Responsible

Hello my fellow Jr. High immersed peeps! a new note of interest:

Over the past few weeks, we have seen very large numbers of first time guests; 44 this last week and 52 the week before. Surprisingly, we have not seemed to grow in overall numbers. Granted, we are averaging more in attendance than we ever have, but the trend I am seeing is that we are not retaining these students. we are having some come back the second and third time, but we don't seem to keep them long term.

One of the things I have seen as our greatest weakness is our lack of follow up. I think we are great at spending time with the kids and even making them feel a part of what we are doing (especially with access groups), but there is another easy step we can take to let them know that we know they were there and we want them to come back.

We are exploring a few options, but the ones that seem to rise to the top are emails AND phone calls. One way we would do the phone calls is to split up the number of first time guests per week between all of our service team captains and access group leaders. This would mean that you have 4 or 5 kids to call and follow up with during the week. A little verbiage and convo to let them know we were glad they came and we wanna see them again, even give them a little info if they need.

Don't let this be intimidating, let it be exciting! We are being responsible with the Students God is sending us!

switcharoo

Okay, so this last Sunday was our first time to have access groups in a while. It was also our first time to do the VIP room at the beginning. While there were a lot of students in the VIP room, we would like to try and move it to the great room that is right next to where we sign kids in after they walk in the door. I know, I know, it's strategic. That way when the kids sign in as they walk in the door we can usher them right into the VIP room.

Speaking of the great room, because of the time change of service (now 6:15 instead of 6:45), the worship team will be practicing and doing their sound check at 4:15, which means we will move our prayer and info times to the great room. So at 4:30 we will meet in the great room for 15 minutes of prayer and 15 minutes of instructional time. Then at 5 we will split off into our service teams as usual.

Well thanks for tuning in and as usual if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. have a great day!

Okee Dokee

I know I sent out an email this afternoon to most of you, but I also wanted to add the info here.

4:30 PM All staff (including volunteer) prayer in the auditorium

4:45 PM Volunteer Meeting – to discuss the evening and a word from our sponsor

5:00 Break into service teams to get your area ready and discuss any team specifics

5:30 Open Doors / All Skate

Now, because of the new format with Access Groups, we are also changing when and how we do VIP room. It will not be after service, but instead we will do it from 5:30-6:15. We will still punch the cards and have them go to the hospitality room. They will still get pizza and a coke. But we will not give the bags ‘til the end of the evening. At the end of the service, they can check in near the front doors at the information booth and give their VIP card that has 3 punches and get a goody bag.

6:15 PM Service starts with Worship

7:15 Service ends (worship time, announcements and preaching) this is when we will do the regular altar ministry time by the altar ministry team for anyone who needs prayer

7:20 Access Groups (notice we allowed for a 5 minute gap to get the kids into their group)

7:45 Ending of access groups

8:00 AMPED is over, parents pick up the students

I'm hungry...

...for a lot of things.

At home or during the day, when I get hungry, I try not to ignore it. You know that if you don't feed it you will remain hungry and you know that even if you do, you will be hungry again. The object is not to keep from getting hungry, but to anticipate the hunger and then to temporarily alleviate that hunger by feeding.

Now that I've stated the obvious, as I was in church tonight, I realized that I was hungry, but not physically. I was thinking about the Freedom series and how I'd like to see everybody respond. I was thinking about pre-service prayer and how that will affect our passion. I was thinking about a renewed passion to study the Word. I was thinking about spending time in prayer personally. I was thinking about the next several months at AMPED and what we hope to accomplish.

What are you hungry for? What will it cause you to do?

Great Expectancy

Can you feel it?

It's in the air.

It's a great expectancy for the Lord to begin something new and great and refreshing and revelatory starting September 14. This is when we start our Freedom series and access groups and service teams with captains. My anticipation is overwhelming.

Allow me to challenge you as I am challenged. I have a tendency to live and feed upon my past. In this case I am not talking about the bad parts of my past, but the good. The great. The wonderful seasons in which I had a great time with the Lord. I hear the Lord telling us it is a new season and the season is now! Please please please ask and be hungry for something brand new, so much better than it has been before. I ask you to be very prayerful and bring it up often in your conversations with the Lord. I ask that you would even consider and ask the Lord about fasting for this new season.

Of course I am excited and expect great things with this upcoming series on Freedom. I anticipate spiritual eyes and ears to be open, for the students and the adults. Ask the Lord to show you specific students and begin praying for them now. Even ask him to show you the faces of some students you don't even know or haven't met yet and pray for them. Ask for Salvations, healings, and for the chains of the enemy to be broken. I can't describe to you how strongly I feel about this. ask for the Lord to give me and Kam the words and annointing to preach this series. Pray for the students to open up in the small groups.

Have I told you I'm excited?

Freedom from ...

Fear.

I think this is something that plagues us as a society today but we don't talk about it, especially in the church. I know that as Pastor Robert has been speaking in this series about the blessed life, some of these issues have been raised in my own heart. Even the last few days I have been tempted to fear. When it does happen I pray that the Lord would help my unbelief. I ask that He would take what I beleive in my heart and make it override my head.

So this morning as I was studying and doing a little devotional, He kept encouraging me. I read Psalm 34.

Ps 34:4-6

4 I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me,
freeing me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
6 I cried out to the LORD in my suffering, and he heard me.
He set me free from all my fears.
NLT

Ps 34:8-10

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in him!
9 Let the LORD's people show him reverence,
for those who honor him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the LORD will never lack any good thing.
NLT

Ps 34:17-20

17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous face many troubles,
but the LORD rescues them from each and every one.
20 For the LORD protects them from harm —
not one of their bones will be broken!
NLT

Very powerful scripture. Then I was reading in a journal that I wrote years ago and came upon a page that simply had one thing written in it; a quote by Matthew Henry: "Faith in God will set us above the ensnaring fear of man."

Oh yeah, on the way to work I was listening to the new Hillsong album and the song "Healer" came on. There's some inspiration that'll help cure what ails ya.

As I opened the journal from years ago, a bookmark fell out that had a scripture on it:

Ps 28:7
7 The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger.
I trust in him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
NLT
then I opened my prayer journal and was able to write down several answers to prayer!

Let me tell you, whatever it is, He is able! If you need encouraging today, just spend a little time with the Lord; He's good for it.

Friday mornings

Okay, who likes Cracker Barrel? If you are raising your hand then let me invite you to our Friday morning breakfast at Cracker Barrel in Grapevine. We usually meet at 8 am and just hang out and have breakfast. No Agenda. Just good times with friends. So, with that said, we are having breakfast tomorrow and you are more than welcome to come, in fact, consider this a formal invitation.