First Pres Lake Wales Youth Ministry Podcast

On September 30th, we will be meeting for youth group again. On this week's podcast, I describe what a Wednesday night will look like.

MORE updates for Wednesday night. Also, what does the Bible say about truth and our relationship to it? Is it more than simply facts and information? John gives us some insight here in his second epistle. 

This Wednesday, I give you some more updates. We also look at 2 John 1-3, reflecting on our polarized world and asking, "In what ways should Christians be different?"

On this podcast, I give some new updates on meeting physically on September 30th. Also, we look at the small letter of 2 John and ask, "How can we know the truth about being chosen by God and still be loving?"

The long awaited announcements about youth ministry this year. Also a teaching from Galatians 2:15-16 on the sinfulness of creating stereotypes of people and people-groups. 

Have you ever wondered: I've read the Bible and have seen the amazing things that He did back in those days, but where is He now? Jesus, about to leave His disciples, addresses this kind of idea by teaching them about the Holy Spirit. 

We take a break on the gospel of John in order to address injustice and how to process it biblically. (A lot of my thoughts on from this podcast have come from Mika Edmondson, a member of the gospel coalition. Look up his stuff if you want to learn more. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/profile/mika-edmondson/)

Listen to this special announcement about our new intern.

Mary Miller is on the Quarantine-Cast for the THIRD time. Shane and Mary talk about new kittens, doubt, and Church reopening.

Jesus, in John 14:13-14, seeks to encourage His disciples before His death and departure by assuring them that His death will bring ultimate blessing to them. One of the blessings we receive from the death of Christ is access to God in prayer. This Wednesday, we talk about how to pray.

Today, I had Sam Terry on the show. We talk about his non-profit organization 'Gospel' and the importance of loving one another as a witness of the love of Jesus to the world. 

Tonight we look at John 14:13-14. Sometimes we can be intimidated to pray because we see prayer as an eloquent speech. What does Jesus have to say about that?

This morning, Kami Schulze, Youth Pastor of Impact Church is on the show. We talk about her testimony but we also talk about how we, followers of Christ, might be more welcoming to others.

This Sunday morning, Chad Reynolds is on the show. He talks about his memories of being a youth kid, he realizes that Shane works for First Pres, and he talks about what a pastor does throughout the week. 

Jesus, in preparing his disciples for his death, gives them hope by describing for them the blessings that would come from his death, resurrection and ascension. Today, we focus on his description of the blessing we have in Him of access to God in prayer. 

This Sunday morning, I speak with Cal Sanelli, youth pastor of South Lake Wales Church of God, AGAIN! We talk about losing to our wives, Cal has some contentious words for Matt Simpson about Myspace, and he also talks about his testimony. 

In the gospel of John we find that Jesus teaches that not only He is the way to the Father, but that He does the works of the Father and says the words of the Father- that seeing Him is seeing the Father. What is Jesus teaching us through these words. And how is it possible for us to also represent God in the world?

This morning, Vince Treadway's on the show. We talk about his passion for music, when and where it started. We also talk about the importance of music in the Church and worshiping in quarantine. 

On this Wednesday edition of the Quarantine-Cast, Colby and Emma Pike come on the show. They talk about quarantining in France, huge rats the size of puppies, and how you can be missional even in quarantine.

This morning, Mary and Shane talk about recent struggles with depression and how the gospel of Jesus gives them hope. Mary also talks about how Ezra makes quarantine a very interesting experience. Afterwards, a teaching on Revelation 2:1-7.

This Wednesday, Emma Harrington is on the Quarantine-Cast. We talk about the Strike System and Emma tells us about her senior year of high school. Afterwards, a teaching on John 14:8-10.

Why is the resurrection of Jesus important? How can we know that the resurrection really happened? This Sunday, Mackay Smith, Associate Pastor of First Pres Lake Wales, is on the show and we discuss the awesome truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

On this Wednesday edition of the Quarantine-Cast, Matt Simpson talks about the awesomeness of youth ministry and the mysteries of Myspace. Afterwards, we look at John 14:1-7.

On this Quarantine-Cast, I speak with Ilyssa Harrington. She tells us about youth ministry escapades of days past, the blessings of life after High School, and the importance of waiting on God. 

Cal Sanelli, the youth pastor of South Lake Wales Church of God joins me on the Quarantine-Cast. We talk High School Musical and Cal confesses a terrible secret too Shane. Afterwards a teaching on John 13:36-38.

On the Sunday morning edition of the Quarantine-Cast, Shane speaks with John Miller, a youth leader and member of First Pres. John talks about how his dad meets Mister Rogers but also talks about some things going on in the community of Lake Wales and how he views these things as a follower of Jesus Christ. 

On the Wednesday edition of the Quarantine Cast, I talk with Rob Quam who gives us some thoughts about how we can be thinking outwardly in a time of crisis. Afterwards is a teaching on John 13:33-35.

