My Sister Got Baptised!

=D
If she reads this, she will kill me.

Quite the Christmas Gift

For the elders and two other special people, here is what we've got!

The Reason I Use Games

When studying for a big test, it has been proven that you can learn words through creating mental pictures or representations of words. Because when remembering, your brain is connecting chemicals to recollect everything you studied. Think of it as a bridge to an island. By memorizing just the words, you create one bridge for each word. By attaching pictures, memories, sounds, or smells to each word, you create a second or third bridge to the same thing. In case your brain cannot remember through bridge 1, bridge 2 is still there.

Now, I say all this just to prove my point. I can teach a whole lesson and it can go in one ear then out the other., but when I throw in a second bridge (a game related to a topic), it brings practical application and a second bridge to remember. Examples work well also, but they are not personal. People remember when you paint a picture and they fill in the scenery. This is why I never pointlessly throw games into my lessons to have fun.

Learning is a fun experience, teaching however is the problem. Therefore, I aim to make the teaching of God's word as fun as possible. I never try to alter the truth, nor do I ever take verses out of context. My class knows there is punishment for wrong. But I try to make them ask why. To make it your own faith, you have to ask why and answer it yourself, I just attempt to guide others to the right answer.

What Happens You Toss Coffee

I have to clean it up -_-

Dullas Trip Photos

I'm hoping to have all photos of the Dullas Air and Space Museum trip up this week! If you have any photos to upload, inform me and we can put them up!

The Effects of Selfishness

This was a college essay I had to do. So, it's got Biblical principles, but it not inherently a Bible lesson.

Greedy politicians eager for power, obsessed corporations always striving towards gathering and collecting more precious, cold, hard cash, and the five year old who refuses at all costs to share his box of one-hundred crayons with the child who forgot to bring his that day are all perfectly accurate results of the terrible act of selfishness. Through this awful mindset of selfishness, bloody and relentless wars have started, men and women have lost their jobs by their coworkers through dishonest gain, and countless friendships have broken or never even began. Any person can fall prey to its subtle hands of malice, so a being must constantly be vigilant to try and make this world better through selflessness. Selfishness causes a large plethora of problems and issues and can produce many varying actions such as greed, violence, and unhappiness.
    The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines greed as; “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed” and greed most certainly cannot exist without a strong presence of selfishness abounding. Although the excess of whatever they desire, whether the object be money, drugs, or possessions, the over abundance can ultimately cause problems with the person mentally, physically, and emotionally. Greed often leads down the path of inhumanely taking from those who need whatever the object is. For example, during the Industrial Revolution, business giants like Carnegie and Rockefeller did not support their company’s workers with the money a family needed for living. Through business leader’s greed, they selfishly deprived the average man of good living standards and caused many horrible deaths through malnutrition, disease, and produced more selfish people who would murder others to sustain their own life. These facts, without a doubt, stemmed through the businessmen’s inconsideration of the common man – in other words, their selfishness.
    Within the Bible, the book of James states in chapter four, verse one “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?” How true of a statement that is, selfish desires can also produce hefty amounts of bloodshed and violence. When your own desires begin to command your thoughts and actions, we think of nothing but fulfilling those desires. This self-centeredness can cause a person to adapt a very dangerous, “by any means necessary” attitude. The selfish desire could include a good cause (such as a dying relative who needs money for treatment), but when emotion takes grip and someone stands in the way, fighting or even bloodshed is the inevitable outcome. Therefore, through selfishness, a well-meaning country who’s only goal is to restore itself to stability and former glory can ignore the lives and opinions of other countries neighboring it; I am, of course, talking of Nazi Germany. World War Two began due to the selfish ambition of the people of restoring itself, all the while subtly sowing the seeds for conquest and a war that would involve most of the modern world.
    Finally we come to unhappiness and how selfishness permeates even our happiness, joy, and contentment with life. An obvious reason why selfishness can effect happiness is the unavoidable factor of not being liked. By demonstrating selfish actions, people begin to realize that, the one only satisfying their own needs cannot possibly care for others. Just as important and most certainly more probable, selfishness inevitably harms happiness through the fact that everything done becomes a rigorous and lonely battle. For example, a worker looking for a promotion can focus singularly on work to gain that promotion; however, the work environment most often requires a willingness of varying degree to perform with other coworkers and superiors. By demonstrating a lack of care about another worker, one might be deemed unworthy for the promotion due to the lack of “people skills.” Want happiness certainly is not inherently selfish, but it most certainly can become selfish through the paths chosen to pursue it. Often times, those pursuing happiness through selfish ways lose sight of other’s happiness and, therefore, lose a set goal for their own happiness.
    Selfishness, as demonstrated in the above paragraphs, can influence one’s very way of thinking and drastically alter their lives in severely negative manners. This behavior can destroy anything from another person’s ways of existence through greed, to other nations through violence, and even an individual’s happiness though lack of concern of fellow mankind. The only way to ever combat the atrocities committed on all forms of scales, large as well as small, is to counteract them through simple random acts of selflessness. Selflessness can bring a simple smile to brighten someone else’s day, which can produce more selfless deeds by them, creating a web of good actions stemming from a simple, genuine smile. In the end, selfishness causes more harm to a person than good, so why do we do it? I would like to conclude that human desires will always attempt to take the best of a man, woman, or child; however, it is actually thinking of ourselves that hurt us most.

