Hey guys – this is the last week to sign up for Big Stuf so make sure that you get your deposit and all your forms in, here are a few other announcements.

- F2F – we are in the middle of a series called this Q & A based on the issues you guys suggested. Last week we talked about alcohol, this week we’ll talk about what it looks like to follow Christ.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th. Final payments due June 22nd.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Pizza Hut Cards –$$ or cards due back by May 14.
- May 3 – Camp Barnabas Prep Day – All persons going to Camp Barnabas should be at the church from 11 AM to 2 PM

April 22, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That’s Funny?

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
Ephesians 5:15-16 “So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
AREN'T ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?

We've both worked with middle school students a long time, and this question is one that we've heard over and over again. It's a good question. One that deserves an answer: NO! Now, that may sound a bit harsh, but it makes total sense when you stop to think about it.

Almost nothing in this world is "all the same." When you go to Baskin-Robbins to get ice cream, the flavors aren't all the same. You have 31 different types of ice cream to choose from! Starbucks sells all kinds of coffee. You can get a one-dollar cup of plain ol' stuff or pay five dollars for one with mocha, caramel, and whipped cream. Try going to a bike shop and saying, "I'd like to buy a bike, please. Any bike will do since they're all the same." The mullet-headed, nose-pierced, bike-shop-owner dude would look at you as if you looked weird or something.

Religions aren't all the same, either. They may have some things in common, but they aren't all the same. Some of the ways religions are different from each other include what they teach about God, what they teach about Jesus, what they teach about getting to heaven, and what they teach about the Bible. There are other differences, but those are the biggies.

Another question we hear a lot is, "Are all religions true?" Again, another good question that deserves an answer: NO! The reason all religions can't be true isn't just because they're different. Different types of coffee are still true coffees, and different ice cream flavors are still true ice creams. The reason all religions can't all be true is because they all hold different beliefs that they claim as truth...beliefs that are totally opposite from each other. If beliefs about the same thing are opposite from each other, they can't both be true.

A simple example is how somebody gets to heaven. Christianity says that heaven is a free gift. Many other religions believe a ticket to heaven must be earned. Christianity believes that the gift of heaven is given to us through Jesus, God's Son. Many other religions believe that Jesus was a good guy but wasn't God's Son and has nothing to do with heaven. How can both be true?

Another difference between Christianity and other religions? Christianity isn't just a religion. Most religions make a big deal out of making sure you say the right stuff, do the right stuff, and stay away from the wrong stuff. Most religions focus on looking good on the outside. And while Christianity holds outward behavior as important, it's not the most important thing--it's about friendship with Jesus. And a true friendship with Jesus doesn't have a whole lot in common with religion.

**

Taken from "My Faith" by Kurt Johnston and Mark Oestreicher, copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=323
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Taken from "Conversations with Jesus" copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthsp This month we celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day. In honor of these days, and because we think you can do something to help, we're going to spend the next two weeks focusing on how you can help save our planet.

WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

There is a mistaken impression that God gave us this world to do whatever we want with it. Right after Adam and Eve were created, God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth" (Genesis 1:28, NKJV). People sometimes think that because humans were granted "dominion" over other living things, that gives us the right to do whatever we please. But that word "dominion" really includes a responsibility to care for the planet. And in the years after they were expelled from the garden, more rules were given to the Hebrews about how they were to take care of nature, with specifics on everything from how to harvest a field to the humane treatment of domesticated animals.

The president or prime minister of a country has dominion over that country. He or she has been appointed to oversee the running of the nation. Does that mean these leaders can do whatever they want? All checks and balances aside, if government officials hope to be reelected, they can't just do anything they choose, serving only themselves and ignoring the needs, wants, and opinions of the people who elected them. Because of the trust countries put in their elected leaders, government officials have a greater responsibility to serve the nation than ordinary citizens. As one of my closest friends is always saying, "To whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48, NKJV). Or, as Uncle Ben from Spider-Man paraphrases the Holy Book, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Because we are God's people, we are "presidents" of nature. The Creator of the universe has elected us to look after the world he has made. Does this mean we can do whatever we want? On the contrary, it means we have a huge responsibility to care for his creation. The earth is a precious gift we've been asked to care for, not an entitlement. Just because it was my turn on my big brother's scooter didn't give me the right to destroy it.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that, because you are young, you don't have great power or great responsibility. We teens have a huge influence on our nation. Our parents are moved by our passion; younger kids think we are the coolest thing since sliced bread. We can use that influence for God. If we are on fire, the world will follow. Our generation is a generation that can change the planet.

THREE SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THE WORLD THIS WEEK:

1. Pack an after-school snack instead of buying one from a school vending machine. By purchasing a larger bag of your favorite treat and bringing some each day in a reusable container, you avoid the waste of unnecessary packaging.

2. Turn off your computer at night or whenever you won't be using it.

3. Get potted plants for a classroom and volunteer to keep them watered. Not only will they look nice, but they'll also clean the air for a less polluted indoor environment.

**
Taken from "It's Easy Being Green" by Emma Sleeth, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=584 ecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=319
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This guy is maybe not the smartest dude on tv.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5woNs9WRE
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ How to be a Kid Environmentalist
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Kid-Environmentalist

~ Friday, April 25 is World Malaria Day. Bite Back.
http://www.biteback.net/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
A group of kangaroos is called a mob.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Don't blow it--good planets are hard to find."
~Quoted in Time

"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry."
~Thomas Fuller

7. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
You didn't hear about the three big holes in the ground? Well, well, well.

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties