Youth Pastor+Special Ed Teacher=Great Bloggin

Fire Drills & The End Times

2011-04-10T20:16:00.000-07:00

Last year one of my students experienced a freak out once a month, thanks to the Greenville County Schools' 1 Fire Drill a Month Policy. For those expecting a better description than "freak out"; tears, shakes, fetal posistions, and the repeat of "I wanna go home" as if it were the Hallelujia Chorus (you're welcome). He hated them so much that he counted them down. If the 25th of the month rolled around and he knew that drill was to come in the next 5-6 days, these symptoms would begin to kick in a few days before the drill. Nurse trips were much more frequent as well. This young man HATED fire drills. -The sound. High pitched squeals all the way turned up like Travis Porter -The crowd. 6 foot wide hall way, 4 classes of fourth graders, 4 classes of 5th graders, getting out at once, with a time limit -The idea in his head. DANGER, FIRE, URGENT, TROUBLE, FEAR, FIRE, FIRE and FIRE He hated it so much and wanted nothing to do with it. You thought this was a 3rd grader's story about a fire drill BUT this is the story of the majority of Christians about the End of Times. We get so scared that we don't want to hear it, we don't want to think it, we want NOTHING to do with it. Its uncomfortable. As this fella's teacher this year, there was no way I was going to have him continue this cycle. So from day 1 I openly discussed the fire drills, we talked about them, why they are important. At this time these talks set him off, just having to think about it was too much. I was not a popular guy with him at these times. Lucky for me, teaching aint about being popular. Remember that Nada Surf song "I'm popular"??? Yep nothing about teaching in there. Teaching is about preparing others for the future. In order to best prepare this young man, I had to discuss the firedrills. Through this preparation we stopped the tears, then we went to headphones, then we went to headphones WHILE STILL WORKING, and at March's firedrill he took his headphones off in the hall and gave to a 2nd grader who was holding their ears. A school catching on fire is not a pleasant thing to think about but it could happen (this is why we do the drills). END RESULT; now my boy is ready and prepared. We both did our jobs in this case. I preached it and he recieved it. Just as we use fire drills to prepare for fires, we must use God's Word to prepare for The End Times. Preachers, it must be preached. Christians it must be recieved. The fire drills aren't meant to scare students, they are done to better prepare students. The same goes with those "scary" parts of the Book of Revelations Those God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) words aren't to scare, they are to prepare his people for what WILL happen. There is no need to fear. Peachers...Pull that fire alarm, and feed His lambs (John 21:15) as He called you to do if you love Him. Christians...Take the headphones off, stop wishing you were at home and instead line up single file, and prepare yourself.

BOUNCE your normal youth group routines.

2010-03-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Youth Pastors, (I don't care if you are staff or volunteer, where or what your degree is in or what title your church writes in the bulletins on Sunday...if you are teaching students the inherit word of God in order for them to drop their own selfishness and wants to become more like Christ...if you are doing that, then you are a YOUTH PASTOR). There are many UPS and DOWNS in youth ministry. Are you tired of BOUNCING ideas around that come up short? Do you want to DROP your curriculum that is out of touch with the students? Looking for something that your students will find to be an absolute BALL while strengthening their walk with Christ? That was found at Berea Friendship UMC as we LAUNCHED our new series "Manic March". That opening paragraph has enough word play in it to make Lil Wayne jealous.

Here's the deal:
1) placed all my youth in the half court circle in the church gym
2) gave them a box of trash bags
3) taped a 20 dollar bill to the wall and told them that was for the winner
4) walked up the stairs to the gym balcony looked out over them
5) counted to three
6) used a bed sheet to trampoline shoot 1000 bouncy balls AT ONE TIME all throughout the gym. These balls froze at the highpoint and then rained down at once. After they hit the ground they dispersed throughout the gym on the first bounce. It was simply beautiful chaos to watch.

What happened next:
The students went crazy chasing and collecting bouncy balls and within less than 15 minutes there was a clean gym floor and students holding trash bags of bouncy balls while eyeing their competitors' bags trying to determine the winner.

The winner:
As the kids lined up with their bags to what they thought was a weigh-in style count. I simply walked over to one on my 9th grade boys, opened his bag, pulled out a bouncy ball wrapped in tin-foil, showed everyone the tin-foil-homemade "blingy" ball, handed him the 20 and said congrats.

The Lesson:
No directions, 1000 things coming at you, with no idea what specific thing to do...my students DID IT ALL with out thinking about it and it was darn fun. At the end their was a winner and many of the other players didn't understand why. That's the story of our game Wednesday night...but to some of you that's the story of your life as a Christian.
Lesson 1) You have no direction. You aren't sure of what your purpose is and because of this you don't know how to fulfil that purpose. For the game I purposely did not give any directions. All of the students their assumed the directions, "Get the most balls". However the direction was to get the tin-foil ball. The reason I didn't give them directions...NO ONE ASKED ME! No one asked me "What do I do?" Instead my students at youth did what they wanted to do assuming it was the right thing. GUILTY??? Think of the things you have jumped into in this life without stopping in prayer and asking God, "What do I do?" That relationship, that job, that university, that major, that move...SO many times we take on these things WITHOUT asking for direction from our Wonderful Counselor because we assume they are right.
Lesson 2)1000 things are coming at you. Just like all the bouncy balls my youth had to pick up there are 1000 things you as a Christians can pick up. I will go as far to say there are 1000 positive things you can pick up. You weren't made for that. You were given specific (important word) spiritual gifts. You can take on all 1000 things and probably become an epic fail at a majority or you can discover your spiritual gifts, pray, discover God's answer through His Word and through those life situations He sends you and then allow God to totally use you for His glory for that particular item.....using the game analogy I will call that your "Tin-foil homemade "blingy" ball". For those who aren't sure if they have spiritual gifts to do God's work and find their "Tin-foil homemade "blingy" ball", GET OFF MY FLIPPIN BLOG AND GO READ EPHESIANS 2:10!

Lesson 3 aka THE TWIST:
In these 1000 bouncy balls I added 12 ping pong balls. Each ping pong ball had something written on it. They read: Lust, Greed, Porn (yes I go there), Sex, Habitual Lying, Abusive Relationship, Hate, Addiction, Envy, Revenge, Self Righteousness, and Drugs. ALL OF THESE BALLS ENDED UP IN MY STUDENTS' BAGS. They had no directions and they were so busy picking up balls that those things snuck in their bag. That's the story of the game, but that's some people's story in life. They get so busy, they have no direction and those things sneak into their life. The problem with those things the ping pong balls represented is this; without God's direction, they may begin as sneaking in your life but then they turn into things you SCHEDULE in your life.

I know youth pastors have one more unanswered question..."Where do you get 1000 bouncy balls?" Google! I've found Google to be the answer to many of my youth ministry questions. We have a big GOD...he uses the Internet as yet another way to give direction to His creations.

Its a Love Story, Baby Just Say YES!

2010-02-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

We just finished the previous mentioned series (read the blog right before this) "Its a Love Story, Baby Just Say Yes". Just wanted to recap it for other youth pastors out there, our church family who check up this and those random others who read this blog and express their support (That's so uplifting and I love y'all for that).

Night one we played John Mayer-"Love Song For No One" and Michael Buble-"I Just Haven't Met You Yet". Both of these songs are love songs for a FUTURE love. They both come from the view point of a single man singing about the girl he will one day meet and fall in love with. Michael and John already know they will love this mystery girl who will be so good for them, but they just haven't met them yet. Which opened up the conversation and sermon of how much God loved us before we even knew who he was.Romans 5:8"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us". That act is the ultimate love story, baby...just say yes.

Nights two and three was Kanye vs. Taylor! SIDENOTE: I will and should us anything and everything that pop culture throws my way in order to bring students into church! We let Kanye go first (to avoid any interruptions) and listened to "Cant tell me nothing". This is not the normal love song that a boy would write a girl...HOWEVER, it is a love song for the world and all that's in it. We needed several hands to count how many times Money Cars Clothes was mentioned. After reading Matthew 6:19-21 we agreed these aren't things that we or anyone should love. We can't fall in love with things of this world...but we can't leave them either. To turn on the World and solely focus on your personal relationship with Christ would be an EPIC FAIL. If that happens we can't fulfill our commission of making disciples of all nations. Keep in mind Jesus was sent OUT INTO THE WORLD...If we are going to follow Him we two must go out into the world and love it. However while we are out in this world we must remember who we belong to. So Taylor Swift came through (we put a muzzle on Kanye during this time) and we listened to "You Belong To Me". I just imagine Christ singing that to His lost children, "If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, Been here all along so why can't you see? You belong with me" He understands us. He walked this Earth, faced the temptations (Matthew 4:1-11) and trails and has experienced the hardships. He has been here ALL ALONG. He is past present and future. We were created by him (Genesis 1:26) and He gave us grace with his Son (John 3:16). We belong to him.

Next night we played what I am ashamed to say is one of my favorite songs right now Nick Jonas- "Who I Am" (feel free to laugh now and make fun of me before reading on...cause I'm gonna need your full attention). The song goes, "I want someone to love me, for who I am"...AMEN that's what we are all wanting. Just think of bf/gf relationships you've been in with someone and you thought of all the changes you could make to that person so they will be JUST PERFECT for you (ps...if you can't think of a time you've done this, then you were probably the one that someone was plotting to change). God doesn't have to change us to be completely in love with us. He made us just how we are for a darn good reason...cause that's the way we can best be used for his glory. (Ephesians 2:10)

The series ended with John Mayer-"Say What You Need to Say". (Yep 2 Mayer songs, confession if I could be anyone for one day...I'd be that guy. That might be wrong to say but its true) We used this song to talk about making fishers of men, making disciples of all nations and seeking the lost. Its scary...but WE HAVE TO SAY WHAT WE NEED TO SAY when it comes to sharing the gospel. Even if our hands are shaking, even if our faith is breaking , even as the eyes are closin', we should do it with a heart wide open and say what we need to say.

I may be wrong but I don't think any of these songs were made with God's glory in mind...but for the month of February at Berea Friendship UMC's Youth group, God's glory is what they were used for

It's a love story, baby just say yes.

I just haven't met YOU yet....

2010-02-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

I spent many hours in the first 2 weeks of January, 2010 planning "series" for my youth group. I stored myself away in the youth room alone with a Bible, a HUGE calendar and inspiration from those spiritual giants in the ministry (I think those guys are like God's cheat sheet for me). What came of this was a lot of arguing with God (He is wanting me to do some tough stuff), lots of prayers, and 9 series that will last 3 to 5 nights.

We just started the new series for the Berea Friendship UMC youth group entitled, "Its a Love Story, Baby Just Say Yes". My idea for this series is to take those great love songs that we all know and sing in the car and put on those mix tapes that we give our gfs and bfs for V-day and play those songs and then discuss them in the way that Jesus loves us. (if that makes no sense its because God explained it to me WAY better than I can get it across on this blog)

Night one we played Michael Buble's "Just haven't met you yet" and John Mayer's -"Love song for no one". Both of these songs are love songs for a FUTURE love. They both come from the view point of a single man singing about the girl he will one day meet and fall in love with. Michael and John already know they will love this mystery girl who will be so good for them, but they just haven't met them yet. Which opened up the conversation and sermon of how much God loved us before we even knew who he was.

Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"

This is one of those messages that rocked my world as I was preparing it. I thought of my life. Christ wasn't sent on the cross to die after I confessed him as my Lord, after I excepted his calling to join the ministry, after I was a youth pastor, after mission works, after telling people about Him, after the Blog, after caring for His people. Jesus Christ died on the cross before any of the above was even imaginable to me. He was sent to die when we were still sinners. He died for me, before I knew Him. He died for the foul mouth, He died for the lustful thoughts, He died for the boy who cared more about what was in his pockets than what was in his heart, He died for the anger I showed that came from fear because I cared more about the world's things than anything about Him, He died for the boy who wanted to make himself famous and leave God far behind, He died for the boy that faked his way into and out of church at least twice a week, He died for someone who put Him in a box and only went to Him when it was convenient or when I could benefit, He died for the man who still slips into those of those things.

