I will start off by saying that I own multiple guns, I don’t disagree with the direction of gun control conversations, but believe that any requirement imposed on guns owners will not be easy to come up with nor solve this problem. A law cannot take hatred out of a human heart. A law is not going to eliminate death at the end of a gun, violent acts involving guns, or from people getting up in arms (no pun intended) about the violent act of a person who used a gun after the new law is passed. It is not a peson’s competency with a gun that makes him/her the right person to have one, but the condition of their life and mentality about said life.
In the case of the Harrisburg High school shooting this week, 3 things. First, they don’t know where he got the gun. He and the family didn’t own one. No law, class or test would have stopped this. To use an example, It was like someone who wanted to drive a car at 70mph going out and stealing one without a license and hitting an innocent pedestrian. More car laws would not have stopped that either. Second, if he was more competent with the gun, the principal may have been dead rather than shot in the arm and the vice-principal probably wouldn’t have been able to tackle him so easily. Third, I am following the story because I spent ten years there and my son would have been in that school that day if we hadn’t moved. In all that I am reading about the story, it is over and over again stated that ‘the dad hadn’t seen him in months because he was living with mom’. Today I read that the family didn’t even show up to his first court appearance! I think we are to the root of the Harrisburg shooting. We have a rogue 16 year old kid with no guidance in life who just crossed an unacceptable line in our society. Maybe in a way he was trying to get someone to give him guidance, but didn’t know how to ask. Anybody thought of that? Anybody see someone ask that question on social media? Anyone concerned for these 2 young men?
Our system is now going to (probably) throw a 16 year old kid into prison for 50 years (mandated for his charges). I don’t think that is right either. It is safe and America likes feeling safe. Get the gun handler off the street. I think not! How about we engage this kid with adults with solid heads on their shoulders and teach him how to be a man? To life with character and integrity? To win over the heart of a woman? To enjoy work and recreation? Let’s spend our time helping young people whether 16 (in S.D.) or 20 (in Oregon) develop a fulfilling and happy life they were created for rather than spending our time debating more laws so the next abandoned 16 year old who reaches out for attention in the wrong way goes to jail for longer.
Most you know my heart and that this is what I’ve given my life to. My challenge to you is to head down to the closest public school to where you are and see how you can help influence a student in the right direction in life. I did say that last sentence singular student and not students. Everyone wants to do something big. But if every single student in the U.S. would have a single caring adult come alongside them outside of family, I believe school shootings would stop today. Want to create a law? How about getting a tax break for those involved in any way, shape, or form in the life of a teenager? Soccer coach. Big Brother/Big Sister. Church youth group volunteer. Class assistant at the high school. Mentor at Juvie. Get involved, get a tax break, and simultaneiously end gun violence at the heart rather than the court.
First Priority of America is a nationwide organization that establishes student led Christian outreach clubs in schools. This organization has given me a way to make an impact in my high school. Some would call my connection with First Priority a coincidence; in hindsight, I call it a God thing.
Throughout my progression in my faith, people have warned me not to ask God to use me, saying, “He might actually do it”. This is one of those sayings I always classified as a Christian cliché and wrote off. However, in the middle of my junior year, it became a reality. I had been praying consistently for God to use me, asking to be his vessel in the sea of the world. He did just that. A friend of mine asked me to tag along to a launch meeting for a new club at Ravenwood called First Priority.
Henry Blackaby, the author of “Experiencing God”, advises his readers to find God where He is already at work. In this meeting, I saw God starting something and I knew this was where God needed me to be. From that moment on, I poured everything I had into this club. At first, the original leaders were doing well, but they soon lost steam, especially as graduation neared. I, in turn, took up the slack and devoted my passion to spreading the hope of Christ to my school. For example, I planned events, scheduled speakers, and advertised the club to the student body. This responsibility taught me how to deal with other people depending on me, always expecting me to have answers and a plan. I did my best to keep the club running, always praying and working for its growth.
My devotion did not go unnoticed. As the school year came to a close, a leader in the First Priority organization approached me and invited me to look into a program called Student Leadership University. After I expressed interest, he informed me that the organization wanted to give me a full grant to represent First Priority at the conference. That experience is a whole other essay in itself.
