Rockharbor Youth

The Holy Spirit brings us into community with people who both think similar and different to us. As we mourn with events happening in our own backyard, celebrate the end of a school year and graduations— the Holy Spirit meets us where we are at in each season. It's something to be grateful to knowing He is faithful and we can trust Him. This week we invited students as they felt lead to share stories of how the Holy Spirit has showed up in their lives.

Through this series the hope is we all feel empowered by how the Holy Spirit has and is moving in our lives. One of the fun ways we get to hear it is through our leaders as well. Emily, Tanner and KJ share stories of how they were simply available to how the Holy Spirit was working in their lives. Each situation Brought them to serving with us today and we're SO grateful for that!!

Everywhere we are surrounded by a consumer culture, even at church. The Holy Spirit is working and moving in us but we need to be available to the how he might be trying to move. Sienna and Liz share even their experience with the Holy Spirit and following Jesus-- it's not always easy but it's always worth it! As we continue to be empowered by the Spirit, how might he be prompting you and wanting to use you to lead where you're at?

The only way for us to truly grow is to step into the uncomfortably things. Sam shares about his time in youth group, and his journey of how he had made his faith his own.

We live as aware of the Holy Spirit living and moving in us. As we enter this next series the question of “how is the Holy Spirit empowering you and how can you live out of it?” We get to live differently because Jesus said it was better for the Holy Spirit to be with us than him. We've seen him move before but how is he wanting to move now?

Take a listen as we have a small panel talk about their experiences with words, why they matter and are all words bad?? We aren't saying to go use any and all words but to think about the words we use and the impact they could have on both our lives and those around us. Words are hard and words matter!

James biggest reminder to us is to love God and love others, to follow the golden rule. Which means showing favoritism, judgement is not the way of Jesus. Jesus invites us to calling everyone friend. It doesn't mean we have to be close to everyone, but we should be kind and treating others how we would want to be treated. Then in listening to God, being intentional with prayer we get to be friends and share what God has given us.

As we start not only Lent but our new series in James, it's clear God is on the move. But we often miss him. As we enter this next season the call is to invite Jesus into our lives to see how He wants to move in our lives. Through that no matter the trial or temptation we learn we have a friend in Jesus. Which helps us be better friends to everyone around us.

Take a listen as we have 5 leaders join the stage of various relationship statuses discuss friendships, family-ships and relationships. When we're rooted in Jesus it affects every relationship in our lives.

We all have family and friends who simultaneously make life easier and harder. When we're planted in Jesus' love— obeying that commandment first and foremost should impact all our relationships. We're all human and will fail at loving each other at all times. But leaning into the Holy Spirit can impact it all for God's good

The word trees in the Bible comes up over 800 times, so when something is repeated it's something to pay attention to. In the imagery we can see how similar humans and trees are. As we follow Jesus we need to stay planted in Him to grow and let Jesus flow into every area of our lives.

John 15 teaches us to abide in Jesus as the vine, and we as the branches. In that, Jesus calls us to prune the things in our lives that cause us to miss out on the sweet things he has for us. When we shape our lives with Christ, we can experience true freedom.

Austenn continues to encourage and remind us what it means to follow Jesus today. That we don't have to wait but the Holy Spirit is always working in us whether we realize it or not!

Austenn Akers from Branches HB brings spoken word, his story and scripture all together for us to be reminded Jesus was the same in Y2K as he is in Y22K (today). If you didn't have a chance to be there, you want to take a listen!

As we look at the parable of the four soils in Matthew 13 we see not only the soils but the seed and the sower. We look at parables not to compare but to reflect on how Jesus is encouraging us to live our lives. Knowing the sower gives us life to be both the seed and to actively choose what soils we live in. We should never feel shame from a parable but encouragement to take steps towards Jesus.

As we look at our lives, it's probably easy to find times where we stopped actively following Jesus and forgot to invite him just into our daily lives. If we can remain planted in Jesus, through all the seasons we can continue to grow and show what it looks like to live life with in through it all.

