Southwood Lutheran Church

Going the Extra Mile

On Sunday, April 20th, you may have noticed several middle and high school students walking or running on a treadmill in our Café area. They were raising both money and awareness for the Extra Mile walk for the Food Bank of Lincoln. The walk specifically benefits the Backpack Program and will be held this Saturday, April 26th at 10:00am.

About 15 high school students and adult leaders from Southwood will be walking on Saturday as a team to support this cause. Many more Southwood students will be walking as a part of teams from their schools. All told, the students and adult leaders raised $520 for the Extra Mile, which will provide 7 students a backpack full of food for an entire school semester!

If you want to Get involved with Southwood's efforts at Saratoga Elementary school click here.

Check out what Jacob and Jay had to say about participating in this great cause!

Act 13 - A Blog in 28 Acts

Paul's First Mission Read all of Acts 13 here.

In Acts 13 Saul (soon to become Paul) and Barnabas set out on their mission to carry the good news of the Gospel to "the ends of the earth." They travel through 7 cities, three regions, and through various temples and synagogues. They carry their message with passion and conviction. The church today has much to learn from their committment to this mission. Four things stand out for me in chapter 13 that I think really apply to us in the church today.

ONE - Paul and Barnabas are not afraid to be direct, even confrontational. They know they have good news to share and they will not let anything get in the way. As chapter 13 opens we hear these words from Paul:

"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

This was spoken by Paul to a "false prophet." Paul knew that if he was going to proclaim this message he had to confront anything that stood against it. What are the things that followers of Christ today would be called to confront?

TWO - Paul connects the Gospel to a story they already know. In Acts 13:16-22 Paul recounts the story of the People of Israel all the way to King David. Those who were gathered in the temple that day would have known this story very well. Then in verse 23 and following Paul begins to connect Jesus to this story. Paul doesn't say - "what you knew before was wrong and you must start over with a new story." No - Paul takes great care in connecting this new Gospel to a story that they already know, a story that is very close to their hearts. In what ways does the Gospel of Jesus connect to the stories of people in the 21st century culture?

THREE - They looked for places in which the Gospel could do something completely new. Paul and Barnabas were not afraid to go beyond the temples and synagogues. They carried their message even to the Gentiles (or non-Jews). Before this, this non-Jewish crowd was not even considered human in the eyes of the Jewish Leaders. Paul and Barnabas knew that Jesus had been intentional about carrying his message beyond those already on the "inside." Who are the groups in today's culture that we are afraid to share the good news with? How could the church do something new in the world today?

FOUR - They could shake the dust off of their shoes and move on. As humans we do not want to fail. I am sure that Paul was no different - of course when he preached he wanted people to hear his message and be transformed. Of course this was not always the case. Often times the crowd would turn on him. As Chapter 13 ends we see that Paul and Barnabas shake the dust off of their feet and move on. They have not been completely successful in their work and yet they Holy Spirit continues to fill them with joy and purpose. As the church today, we have to do all that we can to proclaim the Gospel, and then we have to be content to walk away and let the Holy Spirit do its work. Have you ever felt unsuccessful as an apostle of Christ? Have you had to shake the dust off? How did the Holy Spirit work in that situation?

Continue to think this week about how the Holy Spirit is empowering you to carry the good news about Jesus to "the ends of the earth." What is difficult for you? What is new? What fills you with joy?

Pastor Sara

This 28 part blog will post each Tuesday through Friday from April 1 through May 16. We'll post on one chapter of Acts each day. Be sure to join us in reading this entire book. We'll learn about Jesus, about his disciples, and about how we can become more fully devoted followers of Christ.

Act 9 - A Blog in 28 Acts

Experiencing God Read all of Acts 9 here.

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 9:17-22

Have you ever had a situation where you experienced the presence of God in your life? Maybe it was through a song, a sermon, a trip to the mountains or the kind gesture of a stranger. I’m not talking about an awareness of God, but truly experiencing the love, forgiveness and power of God. Saul experienced God in Acts 9. He was on the road to Damascus when the resurrected Christ appeared to him personally and blinded him for three days. After these three days, Ananias prayed for Paul and laid hands on him and scales fell from his eyes and he was able to see again.