Shane talks to Mary about their first week of social distancing, the highs and the lows. This includes a very special Taco Bell visit. Afterwards, a teaching on Revelation 1:1-3.

We might look out on the world today and believe we are in the darkest hour in history. Yet, biblically, the darkest hour in history was when Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified. How did Jesus instruct His disciples during that dark hour?

Being made in God's image, we can be certain that the more we come to know God, Who He is and what He is like, the closer we come to answering the question: "Who am I?" The problem is there are more versions of God than there are flavors of ice cream. But when we look to the Scriptures (God's self-disclosure), Who is the God we find there? Is He anything like our own interpretations of Him? 

In Genesis 12, God blesses Abraham so that he would be a blessing to all of the nations. God's plan from the beginning, then, has been that every nation, tribe, people, and language would be restored to Him and to each other, worshiping before His eternal throne. In this teaching, the Youth Ministry at FPCLW explores how these truths address the sin of racism. 

Mary Miller describes her experience as a mother. Parenting is difficult and involves sacrifice, but the task of raising and nurturing image bearers is also, by God's grace, worth it. 

Last time we discussed how God made people with value. This week, our teaching was upon the fact that God made men and women with a dignified purpose. 

One of the ways our culture attempts to find identity is through science. For instance, according to Charles Darwin human beings are the product, not of a loving God, but of time, chance, and the evolution and survival of the fittest. This would mean that there is no purpose or plan for us. We are not special. When it comes to sexuality, then, we believe that we can do whatever we want to with our bodies because they ultimately have no higher meaning or purpose. But should we really buy into this assessment of the value and worth of people?

Sometimes we can view the Bible as if it is just an old spiritual text book with useless information. The Bible, though, speaks of itself using very different language. Could it be that the Word of God is more than meets the eye? 

We might be tempted to think that Jesus was simply a good teacher who taught us good things about how to be a good teacher. But, in actuality, Jesus had a lot more to say about Himself than about morals. Is what He said true? 

Many compare our knowledge of God to a group of blind men feeling an elephant. Each of the blind men make a guess about what it is their feeling, but since they are unable to see the big picture, they can't know anything for sure about the elephant. But is this true? Are we really at such a loss when it comes to out knowledge about who God is and what He is like?

One of the identities that our culture gives to our young people is that of 'reflection'. We are a reflection upon our parents, upon our schools and teachers, and upon ourselves. While reflecting these people and things bring pressure and stress into our lives, they are nothing compared to our own God-given purpose: being a reflection upon the God the universe. 

Is God a fact? Is He real? Is there any evidence for God? If there is, what does that mean for the things that we base our lives upon such as our performance before others and our achievements? 

Beginning a new series called "God is ____, I am ____", we are looking at some fundamental truths about Who God is and what that means for who we are and how we live. We begin by asking "Who am I?" What is our identity? How do we come to know our authentic self? To answer these questions, it is helpful to look to our beginnings. 

What do you think of when you hear the word 'Christmas'? When Luke heard the word Christmas, he thought about pigs flying, sneezing with your eyes open, and being able to lick your own elbow. In other words, Luke thought about the impossible being made possible.  

In our new Advent series, we ask what Matthew thought of when he heard the word Christmas. When we think of Christmas, we might think of Santa and presents. Matthew, on the other hand, thought about a hero going to war to save hostages from danger. 

Unfortunately, Ecclesiastes ends where it begins. Solomon throws up his hands, saying how pointless everything is. But doesn't Solomon's message contradict what the Bible says about the meaning of life? We hear another voice in Ecclesiastes with some answers. 

After experimenting with the party life, Solomon attempts to find meaning in religion. Solomon becomes an expert on religion and shares his wisdom with us in Ecclesiastes chapter 5. 

For Solomon, finding something good in a horrible, frustrating, disappointing life is like finding a needle in a haystack. In Chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes, Solomon finds the needle. 

Solomon, reflecting on the frustrating nature of life, begins to blame God his disappointing existence. In Ecclesiastes 3, we see Solomon as Judge putting God on trial.  

Solomon finally finds something of worth in life: wisdom! He finds that if he applies himself and tries to live according to life's big picture, he will end with a good outcome. But does life really play by those rules? Solomon seeks to find the answer in Ecclesiastes 2:12-26. 

Solomon, in his search for purpose, experiences different kinds of pleasure. Solomon lives bigger and parties harder than any of us could have ever imagined. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 we see his conclusion on the matter.

Solomon says the secret to growing in wisdom is paying attention to the world around us. But when we pay attention to life, we realize a host of unsolvable problems. Does Solomon have a solution? We find out as we look at Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.

Doesn't it feel like we are sometimes stuck in the repetitive cycle of life? What's the point of it all? King Solomon addresses this subject in the first section of Ecclesiastes.