Guest Post: The Brown Bathtub

I recently got a job here in Arkadelphia at a local pizza place.  The store has not opened yet and my boss wanted us to come down before school started so we could do some training and so that we could get all of our kinks worked out before the new semester started.

So to start this off I need to let you know that I stay on campus in a dorm, and at Henderson State, no one is allowed to stay over break.  So I think you can see me dilemma.   I called a buddy of mine whose apartment I had been to before to see if I could stay with him and that just never worked out.  My girlfriend then told me that one of her friends boyfriends said I could stay at his place.  Lemme tell you I was stoked.  So December 29th rolls around and I head down to the house.  I walk in to find some socks in front of me.  No big deal ya know, just a little laundry.  So i go to the kitchen to get a glass of water because I am thirsty and I see the single dirtiest kitchen I have ever seen.  Like there were things cemented to the inside of the sink with spaghetti sauce.  I gave up on the glass of water and decided i would try out the bathroom. HUGE mistake.  The inside of the toilet was a reddish brown color and it packed a pretty good smell.  The bathtub was covered in ground in dirt and took me a complete hour and a half to clean.  It was gross.
I say all this to tell you what my New Years resolution is.  I have got to stop making assumptions.  I assumed that I was going into a house that would be kept just like i would keep it and that they would have cleaned it at least once a week.  You see thats where I think Christians go wrong sometimes.  We assume that the lost have the same morals as us, or that they know what the Bible says, and the simple fact is that is wrong.  The lost are supposed to act like the lost and they are supposed to be taught by us.  So as a people, I think that we Christians need to stop assuming that the lost know anything at all about God.  We need to stop looking down on lost people when they sin, because that is what lost people do.
I cleaned the house.  It took me about two days but I did finish cleaning it.  They bathroom sparkles and the kitchen looks great.  Maybe this will be an example for the guys that live here.  I know it was for me.

Chad England is a college student who graduated from our youth ministry at Indian Springs Baptist Church. You can connect with him on facebook or twitter.

Want to Guest Post on my blog?

I’m on vacation. I’ll be gone for a little while, but while I’m gone, I want to open my blog up to hear your thoughts.

I want you to post your thoughts on my blog.

I’m looking for posts on one (or more) of three categories: New Years Resolutions, Leadership, or youth ministry.

If you’d like to pitch in, send an email to markhcox@gmail.com with the subject line “Blog Guest Post” and send me your post.  Please know that I need to protect myself here, so I’m not going to post just anything.  But I’m not going to be stingy about it.

Content is king, so that’s what I’m looking for.  I’ll also link back to your blog/twitter/facebook, or whatever you like, so people can check you out.

Let the posting begin!

The Christmas Story Retold

Tony Morgan shared this video, and I thought I’d share it with those of you who may not be acquainted with him.  James Griffin is on the youth ministry team at Westridge Church in Dallas, GA.  This was a presentation of the Christmas story at their Christmas Eve service; except it was told in a modern way.  I love it!  Check it out for yourself.

Repost: Save Christmas For The Camps

For those of you who just read Rick Bezet‘s tweet, here’s what he’s referring to.  Check out the video to see the reality of this tragedy. If you want to get involved, feel free to email me at mcox@isbcbryant.org.  Thanks for getting involved!

Christmas From A Child’s Perspective

In my last few hours of work before Christmas break, I realize I’m going to take a break from blogging for a bit, so I can enjoy time with my wife and friends.  I’ve been spending a lot of time getting ready for Christmas, making plans, and stressing myself out about the whole thing.  If you’re anything like me, you need a moment to pause.

So turn everything off and allow yourself two minutes of solitude.  It might be just what you need to let the stress die, to let the problems shrivel, and to give yourself a child’s perspective of what Christmas is really all about.

Save Christmas For The Camps

A local family lost everything in a fire yesterday morning, just a few days before Christmas day.  This family’s story is not going to go untold, and we are not going to let them suffer alone this season.  I dare you to watch this video.

Here are some ways you can get involved:

1. Give. You can give practical gifts, like gift cards, toys, clothes, cash, or checks.  This family has lost absolutely everything in this fire.  And I mean everything.  What can you, out of your abundance, give to those in need?

2. Tell. Share this video on your blog, facebook, twitter, or any other social media outlet you choose to engage in.  You may not be able to give much, but if you can connect 20 people to this family’s story, you will have continued the work of this mission.

3. Pray. Pray that this family would find healing through a difficult time.  I haven’t shared everything with you about this family’s local history.  Suffice it to say that they have been going through a really rough year.  Pray that they would see God working in their lives through this time of trouble.

If you have any comments/questions, you can comment here or email me at mcox@isbcbryant.org.  Let’s make a difference in this family’s life!  Let’s save Christmas for the Camps!

Baptism Photos

This past November, we had a pretty awesome baptism service.  Here are the students who decided to get bold about their faith!
Special thanks to James Stearns for taking the photos for us.

Blogroll

If you’ve been reading my posts for longer than a month or so, you know that my blog has really changed form over the last couple months.  From the frequency of posts, to the topics, I’m learning a little about what I like to post about, and especially about what people like to read about.

I read a couple blogs throughout the week, but am looking to grow my network.  So here’s the question: Do you blog? Is what you post worth reading? Do you want me to add you onto my blogroll (list of blogs that will go straight to my reader, and be linked on my page)?

If so, comment here with your URL. If I’m down with the content, I’ll link to your blog on the blogroll.  Also, if you know of blogs worth reading, post those, too.  Looking forward to reading your posts!

Scott Workman’s Testimony

Scott Workman is a 9th grade basketball player at Bryant High School and has a passion for God that I haven’t seen in a while!  He gave his testimony to close out our series called, “The Closet.”  You can’t tell at the end of the video, but the students, without being asked, gave him a standing ovation.  For those of you who think that the next generation is a waste of flesh, I beg you to watch this video and continue in your cynicism.  The future is bright, my friends.

When A Youth Pastor Leaves – Part 1

Recently, a friend of mine, who’s a youth pastor, left his church.  He had been there longer than the typical youth pastor, and had created some really deep relationships with his students.  He’s a great youth pastor in my eyes, and in his students’ eyes.  But life happens.  Sometimes God has other plans for us.

The truth is that this happens all the time.  Pastors get called away, decide to leave, or even get fired.

Because this is such a gigantic change in a teenager’s life, it becomes one of the toughest things a youth pastor can go through.  I, myself, have left one church.  Telling the teenagers that we were leaving was, without a doubt, the hardest thing I ever did in that two-year period.

It’s not just tough for the youth pastor, though.  It’s extremely difficult for the students.

So, when a time like this comes, what should we do?  I’ve seen all kinds of reactions.  I’ve seen people decide to leave the church because he/she was “their last hope for that church.”  I’ve talked with people who quit going to church altogether, because they were afraid to trust someone, leaving them vulnerable for it to happen again.  Usually, it doesn’t leave the students/volunteers/parents excited to get to work.

This is the first post of a series of posts on how this type of process can be most healthy.

p.s. I hate disclaimers, but I know I’ll get this question.  “Are you leaving?”  Nope.  I’m perfectly happy where I am.  Just starting a discussion, because some very close friends are going through this situation right now.

More later…