Refuge Update

New Beginnings!

2012-01-23T08:05:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new year is a chance for new beginnings! And that's what we are doing at the Refuge. We have begun a few great new studies!

After a successful ski trip discovering what it means to be self>Less rather than selfish, we are forging ahead with two new series' on Wednesday night and Sunday night. You won't want to miss either one!

First on Wednesday nights we've begun a very help and practical study of apologetics. By that, I don't mean the art of learning to apologize (although that's helpful too!). What I mean is the classical definition of apology, which is to make a defense. The Greek word apologia means to reason, or make a defense. It is often used in a legal context when someone makes a defense either for themselves or someone else. As it relates to Christianity, apologetics is learning the art of reasoning and defending the faith!

I today's anti-Christian culture this is a must for every believer. In fact, it is a biblical mandate. Peter tells us in 1 Peter to "always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have." That word "reason" is the greek work apologia. That means, as believers we should always be prepared to make a defense/ give a reason for our faith. But how do we do that? That's why it is so important to equip ourselves with the knowledge to "destroy every lofty argument that is raised against Christ" (also in the bible! - 2 Cor. 10). So what is your reason? This study not only will build your student's faith, but it will also help them make sense of their "world-view" to other people while showing them that other "world-views" don't really make sense of the world.

This is a study for everyone! Encourage your kids to come on Wednesday night. I'll even buy more pizza if I have too! It will be well worth their time and energy.

Secondly, on Sunday nights we've started a series on leadership. Again, this is an important study for every student. You might say, but I'm not really a leader of anything! Wrong! We are all leaders in one way or another. In fact, Christians are called to be leaders. To step out of their comfort zone and out of the flow of the world around them and live their lives according to scripture. This is an act of leadership. Most fundamentally, Christians are leaders. But will you be a "Fearless Leader?" That doesn't mean that you will never be afraid of course. But fearless leaders face their fears and overcome them because of the power they have through the Holy Spirit. "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-control" (2 Tim 1:7). Are you the kind of person that just floats down the river of life without a paddle; getting knocked around by every wave of influence that come your way? Or are you a Fearless Christian Leader? One who takes hold of the ore and navigates the rapids of life and avoids the waterfalls.

Josiah is an example of a King in the Bible who was a Fearless Leader. Despite the evil influences of his father and grandfather and of the world around him, he chose to be influence by another ancestor; king David. Josiah, followed after God and "did what was right in the sight of the Lord" (See 2 Chronicles 34). And because of his fearless leadership God bless him and his kingdom. Josiah is just one example of a person who depended upon the power of God, His word, and His strength, to get him past his fears and the "waves of the world" and onto the solid ground of life according to God's ways. Will you be that kind of leader.

Come learn how to be a "Fearless Leader" on Sunday nights at the Refuge!

See you there!

Leadership

2012-01-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Fearless Leadership! That's hard to come by these days. Not only in our leaders, but even in ourselves. That's right! We are all leaders! All of us influence others in some way. We all know that, but what we don't often realize is that we are all influenced by someone or something! Do you recognize the influences in your life? Fearless leaders do! They not only recognize the influences, but they take control of them and choose which ones they let in.
King Josiah in the Old Testament had many influences on him as he became king when he was only 8 years old! Not only that, but his dad was an unsavory man who set up high places and worshiped idols. Even his great grandfather worshiped idols for much of his life until God finally got hold of him. Josiah was undoubtedly influenced by his family, we all are! However, Josiah chose to follow the example of his great, great, great...(x16) grandfather, King David rather than his father. He chose to ignore certain bad influences from his family and allow other good ones from his ancestors to make an impact. That's one sign of a fearless leader!
They aren't afraid of going against the grain of their influences when appropriate. Not just with family, but with friends, popular culture, the work place, and the world around us. Fearless leaders realize that they are influenced by things everyday, and instead of just being pushed around and letting others steer their course, they keep those outside forces in check. They examine each one to determine whether it is going to help them reach their goals or not. And when they aren't helping, they remove them or turn the negative influence into something positive. In other words, they take control of their lives, rather than allowing the current of the river to pull them down stream and over the raging waterfall.
What are the influences in your lives? Are they good or Bad ones? What are you going to do about it?

What a Week!

2011-11-21T06:55:00.001-08:00

Back when I sold books door to door to pay my way through college we often used the affirmation, "You can't be nervous when your mind's on service." It helped keep everyone going when you were a little scared or nervous about going to the next house. Well that was an apt saying for us this week as we served our church and went on mission to the community of Red Springs, NC.