HE LOVED ME (Jeremiah 31:3), He sent His son to die for me (John 3:16-17), He planned out my every work (Ephesians 2:10).....when I just hadn't met him yet

That is the ultimate love story...............................Baby, just say yes.

The blog I never wanted to write...

2010-01-31T19:54:00.000-08:00

I love my job, I love teaching, I love this profession,

but today January 31, 2010 at 9:34.....I hated it.

At this time I got an e-mail from our Principal and the subject line read, "We have lost an Angel"...life froze and I read the e-mail to find out that a 2nd grade little girl passed away today after a car accident.

The 2nd grade little girl down the hall who always had a pretty smile and a "Hello Mr. Greer" for me. The 2nd grade little girl who always got to run errands and on her way to and fro, if my door was open, would stick her hand in and wave. The little girl who always told me she liked my ties (even the really plain ones). The same little girl who made sure I did everything EXACTLY right when I subbed for her class the last half of the day. That will not be around anymore, because "We have lost an Angel"

Earlier this morning at church, the sermon was on Isaiah 6:1-8. This scripture talked about how God got Isaiah's attention. God did this through the death of Isaiah's friend. The preacher went on to say tragedy is a way that God gets many people's attention. I even "Amen"ed him...I know that God got my full attention after my tragedy of getting the news my mom was diagnosed with breast Cancer. A couple years later when that attention wasn't as strong, He put me on White Horse Rd. at the exact time to meet a white work van and land my Jeep flipped on its top. I will AMEN the fact that God gets his people's attention by giving them tragedy.

But these two things DO NOT compare to what happened to the sweetheart down the hall...and I'm writing tonight with a heartache times 3. I'm troubled by it, but I will "Brace my self like a man" (Job 38:3) and I won't or can't question God's way because I know NOTHING (Job 38:4-41). I pray that this tragedy can some day grab the attention of lost souls and through it someone or many ones can cling to Jesus Christ as a Savior. I pray for this family. I pray for strength to all the faculty and students of C-dale. I pray I never have to have a blog like this again.

"All we ever do is say goodbye"

2010-01-25T15:16:00.000-08:00

"Mr. Greer when is your last week?" "Ummmm not the next week but the one after." This conversation between my cooperating teacher and I during my practicum experience at Byrnes Freshman Academy, shook the world of my boy Ty. I remember Ty was the first student I worked with on my first day, he didn't speak other than to say "yes sir". However, after many talks about; rap music (yes I accepted his challenge to a freestly rap battle), fashion, Jordans and Forces, celebrity girls who we thought "be fine" (we shared Alicia Keys crushes), his former life in a gang, his mama, and how he is "gonna come up out that bull-mess", Ty and I created a wonderful bond. Not gonna lie, Ty is still to this day in my top 5 favorite students ever. (yes I have a top 10 fave student list, that might be wrong...don't judge me). After Ty heard this conversation, I believe it hit him for the first time, Mr. Greer is just here for a little bit and then he will be gone. I turned away from the teacher to see Ty staring at me, mouth open but his eyes were fixed as if he were frowning. He called me over, sat me down, put his hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Mista G you just can't be coming in here one day and be like this my last day...you gotta tell me before." So I honored his wish, and told him 2 days before my last day. He told me then how great I was and all that stuff that my teacher paycheck CAN NOT TOUCH, he even told me how when he is a rapper I won't ever have to worry about working again cause I can stay with him...he told me he was gonna have a little house for his mom and a little house for me and his mansion would be in the middle. CRAZY...this kid put me in the same category as his mother, REALLY? He ended up the most uplifting speech I've ever got with, "I got love for ya Mista G". Not gonna lie, those tough days of teaching, I go back and replay some of this conversation with Ty and it instantly pumps me up. So my last day comes and.....this kid does not speak to me, he won't even look at me. My wonderful cooperating teacher at the time had me a Byrnes t-shirt signed by the kids and a cake and gave us all about 45 minutes to just hang out and celebrate the semester. Even though Ty has signed my shirt with a personal message and taken up a section that's bigger that the Byrnes logo, he simply got a small piece of cake and left the group to sit alone. As I'm leaving I make sure to speak to each student and tell them how great they are, Ty avoided this, but I didn't let him. I spoke to him, and he stared at the ground...I reached out to give him our hand shake we made up, he whipped his eyes, gave me my "dap" and said, "Aight Mista G". Thats all I got from him, because that's all he could give me. If this story sounds like it was hard for Ty...you should see "Mista G" right now as I'm typing this all up.

