Youth News and Sunday Devotional for May 5, 2015

Middle School Retreat was a blast this past weekend.  Join us on Wednesday night to see a quick video recap of the retreat. 

Urban Legends – We meet every Wednesday night at 6:30 PM for an exploration of urban legends and how they affect our relationship with God.

Prayer Breakfast - Thursday at 7:00 AM in the Front Lobby of the church. (NOTICE the different location for this week only.) The Brewer family is providing breakfast this week.

Drive - The Youth Ministry is in a series on Sunday morning focusing on God’s mission for the world and our place in it.  There will be family devotional sheets available every week that build off of the Sunday lesson.  These lessons will be available in both paper format and on this blog (see below).  Take advantage of these family devotional times with your child(ren.)

Guys / Girls Bible Study - Remember, our HS girls and our guys meet at 7 PM every Monday night for a time of intense Bible study. Guys meet at the church, girls meet at Emily Helton's home.  This Bible study will break for the summer after May 18. 

Exciting News for Eddie Melo!  Eddie has accepted a job at the North Ridge CoC in Mt. Pleasant as their new youth minister.   He will be with us for a few more days and we will gather this Sunday night, May 10 from 6-8 PM for a devotional and going away party for him.  

Senior Sunday Night will be Sunday, May 17.  Join us at our evening worship and after as we honor our graduating HS Seniors: Coen Price, Rayli Price, Kaylan Griffin and Lindsey Froneberger.

Summer Events - Applications for our summer mission trip to Fort Worth (June 14-18, grades 6-12) and Camp Meribah (our summer camp for grades 3-12, July 4-9) are available on the bulletin board in the north lobby hallway and on our Facebook page.  Space is limited so sign up soon!

This blog is intended to help communicate to you what the youth ministry at League Street Church of Christ in Sulphur Springs, TX has planned.  This blog will be updated weekly and will be advertised through email and our Facebook group.  You may come to this blog at any time to get information on upcoming events for the youth ministry.

Family Devotional for Sunday, May 10, 2015

Drive: The Mission of God in the World 

Lesson 3, Family Devotional 

Whom do you want to be like? 

In 1991, everyone wanted to “Be like Mike.” It was the commercial that put Gatorade on the map. It was the commercial that inspired a generation. Everyone knew the song: 

Sometimes I dream That he is me 

You've got to see that's how I dream to be 

I dream I move, I dream I groove 

Like Mike If I could be like Mike . . . 

Again I try Just need to fly 

For just one day if I could 

Be that way I dream I move, 

I dream I groove 

Like Mike If I could be like Mike . . .

Today’s culture tells us that if we want to be someone important, then we need to be like someone important. We need to wear what they wear. We need to eat what they eat and drink what they drink. If you are overwhelmed by this daily barrage of messages, relax. They’re not true. In our pursuit to bring glory to God, there is only one whom we need to imitate: Jesus. 

Take a moment and read Matthew 3:11–17. In this passage, John the Baptist was preparing people for the longed-for Messiah’s coming. As John was preaching and calling people to repent and be baptized, Jesus showed up. Before He was to begin the public ministry that John was speaking of, Jesus knew that He too must be obedient to His Father in being baptized. God was pleased by Jesus’ actions. As we follow and obey our Father, we bring glory to His name, and He will be pleased with us. The secret to a fulfilled life is to become the people whom God desires us to be. We will run ourselves ragged in our pursuit to be the people that culture tells us we need to be. When we seek to be like our Savior, we reveal Him by displaying His glory and at the same time experience great blessing in our lives. 

CONNECTION QUESTIONS 

1. We cannot turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or open a magazine without culture screaming at us about how to live. Think about the messages that you’ve heard this week. Discuss how culture has told you to live and how to find fulfillment in life. How do these messages compare with the life that we are called to live in following Christ’s example? 

2. Are you more interested in pleasing the world or pleasing God? Be honest now. Which is more important—the world’s acceptance of you or God’s view of you? 

3. What in life brings you the most fulfillment? What about your life brings God the most glory? Do you see any changes that need to be made? What about your life will draw others to Christ and thus fulfill His mission for you? 

4. How is God calling you to be obedient to Him? What three things is God calling you to do or be that will result in His glory? How are you doing in these? 

5. Think about how your friends see you. After spending time with you, do they walk away remembering you or God? Who is revealed? As people view your life, are they more drawn to you or to God?