Goofy Church Picture

Our Turkey! Happy Thanksgiving! Some time early =)

Stumbling Blocks

Isn't it funny how, when we're caught up in our own crazy opinions and ways, we cause the less firm in their faith to falter and, at times, fall away? It's crazy some of the points that cause fights that I see occurring within churches. Are we not called to not create dissension and divisions?

Titus 3:9-11 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. ¹⁰ Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. ¹¹ You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Why then do we cause such a great stir and fight about something that there is no true answer for? All of this said applies to much greater issues, that is why I am so fervently expressing my beliefs. However, our topic of class was about Halloween. We did not, through our discussion condemn nor support the celebration of this holiday, and that will be my goal once more - to not impose my beliefs. Since both sides are because of opinion, the main focus of this lesson is stumbling blocks.

Although the entire chapter of Romans 14 is marvelous on this topic, I will try my hardest to limit to only a few verses for short reading.

Romans 14:1-5

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. ² One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. ³ The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. ⁴ Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

 ⁵ One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 

Romans 14:13-14

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. ¹⁴ I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 

Romans 14:22-23

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. ²³ But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. 

Do I even need to elaborate? If something I do can cause a brother or sister to stumble, I will do it in private or give it up even if the thing is not inherently wrong. We are a family, and families must make sacrifices for the good of everyone. Unless someone is committing a sin that is not disputable if it was a sin, we are not to condemn nor judge. Let God do this, for it is his job. For further reading, please read

1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14

Be Still and Know...

Might wanna mute the music before any videos!

BEST SNOW BLOOPERS

If this doesn't make you all laugh, I swear, nothing will.

Snow!

The cold season is slowly setting in and has already shown it's bite. Snow isn't for everyone, that's for sure. You instantly read of all the complaints on facebook of how they now had to cancel their plans. No shopping with your girls, no hanging out with their friends at the park (does anyone by me still do that?), just all around plans get shot down. Some people lose power, some enjoy the warmth of heat while they just change everything they planned to indoor boredom. But, I'd like to propose a different solution. 

Just like everything else in nature, God shows his wonders through His creation around us.

Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; 

   the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
² Day after day they pour forth speech; 
   night after night they reveal knowledge. 
³ They have no speech, they use no words; 
   no sound is heard from them. 
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, 
   their words to the ends of the world. 

Perhaps, these canceled plans by this white wonder-world is a way for God to tell us, "hey, it's time to slow down and, as I hope all my SH2 friends recall, 

“Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth.” - Psalm 46:10

New Admins!

Dion and Shea now also have control over this page! So expect to see more than me here, I hope :)

Oct 30th Picture

Dion and his birthday cake!

Carpet Change! video. (Oct 23)

Here you all go! Featuring TobyMac's song Tonight, I hope you all enjoy the insanity we demonstrate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20_-UzIgrkM

In Progress!

The new youth video is in progress (it says it'll take 45 minutes just to import all the video footage into IMovie!!) and will definitely be ready for everyone to enjoy sunday!!


Cause it starts Tonight!

