POG Student Ministries - LIFELINE

Vitals - July 4th

2010-07-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - July 4th
Message - "Storytellers - Part 1" by Emily Stoen
Key Verses: Matthew 13:18-23
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 128
1st Service: 34 (28 students, 6 leaders)
2nd Service: 50 (41 students, 9 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) -July 4th
Message - "Storytellers - Part 1" by Emily Stoen
Key Verses: Matthew 13:18-23
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 61 (52 students, 9 leaders)

BIG STUF CAMP - Student & Parent Meeting This Sunday (June 20th)!

2010-06-16T11:16:00.001-07:00

If your student is going to BIG STUF Summer Camp with us next week, remember that you and them need to both be at the BIG STUF Meeting this Sunday from 12:00-1:00p in the Student Zone at Point of Grace Church. We we go through all the important camp information that you will need to know as well as what to expect the week we are at camp. We will also go over the behavior guidelines that your student will be held to, so that you as parents will know beforehand exactly how we will respond should certain unfortunate circumstances arise. We will be able to answer any questions that you have and prepare you so that registration on Tuesday is as smooth of a process as possible. If you have any questions before Sunday, please feel free to email us at students@pointofgrace.com or call the church office at 515.987.9595. Hope to see you all there!

Vitals - June 13th

2010-06-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 13th
Message - "ONE PRAYER:: Unstoppable Courage" by Craig Groeschel
Big Idea:
"The path to you greatest potential is often straight through your greatest fear."
Key Verses: 2 Timothy 1:7
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 128
1st Service: 37 (31 students, 6 leaders)
2nd Service: 51 (42 students, 9 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 13th
Message - "ONE PRAYER:: Unstoppable Courage" by Craig Groeschel
Big Idea:
"The path to you greatest potential is often straight through your greatest fear."
Key Verses: 2 Timothy 1:7
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 70 (59 students, 11 leaders)

New Summer Series: ONE PRAYER 2010

2010-06-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, June 13th, we will be starting our new Summer series called ONE PRAYER. In John 17, Jesus prayed that His followers would join together and be ONE, just as He and God are ONE. That is the heartbeat behind ONE PRAYER... That churches and Christ-followers from literally across the globe would come together and learn, pray, give and serve, not for their glory or to promote their church, but simply to love like Jesus.

For this series we will join with over 10,000 other churches, with a combined attendance of over 1 million people to lift Him high. We will hear from some of the most influential pastors in America, (and even one that has a funny accent) and be challenged to become UNSTOPPABLE! We hope that your student will join us for this incredible series experience!

Rising 6th Grade Parents...

2010-06-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome Rising 6th Grade Parents!

We are excited about the opportunity to partner with you in the continued growth of your rising 6th grade student. We know that the transition into middle school can be a curious and uncertain season in your student's life. Our mission is to create environments where student can begin to see as God sees, and love as God loves.

The FIRST STEP in this process is Move Up Weekend! Your student will not want to miss this weekend (June 6th)! It's the first week of Summer and it is always a blast! Check your student into Zone 45 at your normal service hour, 9:00 or 10:30a, as usual. Then, the Student Ministry Leaders will "invade" Zone 45 and all the 5th graders will be led as a group to the Student Zone. The new 6th graders will be welcomed into Student Ministries and get to experience The Spark for the first time! After The Spark, we will have a Move Up Party to celebrate the beginning of Summer and to welcome the new incoming 6th graders to The Spark. This party is from 12:00-2:00p out on the front lawn of Point of Grace and is for all new 6th-8th graders! There will be tons of free food (Shane's Rib Shack!), fun games, prizes, great music and tons of water slides and inflatables! Have your student bring an appetite, a swimsuit and a friend! (If you would like to stay and hang out or help out, feel free to visit http://www.SignUpGenius.com/go/move2/161086 to sign up. Thanks!)

The SECOND STEP is for you, the parent, to attend The Spark with your student some time this summer. We want to partner with you in your students growth and the best way for that to happen if for you to know what your student is learning! Summer is a great time to casually drop it to either of The Spark experiences, either at 9:00 or 10:30a on Sunday mornings, and check out the environment. You and your student will hang out for The Spark, or you can chill in the back and just watch. Just know that you are always welcome!

The THIRD STEP is to get your student connected into a Life Group for the Fall. To have your student placed in a group, you MUST fill out the enrollment form. Life Groups are THE MOST IMPORTANT thing we do! We believe that we grow spiritually as we grow relationally, so we prioritize student involvement in Life Groups! Life Groups are a commitment to consistent attendance and consistent participation. Life Groups are student small groups with 8-10 students and 2-3 adult leaders, which are divided up by grade, gender and service. To get the most out of The Spark, be sure your student attends the same service, with the same group of friends and the same leader, every week. It is imperative that students have the same familiar leaders in order to build trust, which will lead to transformation. We hope that leaders can remain with their Life Group as many years as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns don't hesitate to contact us at:

students@pointofgrace.com
515.987.9595

Or you can check out the Parent LifeLine blog for all the most current important information at:
http://pogparents.blogspot.com

Thanks! We look forward to partnering with you in helping your student grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Point of Grace Student Ministry Team

Move Up Weekend!

2010-06-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Your student will not want to miss this weekend! It's the first week of Summer and it is always a blast! For Junior Highers (new 6th - 8th graders) the new 6th graders will be welcomed into Student Ministries and get to experience The Spark for the first time! After The Spark we will have a Move Up Party to celebrate the beginning of Summer and to welcome the new incoming 6th graders to The Spark. This party is from 12:00-2:00p out on the front lawn of Point of Grace and is for all new 6th-8th graders! There will be tons of free food (Shane's Rib Shack!), fun games, prizes, great music and tons of water slides and inflatables! Have your student bring an appetite, a swimsuit and a friend! (If you would like to stay and hang out or help out, feel free to visit http://www.SignUpGenius.com/go/move2/161086 to sign up. Thanks!)

And then, from 3:00-5:00p is the 4ORTY 2WO Move Up Party to welcome the new Freshmen to 4ORTY 2WO! There will be even more free food (Shane's Rib Shack!), fun games, prizes, great music and tons of water slides and inflatables! Have your student bring an appetite, a swimsuit and a friend! This party is also out on the front lawn of Point of Grace and is for all new 9-12th graders and graduating seniors! That means if your student was in the Spark last year as an 8th grader, this is their party, not the one in the afternoon. (If you would like to stay and hang out or help out, feel free to visit http://www.SignUpGenius.com/go/move2/161086 to sign up. Thanks!) After the Move Up Party, we will have 4ORTY 2WO, where we will welcome new freshman and celebrate what God is doing in the lives of our graduating Seniors! Its going to be an incredible weekend that you will not want to miss!

If you have any questions or if we can help in anyway at all please feel free to email us at students@pointofgrace.com or give us a call at 515.987.9595.

Parent Meeting This Sunday! (May 2nd)

2010-04-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Parents of 5th-12th Graders!
We will be having a Parent Meeting this Sunday, May 2nd, from 12:00 - 1:00p in the Student Zone at Point of Grace. This will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions that you have about Katie and Kurt's transition, get important information about Move Up Weekend, and the events this summer. We hope that you will make every effort to be there and invite other parents of 5th - 12th graders to come with you...

We will have some refreshments for you as well as some high school students to watch your younger children in Zone 45 so that you can make it to this important meeting.

Thanks!

The Student Ministry Staff

Purity Celebration - Cancelled

2010-04-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

Unfortunatley, due to lack of sign ups, the Student Ministry Purity Ceremony had to be canceled as an event. We know that this is bad news, and if you have any questions, feel free to contacts us by sending us an email at students@pointofgrace.com or you can call us at the church office at 515.987.9595. For those of you who would like to do a special night with your family to mark and celebrate this decision for purity that your student has made, we would love to be a partner with you in that if you would like. If we can help with any creative ideas, be an encouragement to you or you student, or be a part of your evening, we would love to, just let us know how we can serve you. Again we are sorry that this event had to be canceled, but we hope that you as parents can support and celebrate the choices that you students make towards a more God-honoring life!

No Student Services This Weekend!

2010-03-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

Due to the Easter holiday, we will not be having The Spark or 4ORTY 2WO this Sunday, April 4th. We hope that you enjoy this weekend to celebrate Jesus' resurrection as a family. We will resume The Spark and 4ORTY 2WO on Sunday April 11th, with a weekend that you will not want to miss, as we wrap up our Invisible Kingdom series! Have a great weekend!

Vitals - March 28th

2010-03-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - March 28th
Message - "INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Can You See In The Dark?" by Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"God is often most active in the situations where there seems to be almost no evidence of His existence."
Key Verses: Mark 14:17-21
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 128
1st Service: 52 (41 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 76 (63 students, 13 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - March 28th
Message - "INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Can You See In The Dark?" by Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"God is often most active in the situations where there seems to be almost no evidence of His existence."
Key Verses: Mark 14:17-21
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 79 (66 students, 13 leaders)

30 Hour Famine!

2010-03-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

Don't forget! 30 Hour Famine is today (Friday, March 26th) from 8am until 3p tomorrow (Saturday, March 27th)! Be sure that your student eats breakfast before 8am & then only drinks water and juice after (We recommend Apple Juice, not anything citrus... Its easier on the stomach!)! Then we meet @ church for all the fun stuff tonight 6pm! If you haven't filled out a permission slip, they will be available at the door. The cost for this event is free, however students will only be allowed to bring 3 (three) personal items in with them. For example, a clean shirt, deodorant and a pillow. (Medications, glasses/contacts, or specific needed items do not count as 1 of the 3 items. Can't wait to see you tonight for the 30 Hour Famine. Students can change the world!!

Vitals - March 21st

2010-03-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - March 21st
Message - "INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Comfort and Fear" By Katie Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Following Christ requires that we step out of comfort to live courageously."
Key Verses: Philippians 1:29
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 93
1st Service: 38 (26 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 55 (41 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - March 21st
Message - "INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Comfort and Fear" By Katie Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Following Christ requires that we step out of comfort to live courageously."
Key Verses: Philippians 1:29
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 72 (59 students, 13 leaders)

Vitals - March 14th

2010-03-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - March 14th
Message - "INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Cause and Effect" by Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Living in God’s Kingdom means that we care about the things that we cannot see, rather than just the things we can see."
Key Verses: Mark 4:10-12
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 85
1st Service: 39 (28 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 46 (34 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - March 14th
Message - "INVISIBLE KINGDOM: Cause and Effect" by Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Living in God’s Kingdom means that we care about the things that we cannot see, rather than just the things we can see."
Key Verses: Mark 4:10-12
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 68 (54 students, 14 leaders)

Purity Celebration - Friday, April 9, 2010

2010-03-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

On Friday, April 9th, 2010, we will be hosting an incredible night of celebration and inspiration, as students pledge themselves to pursuing purity in their sexuality. This will be a great night for parents to stand with their students and express their words of challenge and encouragement and for students to be honored for making this promise. For more information, to learn how to have your student/family involved, or to buy tickets, please visit the Student Zone or contact us at students@pointofgrace.com or call the church office at 515.987.9595. You will not want to miss out on this incredible evening for your student and your whole family!

Vitals - March 7th

2010-03-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - March 7th
Message - "PURE:: finding true love" by Katie & Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"There is nothing you can do to make God love you less, and there is nothing you can do to make God love you more than He already does."
Key Verses: Romans 8:36-39
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 110
1st Service: 48 (36 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 62 (49 students, 13 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - March 7th
Message - "PURE:: finding true love" by Katie & Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"There is nothing you can do to make God love you less, and there is nothing you can do to make God love you more than He already does."
Key Verses: Romans 8:36-39
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 73 (59 students, 14 leaders)

(We had 23 students pray to start following Jesus this past Sunday! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY! We are so excited for them as they join God's family and begin their own journey of following Jesus!)

PURE Series Preview - March 7th

2010-03-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Pure [week 4]... What Now?

This week we will wrap up the series by really focusing on God's forgiveness and the immense power there is in His grace to remove our guilt from past sexual mistakes. We want every student to know, whether they have sexual mistake already in their past or not, that God's forgiveness is big enough to cover all. We want them to understand that while different sins have different physical and emotional consequences, nothing to too big for God. Many students experience immense guilt after a bad sexual decision and often they feel like they are too far for God to reach them. We want them to know that God is not only looking and longing for them, but is actually chasing after them to bring them back to fullness in His forgiveness.

The first week of this series, we learned that purity is bigger than we think. It is important to remember that even though purity is big, and that sexual decisions are important and have far-reaching consequences, there is nothing bigger than God. Often people feel or talk about sex and God as if there is some eternal disconnect between then, but in fact God is intimately connected with our sexuality, He created and designed it, and He is always willing to help us back onto the path of pursuing purity. Virginity is a one-time reality, and when that is gone, it’s gone, however it is never too late, no matter what choices you have made in the past, or what you have done, to begin to pursue purity and allow God’s transforming love to begin to heal and direct you from this point on in your life.

It is important that while we make every effort to pursue purity at all costs, that we also know that God is not looking to us to fail, but rather took it upon Himself to make a way for us to be forgiven. God loved us so much that He allowed His Son to suffer and die a horrendous death in order to be able to reconnect with us. Therefore, it is important that we all know that there is nothing too big or too small to bring to God and ask Him for forgiveness, nor is there any sin that is unforgivable.

“Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture… None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.”

Romans 8:36-39

The idea of purity is because God is holy. Holy means set apart. He is totally pure.