In the end, as senior year began, I reignited First Priority with a vision to start a revival for Christ in my school. I am now the president of First Priority, still consistently praying and working toward my vision. It is not easy, but I know that my purpose is the Lord’s and everything is in His hands. He gives me opportunities like these to grow, and grow I have as I learn to delegate and trust others, but also to monitor quality and completion. I am figuring out how to use the obvious to accomplish the complicated. Most importantly, through First Priority, I have learned that I am never alone in my responsibility; a helping hand is always waiting. It all depends on me to have the humility to take it. Through this experience, I have kindled a fire in myself to be that helping hand for others in need and point the way to the ultimate helping hand.
I have been reading a book by Tom Doyle called “Killing Christians”. The only word that comes to mind is “WOW”. As I have been reading the stories of people coming to Christ and thereby threatened of physical death, it has made me really look at my relationship with Jesus. The stories of the people in the book, I realize, are experiencing a relationship with Jesus that is so much more real than mine. I know Jesus lives in me and I know that if I were to die I would be with Him, I just don’t depend on Him for everything. I live in a bubble, I really don’t need to rely on Jesus to meet my needs, I live in America. Our poor are not poor compared to the world, we all are rich.
Jesus said in, Matthew19:24 “I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The eye of the needle was a gate entering into the city. It was a people gate and not that big. A camel could go through, but it would have to get on its knees and then crawl through. Rich people CAN buy their way out of discomfort. We CAN make our lives comfortable and miss depending on God. I mean most of us as Americans still think our food comes from groceries stores. We are blessed beyond measure and I sometimes think the blessings of God have become our biggest curse. We rob ourselves of intimacy with God because of His blessings on our country. I want to be dependent, I want to have no fear, I want to experience what so many people around the world are experiencing with Jesus. Would I die for Jesus? I hope I would, I hope it does not come down to that in America. I would love to see an awakening happen in our country and for us to be a shinning city on a hill. I hope I don’t have to die for Jesus anytime soon, but I do want to live for Him now!
I want to encourage you.
Mark Roberts
“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” 1 Samuel 14:6 (NLV)
This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I encourage you to go read the whole story for yourself. To give you a little back ground; Jonathan is with his dad Saul, the first King of Israel and 600 hundred solders. Saul is sitting under the shade of a tree and Jonathan is ready to go pick a fight. The word Jonathan used here is very important. “Perhaps the Lord will help us” which could be saying, maybe…..it might be…I hope so…Ok, you get the picture. Jonathan knew the Lord could do anything He wants. He could most certainly win a battle for them. What is awesome is that Jonathan was willing to charge up the hill and give it a shot. Why are most American Christians are bored? It is because we are comfortable sitting under the shade of a tree, listening to our Christian music, going on our Christian cruises, and trying to find a date on “Christian Mingle”! I am preaching to myself as well, so don’t be too offended. I DO want to be like Jonathan. I want to live in that place that I am nervous, but perhaps God will work through me. Wouldn’t you rather try to influence the school? Wouldn’t it be better to influence your friends with the gospel than just live your life under the shade of a tree? I hear adults talk about their regrets of not taking a stand for their faith. I hear things like “I wish I would have done more for the Lord, or witness to my friend.” I met a leader of First Priority name Victoria that prayed for God to use her to leave a legacy at her high school. He did. She was given the opportunity to stand in front of over 100 of her peers and tell her God story. Victoria was used by God, because she charged up the hill.
As we see in the end of Nehemiah, there is a time of celebration (see Nehemiah 12). It was such a great time of celebration. In the midst of that, Nehemiah remembered something critical: he remembered who got him started in the first place and went back to visit. He went back to Artaxerxes, King of Babylon. Scripture does not share the details, so we can only assume that he went back to say, ‘Thank you” and to share stories of success, God’s provision and protection, and the unity that was happening in Jerusalem. As we often say in Nashville, “Remember the little people.” Okay, maybe only I say that to people who are getting good at playing the guitar. Nehemiah remembered where he came from and was thankful.
We all start small. We all start with convincing one person that our idea is worth putting effort into. When we see victory, we can go back and share the stories of success with those that helped us get there.
Note that I said ‘when we see victory’ rather than ‘when all the difficulties were over’. I say that because while the celebration in chapter 12 already happened and Nehemiah was visiting the little people, he still dealt with conflict until the end. Three times while visiting the king, Nehemiah used the words, “Remember me for this, O my God” in reference for the integrity he kept in dealing with conflict and problems.