Imagine being in the presence of the resurrected Jesus and then having Jesus take away your sight for three days. Unable to see or find your way around. Unable to explain to others what really happened. I have to image that those three days seemed like an eternity for Saul. Then imagine the incredible joy that you would feel if you were Saul and Ananias placed his hands on you and at that moment of prayer God restored your sight and gave you a specific mission and purpose on earth. Imagine how much power you would feel and how your life would be changed.

We see that Saul’s life was indeed changed. As we read above, Saul immediately went to Damascus to learn about Jesus form the disciples. They he began to teach others that Jesus is truly the Messiah. Essentially, Saul did a 180 degree turn. He became one of the people he formerly hated. He began to preach to the people he once was. Instead of pride and jealousy, Saul began to live a life of humility and community. His life was so transformed that the disciples were afraid of him and his former friends, the Jewish leaders, wanted to kill him. Saul had experienced God and it transformed his life. Saul had known about God all of his life, but he wasn’t changed until he truly experienced God.

So the question for us today is two-fold. First, have you truly experienced God? Not just hearing or believing in God, but really experienced God? And second, if you have experienced God, what difference has it made in your life? I truly believe that all of us who belong to Christ have at some point had an encounter with God. It probably wasn’t as dramatic as Saul’s experience, but we have encountered God nonetheless. We were forgiven by a friend. We served on a mission trip. We gave to a church or mission organization from our heart. We felt God’s presence in a time of need or trial. We all experience God on various levels through various experiences. After we have these experiences, our lives should be transformed. We should live a little more like Christ each time. Saul didn’t delay. Once he encountered Christ, his life was completely transformed. For many of us this transformation happens more gradually and over time, but we should experience this transformation and growth.

How have you experienced God in your life? How has that experience changed your heart and life?

Chip

This 28 part blog will post each Tuesday through Friday from April 1 through May 16. We'll post on one chapter of Acts each day. Be sure to join us in reading this entire book. We'll learn about Jesus, about his disciples, and about how we can become more fully devoted followers of Christ.

Act 5 - A Blog in 28 Acts

What's Your Heart Condition?  Read all of Acts 5.

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.  Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?  Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.  Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.  About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?"  "Yes," she said, "that is the price."  Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.  Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.  Acts 5:1-11

To me this story is alarming and frightening.  God killed Ananias and Sapphira for their deceit and betrayal towards Him and the budding Church.  I actually have read this story numerous times now and the way the events unfolded still shock me.  Why would God take their lives for a sin as simple as lying?  Why would Ananias and Sapphira keep some money for themselves and then lie about it?  It was their money and they were free to give what they wanted.  It seems to me that the problem was not their greedy actions, but their hearts. 

This passage reminds me that God sees into our hearts and knows the purpose, intent and desire of each of them.  As scripture records in 1 Samuel 16:7, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."   God knows every desire of our hearts, good or bad.  He knows when we are being honest with Him and when we'€™re not.  Some of us are great at hiding.  We can hide our secret sins and pain from others.  Our emotions and outward expressions can often mask our true selves to people and give people the impression that everything is fine and dandy.  However, we can'€™t fool God.  We can'€™t try to pull a fast one on Him or convince Him that everything is fine if it isn't. We desperately need to purify our hearts continually by communing with God in prayer, confessing sin and turning toward Him in repentance.  We need to check our attitudes and our lifestyle against God'€™s Word and make sure we are living our lives in a way that honors God.

What is the condition of your heart?  What "€œsecret"€ things do you have in there that people don'€™t see?  How do we overcome a fear of being honest and real with God?

Take time this week to search your heart and ask God to reveal areas that might need some healing and repentance.

Chip

This 28 part blog will post each Tuesday through Friday from April 1 through May 16.  We'll post on one chapter of Acts each day.  Be sure to join us in reading this entire book.  We'll learn about Jesus, about his disciples, and about how we can become more fully devoted followers of Christ.

Keystone or Bust!

Over Spring Break we had our annual senior high ski trip as we tore up the slopes in Keystone, Colorado! Sixteen students and four adults went on this trip. We skied three days and even one night.