Valleys by Close Your Eyes

I am starting to realize
that I can do nothing on my own
Everything that I start to build crumbles
into nothing!
It's safe to say no matter what
I try I fall so short
This unrelenting pride
continues to widen the space between you and I

Is there a point in trying to change?
No matter what I do it always stay the same.
But I feel like this has been made for me
Is there something more that I can't see?

All I want is to let go
I try so hard; this pride still grows
Just for once to breathe in deep
And catch a glimpse of what you see in me
So many years of sorrow and grief
The bitterness I tasted in the face of defeat
How can I forget the joy of the mountain tops
down in the valleys?!

Is there a point in trying to change?
No matter what I do it always stay the same.
But I feel like this has been made for me
Is there something more that I can't see?
But your ways are different they call out to me
no matter what I do you always stay the same
And I will have the choice to say
there is more to this life I am living

There is more
There is more

And even amidst the struggle of finding the man
that you have called me to be
Your love reminds me
that though I am broken I am still standing
I am still screaming!

Is there a point in trying to change?
No matter what I do it always stay the same.
And I will have the choice to say
there is more to this life I am living

•Valleys by Close Your Eyes
————-—------------------------------
Words hold power. Never forget, there is always more to everything that what you see. You always have a choice to make a difference.

Been Busy

I know it has really only been 2 days, but I'm usually not even a day behind. I'll have the Carpet Day video soon! I'll also be posting individual videos of stuff such as the Interlude Dance!!

Interlude - Attack Attack!

Dancing time!!

Scavenger Hunt video!!

Forget Not & Slow Down

Forget Not & Slow Down - Relient K

It's this or Wonderin' for the scavenger hunt (unless someone suggests something).

Wonderin' - TobyMac

Who thinks this would be a good song for next event?

Facebook

Goodness, how many more ways can I spread God's word?


http://www.facebook.com//pages/Richard-haleblogspotcom/294853670526349

New Youth Message Board!!!

Check it out!!

Jesus freak

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes...

Post it notes Youth Message Board!!

I'm always looking for new inventive ways to spread the word so everyone knows! I've prepared a post it note board that will sometimes overlap here, but not always. We'll have lots of fun stuff up here to come. Crazy photos from church every week is another idea I have and may do! So check the new board soon and keep looking here!

God bless.

THURSDAY SURPRISE PROJECT CANCELED.

Because of the rain, our surprise project is not cancelled. Sorry to inform everyone! Rain is just one of those things you love or hate which depends on the situation. This one is not going to be rescheduled.

Regretfully,
Richard Hale

Helping Hands/Youth Activities Galore!

On the off chance someone forgets and happens to check here, the Youth will have a project Thursday which is a surprise for the one whom we are doing it. I need to know ASAP who can go! Deadline is Wednesday. I will be making calls around then.

Following is the hot dog roast up at the Longs. I will be requesting Mrs Deb does a scavenger hunt for us all! Dress warm, bring flashlights and a friend!!! It should be a wonderful time.

Finally!! Sunday we are staying all after service for games and replacing the carpet! =D
I am still going to have to check with Glen Muray on this one... but he usually is supportive of any idea. Keep in mind some good games although Mia has offered her help! Expect some dancing ;)

For Fernandez Evans Jr. (He's the teacher tonight) - Morality

Open the class with a them writing a note to someone in the church. I think having 1 or 2 people writting to Mr. Sullivan for an excellent song service would be a great idea. Then one to Flint for his idea. Then one to Hoover telling him we missed him. Call me at any time if you have any questions. Anyone who finishes their notes, pile them in the popcorn drawer and recite the memory verse. 1 Corinthians 15:19 (I think). This should only take 10 minutes, then dive into the lesson.

http://www.rzim.org/justthinkingfv/tabid/602/articleid/10020/cbmoduleid/1297/default.aspx

Take what you will from that article and convey it to the class.

Emphasize the difference between the thinking that morality is a code of rules for your self and the actuall definition: the differentiation of wrong from right. Without God, there is no right nor wrong, thus, morality does not exist apart from a higher power outside of people's opinions.

To stress this point, watch the YouTube video I recorded vocally emphasizing a point.




Finally and lastly, if there is time, ask the class a game they want to play. Going a few minutes over is ok if you haven't been able to fully explain the subject.


Personal note to Fernandez, thanks a bunch for teaching, buddy!!

Great singing!

