The Cause

Mid High Cause Ladies Paintball

2010-03-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

We were truly blessed with wonderful weather, high turnout, and the company of friends. 10 Ladies from all three grades came to enjoy each others company, get outside and well.....shoot somebody:). After the day of play we asked them what their favorite part of the day was and Alexis said "I loved watching the paintball fly through the air as you can see it's path so when it hits it's mark it was just great!" Sophie and Ashley in tandem exclaimed "I liked shooting the girls!" It seems they all thought it was fun and want to do it again so we asked if it hurt? Heather said "Sometimes more than others but once you get playing you don't feel most of them." It was also neat to see the girls bring a couple of their friends from outside the cause. Together they played for over 3 hrs and outlasted some of the games i've seen the boys play. Playing "Capture The Flag", "Center Flag", and "Attack And Defend" they played with tenacity and weren't afraid to give it right back to the other team all day long. Good job Ladies, it was a pleasure seeing you all have fun and we look forward to more games in the future.

Wed Night Cause - You're Invited

2010-03-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

We've been having alot of fun on wednesday nights here at Cause. We meet from 7-8.30 pm at the church so if you're in 6th, 7th or 8th grade you're invited to join us. See our website for details http://www.salemheightschurch.org/

Please continue to pray for our ministry and here are a few pics to share in the fun.

Mid High Cause Retreat 2010

2010-03-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Our Mid High Cause students were excited at the first announcement that we were going to have a retreat in February. For some this was the first retreat they’ve ever been on and others it would be the last of Jr. High. With the promise of 3 days of fellowship, night games, and teaching our staff set out to build relationships and to plant seeds.

Friday night began with our arrival to Camp Tapawingo. The Camp is located in Falls City which is just outside of Dallas Oregon. It was nice that it was only about 30 mins away as that gave us enough time to have some good conversations together and not so long that questions of “are we there yet…” set in.

Friday evening consisted of teaching time with our guest speaker Dave Bertolini who covered what proved to be very impactful topics for both our students and staff. Each teaching time was followed by cabin time to discuss reflection questions from the teaching and to pray together.

Over the weekend Dave covered:

Overcoming Evil with Good

Love vs. Evil – Romans 12:9-10,21

Apathy vs. Zeal – Romans 12:11

Selfishness vs. Compassion – Romans 12:13-16

Revenge vs. Forgiveness – Romans 12:14, 17-20

Friday night was our first night game called “The Ninja Challenge”. Students had not yet seen the campus in the daylight which added to the mystery. The game involved each student individually earning up to three of the skills needed to become a “Ninja”. First was balance, then agility and finally stealth. There were three stations around campus for each person to find representing one of each skill. The tricky part was that the leaders were scattered throughout the grounds with flashlights whose job was to catch the students and take their ticket forcing them to go back to the start to get a new ticket before continuing on their journey. After many chases, escapes and battles the winners were announced and new ninja’s were born.

Saturday was filled with more teaching, cabin time, devotions time, group games, free time and another night game. Although we packed a lot in on Saturday the most unique aspect of the day was some teaching from Dan that seemed to impact not just the students but the leaders as well. Dan explored John 13 – When Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. This teaching was followed by the opportunity for each discipleship team leader to wash each student’s feet.

After the retreat was over a couple of the students were asked what impacted them:

Joey Kelly stated “I imagined the body of Christ like a symphony where each person plays their instrument, not loud but just right and that way each person combines to make a total sound as a group that couldn’t be made as an individual. I’d never thought of it like that before.”

Jerry Haney stated “When talking about good overcoming evil I see that pride is the root of much of it, even in my own life. I think a person needs to develop a certain “Humbility” that only God can bring.”

Over all, the trip went off without a hitch. We saw a lot of fun and fellowship. We experienced personal growth as well as challenging times. Friendships were built that will impact our lives in Gods work for a life time.

Thank you to the parents and donors for providing ways to bring students to this retreat. Thank you to the camp staff of Tapawingo for serving us with wonderful food and facilities. We look forward to next year’s retreat!

High School 1440 Challenge

2009-04-02T23:33:00.001-07:00

Check out this link to get more information about the upcoming High School Cause 1440 Challenge.

Worship Team paintball

2009-03-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

What do these dudes and dudettes do when they aren't leading the Cause in singing on Sunday mornings? They run around in the woods with the intent of shooting round projectiles at a high velocity towards each other. Sweet! Here are some pictures from the Cause A-Team paintball event last month ("A" stands for admonsiment. See Col. 3:16). Everybody got hit, somebody did get bloody, and nobody didn't have a good time.

Sumo!!!

2009-01-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

From this past weekend's men's retreat some of us had a chance to don the suit and dance around the ring. Here are a couple of the maches to enjoy.

Pastor Carl "El Guapo" Chica vs. Matt "The Masked Man Who Instills Much Fear" MacCollin:

Tim "The Human Beat Box" Saffeels vs. AJ "The Tall Skinny Guy" Acker

Rick "Sticky Ricky" Saffeels vs Dan "The Out Of Shape Youth Guy" Steiner:

When pranks go wrong...