Night skiing was definitely the highlight of the week for the students in terms of skiing. Most of them had not skied or boarded under the lights and were amazed at how cool and different it is. During the evening we shared our meals together, had a town-wide scavenger hunt in Breckenridge and shopping in Silverthorne and Colorado Mills Mall.

Each night we crammed in to one hotel room to share a time of devotion and prayer. We discussed three main Nooma videos that talked about wanting the right things, God’s breath of life inside of us and how to experience God in the Divine Whisper and silence. Devotional times were deep and full of sharing and reflection.

Our final devotional time focused on how God has displayed His glory to us during the week and what we had learned. We closed by sharing the game “Remember When”, where we reviewed all of the fun moments of the week. We stayed up and laughed in the hotel room well into the night!

God protected us during the trip, as the roads were great and nobody was severely injured. One of my favorite moments form the trip was squeezing 20 people into an order-only pizza shop! We looked like sardines.  I look forward to our trip in 2009 with excitement and great anticipation. I want to especially thank Pat and Jill Hurlbut and Rick Ziegler for sharing their time, energy and listening ear to all of the students last week. They were an incredible blessing to all of us who went!

Chip

A Blog in 28 Acts - Act 1

When God Calls Your Number - Read all of Acts One.

Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of His resurrection." So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, "You, Lord, know the hearts of all; show which of these two You have chosen to take the place in this apostolic service that Judas left to go to his own place." Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered with the 11 apostles. – Acts 1:21-26

I love reading God’s Word, because no matter how many times you read a particular passage you can still find new details of God’s truth and new application for your life. I experienced this phenomena again as I read this passage.

Most of us know the story of Judas’s betrayal of Jesus, Judas’s death and the subsequent choice of Matthias to replace him as the 12th Apostle. However, as I read this story again, a new detail of the story caught my attention. Notice in verse 21 that scripture reveals that Matthias was not a new disciple of Christ, but that he had “accompanied us (the apostles) the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us – beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us”. Matthias had been following Jesus for probably over 3 years and had been a traveling companion of the disciples. But we never hear of Matthias before or after this in Scripture. He obviously was a faithful follower of Christ who most likely shared the Good News with others and may have even participated in various healings and miracles along with the Apostles. Yet until Acts 1, he remains hidden from Scripture and from the fame and glory afforded to the other Apostles. We know very little about him, yet when God called him to a new position of authority and influence he stepped up to the plate.

Often, God calls us to be like Matthias. Often we work behind the scenes and out of the spotlight. We live our lives as followers of Christ quietly and unnoticed by most as we live faithfully for His glory. We share Christ with our co-workers in word and deed, we commune with God in prayer, share corporate worship at church, raise our children, love our neighbors and on and on. But sometimes, God calls us to a new level of responsibility and influence. Like Matthias, God may call us to do something new and great for His name’s sake. He calls us to take the next step and possibly take on a great deal more responsibility for Him. Maybe God is knocking on your heart to take a mission trip to Tanzania or Honduras. Maybe God is calling you to lead a small group. Maybe He is calling you to pursue new employment opportunities or do something new in your life. Maybe God is calling you to give up something in your life that has been hindering your relationship with Him and others.

The question is not if God will use you to do great things for Him, but rather when He will. When God calls your number and wants you to take the next step for Him will you be ready? Is God calling your number right now? Take that next step with great confidence and boldness, knowing that He who is faithful had faith in you.

Chip

This 28 part blog will post each Tuesday through Friday from April 1 through May 16. We'll post on one chapter of Acts each day. Be sure to join us in reading this entire book. We'll learn about Jesus, about his disciples, and about how we can become more fully devoted followers of Christ.

Survive – The Dare2Share Experience

Peer pressure. Exposure to drugs and alcohol. Sexual temptation. Hormones. Body constantly changing. Socially uncomfortable. Moody. Friends. Sports. Siblings. Homework. Parental expectations....

Welcome to the life of your average teenager. Ever wonder how they survive all that pressure?

This past weekend, 80 students and adult leaders from Southwood were part of over 6,600 who attended the annual Dare2Share conference. The focus of Dare2Share this year was to help teens learn how to survive this life by plugging into Christ and allowing God’s power to mold and shape their character.