As the video states, best singing I've heard in a while, I encourage everyone to write a note telling Mr Sullivan how amazing he did!! Everyone needs encouragement, never forget that.

Verse for October 23rd.

So, I will not be at service this evening, but here is the first verse!!

1 Corinthians 15:17-19 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied"

You really only need 19, but bonus points for 17 & 18. I don't think I need to explain why I think we need to know this verse. It is not for others, but for ourselves as a reminder.

Song for next Helping Hands video? #1

Next Helping Hands project song? You guys tell me!

Catching Up

So I'm a bit behind. So very sorry all! I got my new iPhone in the mail yesterday and downloaded IMovie mobile. Thus, expect great videos for all our projects from now on! If you have a song you like and want it used for the next video or videos, tell me the link in church or maybe here would be better! From here out, I'm going to post a memory verse during service Sunday morning. Check here before class that evening and recite the memory verse to me for points. You will get prizes once you complete 4 verses. The verses only apply for that week, but will often apply to daily life, so knowing them is good! It's a Bible class for teens, so it would be dumb to treat it any other way.

On to sadder news, when I went to the church friday, the parking lot was leveled!!! Thus, we're out of business. I encourage you to check this site or subscribe for info like this. And please! make it easy on me and email/text me if you get these updates. It saves about 45 minutes of calling to every kid or family. Get my number at church if you need me. Next Sunday we WILL do something, I promise.

Lastly, if you have anything at all I should add to this site, or you want to write your own article, email me. Don't text. Email.


In summary, sorry for the lack of posting, Helping Hands videos will look awesome now, the Helping Hands project is changed and postponed, and email me if you have anything to add to the site. Thank you all. God bless.

Stand Your Ground

Yesterday was a TON of fun for all those present. It was a very uplifting time of fun, games, and God. I encourage every Christian to read Zephaniah all the way through. It demonstrates the wrath of God, but then the awesome redemption and love of God. We should never forget, our fathers are someone to be respected and loved, so it is with our Lord. Expect a few pictures up soon(ish) and many lessons to come from this great day. God bless!

Class - Sept 25th (Hypocrites)

The story is told about a father complaining about the amount of time his family spent in front of the television. His children watched too many cartoons and neglected their homework. His wife preferred watching soap operas as opposed to doing housework. What is his solution? He declares, “As soon as the football season is over, I’m going to pull the plug.” Hypocrisy! Someone once said, “Hypocrisy is like a pin. It is pointed in one direction, and yet headed in another.”

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines hypocrisy as an “act of playing a part on stage; a feigning to be what one is not; the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.” A hypocrite is one who fakes virtues or qualities he does not have.

In any great forest you will find huge trees. They tower above other trees and appear to be the very picture of strength and maturity. However, loggers will sometimes not even bother to cut down these huge trees. At first one wonders, “Why leave them? After all, a tree that big must contain twice or thrice the amount of limber as a smaller tree.” The reason is simple. Huge trees are often rotten on the inside. They are the hollow trees that children’s picture books show raccoons living in. And they are the trees that are often blown over in a strong windstorm because, while they appear to be the picture of strength, in fact their hollowness makes them weak. This is the essence of hypocrisy – appearing strong on the outside, but hollow and rotten on the inside.

One of the saddest things about hypocrisy is that many in the Lord’s church have succumbed to deadly playacting. Some Christians try to outwardly appear faithful and concerned about the Lord’s work, but inwardly they are worldly – they are only pretenders. Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matt. 23:27-28). Jesus said we must beware of hypocrisy (Luke 12:1). Paul speaks of hypocrisy when he says, “They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Tit. 1:16).

In our present day many are hypocrites in worship. Our Lord declared, “Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men” (Matt. 15:7-9).

Many are Christians are hypocrites when they see only the faults of others and refuse to see their own. “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye” (Luke 6:41-42).

One can be hypocritical when they try to make laws where God has not made them. Our Lord warned, “But the Lord answered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath?” (Luke 13:15-16).

There are many other ways that one can be a hypocrite that are just too numerous to mention. But remember this, hypocrites are great pretenders. Thus, let us be warned, for the Great and Almighty Judge said that hypocrites will not go to heaven (Matt. 24:51)!