Putting our hope in Jesus allows us to experience true joy. This joy allows us to outwardly express an internal reality, causing us to shine BRIGHT to our friends and family around is

We hear the phrase “Merry & Bright” every year when Christmas rolls around. But what would it look like to live defined by the hope we have in Jesus that it makes our souls merry? Elizabeth and Mary had hope, their babies felt tangible hope. As we hear may our days be merry & bright we want to be encouraged to live that out after the Holiday season is over.

As we've sat in John 4 and the Samaritan woman's story we can look to ourselves and where we fit into the kingdom story. How are our lives reflecting our encounter with Jesus? The Samaritan woman didn't let her encounter with Jesus mean nothing-- it changed lives. Our stories and our encounter with the Holy Spirit mean something and are worth sharing. It's the encouragement to share our stories so Jesus can be highlight and celebrated.

Jesus included the Samaritan Woman into the kingdom story. We often get caught up in our story and forget to invite people into what God might be doing through us. We also tend to ignore the innovation to be included into the story— making our own judgements about people and God before inviting the Holy Spirit into it. We at Rockharbor Youth want to be a place where no one feels judged, everyone is included and we step into the story together.

The Samaritan woman encountered Jesus, gained relational trust and then was able to known Him as the Messiah. It then changed everything in her life. When we understand he is the Messiah, the one our soul longs for it and we experience him it should change everything. Have we let knowing Jesus us our Messiah change our lives or do we just accept the knowledge for ourselves? The encouragement is to lean into relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit and others to help everyone we love encounter Jesus as the Messiah.

As humans, we're made to worship, to put ultimate value in someone or something. Worship is about connecting with God both corporately and individually, responding to the work of God in our lives and the world. Worship is more than singing songs corporately, although it certainly includes that. Rather, God wants to meet you in a unique way!

Who really knows you? What areas of you life do you keep hidden from the people around you? Most of us hide our true self because we're afraid of being unloved, rejected, and alone. We're hiding in shame. That was the Samaritan woman's story. Jesus met her in her shame and gave her the empathy she needed to be free. Jesus wants to do the same for us. As we receive his empathy, love, and acceptance we can get free of our shame and become a “wounded healer” for others.

Culture and Society tell us we can find satisfaction for our soul's deepest longings through earthly means, but they fail to deliver every time. Jesus offers a different path. In His encounter with the Samaritan Women, Jesus says if we come to Him and drink from the well of living water that only He offers, we will never thirst again. In Jesus we find satisfaction for our longings to be loved, seen, accepted, chosen, and free. Once we have tasted this living water of God, no other source satisfies us the way Jesus does.

Jesus knew the story of the woman at the well without her having to share it. Jesus knew it all and showed her empathy and love. She then went and told her story. All our stories have meaning and are useful-- who are you sharing your story with?

Jesus had to go to Samaria, and when he arrive he rested. Jesus understands us, he empathizes with us and he reminds us to rest.

Stevy and Heather share their heart for the Youth. Our desire is that you wouldn't settle for less than God. In that we want you to learn how to hear God's voice, go on the journey with Jesus, and have a whole lot of grace for yourself. The way to grow, to not settle for less, to learn God's voice, to traverse the journey with endurance, and to receive grace is through deep rhythms. Join us for Summer as we themed it Deeper Rhythms

The main question of Colossians is, is Jesus enough? Paul goes throughout the letter to give an emphatic yes! But as he is enough, how do we let that reality show itself in our lives? How do we stand firm and "stay in the pocket" when the challenges of life and following Jesus try to knock us out?

Gratitude is a choice. It's like being mostly blind and then putting on the right glasses. Gratitude shapes us and shapes the world around us. As we chose to see live in this countercultural way, step in with prayer, we become people of influence. The watching and hurting world around us will ask what is different about us... the answer is Jesus!