The weekend included incredible worship with Lincoln Brewster, dramatic skits, outstanding teaching, and hands-on service to our community. Students explored topics like how to share your faith, how to avoid sexual temptation, how to honor God with our money and what it means to follow Christ. On Saturday, we canvassed a local neighborhood sharing the Good News of Christ and collecting canned food for the People’s City Mission. All told, the Dare2Share Conference raised 23 tons of food for the People's City Mission (read more here.)

Even with the great teachings, worship, skits, and service.... the most important thing that happened this past weekend was God transforming hearts. Many students trusted in Christ for the first time in their lives and many others committed to giving God a part of their life that wasn’t honoring to Him. It was an incredible experience. God did a great work in the lives of our youth who attended as they learned to trust God more deeply in this world... so that they may truly survive.

Chip

Idaho Or Bust

In June, our High School students and adult leaders will be traveling to Camp Lutherhaven in Idaho to rebuild their chapel and run a day camp for developmentally disabled students. The beauty of this trip is not that we will be in a beautiful mountain location (we will), but that we will be fulfilling the greater vision of Southwood. Here's how....

New Youth Group Worship

It has been said that worship is the one thing that can most powerfully transform a person’s heart. Scripture also makes clear that our worship is what God wants most. I believe both to be true. Worship needs to have a priority in our lives and we need to give our honor and praise to God in response to His goodness and love towards us. With this in mind, our senior high Youth Group has changed in format and meeting time recently. We have abandoned the traditional one-hour format on Sunday morning in favor of a 2-hour format on Sunday evenings at the church.

Our main purpose in switching formats and times was simply this – worship. The main change from our previous format is the inclusion of a new contemporary worship style. We have assembled (and continue to assemble) a group of high school students eager to use their musical talents to worship God and bring the youth into a new way of worshipping God as a group.

Last Sunday was our first shot at this new worship and it was amazing. Sure, there were bugs to work out and it wasn’t perfect, but it was worship. Worship is never perfect – but the One being worshipped is.

Along with the new format of contemporary worship is a new focus on teaching God’s Word in a relevant video/small group format. We have begun to teach series of teaching segments where we watch video lessons each week and then discuss the week’s topic for 30 minutes in small groups of the student’s choice. This time has been an impactful time of sharing and openness not found in corporate worship.

Besides worship and teaching God’s Word, a final aspect of our new format that is exciting is the availability of our students to share life together. The last 30-45 minutes of our youth group time is dedicated to hanging out and being together. There is no agenda, no focus, just time to talk, cry, pray, play video games, eat some food etc. Last Sunday students staying and hung out until 9:30!

It was an amazing experience to be a part of 50 or so high school students and adult leaders worshipping God together in song. It is the fulfillment of a dream that I’ve had for our youth group since I arrived here 3 years ago. My hope is that this new format is a launching pad for a new Sunday night worship service open to the larger community so that we can have yet another avenue to reach out to the great community in Lincoln.

God desires our worship more than anything else. Our youth at Southwood have another avenue to worship God corporately and fulfill God’s will and desire for their lives. I thank God for that.

Chip

Be a Missionary in Your Own Backyard

Have you ever wanted to be a missionary, but can’t commit to spending a few thousand dollars on a trip or can’t leave job, family and home to go overseas? I have the perfect solution for you! Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Miniseries (NLOM) is looking for faith-filled people who want to serve in various capacities for the Summer of 2008. They need people who are willing to serve as: counselors, health care staff, naturalists, horse wranglers, creative arts staff, lifeguards, adventure program staff, site coordinators, program assistants, pottery assistants and communications assistants. Essentially, if you are good at anything and have a heart to serve God and young people, you are qualified! Requirements for the various summer positions vary, so contact NLOM at 1.888.656.6254 or check out the Summer Employment Opportunities on their website for more specifics.

Not only do they need summer staff at Carol Joy Holling in Ashland, Nebraska, but also in Junction City, KS, Lodgepole, Nebraska and various day programs throughout Nebraska.

I spent one summer working at a Christian Camp in Colorado during my college years, and it was an amazing experience. It completely changed my life and solidified my calling as a youth worker/pastor. I encourage all of you who are interested to pray about it, contact NLOM and see where God leads you! Let me know if you have more questions.

Merry Christmas!

Chip