What a great Christmas! Awesome Christmas Eve Services at NewSpring (be sure to check out the new design for NewSpring) and spending time with Deanna’s family in Belton. Hanging with my family, Liberty Bowl, etc. WOW!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Lots of great stuff at the convention yesterday. Listened to Tony Campolo in the second general session. Was not sure about him, but was actually very thought provoking. Her are some thoughts from the session:

• Because we have the cure (Jesus) for the sickness/illness (sin) in all of us that it should create an INTENSE responsibility to take the cure to everyone!
• Our obligation is to instill a passion in young people to win people to Christ.
• We need to care about those that are spit upon and uncared for. We need to care for the oppressed!
• God’s call is DANGEROUS!!
• We do not take God where He is not, but we meet Him where He is already working.
• Always do what’s right and leave the end result to God.
• Every students should come out of our group and be able to feel the needs and pain of those around them.
• He closed with this question: “Are you failing your young people because there is a lack of spiritual depth n your life?”

Session closed with us singing accapella, “spirit of the Living God fall fresh on us.” Very moving. Then got a viewing of the new NOOMA video, BREATHE. Very powerful!!

Not to mention all the sessions that we attended. To close the night, I attended a Middle School Ministry Lab with some fellow middle school workers to discuss issues problems and share the “wins” in ministry.

Off to general Session #3 with Philip Yancey and worship lead by Starfield.

Ok, I am on my second day of the convention. The over arching theme that I am hearing so far is ….. that you MUST take careful consideration of who your volunteers are and how you INVITE them into ministry.

• What is the process?
• Is it clear?
• Do they know the expectations?
• How are you going to care for them?
• How are you going to train them?

I am already starting to process and evaluate our overall student ministry and how we do this! I am excited about this process and what will come of it! Volunteer leaders are ESSENTIAL!!!

HUGE shout out to Katie Edwards, Director of Student ministry Volunteers at Saddleback Church, for taking the time to talk to us and answer our many questions about the volunteer process at Saddleback. YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for the insight and your willingness to share your passion to enable your leaders!!