When something impure comes in contact with the pure God, his purity transforms what is dirty, into something that’s clean, sinful into something that holy, old and broken in to some that is new and restored. I have this really annoying habit, and it’s something I know bugs me but for whatever reason every time I tell myself I’m not going to do it, I continue to do it… many times when I do my laundry, I leave the clean clothes in the laundry basket and tell myself I’ll fold them later when I have more time, for whatever reason I never remember to come back and fold them and I end up putting dirty clothes on top of the clean clothes and they end up getting mixed in with the clean ones. Ugh this is so annoying because then I have to end up washing them all again because the dirty clothes got the clean clothes dirty… This happened again the other day and it got me thinking about how God’s love works in the exact opposite way. See God is so pure, but what is interesting about God is that he loves being mixed in with dirty, impure, imperfect, flawed people. Unlike my laundry pile when God comes into contact with our dirty, sinful lives, he makes us clean, not the other way around. When we open our impure lives to a perfectly pure God, the power of His love transforms us.

Guilt drives us to maybe just change our behavior, but experiencing God’s forgiveness drives us to a freedom in Christ’s love. This freedom is the confidence of knowing that nothing can separate us from God, that when he sees us he sees us pure as we are meant to be, this doesn’t mean we won’t still struggle or be tempted sexually, it simply means that God has started a process in us to change us from the inside out. This security in Gods love comes down to a simple truth that is your Big Idea for the day that There is nothing that you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you less.

Vitals - February 28th

2010-03-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - Feb. 28th
Message - "PURE:: what girls wish guys knew.../what girls need to know about guys..." by Katie/Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
Guys: "Are you willing to show true strength by revealing your weaknesses to others?"
Girls: "You are designed to improve creation so don't settle for 'good enough.'"
Key Verses:
Guys: Jeremiah 17:9, Hebrews 3:13, Ephesians 5:25-26
Girls: Genesis 2:18-21, Colossians 3:17
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 125
1st Service: 48 (36 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 77 (62 students, 15 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - Feb. 28th
Message - "PURE:: what girls wish guys knew.../what girls need to know about guys..." by Katie/Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
Guys: "Are you willing to show true strength by revealing your weaknesses to others?"
Girls: "You are designed to improve creation so don't settle for 'good enough.'"
Key Verses:
Guys: Jeremiah 17:9, Hebrews 3:13, Ephesians 5:25-26
Girls: Genesis 2:18-21, Colossians 3:17
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 79 (64 students, 15 leaders)

PURE Series Preview - Feb. 28th

2010-02-23T17:24:00.000-08:00

Pure [week 3] - What Girls Wish Guys Knew...

Last week Kurt talked to you guys about some of the struggles guys face when it comes to sexual purity and how to please God instead of give in to the pressures you see around you that simply lie to you about what it means to be a young man. Becoming a man of God is not easy, it’s a battle, and it requires God’s strength not just your own will power. I’m really excited to talk to you guys today and hopefully give you the girl’s perspective on what we’ve been talking about the last 2 weeks.

So as many of you have probably figured out, girls and guys are very different and as guys this probably confuses you quite often to try to figure out why girls act the way they do. Trust me I’m a girl and I love being a girl, but sometimes I can’t even figure out my own kind. When it comes to relationships girls by nature are much more in tune with their feelings and they are much more driven by their emotions. Not that guys don’t have feelings too, but usually guys tend to be more driven visually. What you see is what you get, most guys like to keep it simple. Girls usually seem much more complex than guys because the relational and emotional parts of their brain develops faster than guys do. They actually like to analyze details and talk to each other about their feelings… I know, weird!

[Girls are like spaghetti, Guys are like waffles]

My goal today is not to give you a bunch of smooth moves to help you get a girlfriend, but I’m going to try to help you see why it is important to become the kind of guy who knows how to respect girls and how to keep yourself in check so that you honor God in your relationships with girls.

First we need to talk about a little truth about ourselves, now just to warn you this is not a warm fuzzy verse from the Bible to make us feel better about ourselves, but it cuts right to the point. Simple. Guy style:

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jeremiah 17:9

This is the plain truth about all of us—guys and girls—that outside of God’s grace none of us are naturally pure and none of us has what it takes outside of God’s help. The good news is that God doesn’t leave us stuck but actually guides us and helps us fix what is broken inside of us, but none of us can do it alone. The writer of Hebrews gives some wisdom to us about why its important to hold each other up:

“You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” Hebrews 3:13

Here’s where your part comes in… See each guy has to get to the point where he realizes that there is something that matters more than just getting what he wants, or being popular, or having a girlfriend, or watching porn, etc. and he’s real enough with himself and others to admit that he needs help. You might be wondering what this has to do with understanding girls… well let me tell you a story about when Kurt and I just started dating.

When we first started going out Kurt and some other guys had decided that they were going to hold each other accountable in this area of sexual purity. And being the manly testosterone driven college guys that they were, they decided that the consequence for messing up was to have the biggest guy, we’ll call him “the enforcer,” and he basically punched whoever messed up in the arm. Now as a girl I didn’t really understand the whole punching part, that must be a guy thing, but one thing that did stand out to me was that here was a group of guys who cared more about what God wanted for their life than about what they wanted to watch on their computer while nobody else was around. They weren’t weak pansy boys who were okay with seeing women as objects… They were real men… and as a girl this was attractive. I remember thinking “Wow, that’s the kind of guy who is willing to make God his #1 priority, that’s the kind of guy I want to be with.” And I was not the kind of girl who would just date anybody, but I noticed this about Kurt. And here’s the other thing you guys need to know, when girls notice things that stand out about a guy, they tell all their friends.

When it comes to accountability, its important to know that true strength comes from acknowledging your weaknesses and being real with others. The goal is to become more like Christ, and the only way to do that is if we are willing to accept the truth about ourselves and our need for Jesus. There’s another verse from Ephesians that is challenging men to a higher level of love and sacrifice towards their wives and the writer, Paul actually compares the picture of husband and wife to the picture of Christ’s love for the church… it’s written to husbands, but I want to challenge you guys with this thought because this kind of love doesn’t just happen by putting a wedding ring on your finger, this kind of love takes years to learn and I want you guys to start thinking now about the ways you can selflessly serve the girls who God has placed in your life as practice for how you will treat your wife one day:

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her Ephesians 5:25-26

Now think about the way you treat the females that are in your life, not just your crush at school, but your mom, your sisters, cousins, friends who are girls. Would you describe the way that you treat them as “everything you do and say brings out the best in her?” do you love in a way that is “marked by giving and not getting?” or do you put down your sister or disrespect your mom when she asks you to do her a favor? I would like to challenge you guys to think of ways that you can go out of your way to do something nice for your sister, or tell a girl how special they are or how beautiful they look (not just the girl you like because you want her to go out with you) or write your mom a nice note just to tell her you love her.

Maybe this surprises you, but most girls don’t know how beautiful they are… I know they’re crazy huh? But most of that is because of the ridiculous standard that is set by beauty magazines, or because they overhear guys at the mall rating girls on a scale of 1 to 10 based on their “hotness” not on qualities that really matter like being trustworthy, smart, a good friend, honest or for their love for God and commitment to purity. Now just in case it needs to be said… “Don’t be that guy!” Don’t be that guys who see’s girls for what you can get out of it. Maybe you think that this challenge I’m giving you is for the girls’ sake, so that they feel better about themselves. Honestly, that is not the point because they are hearing a message today about how they need to believe they’re beautiful because God say’s they are, not boys. This challenge is not to benefit them, it’s to benefit you. Because when you decide to treat women with respect and love, something changes in your heart. Something in you will start to see “that hot girl” that you’d used to lust after as someone’s sister, or someone’s future wife. And in the process of developing healthy friendships with girls you’ll start to learn how they think, and how each girl is unique and special, you’ll see qualities in certain friends that you’d like in a girlfriend and others that you don’t like, and you’ll help them learn too.

Your Big Idea for today is this:

Are you willing to show true strength by revealing your weaknesses to others?

Pure [week 3] - What Girls Need To Know About Guys...

As Katie discussed with you girls last week, girls face unique challenges when it comes to this issue of purity. Many of their challenges revolve around their issues with insecurity and identity. It is possible that the single most effective way to ensure that a person’s pursuit of purity is successful is to determine their trust and dependence on God. As you learned last week, without God strength, we cannot do this alone.

As we look this week at what girls need to know about guys, the main point comes down to compromise. As girls, your struggles often involve looking to other people to convince us that we are beautiful or that we are important. As we look at the Scriptures today, we hopefully will be able to understand that our identity and ultimately our worth comes from who God has created us to be. Now this is true for both guys and girls, but specifically for girls, it is easy to forget that God has made women for a purpose and that we need to be sure that we keep focused on God as we enter into the time in our lives as we look for relationships, specifically with members of the opposite sex. Girls, it's important to remember that you are the only thing God created to make a perfect creation better... Let that sink in for a second...

“God said, ‘It's not good for the Man to be alone; I will make him a helper, a companion.’ …God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make Woman and presented her to the Man.”

Genesis 2:18, 21-22

As we look at the creation account in Genesis 2, we see that the first thing that God said was “not good,” was the fact that the man was alone and that we are created for relationship with another person. This relationship is designed to be spiritual, emotional, relational as well at sexual. This is God’s plan for our lives. We also see that the first relationship Eve had was not with Adam, but was with God. Too often, ladies try to bypass the process of God forming and creating them into who God wants them to be, and just run over and find a man. Eve didn’t go wake Adam up and say, “Hey, I’m hot and you’re the only guy around, so lets do this thing.” This process is very important. We know that Eve sinned by eating the fruit from the tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. Notice that what caused Eve to sin was that she took her eyes off of God, and started to focus on what she wanted. Satan’s line is still the same, “Did God really say…?”

Too often we try to entice guys to be interested in us, by the way we dress, they way we act, what we show is important in our lives, the way we text, and the way we pursue boy’s attention. Here is the deal, if you begin to get in the habit of pursuing guys now because you don’t want to be lonely, eventually you will pursue a guy and get him to marry you, and then a few years into your marriage, you will still have to be the one working to get his attention, and you will be more lonely than ever! Some of you could ask your mom about how that works. Instead, what would it be like to become the woman God wants you to be, and be so focused on God’s plan for you life, that no guy could sidetrack you... that the guys would have to actually pursue you, like run after you, to get to you. That’s called a pursuit, and each of you know that that is what you all want in your life, because that what all fairytales are about. By the way, to have guy pursue you, that means you have to say “no.” As you become more of who God wants you to be, the guys that are interested in you will be more and more like the guys that God wants you to be with.

“Let every detail in your lives, words, actions, whatever, be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

Colossians 3:17

If you want to live the life that God desires for you, then you have to live life God’s way. Especially when it come to dating and relationships, we need to remember who we are and who God made us to be, and that if you love Jesus it will be displayed in your character. And, your character will be matched by the character of the guys that are interested in you. What would you life be like if everything you did, even your dating life and your actions regarding sexuality, brought glory to God and caused other people to look to God and thank Him and want to follow what He has to say about purity. That is the role that God is hoping for you to live.

BIG IDEA: You are designed to improve creation, so don’t settle for “good enough.”

Vitals - February 21st

2010-02-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - Feb. 21st
Message - "PURE:: what girls need to know.../what guys need to know..." by Katie/Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Pursuing purity will take God's strength, not just your own will power."
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 6:16-20
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 113
1st Service: 45 (33 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 68 (54 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - Feb. 21st
Message - "PURE:: what girls need to know.../what guys need to know..." by Katie/Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Pursuing purity will take God's strength, not just your own will power."
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 6:16-20
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 73 (57 students, 16 leaders)

PURE Series Preview - Feb. 21st

2010-02-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

Pure [week 2] - You can't do it...

So last week we talked about how purity is way bigger than we think it is. Pursuing purity is something that involves all of who we are for the rest of our lives, it’s not just for this short time while you are a teenager or when you’re single. Purity also involves your mind and the way you think; your heart and the way you feel; your spiritual connection with God; and how you chose to honor God and your future spouse with your body. Choosing to live pure now will actually prepare you for a great marriage in the future… Oh ya and great sex too! We’re going to talk more today about how you don’t really get one with out the other. For the rest of this message, we are going to assume that nobody in the room has a desire for a bad marriage in the future… is that a pretty fair assumption? Okay, cool just checking.

If you think about anything in your life that you’ve had to prepare for like a test at school or a big game or an audition for choir or drama, you probably remember some of the things you did to get yourself ready mentally and physically before the big day. If it was a test, hopefully you read the material you were assigned and studied really hard. If it was a big game you practiced, ran drills with your team, envisioned the plays/routine over and over in your head. For an audition you warm up your voice, practice your song, or run your lines for the play over and over again. Could you imagine how embarrassing it would be if you decided to figure it out as you go on the big day when it really counted. Most likely that would be an epic failure of an attempt to pass a test if you never read the book or studied, you’d probably lose the game or not get the part for the play. The sad thing is, is that this is how most people think about relationships, marriage and sex.

The truth is that more than half of marriages end in divorce, you all know that if you were to score less than a 50% that would be an F-. This is a really sad reality that more marriages fail than succeed, and the statistic is no different for marriages between people who claim to be Christians. Just believing in Jesus is not what makes a marriage successful, and it will take much more than just “loving each other a whole lot.” Just like anything else you care about, a great marriage one day will not “just happen” by accident.

Even if you’ve never seen a healthy marriage, even if your parents are divorced or separated or were never married to begin with, its possible to have the kind of marriage that will last forever. And just like any other goal in life the preparation for a good marriage will require a lot of effort now. I can’t think of a bigger decision you’ll ever make than the decision to spend the rest of your life with a person. One of the pictures the Bible gives us of marriage is that “two become one.” It’s a lot more than just a big white dress a cake and a paper you sign at the courthouse. God describes it as every part of you is connected intimately with one other person physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Not only is it a connection with a person, it is a connection with God. This is the purest picture of what sex was created to be.