There were a few moments of nervousness throughout the week: "Will we be able to pull this off?" "What if the food doesn't taste good?" "What if people don't show up for the thanksgiving fundraiser because of the rain?" What if we can't get the food served up fast enough? "What if we don't get everything done on our mission projects?" "What if we can't think of the words to say to the people whom we are serving?" There were lots of reasons to be nervous about such a busy week, but "you can't be nervous when your mind's on service."

In fact that is exactly what two of our youth taught us at our Friday night devotional at mission camp this weekend. In 1 Peter 4:11 it says, "Whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies..." If our minds are on service to others then we know that God will supply us with the strength and ability to do His work; so there is no need to be nervous or afraid. Our youth explained that the weekend was not just about us, but about the people we were coming to serve. When our minds are on serving others then we don't have to be nervous about our own feelings or desires. Instead we just allow the Lord to use us how He wishes; as His willing servants.

With that attitude the youth pulled off a great Thanksgiving meal fundraiser and raised over $800 dollars. Everyone enjoyed themselves by expressing their thanks for what God has done in their lives, sharing a delicious meal together, and singing and hearing the reading of God's word. The youth did an excellent job! I want to thank you all for making it a great success!

The mission trip to Red Springs was another amazing time of service. We helped a single mom with 5 kids and a grandson fix up their house and get it ready for the cold winter. The youth later shared that it was an impacting experience as they worked in a house without flooring, roofing, or central heating. They said that it sure made them appreciate what they had.

We also left a permanent mark on the town of Red Springs as part of our group built a huge hose drying rack for the local fire department. As they dug holes and put posts in the ground they experienced the satisfaction of working hard for someone else without expecting anything in return. It was rewarding to look at what we were able to accomplish in just a few hours.

The youth at the Refuge were also present for another thanksgiving meal in he afternoon on Saturday. We helped serve the community of Red Springs a delicious turkey dinner (we know it was good because we had some too!!). It was another great time to serve and reach out to a community who truly needs to be loved with the love of Jesus. The youth did a great job of sparking up conversations with the locals and serving in Jesus name.

With our minds set upon the Lord and the service of His kingdom, what could we possibly have to be nervous about! It was a great week! Thanks for all your hard work!

What are you afraid of about out reach and evangelism? If your mind is set upon the Lord and the service of his kingdom then there is no reason to be nervous. He will supply all that we need!

Gettin Ready

2011-11-14T07:49:00.001-08:00

It's a busy time of year! However, it's also a fun and rewarding time of year when we make the most of every opportunity. With multiple fundraisers in full affect I know things can get a little crazy! They sure are on this end of things! I think it helps to have the proper perspective on things. We might be working hard, but we also have great opportunities through all of these fundraisers.

The fruit sale is a chance to tell people you are raising money for the glory of God. When they ask you about the activities that you are raising money for you can explain to them the principles of the Refuge. You can tell them that you believe that Understanding God's Word and Giving to the Community are important parts following Christ. Fundraisers should open doors to spiritual conversations. This might not be the main objective of a fundraiser, but with the proper perspective you can make it an important secondary one.

Our Thanksgiving meal fundraiser is this week. It's a great way to invite people to church! Many won't come to church to visit on a Sunday unless they know what they are getting into. A Wednesday night fellowship meal is the perfect opportunity to bring someone to church so they can see that we are just normal people with an abnormal cause! Invite your friends; invite your neighbors!

The Christmas tree lot is another outreach to our community. When people stop into to buy a tree we can give them a flyer telling them about Sharon Baptist Church service times. It brings people into our parking lot and that is one step closer to the front door! These fundraisers are a great way to show the community that we are an active church that cares about the things that God cares about. We will have a signup sheet to volunteer at the lot available on Wednesday.

Don't forget that these fundraisers are ultimately for the Glory of God, for the expansion of His Kingdom, and for the carrying out of His good purposes.

Lots to Learn!

