Foc:cast

In our final episode in this series, we look at WHY we should be and ECHO and WHAT prevents us from being a clear ECHO to our world.You have a right to be an ECHO. You’re voice needs to be heard.Revelation 12:11 says that we “overcome...by the word of our testimony...” Psalm 145:6 “...I will TELL of Your greatness!” So...go...and be the ECHO that your world needs!

In our 3rd episode of “ECHO”, we’ll look at some of the basic parts of the definition of an ECHO. In its simplest form, it’s just a sound repeated...being reflected back to it source.We can be the ECHO of Christ to the world we live in. Did you know that there are 2 types of boomerangs? Ones that return to the point from which they were throw...and ones that don’t return (guessed you figured that out). It’s God’s desire that we “return to the point from which we were sent”...HIM! Glad you chose to tune in to ECHO Student Ministries!

Week 2 in our introduction of ECHO! Study sound and you will find that there are certain conditions necessary for a clear ECHO to take place and certain conditions for it to be heard.Check out this weeks episode and see if you can be that ECHO!

A new name for the youth minsitry at Father’s Vineyard...our home church.One definition of ECHO: a person who imitates another.Ephesians 5:1 “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.”You are called to be an “ECHO” of Jesus Christ to this generation!Check out the next few weeks as we look at what it takes to become an ECHO for Christ!

A short Christmas message to remind us all of “THE BIG PICTURE”. I hope that you didn’t caught up in the all of the distractions this season can bring. There really is a greater story. Don’t miss the bigger picture!

Surrender. Give up. Neither of those sound appealing to us. Do they? But (big BUT), if we’re going to serve God (and that’s our choice), we’re going to have to eventually surrender our life to Him and His plan. His love for you and me should be enough reason to surrender our life.Think about it. We struggle with giving control of our life over to the One who made the entire universe AND everything in it? We don’t trust the One who spoke and planets, stars and galaxies simply came into being? It’s time to surrender your life...to honor God! He’s worth it!

What? Serve? And, serve IN LOVE?!?!?! Really? Yep. Really! We were created BY God to DO good works! Yeah, I know...sometimes we serve just to get something from someone else. But true “service” exists when we do something for someone else and we don’t expect anything in return!

Who are you “growing to be like”? Seriously. Who? You may not think you’re growing to be “like” anyone...but you are. And you are the only person who can determine who you are growing to be like!

Connections are super important! Having the right connections are even more important. Connecting our life to God is THE MOST IMPORTANT!

We all occasionally ask the question; “What am I here for?” Well...even though the title may mislead you, we all need to live with PMS. Not what you think...really!P=purposeM=meaningS=substanceSo...we ALL need to live with PMS!

Ever heard a singing star? God the Heavens sing. God is the Master Conductor of the Orchestra of the Skies.Check out this episode and listen to the “Heavens declare the wonders of God...”!

Words that we hear can be really “sticky”. We can hear things that people say about us--positive or negative--and they stick to us. It can reinforce positive traits and push us forward into our true identity. Or, they can reinforce negative perceptions we have about ourselves and keep us down for a lifetime. It takes a lot of effort to grab truth and prevent our true identity from being stolen.

Being “STUCK” to Jesus is not something we DO. Being “STUCK” to Jesus is something we HAVE because our relationship WITH Him!When it comes to our relationship with Jesus, being stuck is a good thing. He keeps us in place and protects us from getting off track and making really stupid decisions. Ever made a stupid decision? I have...plenty...and regretted each one. That’s the beauty of developing a “sticky” relationship with Jesus Christ; being able to turn to Him at any time, admit what we did was wrong, ACCEPT His forgiveness and then move forward. Try sticking to Jesus today...and see how far He will take you!

We need sticky friends! Well...they need to be clean and not sticky because of eating too many Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Our relationships stick to us. Sometimes they can even define who we are. That’s why it is critical to choose our friends carefully...even more important how we choose who to be “stuck” to in a marriage. Being “stuck” to your spouse can be the most wonderful in the world. However, choose someone for the wrong reasons...and that marriage will be miserable. Commit today to choose who you’re going to stick to carefully!

In our new series, we use the book Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and learn what it means to have a faith that sticks in culture that tries everything possible to pull us away from Christ! What’s sticky in your life? Let’s explore this great series together! Get STICKY!