“There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one." Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never "become one." There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for "becoming one" with another. Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:16-20

There is an important question that jumps out from this passage. Do you see your body as something that belongs to you? Or does it belong to God? Do you treat your body as something that belongs to God? Or do you treat it however you want to?

Ultimately, if we you are committed to purity for real, it comes down to one main question… Have you given your entire life to Christ? Not just your body, but your entire life. Are you starting to see that this is so much bigger than “just wait ‘til you’re married, okay!”? Its okay if you’re not there yet, trust me we don’t want you to decide on a whim that you’re committed to purity… it can’t be for your parents, it can’t be for your life group leader, it has to be a decision you make for God… because it is going to take God’s strength not just your own will power to help you pursue purity. It is going to take a commitment to a community of other people who can support you and hold you accountable.

Girl’s Purity Commitment Questions:

Are you willing to dress in a way that shows that your body belongs to God?

-Ask yourself “who am I trying to impress?”

-Does this draw attention to a certain body part?

How are you going to develop a healthy view of your body?

-Pick apart everything you see as a flaw? or appreciate how God made you?

-Trust God to help you beat addictions: eating disorders, cutting, sexual, etc.

Are you willing to fight the desire to compare yourself to others?

-Pride has a sneaky way of making us feel better/worse than others.

-Humility is being content with who you are, no more no less.

Are you going to set appropriate boundaries with guys?

-Viewing them as Brothers in Christ not relational conquests

-Not going to far physically (How much can you save for your future husband)

-Only dating guys who are committed to Jesus & who are pursuing purity too.

How will you value other Girls who God has placed in your life?

-Not gossiping or listening to gossip! Especially no “prayer request gossip”

-Be willing to hold each other accountable

Guy’s Purity Commitment Questions:

Are you willing to fight for purity of your thoughts & guarding your eyes?

-Do you see girls as God’s prized possession or your eye candy?

-Will you do whatever it takes to keep yourself from the trap of pornography?

How will you develop a healthy view of Manhood?

-The most masculine thing you can do is RESPECT WOMEN!

-How do you combat the pressure to please others instead of please God.

Are you sending Girls the right message?

-Avoid playing games with girls’ emotions, flirting to get attention

-Can you genuinely compliment girls & try to build them up (selflessly)

Are you going to set appropriate boundaries with girls?

-Viewing them as Sisters in Christ not relational or physical conquests.

-Not going to far physically (How much can you save for your future wife)

-Only dating girls who are committed to Jesus & who are pursuing purity too.

How will you value other Guys who God has placed in your life?

-Not putting other guys down. (search your heart if you are jealous)

-Be willing to hold each other accountable

Vitals - February 14th

2010-02-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - Feb. 14th
Message - "PURE:: purity is bigger than you think..." by Katie and Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Purity involves all of who I am, for my entire life."
Key Verses: Matthew 5:8, 1 Timothy 4:12
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 114
1st Service: 43 (32 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 71 (57 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - Feb. 14th
Message - "PURE:: purity is bigger than you think..." by Katie and Kurt Duggleby
Big Idea:
"Purity involves all of who I am, for my entire life."
Key Verses: Matthew 5:8, 1 Timothy 4:12
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 67 (52 students, 15 leaders)

PURE Series Preview - Feb. 14th

2010-02-10T13:50:00.001-08:00

Pure [week 1] - Purity is way bigger…

This week we are starting a new series called PURE. Its kind of timely for today, seeing as how it is Valentine’s Day and all, maybe you’re feeling like romance is in the air… maybe not. Whether love and romance sounds disgusting to you or whether it is your biggest desire to be in a relationship with a certain someone, we hope the next 4 weeks is a time for us to be real with you about what God—the inventor of love, romance and our sexuality—has to say about the thoughts and challenges we face on this topic of sexual purity.

It may be a surprise to you that the Bible doesn’t talk about dating relationships at all, but it does have a lot to say about the idea of living a life that is pure in our relationships with the opposite sex, and how we are to make decisions regarding the gift that God gave to each of us which is our sexuality. You might be thinking “What this is Church … are we really going to be talking about that word!?!” We want there to be no mistake about it, God invented sex, it was His idea! He created it to be something that is pure, beautiful and fun for one woman and one man to experience with each other for life. (aka Marriage) Everything that God creates is good, which means that we should not be ashamed to talk about it. Sex is not dirty, it is not shameful, it is not sinful. Most often the way we see sex in the world around us is a cheapened dysfunctional version of it, instead of what God created it to be. Maybe you’ve been led to think that sex is no big deal, that its just part of life, maybe your friends talk about it at school or have even experimented with it. The world around us give a pretty small view of sex, and how special God made it to be, and how big of a deal it is to God. So for today we will be talking about how Purity is way bigger than we think, it includes all of who we are, not just our physical bodies, but also our heart, our mind and our soul.

In the story that Matthew wrote about the life of Jesus, he includes an interesting time in Jesus’ life when he is teaching his followers about this idea of being “Pure in heart” the verses says:

"God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." - Matthew 5:8

Jesus makes an interesting connection between the way we fight to keep our hearts pure and our ability to see and understand God. Not only that but those who’s hearts are pure will experience God’s blessing. So what we begin to see is that God’s desire for us to be pure is not because he wants us to miss out on all the fun that all our friends are talking about, instead it is because he wants us to experience HIS BLESSING! This blessing that comes from living pure is not having to worry about things like: a broken heart, regrets, comparison, guilt, shame, embarrassment, diseases, fear of getting pregnant, the list could go on but I think you get the picture.

As we seek to understand the fullness of what Purity looks like in our lives, we start to see that it is so much more than just “Not having sex until you’re married.” Purity is not just a physical thing, it includes all of who we are. As attractive as all of you are, you are more than just a body, you have thoughts, and feelings and a spirit that can not just be shut off or separated from what you decide to do with your body. You can’t say “I’m willing to honor God with my body but not my mind or my heart.” Purity is an all or nothing pursuit, it cannot be half hearted, it requires all of who we are. And it is something that God calls us to for life, not just while you’re a teenager, or only while you’re single, even as a married person I’m called to a sexually pure life that is pleasing to God. If purity was just about virginity then there would be a problem when we get married. The truth is that God cares much more about your purity than about your virginity. You can be a virgin and be impure, and you can chose to live pure even if you’ve made mistakes in the past.

One of the most beautiful things about purity is that it is a radical shift that takes our focus off ourselves. It’s a commitment to God that we are not okay with living to fulfill our own desires, but to please and honor Him and our future husband or wife. When you chose to pursue sexual purity now as a middle schooler or a high schooler you are choosing to be faithful to the person you will one day marry. You probably haven’t even met this person yet, and most likely you won’t meet them for another 10 years or so, but doesn’t it make you think about how cool it would be one day to be able to tell that person that “when I was years old I decided to pursue purity so that I would have all of my heart, mind and body to give to you, so that I can experience sex with only you for the rest of our life together.” Believe it or not, the decisions you make now regarding dating, and sexual purity will affect your future relationships and your marriage one day. This is why we HAVE to talk about it, It’s too important to ignore because we love you guys and want you to have a great marriage and a great future one day, most importantly God loves you even more than we do and he wants you to experience His blessings in this area of your life, He wants to protect you from the pain that can come from making unwise choices. Over the next 4 weeks we will be talking about how this affects the decisions you make as Middle/High Schoolers, and about how to deal with the pressures that are very real during this time in your life.

The cool thing about this time in your life is that you have a choice about the message you want to send to your friends, family and the people around you. You don’t have to wait until you are older to be an example to the world of what it means to live PURE. There was a young man in the Bible named Timothy who most likely experienced a lot of the same pressures as many of you. His mentor, Paul wrote some very powerful words to him to encourage him as a young follower of Jesus.

"Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith and your purity." - 1Timothy 4:12

We hope that encourages you as we discuss the Big Idea for this week:

"Purity includes all of who I am for the rest of my life."

Vitals - February 7th

2010-02-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - Feb. 7th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Paul" by Wade Mullen
Big Idea:
"No matter how much of a loser you feel that you are, God wants to do something beautiful with your life."
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 15:7-11
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 127
1st Service: 48 (37 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 79 (65 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - Feb. 7th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Paul" by Wade Mullen
Big Idea:
"No matter how much of a loser you feel that you are, God wants to do something beautiful with your life."
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 15:7-11
Attendance: 0 (Service Canceled due to weather...)

NO 4ORTY 2WO TONIGHT!! (2/7/10)

2010-02-07T11:40:00.001-08:00

No 4ORTY 2WO tonight because of the snow storm. Stay safe and see you next week for the beginning of our new series on dating and sexual purity called "PURE."

Vitals - January 31st

2010-02-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - Jan. 31st
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Mary Magdalene" by Sarita Mullen
Big Idea:
"Regardless of your past, it's never too late to start faithfully following Jesus."
Key Verses: Matthew 16:1-2, 9-11
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 106
1st Service: 40 (29 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 76 (63 students, 13 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - Jan. 31st
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Mary Magdalene" by Sarita Mullen
Big Idea:
"Regardless of your past, it's never too late to start faithfully following Jesus."
Key Verses: Matthew 16:1-2, 9-11
Worship led by: The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 73 (59 students, 14 leaders)

Vitals - January 24th

2010-01-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - January 24th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Gideon" by Brandon Pruitt
Big Idea:
"Am I just comfortably obeying or am I courageously following God?"
Key Verses: Judges 6:21-31
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 135
1st Service: 43 (32 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 98 (84 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - January 24th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Gideon" by Brandon Pruitt
Big Idea:
"Am I just comfortably obeying or am I courageously following God?"
Key Verses: Judges 6:21-31
Worship led by: The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 60 (47 students, 13 leaders)

Student Ministry Parent Meeting This Sunday (Jan. 23rd)

2010-01-20T09:30:00.003-08:00

If you are a Parent of a 6th-12th grade student, then you will want to be sure that you make it to the Parent Meeting on Sunday January 24th. It will be from 12:00-1:00p in the Student Zone. We will be discussing all of our upcoming events, like Big Stuf Summer Camp, as well as our new teaching series for the Spring, including our Sexual Purity series called "PURE," which will begin on Sunday, February 14th, 2010. Light refreshments will be served, so make sure you can be there. If you have any questions please feel free to email students@pointofgrace.com and we will try to help you in any way that we can.

Vitals - January 17th

2010-01-20T09:27:00.001-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - January 17th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Samson: by Ed Frederiksen
Big Idea:
"Choose the hard right over the easy wrong."
Key Verses: Judges 16:4-5, 18-22
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 135
1st Service: 54 (42 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 81 (67 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - January 17th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Samson: by Ed Frederiksen
Big Idea:
"Choose the hard right over the easy wrong."
Key Verses: Judges 16:4-5, 18-22
Worship led by: Elizabeth Hendricks and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 91 (77 students, 14 leaders)

Give to the Victims in Haiti this Weekend...

2010-01-14T09:32:00.000-08:00

Imagine tonight without shelter. No light or water or toilets or food. You can't find your child. Death surrounds. Reality in Haiti.

It’s easy to watch an hour of CNN and be left worse than when you started. That level of intensity and catastrophe can tend to lead us down one of two paths:

A numbed sense of powerlessness and detachment
or
A harried sense of temporary responsive activism

We are praying instead that God leads us and leads you to a God Given, Holy Spirit Driven, Sustainable and Responsible Response that reflects the way of Jesus.

We are asking that you

Pray Now (For those suffering, for those serving, for families, new orphans, new widows)
Give Some (This weekend, you or your student can, and should, bring some money to The Spark or 4ORTY 2WO for our special offering to give to Compassion International. Whatever amount you have in your head, add 25%)

We are praying for Haiti. We are praying that we would live a Gospel that has always been for the poor, the outcast, the forgotten.

Chick Night 2010!

2010-01-12T11:19:00.000-08:00

Chick Night 2010!
Ladies, mark you calendars for Friday, February 5th through Saturday, February 6th! Student Ministry presents an event for girls only! Through fun videos, engaging discussion, lots of fun games and activities, and meaningful interaction between students and adult women of all ages and life stages, our goal is to help girls feel comfortable in their own skin and know how to survive and thrive as they navigate through adolescence. And it's a ton of fun! Grab a permission slip from the Student Zone, and get signed up! The cost is $10 per student, but any new girl friend she brings gets in FREE! It's going to be a phenomenal event that your daughter will not want to miss out on! Contact Katie at 515.987.9595 ext. 122 or email her at katie@pointofgrace.com for more information.

Parents...

2010-01-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

Vitals - January 10th

2010-01-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - January 10th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Abraham" by Katie
Big Idea:
"God uses even our flawed lives to bring out His perfect plan."
Key Verses: Gen. 17:1-4, 15-17, Proverbs 3:4-6
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 107
1st Service: 41 (31 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 66 (53 students, 13 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - January 10th
Message - "Beautiful Losers - Abraham" by Katie
Big Idea:
"God uses even our flawed lives to bring out His perfect plan."
Key Verses: Gen. 17:1-4, 15-17, Proverbs 3:4-6
Worship led by: Elizabeth Hendricks and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 85 (72 students, 13 leaders)

Vitals - December 20th

2009-12-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - December 20th
Message - "When Love Comes To Town - All About the Gifts" by Katie
Big Idea: "God's presence is the most important gift we will ever get."
Key Verses: Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11
Worship led by The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 123
1st Service: 55 (43 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 68 (54 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - December 20th
Message - "When Love Comes To Town - All About the Gifts" by Katie
Big Idea: "God's presence is the most important gift we will ever get."
Key Verses: Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11
Worship led by The 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 73 (58 students, 15 leaders)

Vitals - December 13th

2009-12-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - December 13th
Message - "When Love Comes To Town - A Baby Changes Everything" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"Being used by God isn't always comfortable or convenient, but it is always because of His love."
Key Verses: Luke 1:1-8
Worship led by: Elizabeth Hendricks and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 119
1st Service: 56 (46 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 63 (51 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - December 13th
Message - "When Love Comes To Town - A Baby Changes Everything" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"Being used by God isn't always comfortable or convenient, but it is always because of His love."
Key Verses: Luke 1:1-8
Worship led by: Elizabeth Hendricks and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 66 (52 students, 14 leaders)

Vitals - December 6th

2009-12-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - December 6th
Message - "When Love Comes To Town - Guest List" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"God used those people least expected to provide what people needed the most."
Key Verses: Matthew 1:1-7, 16
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 117
1st Service: 50 (40 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 67 (54 students, 13 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - December 6th
Message - "When Love Comes To Town - Guest List" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"God used those people least expected to provide what people needed the most."
Key Verses: Matthew 1:1-7, 16
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 72 (58 students, 14 leaders)

Student Ministry Baptism Service!

