.002-04:00

Doug Fields, the Youth Pastor at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, has begun a video blog on marriage and ministry. Hopefully this will be a great resource for all of the parents and leaders associated with Amp'd Student Ministries. Saddleback Church is Rick Warren's church, author of Purpose Driven Life, so anything that comes out of there can be considered atleast pretty good stuff. I'll try to link these podcasts as they continue to do them.

Should You Be Worried About the "MONSTER"?

2008-05-11T12:51:00.002-04:00

I see it all the time. Empty cans of "Red Bull", "Monster", and anything with a crazy amount of caffeine litter our trash cans....especially when students are able to stay up all night. Should parents be worried about this? Read the research.

The Miley Cyrus Clean-Up

2008-05-11T08:23:00.004-04:00

Miley made Times Top 100 Most Influential People List, so with that being said, we need to understand what to do with the latest bomb dropped onto the unsuspecting populous of tweens and teens. I hate pointing fingers, because everyone makes mistakes....even Miley Cyrus. So, I'll hold off on the negative Bible thumping retort that many have lavished up on her and just ask this, "what are you going to teach your kids from this?" While reading Un-Plugged, Focus on the Family's Entertainment Web Mag, I came across the best article published on this whole subject. Take some time to read it here. It puts this into perspective on this situation and turns it into a teaching moment, which I think is what we must always do with the world we live in.

2008 MTV Movie Awards: A Peek at Teen Culture

2008-05-08T10:11:00.005-04:00

If you're looking for a quick, all encompassing slice of the teen culture, then look no further than the MTV Movie Awards and Music Awards. The Movie Award nominations come from the viewers of MTV. Even if your teen doesn't watch MTV, there is a good chance they know the movies and the bands that will be playing. Whether we like it or not, MTV is the standard bearer of what is cool. And, if you didn't know it, Nickelodeon is owned by the same company that owns MTV. Just be aware that Nickelodeon's main goal is to transition your young ones to the more edgy MTV when the time is right. Just check out the video and the article to get a small helping of teenage culture.

Summer Time!

2008-05-07T11:28:00.002-04:00

The summer is almost here, and we here at Amp'd student ministries couldn't be happier! We're in the final stages of solidifying our summer calendar, which should be in your hands next week. Camp O is being tweaked and added to daily as we gear up for a week of awesomeness. There are so many elements being added to Camp O that the students won't get the same experience as last year. It's bigger and better! If you saw the Los Angeles Mission Trip Video, you can expect a lot of the same ministry to take place on our Summer Mission Trip to West Palm Beach! We'll be working with Urban Youth Impact Center, which is a Los Angeles Dream Center like ministry, who is ready for us to be there and serve that community! The dates for West Palm Beach Mission Trip is July 12-19, and sign-ups will begin very soon. We've also got some Top Secret things cooking for the summer, so don't waste your expensive gas and go somewhere else! Stay here and rock it out with Amp'd this summer!

K&C

Time's Most Influential List

2008-05-05T11:02:00.004-04:00

It's always interesting to see this list and who Time believes is making the biggest waves. As you look over this list, pay close attention to the "most influential entertainers." I say pay attention because they'll be the ones influencing the those you care about most in the world, your children. Check out the article here.

Los Angeles Mission Trip Video

2008-04-14T15:38:00.003-04:00

That's right! Check it out on our Amp'd webpage.

CLICK HERE FOR L.A.

Mean Girls more Popular?

2008-04-14T14:41:00.002-04:00

"Mean Girls" was a funny movie, but did you know that it was based on actual data? Here's an article from the London based newspaper the Telegraph. It's interesting though not very shocking.

Sci-Fi Stuffs

2008-04-14T14:19:00.002-04:00

This article in the Independent has some interesting things to say about the future in stem-cell research. Scientists say the technology is now in place to easily clone humans. They also said that this procedure might just usher in "designer babies." Read the full article here.

Too Much?

2008-04-13T07:56:00.005-04:00

I've seen 5 minutes of Gossip Girl, so I'm not an expert on this show. That said, this article that I fished off the Drudge Report doesn't suprise me. The marketing is genius, cause it will grab your attinetion right away (especially those who know what OMFG means). The Bible talks about "darkened hearts" and "depraved minds", which become evident when shows aimed at teens push these boundries. Hollywood knows what sells. It's funny how consequences never really enter the equation when sex is the theme. Just thought you leaders and parents would like to know what the CW was up to.

Los Angeles Pictures

2008-04-09T15:17:00.003-04:00

Our pictures from the Los Angeles Dream Center are on the web at http://ampdstudents.com/.

Press Play, Angelus Temple's worship band is on myspace.

The Dream Center is also on the web here.