Jesus taught alot from using parables. He would use everyday objects and situations to communicate a much deeper truth about life.We jump into that as we wrap up the Jesus in the Middle Series. Listen as some of your generation communicate the love, grace and acceptance of Jesus through everyday objects.Look for the next series based on the book Sticky Faith by Kara Powell, a great resource for today’s generation and parents as well.

Yet another week of Jesus in the Middle. I know most of you are in school or you have been at one time in your life. Me...I’m finding that the older I get the more school I attend every day. So...let’s look at some math terms like...congruence, line segments, etc.How can these apply to keeping Jesus in the center of our life? Listen and find out...

What is a ”hoarder”? Check out this episode and find out. Then see if you’re a “hoarder”. Are you storing up a bunch of worthless stuff? Maybe?!?! Enjoy!

This series has probably been one of my favorites. I’ve really started to see how important it is that we as Christians and as leaders teach The Truth of the Real Jesus! We have misrepresented the Son of God so often; it’s no wonder the world wants very little (if anything) to do with today’s church. If that sounds harsh...it should be. We need to wake up and learn Who the Real Jesus was and currently is. He is the Only One who can bring real, lasting change to the world we live in!

We all have a certain “mental model” of who Jesus is. We may have learned it in Sunday school as a kid or heard some televangelist with perfect hair talk about Jesus on TV. And at that point we decided that if we had to look like the guy on TV and talk with an added inflection at the end of every sentence...we wanted nothing to do with this “Jesus person”. No matter where the mental model came from, we may have to deconstruct what we currently believe in order to get to know the real Jesus, as the Word of God describes Him. The Real Jesus is The Man I want to model my life after...and it is definitely a lifelong journey. But it’s one i wouldn’t trade for anything this world has to offer!

Here we go! #5 in our Jesus in the Middle series. In this episode we take a Christmas in June look at why we may not have “room” in our life for Christ.If we are full of other “stuff”, there will not be any room for Jesus. We may have to make room...

Number 4 in our current series as we learn live life with Jesus at the Center (Middle) of everything we do!

Is Jesus really at the center of your life? What are spending your money, time and energy on? Something is at your “center”....Time to see just what that is!

As we begin this series...I pray that you are challenged to examine EVERY AREA of your life to see if Jesus (the REAL Jesus) is in the “middle” or center of everything you do, everything you say, everywhere you go. He wants to be and He should be.And you need to know that you are at the center of His heart...no matter what!

#3 in the “introduction” to the Month of Love series. Chick-Fil-A is one of the most successful fast food chicken restaurants in the world! Their business model is something we can all use in our personal lives as well. So...let’s see what we can learn from the “Gospel According to Chick-Fil-A”.

In keeping with our food “themed” series we are presenting “The Gospel According to Burger King”. Our fast food industry can teach us alot about ourselves...if we allow it. While an occasional burger is not necessarily a bad thing...too much, too frequently can radically alter your life. It could even kill you. But a healthy diet, a variety of foods (from all major food groups, of course) and at least some regular exercise will prolong your life and even help you enjoy the life you’ve been given.

Ok...we’ve really been behind in getting our podcasts to you. So, finally FOC:CAST is back up and running. And without further ado...Bojangle’s has one of the best “catch phrases” in the fast food industry. “Gotta, Wanna, Needa, Getta, Havea”. The phrase alone communicates desperation, desire, need! So, can we translate that into our spiritual lives. Of course we can! Check it out! And enjoy a chicken biscuit!

Lesson 11 in The Truth Project. Don’t you love to “work”? God does. He created the concept of work. He worked hard for 6 days, enjoyed it so much...He rested on the 7th day. This may be a strange idea to most of us. But we were created to work...to create...to make things. But we have messed up the idea of work that we dread it.As you listen to this week’s episode, as God what you wre created to create?

As we move toward the end of the series “The Truth Project” from Focus on the Family, Zack Hollar continues to look truth and how our lives should reflect THE truth.

In Lesson 9 of The Truth Project, we look at government...YAY! I know, it’s not everyone’s favorite subject, to say the least. But, did you know that God created government? Maybe not the way we see it today. But, God did create ALL authorities and allows them to “be”. So, before you delete this episode from your iPod, check it out and let’s look at it from God’s perspective.