2009-12-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

We are having a Student Ministry Baptism service on Wednesday, December 16th, from 7:00-8:30p in the Student Zone. This is an occasion for the entire family to celebrate the life change that Jesus has done in the lives of our students! It will be a great night of celebration with worship, testimonies and baptisms. If your student would like to be baptized, please email us at students@pointofgrace.com, and we hope to see you all there to celebrate what God has done in our ministry! Hope to see you next Wednesday night, December 16th!

Parents...

2009-12-06T17:29:00.000-08:00

Hey Parents...
If you or your students have any questions regarding the announcement made this weekend at The Spark or 4ORTY 2WO, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to answer any and all questions that you have and listen to your thoughts. Feel free to call us at 515.987.9595 or email us at students@pointofgrace.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your support and involvement in the Student Ministry of Point of Grace Church.

We appreciate your thoughts!

Much Love,
Kurt and Katie

NEW SERIES!

2009-12-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

Our new Christmas Series, called "When Love Comes To Town" begins on Sunday, December, 6th and we will be talking about the Christmas story for three weeks! We are excited to tell the story of Jesus' birth and focus the student's attention on the real meaning of Christmas! We hope they will join us!

Vitals - November 29th

2009-12-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - November 29th
Message - "How Great Is Our God" by Loiue Giglio (via video)
Attendance:
Total: 111
1st Service: 46 (40 students, 6 leaders)
2nd Service: 65 (57 students, 8 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) -November 29th
Message - "How Great Is Our God" by Loiue Giglio (via video)
Attendance: 66 (59 students, 7 leaders)

Vitals - November 22nd

2009-11-24T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - November 22nd
Message - "Listen and Learn - part.2" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"We only discover the wise choice only when we pursue wise council."
Key Verses: Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 15:31-33, James 1:19
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 134
1st Service: 53 (41 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 74 (59 students, 15 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - November 22nd
Message - "Listen and Learn - part.2" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"We only discover the wise choice only when we pursue wise council."
Key Verses: Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 15:31-33, James 1:19
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 62 (48 students, 14 leaders)

Vitals - November 15th

2009-11-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - November 15th
Message - "Listen and Learn - part.1" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"Who and what you listen to will determine what you do."
Key Verses: Matthew Jeremiah 17:9-10, Proverbs 12:15
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 134
1st Service: 62 (48 students, 14 leaders)
2nd Service: 72 (58 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - November 15th
Message - "Listen and Learn - part.1" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"Who and what you listen to will determine what you do."
Key Verses: Matthew Jeremiah 17:9-10, Proverbs 12:15
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 68 (58 students, 10 leaders)

Vitals - November 1st

2009-11-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - November 1st
Message - "EVERYONE - Everyone Is Included" by Katie
Big Idea:
"Jesus includes everyone in His mission, to reach everyone."
Key Verses: Matthew 28:16-20
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 126
1st Service: 58 (44 students, 14 leaders)
2nd Service: 68 (53 students, 15 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - November 1st
Message - "EVERYONE - Everyone Is Included" by Katie
Big Idea:
"Jesus includes everyone in His mission, to reach everyone."
Key Verses: Matthew 28:16-20
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 75 (61 students, 14 leaders)

Vitals - October 25th

2009-10-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - October 25th
Message - "EVERYONE - Everyone Is Important" by Brandon Pruitt
Big Idea:
"Jesus sees everyone as important, even those who others reject."
Key Verses: Matthew 19:13-15
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 108
1st Service: 46 (34 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 62 (49 students, 13 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - October 25th
Message - "EVERYONE - Everyone Is Important" by Dawn Frederiksen
Big Idea:
"Jesus sees everyone as important, even those who others reject."
Key Verses: Matthew 19:13-15
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 77 (65 students, 12 leaders)

Only 2 Weeks Until Captivate!

2009-10-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Vitals - October 18th

2009-10-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - October 18th
Message - "EVERYONE - Everyone Is Invited" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"Jesus invites everyone to experience His forgiveness."
Key Verses: Matthew 9:9-13
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 118
1st Service: 50 (38 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 68 (53 students, 15 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - October 18th
Message - "EVERYONE - Everyone Is Invited" by Kurt
Big Idea:
"Jesus invites everyone to experience His forgiveness."
Key Verses: Matthew 9:9-13
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 75 (61 students, 14 leaders)

Vitals - October 11th

2009-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - October 11th
Message - "Go Green - Marked By A Changed Life" by Katie
Big Idea:
"Baptism is an outward action taken to show that your life has been changed by God."
Key Verses: Romans 6:1-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 135
1st Service: 54 (42 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 81 (67 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - October 11th
Message - "Go Green - Marked By A Changed Life" by Katie
Big Idea:
"Baptism is an outward action taken to show that your life has been changed by God."
Key Verses: Romans 6:1-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 68 (55 students, 13 leaders)

Vitals - October 4th

2009-10-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - October 4th
Message - "Go Green - Serving Others" by Kurt
Big Idea:
If we do not give away what we have, it spoils.

Key Verses: James 1:27-2:2-6, 8
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 135
1st Service: 62 (41 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 73 (57 students, 16 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - October 4th
Message - "Go Green - Serving Others" by Kurt
Big Idea:
If we do not give away what we have, it spoils.

Key Verses: James 1:27-2:2-6, 8

Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 75 (62 students, 13 leaders)

Vitals - September 27th

2009-10-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - September 27th
Message - "Go Green - Engage with God" by Katie
Big Idea:
An intimate relationship with God only happens when we engage with His word.

Key Verses: John 1:1-3, 15:5-10
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 163
1st Service: 61 (49 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 89 (62 students, 17 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - September 27th
Message - "Go Green - Engage with God" by Katie
Big Idea:
An intimate relationship with God only happens when we engage with His word.

Key Verses: John 1:1-3, 15:5-10

Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 86 (68 students, 15 leaders)

Last Weekend Before Discount Deadline for Captivate...

2009-09-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

CAPTIVATE.
The theme for this year's Student Fall Retreat is "Captivate." During this incredible weekend, students will be drawn into the greatest story ever told: The epic story of God's relentless love for His people. This story has the power to capture our hearts and transform our lives forever, sending us on an adventure to change the world as God changes our hearts and lives.

This Weekend (Sept. 27th) is the last weekend to sign up for CAPTIVATE - our Fall Getaway, and still receive the discount. This is going to be one of the greatest weekends of the year and your student(s) will not want to miss out on this (and you'd probably like to save some money)!! To receive the discount, the permission slip must be filled out and signed, and the check must be received BEFORE October 1st. Registrations can also be mailed in, and all registrations postmarked by September 30th will be given the discount. Those received or postmarked October 1st or after, will be charged the increased price. If you have any questions, please feel free to talk to any of the Student Ministry Staff during a weekend service or you can call us at the church office at 515.987.9595. Thanks for understanding.

Paid before October 1st, 6th Graders = $99 7th – 12th Graders = $119
Paid on or before November 1st, 6th Graders = $119
7th – 12th Graders = $139

Your money is due in full when you sign up for CAPTIVATE and unfortunately, because we have to reserve space and rent equipment, there can be NO refunds of any kind after you sign up for CAPTIVATE. Thank you for understanding…

Vitals - Sept. 20th

2009-09-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - September 20th
Message - "Go Green - Who Are You Running With?" by Kurt
Big Idea:
Your friends determine the direction and quality of your life.

Key Verses: Proverbs 12:2-3
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 163
1st Service: 67 (56 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 96 (81 students, 15 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - September 20th
Message - "Go Green - Who Are You Running With?" by Kurt
Big Idea:
Your friends determine the direction and quality of your life.

Key Verses: Proverbs 12:2-3

Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 86 (74 students, 12 leaders)

CAPTIVATE. - Nov. 6th-8th

2009-09-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

When is it…
Captivate is November 6th – 8th, 2009

Where is it…
Hidden Acres Christian Conference Center in Dayton. Tucked away in the Hills about an hour west of Des Moines, the stage will be set for a true weekend getaway with God and friends. But don’t let the rustic scenery fool you - this is not your average wilderness weekend! Stocked with an indoor pool, gym, lake, paintball course, high ropes, horseback riding trails and a coffee shop, it's gonna be the biggest and best weekend of the year!

What do I need to bring…
A sleeping bag, close-toed shoes, toiletries, pants, Bible, pen, journal, clothes that can get dirty/ruined, spending money and your PLAID clothes for Super Spirit Saturday!

What should I not bring…
Cell phones, cigarettes, fireworks, iPods or other portable electronic
devices, offensive clothing or bad attitudes.

When and where do I need to be…
Register at Point of Grace at 3:00pm on Friday, November 6th Convoy leaves for CAPTIVATE around 3:30pm. Return to Point of Grace around 5:00pm on Sunday, November 8th.

What if I have questions…
Feel free to call the Student Ministry office at 987.9595, or you can ask questions by email at students@pointofgrace.com.

How much is it? When is my money due…
Paid before October 1st, 6th Graders = $99 7th – 12th Graders = $119
Paid on or before November 1st, 6th Graders = $119
7th – 12th Graders = $139

Your money is due in full when you sign up for CAPTIVATE and unfortunately, because we have to reserve space and rent equipment, there can be NO refunds of any kind after you sign up for CAPTIVATE. Thank you for understanding…

Vitals - September 13th

2009-09-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - September 13th
Message - "Go Green - A Transformed Kind Of Life..." by Katie
Big Idea:
The point of following Jesus is for our lives to be changed.

Key Verses: Romans 12:2, Matthew 6:25-26, 30-33
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 139
1st Service: 62 (48 students, 13 leaders)
2nd Service: 91 (76 students, 15 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - September 13th
Message - "Go Green - A Transformed Kind Of Life..." by Katie
Big Idea:
The point of following Jesus is for our lives to be changed.

Key Verses: Romans 12:2, Matthew 6:25-26, 30-33

Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 73 (61 students, 12 leaders)

Vitals - August 30th

2009-09-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - August 30th
Message - "ELEMENTAL - elevate..." by Kurt
Key Points:
EVERYONE worships SOMETHING. Worship is a LIFESTYLE.
Worship is LOVING GOD, even when NOBODY ELSE is.

Key Verses: Romans 12:1-3
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 143
1st Service: 59 (48 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 95 (81 students, 14 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - August 30th
Message - "ELEMENTAL - elevate..." by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think 'worship' means?"
"Do you think that you are a different person at church from who you are at home, at school or at work?"
Key Points:
EVERYONE worships SOMETHING. Worship is a LIFESTYLE.
Worship is LOVING GOD, even when NOBODY ELSE is.

Key Verses: Romans 12:1-3

Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 75 (65 students, 10 leaders)

Vitals - August 23rd

2009-08-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - August 23rd
Message - "ELEMENTAL - access..." by Katie
Key Points:
God CREATED ME to be part of His mission: MAKING THE WORLS NEW.

As soon as Jesus realized His INFLUENCE, He SERVED His friends.

Serving the needs of our PHYSICAL WORLD, can change SPIRITUAL REALITIES.
Key Verses: John 13:3-11
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 146
1st Service: 68 (58 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 88 (77 students, 11 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - August 23rd
Message - "ELEMENTAL - access..." by Katie
Discussion Questions:

"When was the last time that you did something nice or someone else? How did you feel afterwards?"

"What is your typical response when you realize that you are the most popular or influential person in a group?"

Key Points:

God CREATED ME to be part of His mission: MAKING THE WORLS NEW.

As soon as Jesus realized His INFLUENCE, He SERVED His friends.

Serving the needs of our PHYSICAL WORLD, can change SPIRITUAL REALITIES.
Key Verses: John 13:3-11

Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 78 (68 students, 10 leaders)

Casey Darnell's "Can You See Me?" music video that we showed this past Sunday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy5WxNtn3rE

Life Groups Are Starting Soon!

2009-08-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, August 16th, your student will be able to sign up to be in a Life Group. This is a very important step in their spiritual journey!

Our goal is to create environments where students begin to "See and God sees, and Love as God loves." We do this through helping students build purposeful relationships, experience God for themselves and engage in opportunities to be actively involved in the cause of Christ by serving others. Each week in their Middle School or High School environments students will experience fun games, great food, rocking worship, a challenging talk, and most importantly a meaningful connection in a Life Group with other students their age and caring adult leaders.

Life Group is the environment where students can connect with other peers and a caring adult in our to process what God is doing in their lives and what they are learning. This is where their faith becomes their own and they can ask questions and build intimate relationships with others. Our program is changing so that Life Groups will no longer be on Wednesday evenings, but will now be an integrated part of your student's Sunday experience. This is to ease the schedule of your family, as well as enable leaders to have more time to focus on the students in their group, hopefully creating an even better environment for life change!