2011-11-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

When do you Pray? Is it just when you need something? Maybe it's only after you make a mistake or have to ask God for forgiveness for something you did. Maybe the only time you pray is during church when the congregation is praising God and giving thanks to him for his provision in your life. These are all great reasons to Pray, but someone who might be considered to have "A Praying Life" embraces all of these types/modes of prayer. The Psalms are packed full of prayers! They are demonstration to us of the many different types of prayers that we can engage in our daily walk with the Lord. For example, Psalm 12 is a prayer for help. Prayers for help are probably the most abundant type of prayer that God hears his people pray. It is great to ask for help, but we shouldn't just stop there! In fact, Psalm 13 is what I like to call a prayer of expression. The psalmist doesn't just ask for something, but expresses his true feelings about the situation. His heart is laid bare before the Lord. When we start to express these true kind of prayers, then we are beginning to have "a praying life."

Sometimes we just jump right into asking for things and we forget that part of prayer is confession and Adoration. We forget to speak of God's amazing grace and abundant provision in our lives. We forget that he is the Almighty God of the universe. God wants us to tell him how great he is because it shows our allegiance to him alone. It is important to express our true feelings to our Father in heaven, but we must also realize that he is our King and Creator. While we can talk to him like our friend, we should also humbly bow before him in adoration. And that type of humility should lead us to confession. When we see his perfection compared to our great imperfection we are brought to our knees. Confession should be a daily part of our prayer life. Psalm 51 is a prayer of David after he realized his sin with Bathsheba. This prayer is a model of confession for us. We too should come before the Lord crying out, "Be Gracious to me O God, according to your loving-kindness; according to the greatness of your compassion blot out my transgressions."

Finally, it is important to remember to give God thanks! Psalm 100 is one of many thanksgiving prayers in the psalms. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise!" With all that God provides for us daily we have so many reasons to be thankful. Not the least of which is our salvation through Jesus Christ! Prayer should express all the aspects that we find throughout the Psalms. Do prayer in all these ways?

Sunday Night

The principle scripture of the Refuge is Psalm 18:2. It says, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God,my rock, in whom I take REFUGE; my shield and the horn of my salvation, mystronghold.” When the storms of life come, we often take refuge in other things. We run to relationships, alcohol and drugs, status and popularity, or even video games and TV. All of these things help us forget about our problems temporarily, but they never provide a solution. The Lord is the only One who can provide safety in salvation for us from the storms and battles of this life. Where do you run to when the storms come?

If your answer is God, then we also have a duty to provide a refuge for others. We are the instruments that God uses to provide refuge for others. In a sword fight, the sword is important to fight off the enemy. However, without the fighter wielding the sword there would be no contest. God uses us as his sword to provide salvation and safety for others! It is our duty as ones who take refuge in His Kingdom. We provide a refuge for others by carrying out the principles and values of The Refuge: Requesting God’sGuidance,

Elevating God inWorship, Fortifying God’sKingdom through evangelism; Understanding God’sWord to encourage ourselves and one another; Giving to theCommunity in Faith through service and finance; and Enjoying Fellowshipwith other believers. These are the 6 Reinforcing principles of the Refuge that guide and direct us to providing a refuge for others.

We also value certain things based on our beliefs about God's Word and Work in this world:

1.   By striving to study God’s Word more than (or atleast in a proportional amount) as we send text messages. The Bible is God’s revealed Word and if we wantto hear his voice and be sure that the shooting star means what it really is then we have to take the time to read it and allow the God of the universe tospeak to us. The Bible is God’s inspiredand inerrant revelation which teaches us what to believe concerning God and theworld!
2.       Westrive to turn our eyes to the worship of Jesus more than we turn on theTV, or video games or open our magazines. We do this in quiet times, times of personal prayer, youth refugemeetings, and in corporate worship on Sundays. Jesus Christ is the central focus of all scripture and therefore thecentral focus of our lives, our worship, and our teaching.
3.       We strive to go Deeper with God thanwe do in our normal “hey, how you doing relationships.” Are you just casual friends with God? Since the Bible is God’s Word we desire tolearn how to apply it to our lives and make it real for middle school andhigh school students. While many of ourrelationships with “friends” are just surface relationships that don’t go deep,we strive to have a deep relationship with the Lord. One where we can be real and honest with him,all while showing Him how much we love Him.
4.      We don’t make cliques, we make disciples. Since we are called us ambassadors for Christwe realize that our lives are not our own, we are bought with a price. Therefore we don’t just live forourselves. Cliques form when we justthink about ourselves and a little bit about a few people. At the refuge we enjoy a truefellowship. A koinonia that stems from a common fellowship with the HolySpirit. It is the fellowship that attractsothers to the Lord. They see somethingdifferent in us and so they listen to the message of the gospel when we shareit with them.
5.      We skip the small talk in order to get into eachother’s lives. As children of the mosthigh God and as the refuge we are a family of brothers and sisters. Therefore we are committed to asking realquestions about one another’s lives so that we can be accountable and holdother’s accountable to the truth.

d Are we holding to our values and our principles??

