Wow!  It's been a LONG time since I've blogged on here!  But better late than never!  So much has happened in 12:11 Youth Ministries over the past 7-8 months since I blogged last!  Last spring (April) we had a high school encounter retreat that launched us into a new dimension of ministry!  We had around 25 students, most of whom were new to the youth group, and had quite the life history to say the least.  For the first time in our ministry, we saw demonic manifestations (~5) and subsequent deliverances, as well as dramatic Holy Spirit baptisms!  The brotherhood formed among the guys, especially, brought tears to everyone!  We witnessed what we've never even imagined!  AWESOME!  School officials, parents, and other leaders in the community were calling and stopping in to see what we were doing because of the dramatic changes they saw in these students!  I had no answer other than God's grace!

We rode a high wave through the end of the school year as our services were filled with the power of God, our numbers were around 90-100 students each week, and lives were being touched by the power of God's love!  After school ended, however, a number of those who attended the retreat had to go to the PEOPLE program - a residential summer academic program on the UW campus.  In those 3 weeks, we lost some momentum since our "leaders" were all there.  And unfortunately, no church or youth group for 3 straight weeks, and being surrounded by the pressures of living day in and day out with ungodly peers, the fire was quenched.  The need for discipleship was so clear to me - and unfortunately, it seemed like there was nothing we could do for them.

During the summer months, attendance usually drops a little bit...we went down to around 70-80 kids, and the departure of our strong senior class was felt.  However, in August we hosted our first middle school encounter retreat!  It definitely had some different dynamics than the previous 2 high school retreats, but God never ceases to amaze me!  The depth of hurt and the severity of the challenges these middle schoolers have faced in their short lives - this age that is supposed to be an age of innocence - was shocking to all of us.  But praise Jesus, freedom, deliverance, and healing came to these 30 or so students!
This fall we have been awed by the youthfulness of our group - the middle schoolers appear to have taken over!  We have a whole new group of Sun Prairie and Sennett Middle Schoolers.  So our group is very young, but they keep bringing more and more new people!  Our numbers have been back up over 100 this fall, and we have so many new people that it's hard to keep 'em all straight!

Halloween weekend we had another high school encounter retreat that we felt was going to be a pivotal time for our youth ministry.  We had a strong core group of students who hadn't gone to one in the past but who have been around for some time.  We felt some strong prophetic direction going into that weekend, and the Lord did not disappoint!  The depth of freedom and the genuineness of what happened was greater than any other retreat we've had.  Something was birthed that weekend - a core remnant of devoted disciples was brought into being!

So here we find ourselves about at the end of another fall semester!  Many youth staff and students have weathered some storms that the devil has sent to distract, deny and derail, but having done all, here we are standing by the grace of God!

I sense a growing resurgence in the youth staff - kind of like Elijah when he saw the cloud the size of a fist - it may not seem like much to onlookers but the Spirit is bearing witness with mine that another level of breakthrough is coming!

I still believe that He who began a good work in 12:11 and Madison will complete it!  This community needs to see a demonstration of the power and love of Jesus Christ and we, the saints of God, are the carriers of this glory!  So keep praying with us and for us!  Revival is coming to the Greater Madison community!

First Corinthians 13:4-8a says, "Love is patient and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things. Love never fails..."

Through personal experience and from a sociological perspective, the American church has gone a number of decades erring on the side of judgment rather than mercy.  We have been quick to judge, quick to "put outside the camp", and quick to write people off because they don't conform to our doctrinal persuasions, denominational affiliations, musical interests, social status, etc.  The flip side has also risen up in churches, which is where we get the "greasy grace" messages that subtly convince believers that there is no cost to following Christ, and that we can live however we want to as long as we convince ourselves that we truly "love" God.  What I have seen is that we (church leaders) try modeling our methods, doctrine, etc. after churches who appear to be "successful" in whichever "camp" they fall in.  In doing so, however, we have forgotten that our true model for living by faith, in intimate relationship to our Heavenly Father, is Jesus.

When I read the gospels, I notice Jesus confronted the religious people's inward sins more than we read about Him getting angry or disgusted with the non-religious people's outward sins.  So what happens when you're confronted with a non-religious person who curses, suffers from some addiction, has a fashion sense that's different from yours, listens to immoral music, and has opposing political views?  Can you hold a conversation with them without getting offended?  Is it even possible for you to...become friends with a sinner (see Luke 7:34)?

I think the Church in America suffers from a lot of hidden prejudices and discriminations that are starting to be exposed just as God revealed Peter's hidden racial prejudices in Acts 10.  We have things that have become such a part of our paradigms that it is nearly inconceivable for a conservative Republican to genuinely befriend a progressive liberal, or a pentecostal to fellowship with a baptist, or a Christian and non-Christian.  Are we more like the Pharisees who have more self-imposed walls up between them and non-religious, or are we more like Jesus who hung out with "sinners and tax collectors" while still maintaining His integrity and not compromising?

Light was not made to shine amongst other light.  God said, "Let there be light" after we are told that "darkness covered the face of the deep."  Light was made to shine in the darkness (see John 1:5).  I went to a Promise Keepers event a couple years ago and I saw all these groups of men with their "men's group" t-shirts from their church.  I laughed to myself because it was as if I was attending a big "whose-Christian-t-shirt-is-better-than-whose" competition!  I'm guessing creators of Christian t-shirts make them to be worn in public to promote discussions and give some kind of witness of the good news of Jesus Christ.  But at this Christian event, it was like we were comparing "lights".  Am I being a little facetious?  Perhaps.  But I think you get the point.

My heart's passion is to see the Church of Jesus Christ be filled to overflowing with the love of God - a love that far surpasses what we can humanly give or comprehend - a love that can only be poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) - and let that love spill out into our communities.  There are people who are begging and searching for a love that "never fails" - a love that's patient, selfless, and satisfying.  Yes, our love may be put to the test at times, but I'm convinced that it is His surpassing love that is going to overcome all barriers, heal all wounds, and restore what was once lost.

Join me in putting God's love to the test…try loving the unlovable, and even those who push it away!  After all, that was once you and me, yet God kept pursuing us!