John has cooked up some AMAZING video. He is a Jedi. That will be on the web soon!

Twitter?

2008-04-09T10:59:00.002-04:00

I've been doing the whole Twitter scene for about 3 months now with a group from Texas. I love it. But, the problem is explaining to people and helping them understand what it actually is. Problem solved! Watch this short video to catch up on the newest way to communicate.

Oprah's Church

2008-04-08T13:12:00.001-04:00

Colby, our girl's minister, sent me this video. It's pretty crazy to think of the influence this lady has over America, and even the world.

Stressed?

2008-04-07T13:33:00.002-04:00

Give this a whirl! Click here ----> POP!

Back from the City of Angels

2008-04-06T07:53:00.003-04:00

Yes, we're back from our second week of the Los Angeles Mission Trip 2008. It was amazing. The Dream Center, who we partnered with, gave us 2 weeks full of different mission opportunities. It was fun to hear the vision God placed on our students hearts for the people of Orlando. I think we'll see a lasting impact of these two weeks for some time....and hopefully Amp'd Student Ministry will never be the same.

Once John P., our spectacular video guru, gets the videos and pics uploaded I'll post a link to them.

Just Text Me...

2008-03-27T14:51:00.000-04:00

A youth pastor asks his students, "what is the best way to get you guys info?" And here is their answers.

MTV sheds some light on Wiccan

2008-03-27T11:59:00.001-04:00

There was an interesting article on MTV.com and the growing interest in Wicca/witchcraft. Notice how those who are practicing this religion are treated by Christians. We are to be loving, don't read tolerant here, but we come off as hateful. We are to be light, but we look past those in the dark. There's nothing wrong with loving those that practice this religion. Though this religion goes against what the Bible teaches, I believe with everything in me that Christ would have invited them to dinner(not to hammer them them, but to love them). Let us love in truth.

Daily Web Hits

2008-03-25T14:30:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd share with you my "Daily Top 5" internet sites that give me a good overview of world news, culture and youth ministry.

1. Drudge Report
(Just a plain jane news site that will keep you in the know...if it's happening in the world, then it is probably already on Drudge)

2. Center for Parents/Youth Understanding
(a culturaly savy site that is run by Walt Mueller, who is a long time youth pastor)

3. MTV.com
(if it's hot then this site will report it)

4. Internet Movie Database or Rotten Tomatoes or Plugged In Online
(these three are good movie sites. IMDB gives you a brief news wrap up of the biggest stories in Hollywood if you care. Rotten Tomatoes takes all the critics reviews of movies and equates them to a thumbs up or down, which gives you and easy to understand percentage of those who liked or disliked the film. Plugged In is from "Focus on the Family" which tells you the content of the movie in question.)

5. More than Dodge Ball
(this is Joshua Griffin's, the interim High School pastor at Saddleback Church, blog. He does a great job finding funny stuff that can relate to ministry. Plus, he's just seems like a neat fella.)

Hope this helps some of you traverse the culture. (I know this is really 7 websites, but who's counting?)

Teens/Students Rally to a Cause

2008-03-14T11:27:00.001-04:00

I've been saying this for awhile. This generation of student is much more worldly (as in big picture) than past generations. With the rise of the Internet students see what is happening in Africa, Somalia and countless other places. They are connected with regions, countries and people groups that generations before only heard about in text books. The world is a much smaller place than it was even 10 years ago. Students want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and the way they are doing this is by joining "causes" on myspace and facebook. Here's an article that you might find interesting.

Shocking New Statistics....

2008-03-13T11:20:00.000-04:00

Here is a new article on the rise of STD's and teenage girls. It's funny how they attack the "abstinence before marriage" programs citing that the reason is we don't teach students how to use condoms. So, we need to teach the teens how to use condoms and that will stop the spread of STD's? C'mon people! Idiots. However crazy some of thier "opinions" are these are some very shocking statistics and parents and leaders need to be aware.

The Trouble with Gnomes.....

2008-03-12T11:35:00.000-04:00

Gnomes never scared me until now. As I was parusing the net for news and world happenings I stumbled upon this jewel of an article and video. Take the time to read and watch the video. It's an amazingly funny and slightly creepy phone cam footage of a actual Gnome! You only thought they weren't real.

Article for parents to read

2008-03-12T11:31:00.000-04:00

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=4427669

All in....

2008-03-03T11:17:00.000-05:00

hey everyone!

This is our new blog for anyone involved in Amp'd Student Ministry. What we hope to accomplish here is another avenue for you to connect to the hearts and direction of this ministry. We'll discuss our thoughts on 1) Sunday mornings, 2) Wednesday nights, 3) cultural trends, and 4) things that we find funny!

Feel free to comment and what not! See you guys in the "blogosphere."

k&c