Another Great week at the Refuge!

2011-10-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

It's been another great week at the Refuge!

Refugee Camp
We had our 8th study Wednesday on "A Praying Life" and we are starting to see some amazing answers to prayer. We prayed that Taylor would do well on her math test and she got the 2nd highest grade in her glass!! Wow! Thanks God! We prayed that Grant would play well at his soccer game and that he would be able to use his talents for God's glory and they won the game! God is good! and he wants us to pray what's on our hearts. No matter how silly they may seem. Our Father in heaven loves to hear our heart.

This week we talked specifically about Prayer being more than just words. When I was in middle school I often prayed the Lord's prayer during church, but I never really knew what I was praying. I just said the words like everyone else without any real meaning. Prayer isn't just reciting wrote words. There is nothing wrong with praying a wrote prayer, but there is a difference between reciting it and praying it. Prayer is like our love for God, we have to do it with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Often when someone else is praying it is easy to space out, but in so doing we are missing the opportunity to actually engage in prayer. Just closing our eyes and bowing our heads doesn't really constitute anything but a waste of time.

So when we pray things like "thy kingdom come" what are we praying for? We are praying for Christ to be the king of our lives! That he would take control of our lives here "on earth as it is in heaven." It is a prayer of surrender to the King because we realize that we need the protection and defense and strength of His kingdom. It's asking for "God's will to be done" in our lives rather than our own will. Praying for God's kingdom also demonstrates honor and respect for the ruler of that kingdom. In the same way we must respect our authorities in the institutions that we are part of (school for example). We show honor to God by asking for His Kingdom to come. Praying for the God’sKingdom to come involves expressing your true feelings while ultimatelysubmitting to His kingship in your life.

Sunday Night Refuge

As the Refuge we hold up certain principles that we call the“Reinforcing Principles of the Refuge.” Theyhelp govern our time and guide us in deciding what we do and don’t do as agroup. Over the last couple months we’ve beentalking about what it means for us to be the Refuge and going over theseprinciples to help remind us what we are all about. This week we talked about the second "e" in "REFUGE" - "Enjoying Fellowship."

True Fellowship is not just hangingout with friends. Anyone can do that. In college I had Christian roommates and we had real fun and real fellowship together! Christians have a greaterfellowship (koinonia- Greek) because of their mutual fellowship with theLord through the Holy Spirit. When God gave the Holy Spirit at Pentecost the loosely banded believers united in one heart and one spirit. They had true "koinonia" because of the power of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. Fellowship is not just something that we have with one another. In fact, 1 John 1:3-7 teaches that if we have fellowship with the light (Jesus through the Spirit), then we will have fellowship with one another. So true fellowship with one another depends upon fellowship with the Father (1 John 1:3), the son (1 Cor 1:9), and the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 13:14). With this as our common denominator we will experience true "koinonia."

We at the Refuge valuethis and we want to encourage this type of action among ourselves. That means if you are one who often clings toyour favorite person or group of people because you have forgotten that youth group is not all about you,then break out of your shell and reach out to others that are on the fringes. You might not intentionally form cliques, butby always claiming favorites you are doing so. That's not true fellowship in the Spirit. Those who walk in the light live as children of the light and experiencetrue fellowship and it is amazing when it comes! We should strive to have that "koinonia" every time we are together.

Announcements

Girl's sleepover and Guys sleepin are on Friday at 7pm. Don't miss it.
Last week for Fruit selling so get on it! If we sell a combined 300 boxes there will be a special surprise at the Christmas part this year!
Sign up for Ski Retreat today! It's the last day for a guaranteed spot!