To get the most out of this environment, in it more important than ever for your student to consistently attend the same service, every week. So, for example, if you typically come to the 9:00am service, your Jr. High student will be placed in a Life Group with student their same grade and gender within The Spark for that service. If one week they attend the 10:30am service, they will not be able to be in a Life Group, instead they will have to participate in the "On Deck" group. There is only one service time for 4ORTY 2WO.

With that in mind, we hope that over the next few days, you will discuss with your student the goal of Life Groups as discussed above, and express your desire for him or her to sign up for a group. They can sign up this weekend and following weekends at The Spark or 4ORTY 2WO, or you can sign them up at the Habit Shack in The Student Zone during any of our weekend services. We hope to have sign ups available online as well in the very near future. Look for more information regarding that on this website.

Looking forward to having your student involved in Life Groups this year!!

Vitals - August 16th

2009-08-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - August 16th
Message - "ELEMENTAL - construct..." by Kurt
Key Points:
God is the one that makes things GROW. It's our job to CONSTRUCT healthy habits.
You cannot grow CLOSER TO GOD if you don't spend TIME WITH HIM.
Do you want God more than ANYTHING ELSE?
Key Verses: Matthew 13:18-23
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 145
1st Service: 73 (62 students, 11 leaders)
2nd Service: 83 (71 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - August 16th
Message - "ELEMENTAL - construct..." by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What are most looking forward to about starting school? What are you not looking forward to?"
"Was there a time that you felt particularly close to God? If so, what do you think caused you to feel that way?"
Key Points:
God is the one that makes things GROW. It's our job to CONSTRUCT healthy habits.
You cannot grow CLOSER TO GOD if you don't spend TIME WITH HIM.
Do you want God more than ANYTHING ELSE?
Key Verses: Matthew 13:18-23
Worship led by: Alex Wolfe and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 76 (67 students, 9 leaders)

Life Groups Sign Ups Begin This Weekend!!

2009-08-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

This coming weekend, August 16th, your student will be able to sign up to be in a Life Group. This is a very important step in their spiritual journey!

Our goal is to create environments where students begin to "See and God sees, and Love as God loves." We do this through helping students build purposeful relationships, experience God for themselves and engage in opportunities to be actively involved in the cause of Christ by serving others. Each week in their Middle School or High School environments students will experience fun games, great food, rocking worship, a challenging talk, and most importantly a meaningful connection in a Life Group with other students their age and caring adult leaders.

Life Group is the environment where students can connect with other peers and a caring adult in our to process what God is doing in their lives and what they are learning. This is where their faith becomes their own and they can ask questions and build intimate relationships with others. Our program is changing so that Life Groups will no longer be on Wednesday evenings, but will now be an integrated part of your student's Sunday experience. This is to ease the schedule of your family, as well as enable leaders to have more time to focus on the students in their group, hopefully creating an even better environment for life change!

To get the most out of this environment, in it more important than ever for your student to consistently attend the same service, every week. So, for example, if you typically come to the 9:00am service, your Jr. High student will be placed in a Life Group with student their same grade and gender within The Spark for that service. If one week they attend the 10:30am service, they will not be able to be in a Life Group, instead they will have to participate in the "On Deck" group. There is only one service time for 4ORTY 2WO.

With that in mind, we hope that over the next few days, you will discuss with your student the goal of Life Groups as discussed above, and express your desire for him or her to sign up for a group. They can sign up this weekend and following weekends at The Spark or 4ORTY 2WO, or you can sign them up at the Habit Shack in The Student Zone during any of our weekend services. We hope to have sign ups available online as well in the very near future. Look for more information regarding that on this website.

Looking forward to having your student involved in Life Groups this year!!

Vitals - August 9th

2009-08-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - August 9th
Message - "ELEMENTAL - merge..." by Katie
Key Points:
God never intended us to follow Jesus ALONE.
The purpose of MERGING in community is LIFE CHANGE.
Our RELATIONSHIP with other people reflect my relationship with GOD.
Key Verses: Ephesians 4:21-24, John 15:12-13
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 107
1st Service: 44 (34 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 73 (62 students, 11 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - August 9th
Message - "ELEMENTAL - merge..." by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"What is something that you have experienced that has changed how you live?"
"When was the last time that you experienced conflict with a friend? How do you handle it?"
Key Points:
God never intended us to follow Jesus ALONE.
The purpose of MERGING in community is LIFE CHANGE.
Our RELATIONSHIP with other people reflect my relationship with GOD.
Key Verses: Ephesians 4:21-24, John 15:12-13
Worship led by: Alex Wolfe and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 57 (49 students, 8 leaders)

Vitals - August 2nd

2009-08-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - August 2nd
Message - "ELEMENTAL - enter" by Kurt
Key Points:
When you start to FOLLOW Jesus, you ENTER a new life.
People can argue with BELIEF. No one can argue with your EXPERIENCE.
Jesus has called ME to INVEST in my friends, and INVITE them to follow Him.
Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Acts 4:18-20
Worship led by: Alex Wolfe and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 97
1st Service: 40 (31 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 67 (57 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - August 2nd
Message - "ELEMENTAL - enter" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What was the last thing that happened to you that was so exciting that you couldn't wait to tell your friends about it?"
"Why do you think that people decide to start following Jesus?"
Key Points:
When you start to FOLLOW Jesus, you ENTER a new life.
People can argue with BELIEF. No one can argue with your EXPERIENCE.
Jesus has called ME to INVEST in my friends, and INVITE them to follow Him.
Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Acts 4:18-20
Worship led by: Alex Wolfe and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 57 (49 students, 8 leaders)

Arrival Update!

2009-07-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

Well it's 6am and we are officially back in the state of Iowa. We will be stopping for breakfast on our way, so it looks like we will be back at Point of Grace around 8:00am. We will unload the buses together and then dismiss your student(s) to you after everything is cleaned up. Again, we will be back a little earlier than expected so the staff would appreciate your promptness. Its been an awesome trip, so make sure that your student(s) are there tomorrow for The Spark or 4ORTY 2WO, to celebrate all that God did in our lives this week @ FL!P Camp! Once again, thanks for allowing us the opportunity to partner with you by allowing your student to come with us on this incedible trip! See you in a few hours!

What An Amazing Night!!

2009-07-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

It has been a truely incedible day at FL!P Camp! We have had an amazing time worshiping with Kristian Stanfill and David Crowder! Its great to see the students giving their all to God and just thanking and praising Him for Who He is and what He's doing in their lives! We have slap enjoyed many of the exciting attractions that Branson has to offer, even though yesterday was dampreed by the rain... The students have really been responding the the Challanges that Francis Chan has been giving them! Challanges to find a reason to worship in every circumstance, to see God for who He is, a Holy, All-Powerful Creator, and to realize that adding God to your life doesn't cut it... We need to hand over control of our lives completley to God and hold nothing back! Tonight he challanded them to confess their sins to each other and stop being lukewarm, trying to play both on God's team and stay on the world's team. We had tons of students moved to make life-altering decisions to give God their lives, all of their lives, tonight! Keep praying for your students! God is moving big time and they are catching on to God's plans for their lives! And we are having a ton of fun! Thanks again for allowing your student to join us for this trip! They will never be the same!!

what an amazing Night!!

2009-07-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

We Made It!

2009-07-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Parents!
We made it to Branson safely this at 7:00 am. We are now having breakfast and then heading off to Table Rock Lake! Thanks again for you patience last night and for allowing us to have your student come with us for what is sure to be a lifechanging week! We're will be keeping you updated on what's happening on this website, so check back often! Thanks again!

2009-07-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe, but FLIP Summer Camp 2009 is only about a week away! We are so pumped to have your student(s) joining us for this amazing trip! It promises to be one of the best trips of the year and we are sure it will be life changing for you student as they experience the beauty of the Ozarks, community with their friends and leaders and experience God through worship and the teaching of his world by some of the best worship leaders and communicators in the country! We can't wait!!

Here are a few last minute details that we want you to be aware of as we approach the trip...

Registration is MANDATORY for both students and their parents before we leave for camp. Registration will be held at 9:00pm on Sunday night, July 19th in the Student Zone at Point of Grace. At registration, parents will be given a registration packet containing vital information for you while your student is away at camp, as well as sign the parental consent form. This is why is it important that at least one parent of each student is present at registration. In this packet will be their rooming list, as well as the cell phone numbers of the leaders on the trip so that you can contact them if you need to get a hold of your student while they are away. Also is the packet will be an itinerary for the week, as well as some outlines and prayer requests for you so that you can be praying for God to move in your student's life at camp this summer. We will be leaving for camp directly from Registration, so the students may come in their PJs if they want, because we will be on the bus overnight on the way to Branson.

We will leave Point of Grace around 10:30pm on Sunday night, July 19th and we will return to Point of Grace on Saturday morning, July 25th, around 9:00am.

Also to clarify some of the expectations for this trip, there are some things that are not allowed on this trip. Please do not have your student bring their cell phone, any prank supplies or any dangerous items, such as a pocket knives, fireworks or air-soft guns. THESE ITEMS WILL BE CONFISCATED AND MAY RESULT IN YOUR STUDENT BEING EXPELLED FROM CAMP. iPods, CD players, PSPs, and other personal media devices are allowed on this trip due to the long bus ride. However, they will be collected once we get to Branson, and will be returned the night before we leave so that they can re-charge them for the ride home. It would help them to put their name an a piece of tape and label their personal items. Also as a reminder, each student will need between $100-$150 in spending money for food and fun stuff while we are at camp. There will be about 10 meals (not counting snacks or late night pizza) that they will need to purchase for themselves.

While we are at camp, as well as the rest of the year, please reference our Parent "LIFELINE" website to get updates on what your students are learning, events descriptions as well as updated arrival times. Hopefully this is a helpful resource for you.

If you have any other questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to email us at students@pointofgrace.com or give us a call at 515.987.9595 between 9:00am and 4:00pm Tuesday - Thursday, and we will do everything we can to help you out. Thanks again for trusting us with your student as we go to camp together! Its going to be a great trip and we pray that it will be an incredible experience for your student that draws them closer to God and His plan for their life!

Vitals - July 5th

2009-07-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - July 5th
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is...Creative" by Katie
Discussion Question:
"How could God use your interests to impact the lives of others?"
Key Points:
Our INTERESTS are a bridge to connect God to the HEARTS of other people.
God created us to REFLECT His love to the world.
Key Verses: Luke 19:10, Psalm 119:73-77
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 90
1st Service: 38 (32 students, 6 leaders)
2nd Service: 58 (52 students, 6 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - July 5th
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is...Creative" by Katie
Discussion Question:
"How could God use your interests to impact the lives of others?"
"What is something that you love to do with other people?"
"When was the last time that you experienced God outside of 'church'?"
Key Points:
Our INTERESTS are a bridge to connect God to the HEARTS of other people.
God created us to REFLECT His love to the world.
Key Verses: Luke 19:10, Psalm 119:73-77
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 60 (54 students, 6 leaders)

Vitals - June 28th

2009-07-01T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 28th
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is...Great" by Steven Furtick
Discussion Question:
"What would change in your life is you saw God more clearly?"
Key Points:
If God is GREAT, but not GOOD, we should all fear for our lives!
In light of the GLORY of God, how big is your PROBLEM?
God is GREAT (He's Capable), and He's GOOD (He's Loving).
Key Verses: Psalm 62:11-12a, Exodus 3:14, Lamentations 3:22-23
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 97
1st Service: 38 (29 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 68 (58 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 28th
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is...Great" by Steven Furtick
Discussion Question:
"What would change in your life is you saw God more clearly?"
"What was the last thing that you think God has done for you?"
"When was the last time that you felt that God let you down?"
Key Points:
If God is GREAT, but not GOOD, we should all fear for our lives!
In light of the GLORY of God, how big is your PROBLEM?
God is GREAT (He's Capable), and He's GOOD (He's Loving).
Key Verses: Psalm 62:11-12a, Exodus 3:14, Lamentations 3:22-23
Worship led by: Justin Willis and the 4ORTY 2WO Band
Attendance: 68 (60 students, 8 leaders)

Vitals - June 21st

2009-06-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 21st
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is... Awesome" by Kurt
Discussion Question:
"What is an area of your life that you need God to take charge of?"
Key Points:
God has chosen to show how AWESOME He is through YOU.
When we only look at OURSELVES, we miss out on seeing GOD.
If we saw God's awesomeness more CLEARLY, we would live totally DIFFERENTLY.
Key Verses: Psalm 47:12, Exodus 33:15-20
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 73
1st Service: 27 (21 students, 6 leaders)
2nd Service: 62 (54 students, 8 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 21st
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is... Awesome" by Kurt
Discussion Question:
"What is an area of your life that you need God to take charge of?"
"What is something that you think is awesome?"
"What is an area that you usually look out for yourself first and others second?"
Key Points:
God has chosen to show how AWESOME He is through YOU.
When we only look at OURSELVES, we miss out on seeing GOD.
If we saw God's awesomeness more CLEARLY, we would live totally DIFFERENTLY.
Key Verses: Psalm 47:12, Exodus 33:15-20
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 59 (51 students, 8 leaders)

Vitals - June 14th

2009-06-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 14th
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is... Ready" by Scott Hodge
Discussion Question:
"What is one are of you life that we can pray for God to give you more courage?"
Key Points:
God Is Always Ready... ARE YOU?
A huge part of being to be used by God is if we are...
- Willing to look FOOLISH
- Willing to be FAITHFUL
Key Verses: Psalm 18:30, Matthew 9:36-37, 1 Corinthians 1:27
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 103
1st Service: 38 (29 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 74 (64 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 14th
Message - "ONE PRAYER - God Is... Ready" by Scott Hodge
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think prayer is? What do you think it does?"
"When do you think keeps you from being used by God to do something huge for Him?"
"What is one are of you life that we can pray for God to give you more courage?"
Key Points:
God Is Always Ready... ARE YOU?
A huge part of being to be used by God is if we are...
- Willing to look FOOLISH
- Willing to live FLUIDLY
- Willing to be FAITHFUL
Key Verses: Psalm 18:30, Matthew 9:36-37, 1 Corinthians 1:27
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 58 (49 students, 9 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO is moving times!

