Monday, March 31, 2008
Impressions for the Book
So here's the thread where you can post your impressions from our very first meeting. These can be random thoughts, impressions, reactions, whatever. Add a comment and it will grow as everyone shares their thoughts. This is the way we'll capture the immediacy of our work for posterity. Don't wait too long to share your thoughts as they will fade and change.
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5 comments:
Our first meeting was very exciting. It's great to connect to all the energy of youth. Young people have the passion, energy and nerve to change the world. Every major movement in the history of the church has been accomplished by young people. I feel an obligation not to let you down, to believe in you and in what God is doing through you. My goal is to give you all the support, resources and counsel you'll need to be wildly successful. Young people are truly God's gift to His Church.
Where to start? Sometimes it's hard to believe that so few minds can come together and think up such great, unbelievably inspiring ideas. There is so much to be said for teens of today as a whole, and I think, all too often, they simply go unsaid. But last night was the greatest proof that we can (and most certainly will) make an impact on our world. And not just an impact. We're going to make craters, and it started with just a few kids and some old guys (The cool kind that eat icecream, not frozen yogurt, and that thrive on text messaging) sitting down at a sweet shop spilling out and storing up the what-ifs, ready to throw them at the rest of the world and start to make those craters right now. God is good, and with him, we are unstoppable!
WHAT IF'S???
...these are most of the the "what if?" comments shared @ the Sweet Spot:
So What If...
we started a Big Brothers & Big Sisters program?
the world ended tomorrow?
we had an amazing facility?
we invited a friend... and actually brought a friend?
we had an amazing worship pastor and band?
this was comfortable for all student to come?
we hosted a huge concert that would bring many teens?
our group had to suffer for Christ?
we reached out to foster children?
we hung up posters and started publicity for our ministry?
95% of the leadership were teens?
we had monthly outreaches to impact our community?
we had the dedication that Muslim's have?
our ministry revolved around prayer?
we had sport tournaments like... Dodgeball, Basketball, ect.?
our ministry provided opportunities that students never could have done otherwise?
help kids in need?
all new people were accepted and felt accepted... no matter what?
the students were the CEO's, Presidents, and Leaders of this ministry?
we spent more money helping people than building a facility?
we went on a short term mission trip?
this were a safe house that other student ministries would follow?
we had a monthly Sweet Spot Leadership meeting?
there were no "clicks"?
we focused once a month of different charitable organizations?
we were small group focused?
we were the "place" every teen wanted to hang out at... and we were able to facilitate that?
we impacted more than just Loveland?
we had an amazing web site that would encourage students to check us out?
parents had no say as to what we spoke about?
our coming together was so amazing that no one could deny God's presence?
we actually did it!
share in a way that would not offend but make curious?
tears and emotions were ok and something we saw on a regular basis?
the Spirit of God moved every time we met?
some students experienced love and acceptance at our gathering for the first time ever?
other youth ministries were invited?
we had troubled teen counseling?
we joined the Invisible Children outreach?
younger students felt accepted as well?
we combined other student ministries to impact our community?
we started tomorrow?
we trained and developed student leaders?
we also became a student ministry training center?
we started of the night's with a sermon igniter?
we had a presence on Facebook & MySpace?
we had regular student testimonies and experiences from different ages?
this started an explosion of new Christian followers?
students that were pregnant, or homosexual, or smokers, or wore piercings, ect. were accepted?
we spoke about controversial topics?
everyone felt like they are apart of this ministry and have something they could contribute?
this was the place "to go" if you are experiencing addictions or relational problems?
we had different creative teams that focused on making this happen?
we were raw, relational and real?
we wrote a "What If" book?
how do i explain something that can not be explained in words? how do i even begin to tell how in one single night, in one single conversations, something so huge and yet so small and personal in one can be so present.... so intentional. frankly, it excites me and scares me at the same time. we began in a small icecream shop on 4th street, just a bunch of kids and middle aged guys... all with a passion for something more, something bigger: to find a way to tell people know who He is. and i never realized how much i could connect, how much i could come to learn how truly amazing God can be with just a few people in just a few hours, in such a little space. God is truly amazing. no matter if He gets this started and lifts it off the ground or it takes 5 years to get enough people to fill a small room, He is truly working through every mind, heart and soul of every person that he brings together in his works. so now what's there to do? a million things could be left to proceed this sentance, a million words could fit. a million ideas could be spread out on paper or over a computer screen... but the truth is that all there truly is to do is pray.... the rest will come as it comes. God knows what he's doing and until we listen, we'll never know what he really wants.
our first meeting left me speechless! i never would have guessed that such a small gathering of people could have such strong passion and as much faith as i saw that night! I can tell that i am part of something that is going to be big; it is hard to explain, but I can tell that god has great plans in store for us. We as teenagers, and more importantly as Christians are here to make a difference, and i believe we saw the beginning of that change Sunday night. We all have a dream, what we want and hope, now it is out time to make them become our reality
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