GIVE us this day Our Daily Bread

2011-10-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

A look at any churchprayer list would reveal what most people pray for; aunt Sussie’s kidneys;uncle Bill’s prostate; my teacher’s sister’s best friend’s mother withcancer. All of these things areimportant things to pray for, but we shouldn’t limit our prayers to sicknessand job loss. What do you pray for whenyou pray? Jesus tell's us to pray for "our daily bread." Notice that you are included in that. We should be praying for ourselves, not just our sick uncle. It is not selfish to pray for yourself, that's how we tell God what is on our mind. A prayer for "our daily bread" is really a pray for "tomorrow's bread today" (that's a more literal translation of "our daily bread). Sometimes we are afraid to pray for more than what we need because we think God isn't concerned with our wants and desires. Instead of asking for abundance, like "tomorrows bread today," we ask only for today's bread; only for what is necessary. "We do not have, because we do not ask" (James 4). If only we had the courage to ask God to bless us and use us for His glory in mighty ways, then what would we accomplish? Jesus, who is "the bread of life" (John 6:33-35), supplies us with the spiritual abundance that we need to live life to the fullest. Have you prayed for yourself lately? Have you prayed for more than just what you need?

At the Refuge on Sunday night we talked about another one of our basic principles, "Giving to the Community in Faith." The "G" in Refuge stands for "Giving." It is a important concept that goes all the way back to Cain and Abel. Remember, Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the Lord, but God rejected Cains offering and accepted Abel's. Cain' brought "some of the fruits" of his harvest. Abel on the other hand brought from the "fat portions of the firstborn" of his herds. Abel brought the best portions, while Cain just brought some leftovers. As students you might not have a whole lot to give, but it's not about the amount. The widow in Mark 12 who gave only pennies in the offering "put more in the treasury" than all the rich people who gave only out of their abundance. So each of us has anopportunity to give. We earn money indifferent ways. We might not get a lot of money, but we get something and we can take a portion of that and lay give it back to the Lord. We are not our own, we are bought with a price. God owns everything we have, he just lets us use it! 2 Corinthians 9 talks about those who sow sparingly and those who sow generously. God loves a cheerful giver and when we do give with the right heart, he will reward us on earth and in heaven. God is able "to make all grace abound to you!" Giving is gift from God! The ability to give and the desire to giveand the means to give are all gifts from God! He supplies us with everything we need. If you currently are not a giver, pray and ask God for the desire togive and for the ability to do so. Andthen take a portion of what’s in your drawer at home and put it in the offeringplate or give it to someone who needs it.

Weekly Update

2011-10-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

This weeks update (and a special note for students below)
Wednesday has been a great time to connect! The first half hour to 45
mins are a fellowship time with Pizza and snacks. As we congregate around
the kitchen it is easy to strike up conversations about the week. It's one
of my favorite times of just getting to hang out and listen to the students.
Times of fellowship like that are so important for the body of Christ.
"Breaking bread" together from house to house was a normal occurrence for
the early church and it should be for the modern church. Wednesday Refugee
camp is a chance to "break bread" (or pizza) together!
This week we talked about how "A Praying Life" is someone who prays
about everything in response to Jesus amazing statement: "Whatever you ask
in His name, I will give it." Jesus tells his disciples that over and over
again throughout the gospels. Does He really mean that we can ask for
anything? Yes! However, that doesn't mean that we will automatically get
everything we ask for. I know it seems really silly but sometimes I even
pray for my football team to win! I'm sure God is not too concerned with
which team wins, but that is what is on my heart at the time. Jesus wants
us to come to Him with everything, silly or not. He will be listening.
James says, "You do not have because you do not ask." And he also says,
"You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly." Often times we are
carried away by our own passions for things like football when we pray.
Overtime God may change our desires to be more in line with His so that
what we ask for are His desires and ours! Don't be afraid to come to the
Lord with what's on your heart right now! God may change your heart in the
next moment, but that's what communication is all about.

Sunday Nights!
are a time to lose your cool card and to think not only of yourself, but
everyone involved. Our group is different than most. Why? Because we are
mature group of students who respect one another and our leaders. As High
school students you are not worried about what people think when you hang
out with middle school students because they are your friends and your
brothers and sisters in Christ. As middle school students you are not
afraid to be around high school students because you know they will watch
out for you and not make fun of you or pick on you. As students you should
strive not to disrupt the flow of how the Lord may be using changes in our
group. Students, we need to take care of each other and respect one another
and your leaders. That means encouraging one another to be involved and
breaking out of our little cliques. Looking out for those who are left out
and being a team player. When we are playing a game that you don't like,
that means not complaining about the game and asking to play different
games. By doing that you ruin the game for everyone else that might be
enjoying it. If you actually played along with whatever we were doing you
would have fun. When we make up our mind that it will not be fun and don't
play along, we ruin it for everyone else. Fun begins with us! We are fun
people and we like each other. It doesn't matter what we are doing as long
as we realize that!