I have tons of stories just like these...all of them end with some kind of goodbye. Students and co-workers (1 practicum, 2 student teaching spots, 2 years of after school, 1 amazing 5 month sub job...I'm scared to think of all the goodbyes I've said in my schools) , friends, classmates, my first and only love in life so far...All we ever do is say goodbye. It hurts...no way around it. Goodbye has become a 2nd language in which I'm fluent.

The other day I crank my Jeep and hear Mercy Me -"Homesick" and I catch mid way through, so the first words I hear are, "In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end". There is no goodbye with Christ...He won't leave you, His last day isn't coming up, He won't find someone better, He won't fall out of love, He won't change jobs, He won't move away, He won't die, HE WON'T EVER BID YOU GOODBYE. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving-kindness have I draw you” (Jeremiah 31:3). EVERLASTING LOVE...that's like... FOREVER! Not only does this verse say everlasting, spanning from this day to ALL days afterwards, this verse says HAVE loved meaning this exact moment from EVERY moment before this. THERE IS NO GOODBYE IN CHRIST. Revelations 4:8 (as well as Phillips, Craig and Dean) says, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come." He covers ALL SPAN OF TIME...past present and future. THERE IS NO GOODBYE IN CHRIST.

ps...for those who wonder...I still keep up with Ty...he flirted back with the gang life, but his love for his mama was bigger. He is on pace to finish an alternative diploma program...and yes, he still wants to be rapper, and that makes Mista G feel great, but that feeling can not even touch the greatness, excitement and peace that comes with knowing; THERE IS NO GOODBYE IN CHRIST!

Why are you afraid?

2010-01-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

A big day in my life as a Special Educator is when I hold the last meeting...we share stories of success, have the proof to back it up, sign some papers and create the student a new schedule that DOES NOT involve special ed. In some cases fireworks, cheering and a choir singing hallelujah should be involved as well. I have 4th grader who I feel is ready for this great accomplishment. So as a surprise I have his teacher send him to my room late in the day as if he were in trouble. He walks in very nervous, and I have a great poker face on at that moment to keep him on edge. "Sit down boy", he sits, "You already know what this is about don't you", he shakes his head no, "Well, guess what?", he looks up, (I change my voice in a celebration) "YOU ARE GETTING OUT OF SPECIAL ED!".......................................Silence.......................more silence.........then, this 4th grade boy who has completed his Special Education goals on his IEP while making straight As in this 2nd quarter, blows my mind with his next action. He cries, puts his head in his arms and just cries. WHOA NOW, did this kid not get the memo, does he not realize that at this very second he has started the road to being with his friends the whole day, not having to fight the special ed stereotype in middle school, and graduating with a high school diploma (luckily Mr. Greer spat this memo out to him). He finally looked up with drier eyes and said, "but then you can't help me when I get mad and how am I gonna do the hard work?" My 4th grader was so consumed by his fears that he could not even see the accomplishments or the wonderful place ahead of him.

About 7 hours after this I am sitting with my youth group in Columbia for "Revolution", where the topic of session one is, FEAR. We dove into The Book of Numbers chapters 13 and 14. Basically, God has Israel a nice piece of land for them to go get...so they send out a few of the guys to scout the land out. They come back and all they talk about are the giants in the land. Even though God said here this is yours, they don't go after it because; "We can't attack those people: they are stronger than we are" (verse 31). Their fear kept them from grabbing what was laid out for them.....JUST LIKE my 4th grader who has a new and better school life laid out for him, his fear kept him from grabbing it. Luckily for Israel, Joshua and Caleb did not let the "giants" phase them because their AWE wasn't on the giants but on what God had laid out for them in the land of Egypt. This is why my 4th grader experienced fear his AWE was on no one helping with his problems instead of the gifts God has given him to allow his to start a new path.

