:: Re:Generation Student Ministry at Sheridan Hills ::

Imagine this:

You receive a card in the mail.  It's nicely wrapped and packaged, and you're kind of excited to open it.  You tear off the ribbon, open the envelope, pull out the card, open it...and it says this:


You are invited to come to my house
Hope you can make it!

You stare blankly at the invitation, confused and a little annoyed.  You ask questions like, "When am I supposed to be there?  Who sent this?  Where is the house?  Should I bring anything?  How long will the party last?"

You can't make a decision to go or not to go...because you have no idea what you're committing to.

Or maybe you can do what I've seen hundreds of teenagers do:

You write a note in reply that says, "I'll be there." 
You jump in your car and drive, though you don't know where you're going.
You bring nothing with you because you haven't been asked to.
You choose a direction on the highway because you haven't been given one.

You were confused by the invitation.


We had a great time this past weekend at Rock the Universe in Orlando.  We saw some great concerts, rode some great rides, and made some hilarious memories.

During the Sunday morning worship service, which was @ Universal Studios, I witnessed yet again an extremely confusing invitation time.

The speaker was engaging.  A former All-American wrestler and a current Lifeway executive, he told some funny stories and challenged several hundred kids to prepare educationally, physically, and spiritually for the life that lay ahead of them.

All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, I hear him say, "If you'd like to begin that relationship today, I want you to stand up."

Maybe 50 kids stood up.

The speaker then led the congregation to rejoice in seeing so many teenagers become "part of the family" of Christians today!

With no mention of the cross, no mention of sin, no mention of repentance...students who stood up were told that they had just become a "part of the family".

I saw two teenage guys stand up on the front row in the center section.  The first one to stand up was dozing as the invitation was given and seem to be awakened from his sleep as soon as the speaker said, "...i want you to stand up..."  So what did he do?  He stood up!  The kid next to him very reluctantly stood up, looking all around himself in every direction, as if asking, "Should I be standing up?"

The speaker stood directly in front of that second kid and said, "Welcome to the family.  This means we'll be seeing each other in heaven!"

Listen...I'm not trying to drag anyone through the mud.  But as preachers, as teachers of the Bible, we have a great and constant responsibility to preach the gospel FULLY (Romans 15:19).  We can't leave out sin.  We can't leave out the cross.  We can't leave out repentance. 

And we certainly can't offer someone the assurance of salvation simply because they chose to stand up out of confusion.

I'll be honest.  As a pastor to high school students, I was pumped that my kids stayed seated.  I'd rather have those conversations one on one than have to clean up that kind of theological mess.

TEENAGERS:  Count the cost of following Christ.  It's not as easy and pain-free as some make it out to be.  It is, however, worth every minute.

YOUTH LEADERS:  If you can't, or are unwilling to, approach sin, the cross, and repentance while giving an invitation, then leave it to someone who will. 


til the whole world knows,


Pastor Kevin

I've passed by the sign a few times now.  I always just think, "Wow.  We are really falling out of the stupid tree and hitting every branch on the way down."

The online world is now the proud owner of a website called www.whocanisue.com. 

About 2 weeks ago I passed by the sign for this site, and I processed it a little more deeply.

We are a people, here in the United States, that has turned last resorts into first attempts.  There are solutions to problems that should only be sought in the event that no other solution is viable.

I pass by the who-can-i-sue sign, and I know that they are targeting people who think they just might have a case against someone they're angry with or someone who has wronged them.  Maybe I pass that sign and think, "I'm going to check that out.  That's what I'll do.  I'll just file a lawsuit and fix this whole thing!"

We don't operate as 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 or Matthew 18:15-17 instructs us to do.  And here's why:  It's just easier to sue the pants off somebody and never speak to them again!  We don't want the awkwardness.  We don't want the sacrifice of time it takes to reconcile face to face.  And we're too proud to admit that we just might be wrong anway.

We turn last resorts into first attempts, and not just in civil disputes.

The divorce rate is high.  Higher than it's ever been.  I think it's because divorce, which should be a last resort (Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9) has become for so many a people a first attempt at fixing their bad mistake. 

"He's not who I thought he was.  I'm filing for a divorce."

"I never knew marriage would be this hard.  It's not worth it."

Just because the world we live in has created easy ways out, that doesn't mean that God wants us to pursue them!

Some of the greatest moments of my life are the times when the long valley starts to become the slow rise up the mountain.  A quick divorce is running from what we perceive as impending pain and heartache.

What we fail to realize is that pain and heartache make the sweet moments so much sweeter!

Let's keep last resorts where they belong...at the bottom of the list of possible solutions.


til the whole world knows,


Pastor Kevin

We have officially begun the next phase of what we're calling "The Ezra Project", which is the Ministry Center renovation.  I am super pumped about it and thought I'd share a few pictures with everyone of the current progress.  These pictures were taken a couple days ago, and it's actually alot further along now.

The Ministry Center is the future home of both The Gathering and our Spanish worship service.  It will also be used for large gatherings, school chapels, and a whole lot of other things.  We're planning to seat 300-350 for worship, and those people who attend The Gathering are absolutely chomping at the bit to get out of The Theater and into our new home!

Years ago, when The Ezra Project was initiated, I had no idea how far it would truly go.  But the people of Sheridan Hills, both new and old, have been faithful to the call God has given us.  It is so awesome to be a part of what is going on here!


til the whole world knows,

Pastor Kevin