2009-06-03T12:36:00.001-07:00

4ORTY 2WO (our High School Ministry) is changing times! In order to be more Family-Friendly, we are changing times of our High School Ministry.

Starting June 7th, 4ORTY 2WO will begin meeting from 5:00p - 7:00p.
Doors will open at 4:45p and we will be closed at 7:45p.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at students@pointofgrace.com or call us at 515.987.9595 and we will help in any way that we can! We know that all change in hard, but we hope that this is a helpful change for your family that enables you all to spend more time together with your students.

Vitals - May 31st

2009-06-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - May 31st
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Depression" by Kurt
Key Points:
When we choose to follow JESUS, we will live in the TENSION between positive and negative.
We need to view our situations as a STORY instead of a SNAPSHOT.
Only God can make something GOOD out of something BAD.
Key Verses: John 16:32-33, Revelation 21:3-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 74
1st Service: 20 (12 students, 8 leaders)
2nd Service: 62 (53 students, 9 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - May 31st
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Depression" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think causes people to get stuck in a cycle of depression?"
"When was the last time that you felt like God had let you down?"
Key Points:
When we choose to follow JESUS, we will live in the TENSION between positive and negative.
We need to view our situations as a STORY instead of a SNAPSHOT.
Only God can make something GOOD out of something BAD.
Key Verses: John 16:32-33, Revelation 21:3-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 50 (41 students, 9 leaders)

PARENT MEETING THIS SUNDAY!

2009-05-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

This Sunday (March 31st) from 12:00-1:00p in the Student Zone is our Summer Parent Meeting! You do not want to miss this meeting as we will be discussing our plan for Summer as well as unveiling some new plans and strategies for Student Ministries that you will DEFINITELY want to hear! Any other parents that you know, if you could please remind them to make it to this very important meeting. Also if you know of any parents of current 5th graders who will be moving up on June 7th, that they will want to be at this as well!

We will have some drinks and light refreshments as well and some of our Student Leaders will be providing childcare for you in Zone 45 during this meeting. So don't miss this IMPORTANT meeting and we promise we will get you out in under an hour! Hope to see you there!

Vitals - May 24th

2009-05-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - May 24th
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Abortion" by Katie
Key Points:
From God's perspective, there are no unplanned BABIES, only unplanned PARENTS.
Since humans are made in GOD'S IMAGE, all lives have infinite VALUE.
Key Verses: Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 139:13-16
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 93
1st Service: 30 (21 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 72 (62 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - May 24th
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Abortion" by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"Where do you get your self-worth from?"
"Why do you think that abortion is such a controversial issue?"
Key Points:
From God's perspective, there are no unplanned BABIES, only unplanned PARENTS.
Since humans are made in GOD'S IMAGE, all lives have infinite VALUE.
Key Verses: Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 139:13-16
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 57 (47 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO is moving times!

2009-05-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

4ORTY 2WO (our High School Ministry) is changing times! In order to be more Family-Friendly, we are changing times of our High School Ministry.

Starting June 7th, 4ORTY 2WO will begin meeting from 5:00p - 7:00p.
Doors will open at 4:45p and we will be over by 7:30p.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at students@pointofgrace.com or call us at 515.987.9595 and we will help in any way that we can! We know that all change in hard, but we hope that this is a helpful change for your family that enables you all to spend more time together with your students.

Vitals - May 17th

2009-05-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - May 17th
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Homosexuality" by Kurt
Key Points:
Jesus extended His FORGIVENESS to everyone regardless of LIFESTYLE.
God's greatest desire is for His FOLLOWERS to treat other people the way JESUS did.
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11a, John 8:3-4,8-11
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 118
1st Service: 40 (31 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 78 (68 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - May 17th
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Homosexuality" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think are Christian people's views of gay people?"
"What do you think are gay people's views of Christians?"
Key Points:
Jesus extended His FORGIVENESS to everyone regardless of LIFESTYLE.
God's greatest desire is for His FOLLOWERS to treat other people the way JESUS did.
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11a, John 8:3-4,8-11
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 57 (47 students, 10 leaders)

30 Hour Famine!

2009-05-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

30 HOUR FAMINE - FRIDAY, MAY 15th @ 6:30p - SATURDAY, MAY 16th @ 3:00p

This Friday is the 30 Hour Famine! Your student will not want to miss this incredibly powerful overnight experience! This life-changing event will help your student become more aware of the situation that millions of children, women and men live in around the world. During this event they will experience hunger and poverty, raise awareness and money to solve the poverty crisis around the world, as well as do community service projects in our own community to help the less fortunate. This experience will be unlike any other that we have ever done. Your student will not want to miss the first one! For more information, be sure to contact students@pointofgrace.com or call Dawn at 515.987.9595 ext. 130.

Here's what you need to know:
- Have your student eat breakfast on Friday morning before 8:00am and then don't eat lunch at school.
- Show up at Point of Grace at 6:30p
- They are only allowed to bring 3 personal items... this includes clothing, deodorant, camera, pillow etc... so for example a person could bring a shirt to change into, a sleeping bag and a toothbrush, but no toothpaste or pillow... (medications do not count, but please turn them into an adult leader upon arrival with your student's name printed on them.)
- No Cell Phones, iPods, DVDs, Video games or players or other personal media devices.
- Please bring your signed permission slip with your student if you have not filled it out yet.
- We will provide Juice and Water breaks throughout the evening and make sure that they students are well hydrated.
- Pick will be at Point of Grace Church at 3:00p after our Service Projects in the morning and our "BREAK-FAST" Celebration...

Vitals - May 10th

2009-05-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - May 10th
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Life and Death" by Katie
Key Points:
These HOT TOPICS only matter because they AFFECT PEOPLE.
GOOD PEOPLE don't go to heaven, FORGIVEN PEOPLE do.
Sometimes we would rather blame God for DEATH, than care about someone else's ETERNAL LIFE.
We need to fight for our friend’s RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS as if their life depends on it… because it does!
Key Verses: Jonah 4:1-3, 9-11
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 100
1st Service: 37 (28 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 72 (62 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - May 10th
Message - "HOT TOPICS - Life and Death" by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think is the purpose of this life on Earth?"
"What do you think happens to people after they die?"
Key Points:
These HOT TOPICS only matter because they AFFECT PEOPLE.
GOOD PEOPLE don't go to heaven, FORGIVEN PEOPLE do.
Sometimes we would rather blame God for DEATH, than care about someone else's ETERNAL LIFE.
We need to fight for our friend’s RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS as if their life depends on it… because it does!
Key Verses: Jonah 4:1-3, 9-11
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 50 (41 students, 9 leaders)

NEW SERIES!!

2009-05-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend we will be starting a new series called "HOT TOPICS" discussing God's perspective on some very contemporary issues in our culture. This new series is unique in that it's topics were chosen by the students. During these 4-weeks, we will answer questions that we have been asked directly by students in the Student Ministry such as:
"What happens to people when they die?"
"Is homosexuality wrong?"
"What does the Bible say about abortion?" and
"Why does life hurt so bad sometimes?"

This we be an exciting and revealing series as we look at the Bible's surprisingly clear discussion on what seem to be somewhat "controversial" issues. While the answers are fairly clear, they might not be what we would have expected. Our goal in this series is to impress on the students that these issues only matter because they involve people, and God's greatest desire is for people. We hope that you student(s) can join us for this exciting series. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at students@pointofgrace.com or call us at 515.987.9595 and we would love to assist and partner with you in any way that we can!

Vitals - April 19th

2009-04-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - April 19th
Message - "FIGHT CLUB - Fight For..." by Katie
Key Points:
God gives each of us a FAMILY so that we can learn to BE REAL with people.
No family chooses their CHALLENGE, but the do choose how they DEAL WITH IT.
JESUS understood the importance of OBEYING His parents.
FIGHTING FOR my relationship with my family means caring more about them than about getting MY OWN WAY.
Key Verses: Nehemiah 4:12-14, Luke 2:46-52
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 88
1st Service: 26 (17 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 71 (61 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - April 19th
Message - "FIGHT CLUB - Fight For..." by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"What is something that you do not love about your family?"
"What is something that you do love about your family?"
Key Points:
God gives each of us a FAMILY so that we can learn to BE REAL with people.
No family chooses their CHALLENGE, but the do choose how they DEAL WITH IT.
JESUS understood the importance of OBEYING His parents.
FIGHTING FOR my relationship with my family means caring more about them than about getting MY OWN WAY.
Key Verses: Nehemiah 4:12-14, Luke 2:46-52
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 51 (43 students, 8 leaders)

FIGHT CLUB!

2009-04-14T09:36:00.001-07:00

This weekend we are starting our new series called "FIGHT CLUB" about Family Relationships. This two week series will focus your student's attention on the need for them to FIGHT FOR their relationships with their parents and siblings, rather than FIGHTING WITH them. We hope that your student(s) will join us for this two week series!

The Spark (6th-8th Grade)
Sunday Mornings @ 9:00 and 10:30 am

4ORTY 2WO (9th-12th Grade)
Sunday Nights @ 7:00pm

NO STUDENT SERVICES FOR EASTER!

2009-04-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend we will not have Student Ministries services due to the Easter Holiday. Please take this opportunity to hang out with your student and celebrate Easter together as a family in the main service. They are starting a new series on parenting called "PARENTHOOD," and we hope that it will be very enjoyable as well as helpful. We will restart Student Ministries services next weekend (April 19th) with our new series on Family Relationships called "FIGHT CLUB." We hope that your student will join us next Sunday!

Vitals - April 5th

2009-04-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - April 5th
Message - "AMP'd - On The Chopping Block" by Kurt
Key Points:
Our VIEW OF GOD impacts our WORSHIP of God.
God does not NEED our worship, He gives us the OPTION to encounter Him.
We need to RETHINK what worship is, and we need to RESET our life around God.
To worship with your LIFE, you have to love what GOD LOVES.
Key Verses: Acts 17:22-26,28, Romans 12:1-2
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 113
1st Service: 39 (29 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 84 (72 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - April 5th
Message - "AMP'd - On Chopping Block" by Kurt

There was no 4ORTY 2WO this weekend due to inclement weather.

No 4ORTY 2WO Tonight (4/5)

2009-04-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
Just to let you know that we will not be having 4ORTY 2WO this evening due to the snow storm. Sorry for the late notice but the storm snuck up on us. Hope you and your students have a great and safe night and have a Happy Easter Next Week! If you have any questions, please call 515.577.2696 or email students@pointofgrace.com

Vitals - March 29th

2009-04-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - March 29th
Message - "AMP'd - Superfan" by Katie
Key Points:
We were created to WORSHIP, so everyone worships SOMETHING.
A lifestyle of worshiping God is the opposite of BORING.
True worship is about giving YOUR ALL to God.
God created us to play a MAJOR ROLE in the story of Jesus.
Key Verses: Colossians 3:23, Acts 2: 41-47
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 126
1st Service: 46 (36 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 90 (78 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - March 29th
Message - "AMP'd - Superfan" by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"When was the last time you experienced something so cool that you just had to tell others about it?"
"What do you think is the definition of the word 'worship'?"
Key Points:
We were created to WORSHIP, so everyone worships SOMETHING.
A lifestyle of worshiping God is the opposite of BORING.
True worship is about giving YOUR ALL to God.
God created us to play a MAJOR ROLE in the story of Jesus.
Key Verses: Colossians 3:23, Acts 2: 41-47
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 65 (54 students, 11 leaders)

No Life Groups Tonight! Go Bowling...

2009-03-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

There are no Life Groups tonight because of Spring Break. So come bowling with us tonight at Warrior Lanes from 8p to 10p. It costs $10 and it includes 2 hours of Xtreme Blackout Bowling and shoe rentals. Have your student bring their own money for food if they want. Hope to see them there!

SPRING BREAK MADNESS 2009!

2009-03-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

Some people think that the Madness has to do with Basketball this March, but we know that it's really about Student Ministries and all the fun stuff we have going on this week! So be sure your student(s) join us for all the fun and invite their friends to come with them! There's no reason to be bored!

Here is the Line Up:

TUESDAY – March 17th TOKENS ARCADE
11:30am – 4:00pm
Meet & Pick Up at the Church (Parent Drivers Needed)
Cost: $20
Includes Lunch, Transportation, 1 Game of Lazer Tag, 1 Round of Mini Golf and 10 Game Tokens

*WE NEED PARENTS TO DRIVE TO AND FROM THIS EVENT!! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO DRIVE PLEASE CALL KURT OR KATIE @ 515.577.2696 OR 515.577.9212 AND BRING YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND INSURANCE CARD ON TUESDAY! THANK YOU!!*

WEDNESDAY – March 18th
XTREME BOWLING @ WARRIOR LANES
7:30pm – 10:00pm
Meet & Pick Up at Warrior Lanes
190 Laurel Street, Waukee (Across Hickman from POG)
Cost: $10 plus bring money for food

THURSDAY – March 19th LUNCH AND A MOVIE @ JORDAN CREEK
11:30m – 3:30pm
Meet & Pick Up at Jordan Creek Dew Zone
Cost: $10-20 for Food and Movie Ticket
We will be seeing Race To Witch Mountain at 1:30p. It is Rated PG and produced by Disney.

If you have any questions or if you want to help out with any of these events, email us at students@pointofgrace.com. Thanks and hope to see your student at all the fun activities!