Fear is anything you stand in awe of more than God. Fear is us saying God, you can't fix this...this is bigger than you. Can you imagine yourself in a time where you were stricken with fear, what do you do? You go run to Him in prayer and say make it quit, like the John Mayer song, "Stop this Train"...I believe we get the same answer to that prayer that Jesus gave to Peter and John on the boat durring the storm, "why are you afraid?"

So why are you afraid? Afraid of the doctor's report? Afraid at the lack of money in your account? Afraid you'll fail at that relationship? ("sometimes the only way is jumping, hope you're not afraid of heights" sing it Gavin Degraw) Afraid that a Earthly relationship with another human is in danger? Afraid of ______________________________ ? Go a head and fill in the blank, because it is NOT bigger than God. The Veggie Tales taught us, God is bigger than the Boogey Man (if you aren't familiar with this...YOUTUBE it!)

Stand in awe of God, let Him eclipse your fears.

Spare Some Change?

2010-01-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

"Mista Greer, lemme git a dolla." I hear this phrase at least once a day from at least one of my students. After hearing this everyday multiple times, I have tried to do what I can to turn it into a joke (Yes, I know its not a joke...the kids truely want me to give them money). I call them beggars and on a couple of occasions I'll grab a Styrofoam cup, greet them at the door, beat them to the punch and ask, "Spare some change?" So when one of my boys gets turned down after "Mista Greer, lemme git a dolla" the rest will rag them by putting on their pitiful voice and say "Spare some change?" Its a funny 2 minute break in an other wise mind stressing school environment for my kids. "Spare some change?" allows my students a brief escape from the stress, anxiety, anger, nervousness that school work brings to them.

This joke holds SO MUCH MORE to me...

As I started this teaching thing, I worked at an after school program for "at-risk" K-5 through 3rd graders. I was greeted into this job by a 2nd grader who decided to test me on week one. As the kids lined up to go back inside the young man looks at me and says, "I hate this, I'm going home" and takes off running toward Highway 25. As any good, new, clueless teacher would, I chased him down and threw him over my shoulders and walked him back inside. As I slung him over my shoulder like a "sack-of-taters" he was quick to let me know, "I got a shot gun at home and know what to do with it" and he beat my back each step I took with him until he was safely in the building. On a similar but separate occasion I had the wild one in a calm down room (which at the time should have been called a throwing a fit room). While in this room the K-5 class walks and many of the little guys stop and watch this show. "You want something to look at? I'll give you something to look at!!!" At that moment the fit turned into this boy standing up with both middle fingers in the air directed at about 25, 4 and 5 year olds. The stories roll on like the Alabama Football team. When students play tag, they say "you're it", when this boy played tag he tagged with closed fist and screamed "Mother F---er!!!" He covered his homework sheets with crude drawings, filled his book bag with other people's things, and the world was his playground. Long story short...this kid was BAD. In order to have one less day of this young man's behavior, we made sure his mother signed the papers so he could attend release time done by a local church instead of coming to our after school program. Luckily...she signed them. I remember picking up my little rebel after the first few weeks of release time. I walked in to 40 little heads bowed and hands folded and 1 head with a frown and arms crossed sitting in the corner. Just like our after school, he hated release time too. A few more weeks passed and I see this same look, so I offer him a piece of candy if he could recite his memory verse (memory verse, I just took some of all back in the days there didn't I?). He looked up, no emotions, said it VERBATIM, snatched the candy and walked off. WOW...this kid had THE WORD in him, whether he liked it or not, he was soaking it up. Each week after I took a piece of candy with me when I picked him up. Each week after he told me the verse and got the candy.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED

With candy in hand I walked into a gym to see my little man head bowed, eyes closed, WITHIN A GROUP praying. After dismissal he stayed in this position talking to his Father and one of the old men came to me and told me they were going to keep him for a few minutes and I could come back later because he told them that he wanted to be saved. "I'm not going anywhere"...was the only thing I could say. I sat that day with THE SAME YOUNG MAN YOU READ ABOUT IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. I heard him answer questions about The Gospel, I heard him PROFESS JESUS CHRIST WITH HIS LIPS, I embraced him and celebrated.