Leadership will never be over. We will have seasons of celebration. We will always be dealing with conflict, even in the midst of celebrating. It is worth it. It is worth the time, stress, and endurance that it takes to see the hope of Christ in every student by uniting the local body of Christ with a plan of action to influence the schools with the gospel.
Peace,
Brad
I have heard it said that you can make it about 40 days without food, four days without water, and about 4 minutes without air; but you can’t live one second without HOPE.
The Definition of “HOPE” says that it is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
Even if things are really bad, most humans have ‘hope’ that things will get better. The ultimate expression of hopelessness is suicide. I am not saying that everyone is suicidal. I am saying that many people you are around keep hoping things will get better and they need to see the hope of Christ in you.
I believe we are all born with a sense to know our Creator. I believe God placed it in our DNA. I believe you and I were born to know God. When we connect with Him though a relationship with Jesus Christ it is amazing how our mind changes and we become new creations in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have a hope and peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). It is hard to explain, but we want everyone to experience it.
Can you imagine the hopelessness you would feel if you were not a follower of Christ? What if you did not have that peace and hope? You are around people at school that need to hear about the HOPE inside of you. Look at this school year as an opportunity to take the HOPE of Christ to every student.
Where the spirit of God is moving is where the best party on the planet is happening. Was that to early to answer my question? blog over…. but wait, this leads to a question…….
Are you feeling the spirit of a party happening in your life today? The best moments of my ministry career are the moments when I hear the story of a life change. God moving in the life of a student, or teacher, or parent at school through the First Priority ministry that I played my role in. BEST PARTY ON THE PLANET. We talked perspective last week in the blog. Here is another: there are Holy Spirit parties happening all over the world each and every moment of each and every day of each and every year since the fall of man. My prayer each day: God, help me to do the work that I need to do in order to see a party happen today.
Nehemiah built the wall and labored hard for 56 days getting it done. He was simply following God’s burden for his heart. I don’t think he had any idea that massive revival would break out (see Nehemiah 12). But it did. We know that with First Priority, lives will be changed each and every day in schools around the country. With 2,500 clubs in 32 states and 31 organized communities, God is using us to do His thing in the lives of students. It is humbling. AND it IS a party.
Peace,
Brad
We all know the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king, Nebuchadnezzar, had made an idol 90 feet tall and commanded all in Babylon to bow down to it or be thrown in the fiery furnace. These three men would not bow down. It made King Nebuchadnezzer furious! They even said in verse 17 “ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Here is where this story gets crazy. Nebuchadnezzar heated the furnace up so hot that the soldiers that threw the men in it were killed by the fire. Dang! That is Hot!
Nebuchadnezzar said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Here is the deal….as Christians we are going to have problems. We dont get a pass because we are followers of Christ. BUT what we do get, is to go through trials and have Jesus walk with us in the middle of the fire! Don’t you know when those guys came out of that furnace, not even smelling like smoke, they were a little bit more fired up (sorry) for their faith! Remember a little heat in our life causes growth on our part.
Keep Fishing!
Mark Roberts
What is your $64,000 question?
We have a perspective about everything; to the point that if my title on this article didn’t catch your eye, you are already not reading this because your perspective was that it was not worth your time. As people in ministry (who make up the largest demographic who reads this blog), we have a very unique view of the community that we live in. With that view brings the good and the bad, but the thing I want to bring to light is that it is just that, a viewpoint. The people who grew up in your town, graduated from the high school, and now either work for a local business or own a local business have a different perspective. This is also true of the parents in your student ministry who moved into town. The teachers in the school have another.
Nehemiah 11 gives us an overview of who is in town, where they lived, and who they are related to.
1.” Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.”
The image here is of a man from out of town who caught a vision and implemented it, and along the way became a man who knew the people around town. He had community influence. He started out with a ministry viewpoint and ended with a larger community perspective. Right now in your community, you have your perspective. What you need is a community perspective. So, build an initiation team with parents, business leaders, teachers and student ministers on it. That way you have a healthy balanced perspective.
Perspective brings enlightenment. In starting this ministry, that is crucial.
Peace,
Brad
PS. The perspective I care the most about is a lost student’s view of Jesus. Every lost student in your community has an opinion about Jesus. This view ranges from seeing him as the Christ, the Son of God to a curse word. If a student has never stepped foot in a church nor had a spiritual conversation with a Christian, what is their view of the Christ? I believe that is the $64,000 question…
