new jr high Believe podcast

We are exited to announce the launch of the NEW Believe Podcast. We actually have a BIG announcement at the end of the podcast so follow this link and subscribe! If you have iTunes just click on the Believe logo to go to the Believe podcast. If you don't have iTunes . . . well, I'm speechless actually and don't know what to tell you if you don't have iTunes :)

most of the time less is more . . .

Last night at our jr high mid week service our jr high pastor was pumping the Believe conference that we take our students to. It was fun for me to see what it is like from the other side. This is my full time job. I plan Believe events and here I was on the other side in a jr high service hearing with them about Believe. We take our students to Tulsa Believe. It is just around the corner and our jr high pastor, Matt Neal, told the students he had a video to share with them to "pump them up about Believe". I was excited. We work so hard on our videos that promote the Believe event. We sit in meetings and talk about how our inventive videos are going to rock youth ministries all across the country . . .

. . . and then last night my own jr high ministry reminds me of a few of the core values I myself trumpet on this blog. Believe is bigger than the program because we (no pun intended) believe in the local church and we know that it is all about connecting adults with students in meaningful relationships. The video our youth leaders made to tell about Believe is one of the best I have ever seen. I drags a bit in the middle; but it is still funny! Great job guys, it was awesome. I can't wait to see our students experience Believe in Tulsa! Less is always more . . .

Stuck in Denver . . .

I am not exactly a 'jet set' kind of guy. I was recently with a speaker buddy of mine who laughed when he saw my miles. I won't get upgraded to first class for some time folks! There is this total misconception about all of us CIY workers. Youth workers will say to me, "well you must get so sick of traveling . . .". The truth of the matter is that I most likely travel about as much as most local ministers I know. I will only be out 4 weeks this summer and that will be my lightest summer in 10 years of ministry. There are 11 Believe events over the school year. It isn't that much actually.

I just came off of a mini Holiday sabatical. I got really used to spending time at home with my boys. It was hard to wake up at 3:30 in the morning last Friday for my flight to California. I did not think that this weekend would be the first snowfall in 18 years for Southern California. I also didn't plan on getting stuck for 3 days in Denver trying to get back to my truck at the Fayettville Arkansaw regional airport. Stuck is not the right word. Mom and Dad drove down from Fort Collins to pick me up for a few days. It's been fun; but I really miss my wife, my boys, my small group, my church, and the folks at the home office.

California Believe was the best one yet in terms of me actually getting to sit back and start to enjoy the weekend. I am looking foward to Tulsa in two weeks . . . I can walk home from there . . . well not really, snowmobile perhaps . . . I would have to stop every hour for hot chocholate

I fly back into Walmart . . . I mean northwest Arkansaw tomorow.