IT DOESN'T END HERE

Sitting at homework time and bored (because this young man no longer draws weirdo pictures on the sheets but yet does the problems so he is finished). This 2nd grade boy gives the kids something else to look at, as he stands on the lunch room table and starts PREACHING THE SAME MESSAGE that lead to his profession of Jesus Christ as his savior to a room full of about 40 peers. The following weeks he evangelizes to students on the playground. He gets plugged into church. One day he tells me "Mr. Greer, I can get baptised tonight at 6:30, will you come watch me?" I will NEVER forget seeing this boy go under the water, come out, run to sit with me, share a pew with me, share a Hymnal with me, share a Bible with me, share love with me. TOP 5 BEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE...idk what the rest of my life will hold, but there is no way that 4 things can be that AWESOME to me. This student received his CHANGE.

Anxious? stressed? nervous? anger? fear? Wanting change? Run to God, he will spare some change...Just like he did with my boy Tyler.

A crap load of problems

2010-01-21T11:13:00.000-08:00

Just started a new series with my youth, "My Dream Youth Group". Its basically a list of 10 traits that would make up a great youth group (yes the traits come from Scripture). Last night we hit trait number 3; "I want a youth group who despises religious pride". Of course I get odd looks from all my kids because I've just place despise and religion in the same sentence but I love how that moment of "Matt's lost it" turns into having their WHOLE attention. I asked all of them a simple question they hear 20 times every time they walk in church, "How are you?" After I got the same answer, "fine" and "good"...we then discussed how their fines and goods were lies. Think about it, we come to church with a sense of pride that doesn't allow us to admit our crap load of problems, we carry that crap around because we have to be good and fine. After reading Zephaniah (yes that's a real book in the Bible, and I'll confess...I found it by mistake) chapter 3 verse 11, we decided that God wants to remove this pride and on top of that; Jeremiah 13:9-10 we find that He wants to ruin that pride because it is completely useless. We responded as youth group to that fact by telling how jacked-up we really are and discussing our crap load of problems (with a lot of hesitation from the youth members of course). Think about it...the whole essence of the Christian Church; sinners with a crap load of problems caused by sin coming to confess that to a Perfect Jesus Christ who died on a cross for all of those problems sin causes. However, we come into that church "fine" and "good"??? We've got a crap load of problems and we are jacked-up, we can't be find or good, but we've got too much pride to say anything other than fine and good. After this lesson I found myself praying for God to destroy the pride in my self and my kids.

My prayers were answered in less than 15 hours...

But see the interesting thing is, as a teacher as well, I have 2 groups of kids...and my prayer may not have been specific enough.

As my first group 0f 4 students I serve in the morning come in, I start my new daily ritual; turning one of my little first grade girls CRAZY hair into a manageable and cute pony tail (yes I am a man's man, but I can not have one of my baby-girls looking like a hot mess while being distracted by a frizz of hair in thier eyes). As I am playing beauty parlor this first grade girl decides to let me know her crap load of problems. "Daddy don't know how to do this and mama's in jail". After this the only boy in class fesses up that his dad is being deported back to Guatemala and "I can't go with him". After this a 2nd grade little girl tells me about her sick grandma and how "she don't act like she likes to talk to me anymore". After this my new little first grade girl who is non-verbal did nothing but hang her head. My kids have a crap load of problems WITHOUT the pride to tell me they are fine and good. After my students told me about their crap load of problems; I didn't write them a referral, they didn't get detention, there was no need to lecture them, I didn't fuss at them. I loved them, A LOT...its all I could do finding them at such a low point. I gave them confirmation of my love and I will attempt everything to get them out of that point they are now. However, as I human I am limited on things I can do...but just imagine how much more the God who created them can bring them out of this low point and how much more that God who sent his Son to die for all can love them.

So how are you today? Good? Fine?

Kill the pride, you have a crap load of problems, I've got a crap load of problems...Give those problems up to God, He will love you and He will not leave you where you are.