Sex Series Parent Preview (week.3)

2009-03-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

This series has been such a great connecting point for the students! Last week, we had over 30 students commit to giving God control of their sexual lives. It was awesome! This week we are discussing the issue of setting both mental and physical boundaries before we are faced with the situation where we would need to make those certain decisions. So here are the message notes for this coming weekend (3.15) about what we will be teaching for Birds & Bees (The Spark) and UNCENSORED (4ORTY 2WO). Please let us know if there is anything else that we can assist you with to help you connect and discuss this topic with your student.

The Spark (6th-8th Grade)
Week.3: Don't Get Stung!

They Bible tells us clearly that we are designed for sexual enjoyment and fulfillment, but in order to have the best experience we have to follow God's guidelines. However, only holding out our virginity is not the goal, it is not God's best. Virginity simply means that sexual intercourse has not occurred. This become problematic for students because they begin to assume that anything other than sexual intercourse is fine, and will not have any problematic consequences, physical or emotional.

God’s standard for our life is not just VIRGINITY it’s PURITY.

Immorality is defined and taking what is not yours, so sexual immorality is taking someone's sexuality that doesn't belong to you. For example: Pornography is looking at someone else's wife or husband so you are stealing their sexuality from them. Lust is stealing someone else's purity by imagining them in a sexual way.

“You say, 'I am allowed to do anything'—but not everything is good for you. And even though 'I am allowed to do anything,' I must not become a slave to anything. You say, 'Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.' But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies."
1 Corinthians 6:12-13

The Bible says to run away from anything that causes us to sin sexual and the question we want to get the students to ask themselves is, "How serious am I about putting God first in my life, and how does that play out in my commitment to remain as sexually pure as possible?" We want them to be willing to avoid sexual sin, even if it makes them look dumb, feel awkward, loose a boyfriend or a girlfriend or even mean making some real sacrificial changes in their life so that they can honor God and really respect their future spouse and set themselves up for a joyful, fulfilling and exciting sexual connection in marriage.

Setting BOUNDARIES ahead of time keeps us from getting STUNG!

Students are always looking for a boundary, and line that they know that they can go all the way up to and not get in trouble. Unfortunately the Bible does not give a hard and fast line, because God knows that sex is bigger than we think. This makes the conversation more difficult at times, but also more relevant and true for our lives. Many churches have stressed that we shouldn't have sex until we are married, which is good, but they regretfully do not discuss the things that are most commonly happening in student sexual lives. Things that they do not view as sex, but are sexual in nature. This has lead to a lot of confusion in the lives of teens, especially those in church.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful; love lasts forever.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

We want to close out this discussion talking about God's definition of love, and how if you are pursing love, you will not substitute it for sexual activity, because 'love is patient... and it doesn't demand it's own way.'

Big Idea:
It’s not LOVE unless it’s FOREVER.

4ORTY 2WO (9th-12 Grade)
Week.3: Caution I'm Hot... Don't Get Burned!

In the 21st century we have seriously jacked up the idea of Love and Sex. Many young people feel like having sex for the first time is something to just get over with before High School is over, so that they’ll be ready for college. ‘Being in love’ has become some milestone that one must reach in order to justify that they are ready for sexual activity. This understanding shatters lives, breaks hearts and cheapens our understanding of love. Truth be told… There’s not a condom in the world that can protect you from a broken heart!

God’s standard for our sex life is not just VIRGINITY it’s PURITY.

In many ways this is much harder than “just wait until your married,” it’s not just “abstinence is the only safe-sex,” rather it encompasses all of who we are, our mind, heart, body and soul. God cares about everything because our thoughts about ourselves and about other people reflect the condition of our heart and our relationship with Him.

“You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything. You say, ‘Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.’ (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:12-13

We need to set boundaries with our thoughts, so that we can set limits for our choices. These boundaries need to protect us emotionally and physically.

Setting BOUNDARIES ahead of time keeps us from getting BURNED in the heat of the moment.

If you are seriously looking for a “line” not to cross you should think of the question in a different way, instead of giving/taking just enough from someone to not make God mad, think of how much you can save/protect for your future husband or wife one day, so that you can give the most of yourself that you possibly can. Those boundaries are not something anyone can make for you, you must come up with these for yourself, talk about it with a friend, parent or adult you trust and most of all if you surrender this area of your life to God and seek His wisdom, He won't let you down. Common sense: anything that is covered by a bathing suit is a no-go area of your body, long make out sessions might get you going sexually because that is how our bodies are created, just be honest with yourself and your boyfriend/girlfriend of how sensitive you are.

It’s important to set boundaries for what you allow to influence your thought life. The things you watch, sexual scenes in movies, pornography, etc., have a profound affect on what we begin to think is OK for us to act out in our behavior. They also can have a very detrimental affect on how we view ourselves, as well as members of the opposite sex.

“God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity. Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God. Don't abuse your brothers or sisters. Their concerns are God's concerns, and He will take care of them. We've warned you about this before. God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful - as beautiful on the inside as the outside.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

In GOD’S FAMILY there is no such thing as CASUAL SEX.

So the question begs to be answered… How far is too far when it comes to sex?

Well how far would you go with your dad in the room? How far would you go with your brother or sister? I know that sounds gross to think of it that way, but that’s what it looks like from God’s perspective as our Heavenly father, He sees it as abuse or just plain disturbing if we use each other for our own selfish pleasure.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

God wants us to be “love-elitists” when it comes to our thoughts on sexual purity.
Emotional purity… desiring/dropping the “L” bomb prematurely can be dangerous if the level of commitment is not forever, it has the potential to over promise and under-deliver. Not to mention, can accelerate your physical desire for that person. We are wired to want sex when we are promised Love, it is a biological and spiritual reaction to that level of intimacy. If the person you are with avoids meeting your parents, being around your friends, if your friends don’t like this person, if this person is not following God, that should be a huge red flag.

BIG IDEA:
It’s not really LOVE until it’s FOREVER.

[Please let us know if there is anything else that we can assist you with to help you connect and discuss this topic with your student. Feel free to email thoughts, comments or questions to students@pointofgrace.com and we will get back to you! Until next week...]

Sex Series Parent Preview (week.2)

2009-03-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

We had a great start to our new series this past weekend talking about Dating. This weekend, we we be discussing the topic of sexual purity and how we all need to make a choice to trust God with our decisions and choices regarding our sexual identity and our sexual activity. Our hope is to impress on the students the reality of magnitude of sex in an age appropriate manner that helps them understand WHY God says what He says regarding this topic. So here are the message notes for this coming weekend (3.8) about what we will be teaching for Birds & Bees (The Spark) and UNCENSORED (4orty 2wo). Please let us know if there is anything else that we can assist you with to help you connect and discuss this topic with your student.

The Spark (6th-8th Grade)
Week.2: What's All The Buzz About?

Often times our perspective on certain things becomes warped or confused because we find ourselves being influenced by so many things, and they all seem to say different things and drive us in different directions. The magazines we read, the stores we shop at, our friends at school, the music we listen and almost everything else around us tries to influence us to think about sex in one way or another. It’s sometime hard for students to know what God says about sex, because all too often, churches aren’t talking about it, but everyone else is.

All the BUZZ about sex causes us to be UNSURE about what God thinks.

It’s would be easy to know what God thinks if He was the only one talking…

“God said, ‘It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a companion.’… This is why a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh. The two of them, the Man and his Wife, were naked, but they felt no shame.”
Gen. 2:18, 24-25

God INVENTED sex, and He tell us the TRUTH about it.

God decided from the beginning to make us sexual beings, with the capacity to enjoy sex. However, He knows how powerful it is, and He loves us enough to trust us with it, but gives us a "Users Manual" for our protection.

“There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, ‘The two become one.’ Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never ‘become one.’”
1 Corinthians 6:16-17

Students have to understand both the beautiful, incredible experience that God desires us to have when it comes to sex, and the consequences that come from misusing something so powerful, in order to understand the motivation to save sex for a committed marriage relationship.

God’s plan is for sex to be ENJOYED in marriage.

Big Idea:
PURITY paves the way to INTIMACY.

4ORTY 2WO (9th-12 Grade)
Week.2: Best Sex Ever!

"Just loose 10 pounds and you will be more attractive.'" "If you have this shirt you will be more sexy." "The opposite sex will want you if you are this way or that way," they all try to tell us. Because of their influence, sex has become a dirty word, a taboo topic that you only talk about if you are immature or perverted. However, God has a lot to say about sex in the Bible, because, well... it was HIS IDEA! God was the one who created it! And He says that it is good. Not just good, but if used in the way He designed it, He says it is even Worship! Sex is wonderfully mysterious, amazing and yet can be totally confusing, frustrating and leave us feeling empty if it is abused. Because our culture is so saturated with sexual images and ideas, the mystery of sex is cheapened and destroyed.

“There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, ‘The two become one.’ Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never ‘become one.’”
1 Corinthians 6:16-17

The world says that sex is just PHYSICAL, but in fact it is also EMOTIONAL and SPIRITUAL.

Instead of just whining and complaining that we don't like what He tells us, which is what we usually do, God wants us to think about WHY He might have told us how and why to wait for sex. As we look at sex from God's perspective, we can see why we might want to put up some boundaries and limits about how it is to be used. Think about it, everything that is cool, everything that we look forward to, those milestones in life, come with higher risk and add more limits to our life. You get your driver's license, so you get to drive, but you have to obey the speed limit and wear a seatbelt. You move out, and you get to set your own social schedule, but you have to get a job to financially support that social life. Everything good in life comes with higher risk and higher reward, and sex is no different. If we truly want to enjoy sex the way God designed us to, we need to listen to His insight about how it is to be used, because those "limits" are there for our protection because He loves us. The reality is, if we begin to look at sex from God's perspective, everything that He says about it, will make total sense.

“There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for ‘becoming one’ with another. Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Sex starts between the EARS, way before it’s ever between the LEGS.

God's design for sex completely contradicts the world's persuasion about sex. The world tells us that great sex is sex without boundaries or inhibitions. This encouragement is actually counter-productive to good sex. Most high school students that have sex regret their decision and wish they would have waited. Based on the latest scientific research, the brain actually reacts completely differently regarding sex, and the hormones it produces when sex is within a committed relationship where there is little fear, embarrassment or shame of rejection. This is amazing, because new scientific research is actually saying what God has said all along: That sex is the best within a committed marriage. This is why it is so important for students to make decisions about sex before they are in the position to have act out their decision to have sex, or remain pure.

“God said, ‘It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a companion.’… This is why a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh. The two of them, the Man and his Wife, were naked, but they felt no shame.”
Gen. 2:18, 24-25

God’s desire is for you to have the BEST SEX EVER and He knows that only happens when there is NO SHAME.

God’s design for sex was that we could be naked with each other and feel no shame… Adam and Eve in the garden, God was still at the center of their relationship, they had nothing to compare to, they didn’t have the burden of past mistakes, no regrets, they did not feel self conscious at all, didn’t worry about adding up to pressures they saw around them…they could simply give themselves to each other completely, beautifully and wholly; out of pure love.

Big Idea:
PURITY paves the way to INTIMACY.

[Please let us know if there is anything else that we can assist you with to help you connect and discuss this topic with your student. Feel free to email thoughts, comments or questions to students@pointofgrace.com and we will get back to you! Until next week...]

30 Hour Famine Postponed!

2009-02-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that the 30 Hour Famine has been postponed until Spring in order to allow more people to get involved in the experience. So if your student has been raising money,tell them to keep up the good work, and if they haven't gotten involved yet, be sure they pick up a packet this weekend from the Habit Shack! Look forward to more details to be announced soon! For more information please feel free to email students@pointofgrace.com and we will get back to you!

Sex Series Parent Preview (week.1)

2009-02-24T08:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend we start our new series's on sexual purity and dating. In this series we want your students to learn about God's great plan for sex in their lives and how they can make good choices now, about when and who to date, setting boundaries and keeping promises, that will benefit them in the future and lead to a godly, satisfying and intimate marriage.

Here are the main points and verses that we will be discussing this weekend (3.1), so that you can be prepared ahead of time to have meaningful conversations with your student about what they are learning. Please let us know if there is anything else that we can assist you with to help you connect and discuss this topic with your student.

The Spark (6th-8th Grade):

Dating brings up a lot of questions in the minds of students. When can I start? Who should I go out with? What am I supposed to do? Why even date in the first place? Does God say anything about dating?

All of these are good questions to ask, but unfortunately the Bible says absolutely nothing about dating. Dating wasn't around in Biblical times so instead of trying to cram verses about marriage to fit into dating, we will take a look at the whole picture of God's view on love, relationships and gender to determine what the appropriate move on dating should be. But know that anything you ever hear about the "Bible's position on dating," is an opinion. (Even if Joshua Harris says otherwise.)

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Proverbs 4:23

Most people date to see what they can GET out of it.

Often when we first start to think about the idea of dating, our focus is on all the wrong things. We try to change who we are in order to fit into who we think the person we like, thinks they want. We dumb ourselves down, or change what we think or what we like in order to get a boyfriend or girlfriend, rather that remain faithful to who God made us to be and waiting for someone to like us for who we are. The pressure to date early on, is mostly to fulfill social pressure or sexual urges, both of which can lead to trouble, whereas dating with an end in mind, the goal of preparing for a healthy marriage, can lead to fun, fulfilling and God-honoring relationships.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for to harm you or keep things from you, but to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.’”
Jeremiah 29:11-13

God wants the BEST for me and my FUTURE.

Dating can be a great experience that helps us become more selfless, learn to get along with people of the opposite sex, and help us discover what qualities we are looking for in a person to marry. However, statistics show that the earlier that you start dating the more likely you are to cross a boundary and sacrifice your purity. So, sometimes the best choice we can make to ensure our purity is to wait to date exclusively, until we are old enough to know what it means to really be in a relationship that has a goal of preparing for marriage.