Sometimes we read things in the Bible that sound weird, that make us uncomfy. Paul does in this passage where despite titles, submission, serving-- we need to look to Jesus first and then everything else flows out. There are things we have now put to death so that everything we do in following Jesus is for Him. It's ok to view things differently than our friends, but let's sit in the tension of figuring out what truly following Jesus looks like rather than quickly not talking about it.

In Colossians 3:1-17 Paul encourages us that now following Jesus should change how we live our lives.  So we must put off the things that were killing us and put on new life.  We can see similarities from how the church of the Colossae and us today are influenced by culture more than Jesus.  What are things you can put off to take the next step in putting on Jesus?

Colossians 2 pt. 2 Paul constantly reminds us here to not hold onto things of the past but to look at Jesus; He changes everything.  What we listen to, the people, our friends; Jesus' voice should be louder.  But are we living in the freedom only found in Him?  Is He enough for us?

Colossians 2 pt.1 The enemy doesn't come at us with a bat, a knife, or a gun... he comes at us with an idea. What we believe, shapes who we become, and informs how we behave. What do we believe? Do we let truth flow through our lives to change the way we see and walk in the world around us?

We just kicked off our new series called Mysterion, going through the letter to the Colossians. In Colossians 1 we are told this mystery is Christ In YOU, the hope of Glory. How is this a mystery, what is it about mystery that draws us, and what is the journey to becoming someone where Christ in us is the most important reality about us? This is maturity, lets take the journey together!

As we close up the Hope for Home series we wanted to end with a pastoral word to "ponder" these things. In our life a human shared experience is shame. We feel shame when our miss-applied hopes and idols are exposed. OR we redefine, we form God and His ways to look more like us and our thoughts. Rather we need to let God be God, form our life around Him and His ways, and trust him enough to receive his love and forgiveness. Let's let the truth of Jesus life, death, and resurrection change everything about us!

Not being in a romantic relationship doesn't define your worth. Because of Jesus you are worthy of love & life. This comes through our friendships and way we interact with others. We all need friends and having friends is also hard. Jesus is always our nearest friend, he will never let you down. If we have Jesus as our first friend, every other friendship and relationship can flow from that intimacy.

You may or may not be dating right now or even soon. We're not here to tell you when you should or should not date but rather how you should date. God shows us and tells us throughout the whole Bible how to treat others well and how to enter relationships. Finding someone who is equally yoked and then how you handle the relationship totally matters.

As we move into talking about healthy relationships we can't start with our own, we have to start with the greatest story of all! If we are not informed biblically then we will be informed culturally and that always leaves carnage. The greatest story ever told is that a perfect God pursues US!

What if the desert was where God does his best work? What if Jesus modeled for us the way through the desert? Jesus did what he did and was who he was, in part, because of the deserts he walked through. With God, the desert CAN be the place of our greatest growth into people of love and purpose.

Desert's are dry, hot, not everyone's dream spot. Like a physical desert we can go through an spiritual or emotional desert season in life. It's not always easy to see the beauty of the desert when you're in it. But you can start to appreciate it once you've left. God uses our times in the desert to draw us closer to Him. The real question is are you allowing Him to move towards you? Or do you set up camp and ignore God?

This week we have Tess sharing! How we look is a reflection of God himself. You are valued and seen by God—and it is very good.

We constantly find ourselves on the treadmill of identity searching, running faster and faster and going nowhere. With the nation more polarized than Civil War times, the latest trends, and social outrage, the question arises, WHO or WHAT will we identify with? The search for identity and significance is a heavy burden when we don't know what Jesus did for us.

We're all walking through life and honestly it's hard. But what makes us different is Jesus. Seeing him and choosing to follow Him first and foremost in the journey. A necessary piece of that is prayer. As you continue in your week what are steps you can take to actually pray, to talk & listen to God?

How are you really doing? We often are quick to answer. But when we look at our emotions, our body, soul and spirit sometimes they point and say things that we can't quite articulate. How are you really doing and how can you be honest with your church family?

Join us for our new series; Hope For Home