Are you serious?!?!?!

What in the world?

Check out this story on the internet: School District: Sixth Graders had SEX in School.

I personally think that it is the Middle School Pastor's fault in that community! J/K. Nah, but on a serious note: this story broke my heart and lights a passion in my heart to make sure that the students our ministry comes in contact with know the truth.

SHIFT Session #2: Donald Miller

Donald Miller led Session #2: "How to Share the Gospel Without Weirding People Out":

Here are some notes:

• Christianity is easy when it is just us, but when others come into the conversation-its something else. Why? Is it because I am ashamed?
  
• When a culture is only influenced by itself, when they do not communicate, share ideas with the outside it becomes goofier. It gets to the point where they cannot communicate.
  
• Jesus never took the time to explain the story/give the point. It was done in the story, by the story, through the story.
  
• The human heart desires a story.
• Erosion of values has caused the story to decline.
• Never underestimate your role in the story.
• Evangelism in a nutshell is: inviting people into a better story.
• "Write every day, line by line, page by page, hour by hour. Do this despite fear. For above all else, beyond imagination and skill, what the world asks of you is courage, courage to risk rejection, ridicule and failure. As you follow the quest for stories told with meaning and beauty, study thoughtfully but write boldly. Then, like the hero of the fable, your dance will dazzle the world.” - Robert McKee

SHIFT Session #1: Darren Whitehead

Darren Whitehead kicked off the SHIFT Conference. He is the Director of Student Impact, the High School Ministry at Willow Creek Community Church.

Here are some thoughts from his talk titled, "Where It Is, Where It's Going, and What We Can Do About It":

Churches are now irrelevant to mainstream culture, similar to the cultural phenomena called cultural freeze.

Gospel is timeless but our methods and strategies are time-sensitive.

Not just youth culture but the entire world has changed. We live in World 2.0 and we can't do Youth Ministry in World 1.0, church for kids grown up in a church environment.

Here are some specific SHIFTS that they have implemented at Willow Creek:

1. Less Leader Generated Content to More User Generated Content.

• They are looking for less professional and more PERSONAL.
• They want to interact and participate.
• Teenagers are the experts on teen culture.
  

2. Less Travel Agent to More Tour Guide.

• Don't tell them where to go, but go WITH them. Walk with them in life.

3. Less Imitation to More Imagination

• We've created a co-dependent spoon fed culture that is spiritually malnourished, starving themselves, but getting fed once a week.
• We have to stop limiting what following/serving Jesus looks like. We must free them in their personality to be themselves and who God called them to be.