Taken from: http://preachersfiles.com/hypocrisy

We attempted to yet again have a fun game, but due to lack of acting skills and a lack of cooperation, we could not continue nor finish the lesson. I do request better behavior in class for the future, please. Ken Hoover and myself take time in this class and put our hearts in it, show respect. Having fun is welcome, but being crazy is not.

I'll put up pictures whenever I can!

Christian Pop - Krystal Meyers

She sounds a lot like Avril... her new stuff is pop. Her old stuff is rock. I've seen her live when she opened for Kutless. She could shred, gotta give her that. (Just live, not recorded)

Class Games

http://christianteensactivities.org/The%20Great%20Race.php

This is a possible activity we can have for the sunday evening youth class! What do you all think?

Types of Apologies

Types of Apologies
Whether you deeply hurt someone emotionally, accidentally shut the door on someone following close, tripped someone during a friendly game of soccer, or you are attempting to comfort a good friend who recently lost a family member, the words, “I’m sorry” should pop up at one point in these situations. Apologies resemble closely the anatomy of clay or play-dough, the worth and meaning of the apology matters depending on the person, the situation and the presentation it is submitted. Saying sorry expresses a genuine or superficial regret for an action or statement and also helps build bridges for understanding. Although there are many motives behind an apology, the unique phrase, “I’m sorry,” always has a diverse amount of sincerity lurking in the background of those two words; typically, apologies are either because they have to or feel that they must, sarcastic, or purely genuine.

Because I Have To
“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” - Kimberly Johnson.
“Mommy!” A little girl shrieked as she ran into the bright kitchen, earnestly seeking out her mother. “What’s wrong dear?” said the mother sympathetically to her sobbing daughter. Without taking a breath to speak in between tears she screamed with a fierce anger, “Billy hit me in the head with his toy!” As the obviously traumatized girl pleaded her urgent case, her guilty brother poked his head into the kitchen, knowing his mother was about to call him to the stand. After much interrogating, which got tiresome with the accuser constantly interrupting the judge, Billy’s mother commanded him severely to, “say sorry to your sister.” “But I’m not sorry!” Billy quickly retorted. In the end, he relented however to avoid punishment but added indignantly that he said it because he had to. Aren’t we much like Billy? Maturity just veils these same situations to give the appearance that we are not being just plain silly. We get in fights with our best friends or our other and we let these petty arguments push us away from one another all because one side cannot consent and attempt to understand the other side’s opinion. Understanding in an argument begins with an apology and it can prevent arguments that spread like forest fires, burning hotter and hotter till the whole forest is torched to ashes and incinerate our feelings and friendships. Because we have to apologies right away can sometimes make people even angrier at us than if we took time to contemplate the extremity of our actions, or let them realize the ridiculousness of their over-reactions. We should always strive to be sincere in our apologies, but never compromise our hard-line, true beliefs because someone says to do so.

Sarcastic Apology
“A stiff apology is a second insult. The injured party does not want to be compensated because he has been wronged; he wants to be healed because he has been hurt.” - G.K. Chesterton.
This apology is easily the most aggravating and irritatingly rude apology of all. We’ve all met that one person who just blabs on and disregards the situation and people surrounding them; when confronted they, half heartedly and nearly sarcastically tells us, “I didn’t mean to offend you, sorry,” with a deep sigh and dismissing tone as if we were at fault. Usually they just have a misunderstanding or misbelieve about your opinions, thus become rude to avoid the appearance of their stupidity. Most of this kind of apology is left to commonsense in the fact that, it obviously is meant to both degrade and dismiss, or to demonstrate a lack of care or concern for the person or issue.

Genuine Apology
“An apology is the superglue of life. It can repair just about anything.” - Lynn Johnston
Apologies have their most impact on people here at this level and demonstrate a true attempt to understand the other person whom they have offended. After a long fight, it is refreshing to exchange apologies and try to rebuild the bridges you may have started to collapse or burn. Saying sorry brings you one step closer to unity and provides you with a deeper knowledge into the other’s beliefs because a true apology is just a prelude to a calm conversation expressing why you were hurt or why they were hurt by what was said or done. Easily summarized, if you are going to say sorry, make sure you mean it or else you can just cause more fights. In the end, understanding, love, and unity should be the result of the little, but very important words, “I’m sorry.”