Big Idea:
The goal of DATING is to learn who you ARE and who you want to BE WITH.

4ORTY 2WO (9th-12 Grade)
Week 1: Stop Looking for the Perfect Person.

We were designed with a desire for intimacy. That is a God-given desire. That desire for a deep connection with another person was invented by God (not the sappy love songs we listen to, or the movies we watch, or the author of Twilight)

Why is our experience of this in real life, often so different than what we see in the movies?

If we really knew what we were getting into with our dating, we probably wouldn’t…
- Sexual Mistakes, Confusion, Self-Doubt, Insecurity, Hurt, Getting Cheated-On, Rumors, etc.

If we were really HONEST the way most people date is practice for DIVORCE, instead of preparation for MARRIAGE.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for to harm you or keep things from you, but to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.’”
Jeremiah 29:11-13

We look at what we can get out of dating: as soon as someone cuter or smarter comes along… someone with less emotional baggage, or someone who is more popular, someone who can give us something that someone else couldn’t. Nobody ever actually says this out loud though…

In DATING we usually look for what we can GET out of it.

What’s worse is that most often we might even pretend we are something to someone because we think that’s what they want to get out of it, or we’ll dumb down part of who we are because it might intimidate the other person… We are afraid of being “too much” and at the same time “not enough.”

“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church - a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor - since they're already 'one' in marriage.”
Ephesians 5:25-27

Any healthy dating relationship should add to the good things that are already in your life: your dreams, hobbies, interests, church friends/involvement, relationship with your family, etc. However, all too often, once someone gets in a dating relationship, everything else in their lives goes on the back burner. Friendships slip, family relationships get stressed, extra-curricular activities or hobbies disintegrate and soon couples are left with only themselves, which was never God's plan. Dating relationships have the potential to consume our lives, rather that enhance them, and God doesn't want anything to consume all of our attention and focus except for Him.

We EXPECT another person to meet a need that only GOD can fill.

Often when we first start to think about the idea of dating, our focus is on all the wrong things. We try to change who we are in order to fit into who we think the person we like, thinks they want. We dumb ourselves down, or change what we think or what we like in order to get a boyfriend or girlfriend, rather that remain faithful to who God made us to be and waiting for someone to like us for who we are. Or, even more dangerously, we try to "focus on God" while secretly hoping that the other person will take notice and fall in love with us too. This does not fool God and it hurts us because our focus is not on Him, or even on healing or growing our relationship with Him, but it's looking for approval only from another person. When we put our whole life on hold, or only seek approval from one place or person, we are setting ourselves up for a serious letdown.

“Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem: Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe - and you're ready.”
Song of Songs 8:4

BIG IDEA:
Instead of trying to find the PERFECT PERSON, focus on BECOMING the person God wants you to be.

[Please let us know if there is anything else that we can assist you with to help you connect and discuss this topic with your student. Feel free to email thoughts, comments or questions to students@pointofgrace.com and we will get back to you! Until next week...]

Sex Series Parent Preview

2009-02-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

Parents!
We are so glad that you are reading this! This is where you will see the message preview for each of the weeks we are doing our series on Dating and Sexual Purity. If you have a Junior High Student (6th-8th grade) you will want to look at the Birds & Bees message preview, because that is the series we are doing in the Spark. If you have a High School Student (9th-12th grade) you will want to look at the Uncensored message preview, because that is the series for 4ORTY 2WO. They messages are different for each series, so make sure that you read the correct one that your student will hear. We hope that this will help catalyze great conversations within your family around this awkward but incredibly important topic of sexuality and sexual purity.

Also we created a new blog for the students to express their thoughts on dating, sex, God and the message series in a social network format. Feel free to check it out, but PLEASE refrain from commenting on it, because we want it to be a true student forum. We want your awareness of this "sex-periment" to remain anonymous. The address to the new blog is http://mythoughtsaboutsex.blogspot.com
Look forward to the first message preview on Tuesday (February 24th)!

Day 2 Wrap Up

2009-02-21T14:42:00.000-08:00

Well we had an incredible 1st day on the slopes! Fresh snow made for very nice conditions, and everyone seemed to have fun. The Tubers got three hours of sliding and spinning down the hill, and skiiers and snowboarders of all levels enjoyed a full day of riding. Many students tried snowboarding for the first time, and we want to throw big shout outs to Jared, Sami, Nick Tavion and Austin for hitting it hard and making great progress on their first day up the slopes! Super proud of your students (girls and guys)! If you have any questions about anything, feel free to email students@pointofgrace.com and we will get back to you.

We another day at Afton Alps tomorrow before we pack up and head home around 3:00p, but for right now, its off to dinner! MMM, I'm feeling Chipotle....

We Made It!

2009-02-20T20:16:00.000-08:00

Hello Parents!
If you are checking this blog for SNOWFEST 2009 updates, we want to let you know that we made it safely to the hotel. Due to the snowstorm, we made it a little later that we expected, but we arrived at 9:30p and got all the kids checked in. By now, most of them are having fun at the pool or making new friends in their rooms. It's already been a great trip and we are so glad that your student is with us!!

Look for more information as the weekend progresses. Also check here Sunday afternoon and evening to see updates as to our travel and estimated arrival time. If you do not see anything saying otherwise, our expected arrival time back at Point of Grace will be 9:00 pm.

Also, I wanted to extend an apology to you. We want you to know that we value your trust in us very highly and want you to know that our goal is to provide a very fun, as well as safe and wholesome environment for your student during all of our events. Unfortunately, tonight on the bus ride up, we were watching movies, and after High School Musical 3, we began Hancock. I did not remember that Hancock had a scene where the F-word was said, and so that scene was accidentally aired tonight in the bus. As soon as it happened, we ended the movie and changed it to Wall-E, but regrettably the word was already played. We know that for some of your students, they have already seen movies with that word in it, or may have even said it themselves, but I wanted to let you know that this occurrence did happen, and I wanted you to hear it from me first. This mistake was completely my fault, but I know that it reflects poorly on the entire Student Ministry team, and for that I take total responsibility and feel deeply sorry. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at kurt@pointofgrace.com and again please accept my apology for this breech of your trust.

Kurt

NO STUDENT SERVICES THIS WEEKEND! (2/22)

2009-02-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

There will be no Student Ministry Services this weekend because we are going to be gone at SNOWFEST! So please have you student enjoy the morning services with you this weekend and we will be back next weekend (March 1st) for the beginning of our new series called "BIRDS & BEES" (for the Spark) or "UNCENSORED" (for 4ORTY 2WO).

Vitals - February 15th

2009-02-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - February 15th
Message - "ALL IN - Pamphlets on the Sidewalk (Lust)" by Kurt
Key Points:
When Jesus came to die for us, it wasn’t just to FORGIVE our sin, but to free us from the POWER of sin in our lives.
When we LUST, we risk our own FUTURE, and SOMEONE ELSE’S future.
Once we begin to disrespect PEOPLE with lust, we become less concerned about using others for our OWN ADVANTAGE.
God wants us to learn to LOVE OTHERS, and lust DESTROYS love.
Key Verses: Ephesians 4:18-19, Ephesians 5:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:4-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 114
1st Service: 33 (23 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 91 (69 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - February 15th
Message - "ALL IN - Pamphlets on the Sidewalk (Lust)" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What is a situation where you often find yourself being tempted to lust?"
"How do you think lust could damage your future? What about someone else's future?"
Key Points:
When Jesus came to die for us, it wasn’t just to FORGIVE our sin, but to free us from the POWER of sin in our lives.
When we LUST, we risk our own FUTURE, and SOMEONE ELSE’S future.
Once we begin to disrespect PEOPLE with lust, we become less concerned about using others for our OWN ADVANTAGE.
God wants us to learn to LOVE OTHERS, and lust DESTROYS love.
Key Verses: Ephesians 4:18-19, Ephesians 5:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:4-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 61 (51 students, 10 leaders)

Last Week to Sign Up for SNOWFEST 2009!

2009-02-10T09:47:00.001-08:00

This weekend is the last chance your student has to sign up for SNOWFEST 2009! IT is only 2 weeks away and only costs $200 for the whole weekend, including transportation, life tickets for 2 days on the slopes, hotel, and food. If you would like your student to go, please pick up a sign up sheet at the Habit Shack in the Student Zone this weekend! Hope that your son or daughter can join us!! for more information feel free to email us at students@pointofgrace.com or call us at 515.987.9595 ext. 116.

Vitals - February 8th

2009-02-10T09:29:00.001-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - February 1st
Message - "ALL IN - Party at The Palms (Drinking/Partying)" by Kurt
Key Points:
Whenever we are TEMPTED, we must realize that there is always MORE at risk than we think.
We must develop CONFIDENCE in God and let that affect our DECISIONS.
God doesn't want us to give up CONTROL of our lives to anything other than HIM.
My ability to WITHSTAND temptation has everything to do with my CONFIDENCE in God.
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, Matthew 4:1-14, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 6:14
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 117
1st Service: 47 (37 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 80 (68 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - February 1st
Message - "ALL IN - Party at The Palms (Drinking/Partying)" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think the Bible says about drinking or partying?"
"When you are feeling tempted, what do you usually do in that situation?"
Key Points:
Whenever we are TEMPTED, we must realize that there is always MORE at risk than we think.
We must develop CONFIDENCE in God and let that affect our DECISIONS.
God doesn't want us to give up CONTROL of our lives to anything other than HIM.
My ability to WITHSTAND temptation has everything to do with my CONFIDENCE in God.
Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, Matthew 4:1-14, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 6:14
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 59 (49 students, 10 leaders)

Chick Night - THIS FRIDAY!

2009-02-05T09:15:00.000-08:00

If you have a daughter....DO NOT LET HER MISS CHICK NIGHT!

This is one of the premier events for girls in the DSM area each year. This Friday, February 6th from 7pm until 8am on Saturday, February 7th. This overnight event is filled with fun, food, games, friends, prizes and tons of memories that will enable your daughter to build friendships that are critical during this time in her life. The goal of this night is to help girls to develop a positive self image as well as learn the value of partnering with other girls as friends, rather than seeing them as competition. We do this through conversation, door prizes, videos and great student a leader interaction. It's a great night and you do not want your daughter to miss it!

For more information call Katie at 515.987.9595 ext. 122 or email her at Katie@pointofgrace.com

*Chick*Night*
February 6-7th, 2009
7:00p - 8:00a
$10.00 and a permission slip due at check in...
First time guests get in for free!

Vitals - February 1st

2009-02-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - February 1st
Message - "ALL IN - Counting Your Losses (Self Harm)" by Katie
Key Points:
Go doesn't make MISTAKES, and we are His most TREASURED CREATION.
Our BROKENNESS comes from not seeing OURSELVES the way God does.
God NEVER wastes a HURT.
Go wants to use even the most PAINFUL parts of our life to draw us CLOSER to Him.
Key Verses: Galatians 5:25-26, Psalms 139:13-14, Isaiah 55:8-9, James 4:8
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 118
1st Service: 42 (33 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 85 (73 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - February 1st
Message - "ALL IN - Counting Your Losses (Self Harm)" by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"Who or what influences your thinking about yourself the most?"
"What is a painful situation that you have gone through that you didn't understand the purpose of, until after it was over?"
Key Points:
Go doesn't make MISTAKES, and we are His most TREASURED CREATION.
Our BROKENNESS comes from not seeing OURSELVES the way God does.
God NEVER wastes a HURT.
Go wants to use even the most PAINFUL parts of our life to draw us CLOSER to Him.
Key Verses: Galatians 5:25-26, Psalms 139:13-14, Isaiah 55:8-9, James 4:8
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 44 (33 students, 11 leaders)

Vitals - January 25th

2009-01-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

The Spark (Jr. High) - January 25th
Message - "ALL IN - Stacking the Deck (Lying)" by Kurt
Key Points:
We learn to EDIT our words, without ever learning to TAKE CARE of the source of those words.
God clearly connects our WORDS with our HEARTS.
When we LIE to someone, we destroy our ability to be TRUSTED.
Our heart is put on DISPLAY, by the words that we choose to SAY.
Key Verses: Matthew 15:18-20a, Proverbs 4:23, James 3:5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and The Spark Band
Attendance:
Total: 112
1st Service: 38 (29 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 83 (71 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - January 25th
Message - "ALL IN - Stacking the Deck (Lying)" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"Have you ever been hurt by what someone else said? How?"
"When was the last time that you were embarrassed by saying something that was 'out of character' for you?"
Key Points:
We learn to EDIT our words, without ever learning to TAKE CARE of the source of those words.
God clearly connects our WORDS with our HEARTS.
When we LIE to someone, we destroy our ability to be TRUSTED.
Our heart is put on DISPLAY, by the words that we choose to SAY.
Key Verses: Matthew 15:18-20a, Proverbs 4:23, James 3:5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key To The City
Attendance: 62 (51 students, 11 leaders)

Chick Night!

2009-01-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

If you have a daughter....DO NOT LET HER MISS CHICK NIGHT!

This is one of the premier events for girls in the DSM area each year. This year it is from 7pm on Friday, February 6th until 8am on Saturday, February 7th. This overnight event is filled with fun, food, games, friends, prizes and tons of memories that will enable your daughter to build friendships that are critical during this time in her life. The goal of this night is to help girls to develop a positive self image as well as learn the value of partnering with other girls as friends, rather than seeing them as competition. We do this through conversation, door prizes, videos and great student a leader interaction. It's a great night and you do not want your daughter to miss it!

For more information call Katie at 515.987.9595 ext. 122 or email her at Katie@pointofgrace.com

*Chick*Night*
February 6-7th, 2009
7:00p - 8:00a
$10.00 and a permission due at check in...
First time guests get is for free!