We Came As Romans

So, here is not a Christian band, but it is a very possitive band. They speak about love for everyone and understanding, which is very important to the Christian walk.

Josh McDowell - Can I Trust the Bible?

As Mr. McDowell states within the first minutes of the video, he was set to disprove the Bible because he knew that to disproove Christianity, he needed to undermine the Bible's authority and validity. However, the final product is him being a preaching bringing part 1 of his 4 part lesson here.

Source: http://www.josh.org/site/c.ddKDIMNtEqG/b.4172663/k.624E/Can_I_Trust_the_Bible.htm

Validity of Scripture (New Testament - Herods)

Appropriately, the Old Testament ends with God's promise to send a messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah. In Malachi, apparently the last prophetic book of the Old Testament to be written, the final two chapters record a dramatic prophecy: " 'Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the Lord of Hosts" (Malachi:3:1).

Source: http://www.ucg.org/jesus-christ/bible-and-archaeology-jesus-christ%e2%80%94-early-years/

In the last post, I stated that the Old Testament was rich with historical facts proven by achelogical finds, here is a practical example of New Testament evidence. Again, I read most of the article that I just found and I encourage you to read it as well!

Validity of the Bible (Old Testament - Assyrian Empire)

"In the ninth century B.C., Assyria developed into an aggressive and powerful empire. By this time, about 40 years after the reign of Solomon, Israel had split into two distinct kingdoms—Israel and Judah (1 Kings:12:16-24). Led by able and ruthless monarchs, the Assyrians began to menace and conquer their neighbors. They eventually subjugated the whole of the Fertile Crescent from Mesopotamia to Egypt. By the late eighth century they crushed the kingdom of Israel. About this same time they also invaded the southern kingdom of Judah, conquering its major cities and besieging its capital, Jerusalem (Isaiah:36:1-2). The Bible records the boastful words of the arrogant Assyrian monarch, Sennacherib, as he tried to intimidate and humiliate Hezekiah, king of Judah (Isaiah:36:4-10).
Did the biblical stories involving this empire really happen, or are they fables? Remember, many scoffers at one time disputed even the very existence of the Assyrian Empire. But it was no myth. As the debris of centuries was removed from Nineveh, one of the empire's capitals, dramatic proof of the Assyrian invasion was laid bare."

Source: http://www.ucg.org/booklet/bible-true/bible-and-archaeology/staggering-archaelogical-discovery-mighty-assyrian-empire-e/


Although not every area of the Bible may be verified by history and science, the Old Testament stands out to be the portion that is 100% historically accurate! That is a bold statement, but one that can be proven through old records and archaeological finds. With a plethora of astounding finds, we have even been able to correct what was previously unknown aside from Biblical records. I have a series of videos I will begin to post and I greatly encourage you all to watch them because my claims here are based slightly off of some of the things he mentions. In the meantime, I strongly encourage you to read this article (which I did not finish before sharing actually haha)

Evening Class - Who Are We?

In sociology, I learned that people often define themselves by their status, which is the place in society they hold, and by their roles, the actions they have to perform within the status. Simple enough right? Well people start to infuse these things into their very being which makes them "who they are."

But the body of Christ, the church, is much like this principal as we read from 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

New International Version (NIV)

Unity and Diversity in the Body

 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.


Now this becomes a personal question, what is your role in the church? Some of the younger ones who haven't become a part of the Lord's church, but are members with their family of the church stated that their role is to learn and prepare to become young Christian men or women. For the older, highschool group, some taught and others let worship and that is their role. But for all of us young Christians, our goal is the same. 

1 Timothy 4:11-16

New International Version (NIV)

 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Relient K

First Christian band ever on the site is a personal favorite! Mixing soft piano melodies and catchy guitar riffs. All their songs are upbeat and usually lively this is a band you definitely should get into.

Helping Hand Project #1

Helping Hands Project #1!

A few weeks ago, we had our first Helping Hands project. Making bookmarks and cards for the Community Show and missionaries (respectively) turned out to be a creative and very fun adventure. All of us missed those who couldn't come and have fun and hope you can join us next time!

Special notes, Shea and Chloe (I believe I completely misspelled that haha) really stood out as leaders for keeping the peace and demonstrating patience, thus they both got rewards. Congrats you two! Enjoy the video HERE

God bless.