2008-12-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

All you younger students take note of the following account and learn from their mistakes:

1.) Daylight is always your enemy if you are going for stealth

2.) Don't climb on the roof when the one you are wanting to prank is home (That too hinders stealth)

3.) Don't put yourself in a position where you have no escape

4.) The more you mock, the more pain you will feel

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2008-12-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

In light of the white wintery wonderland outside I thought it would be fitting to take a look at some "snow moments" from classic literature. Enjoy! (You can click on the individual cartoon strip to see it enlarged in a new window)

Best sweater of the year award: Tim Gross

2008-12-14T15:53:00.000-08:00

A little Christmas controversy

2008-12-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

Recently there has been some controversy within the Cause (light-hearted I might add) over whether or not donkeys, sheep, cows, and even the wise men should be included in today's manger scenes. It all started with a fun-natured Christmas I.Q. test that I came across. One of the questions was phrased as such:

Which animals were present at Jesus' birth?

A. Donkeys, sheep, and goats

B. Donkeys and sheep

C. Sheep and goats

D. Lions, tigers, and bears

E. None of the above

The correct answer is "E" as the Bible does not tell us which animals were present. But, the Bible does not tell us that there weren't any animals present. Granted there is no major theological issue at stake here, but it does make for some fun debate amongst mid-highers. One student went so far as to remove the animals from her family nativity scene and hide them from her dismayed mother. Whether you have animals or not in your nativity scene it makes no matter. One thing I do know, the following manger scenes are probably not a good representation of what might or might not have been at the original Christmas scene:

I'm not sure, but I don't believe Santa was there in Bethlehem, nor was his sleigh pulled by eight tiny frogs.

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright, round yon fryer, mother and chick...

It just doesn't sound right, does it?

I really don't know what to say about this one.

I guess the wise men came from the Northwest and were not wise men, but were actually wee little leprechauns

iPods and cell phones and the internet...oh my!

2008-12-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

I came across an interesting and insightful entry on Al Mohler's blog yesterday (he is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). There is a recent study that came out in regards to the amount of media influence upon today's teenagers and the effects that it is having. It doesn't take much awareness to note that our culture today is of the "plugged-in" nature. I'm just as much a part of this culture as I have my iPod, cell phone, Wii, and computer...and I use them every day. The answer to the media issue isn't to do away with all things digital. Rather, we need to be discerning in how we allow ourselves, and our kids, to be influenced by it. I would encourage both parents and students to read Mohler's thoughts and discuss the realities of how our lives are being influenced by the media around us and how we can be wise in our choices in this arena.

You can find Mohler's blog entry here.

You can find the actual study that he comments on here.

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ." Philippians 1:9-10

The impossibility of impossibility

2008-12-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

When the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that she would give birth to Christ there was more to his message than just a simple explanation about what was going to happen in the months to come. Sure, Gabriel revealed to her that she would give birth to the Son of God, what He would be called, and how great His kingdom would be. But that wasn't all he declared to her. A simple and profound declaration about God's character was slipped in at the very end.

"For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

A virgin giving birth? Yeah, right! Mary had a legitimate reason to be a little confused at first. She was no dummy. She understood the basics of biology. But, in her response to Gabriel's explanation we see in this short episode of her life an indicator as to why she found favor with God.

"May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)

She believed in the impossibility of impossibility.

She was one who clearly understood all that God had promised to Israel in years past, as seen in her offering of praise in Luke 1:46-55. Perhaps the story flashed to her memory of Abraham and Sarah giving birth in their old age, and how upon hearing Sarah's laughter the Lord asked Abraham, "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14). Or, perhaps she thought of Jeremiah's prayer, "Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You" (Jeremiah 32:17). Whatever it was that went through her mind it didn't take long for her to simply respond with faith.

That has always been and always will be the mark of finding favor with God. Trusting Him at His Word (no matter how impossible it may seem) and obeying.

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

High School "No-Ball"

2008-12-08T15:49:00.001-08:00

This past Saturday the high school group had a "No-Ball" event in lieu of the annual city-wide Snowball dance. We had a terrific lasagna meal at the church, along with an encouraging message from Matt MacCollin, before heading up to the Lloyd Center in Portland to play a little broom ball. Ice is a lot more painful than it looks. Nobody was seriously hurt. Only some minor concussions, bruises, and mild frost bite. The freshmen and staff took on the sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The upperclassmen held the lead at half-time, but the scoring floodgates opened in the second half for the youngsters/oldies. Final score: 24-19...Frosh and staff won!

Awards to be passed out:

Most aggressive/purplest finger - Dylan Korgan

Best fall - Tyler Howell

Hardest fall - Tyler Howell

First to run head-first into the wall - Tyler Howell

Most blood drawn - Hannah Miller

Least amount of blood drawn - Kendra Chica

Most falls - Kyle Rossi

Biggest facemask/shoulderpads/chest protector/gloves - Dylan Sobey

Oldest on the ice/youngest at heart - Vince Castronovo

Least traction on the soles of his shoes - Ryan Eiler

Most willing to try and run/fall on the slickest part of the ice - Eric Tate

Most times arguing the score with the referee - Zac Bell

Loudest shrieks of horror - Freshmen girls

Check out the pictures below

Rake 'n Run

2008-12-08T15:26:00.000-08:00

Recently one of the high school home groups spent a Saturday afternoon raking leaves for some random houses. Here are a few of the highlights.

Happy meals and Christmas

2008-12-01T15:35:00.000-08:00

After church got over yesterday I drove Josiah to get some fast food before heading home. Normally his choice of grease is chicken tenders from BK. On this occasion, though, he wanted a Happy Meal from McDonalds. "Dad, I want a happy meal so I can be happy." As the words rolled from his tongue I had to let them soak for a minute. Has this culture grabbed a hold of my four-year-old? I didn't scold him, laugh at him, or even refuse the precious toy that is usually the motivation for him even wanting a Happy Meal. But I did use it as a teaching moment. I told him that neither a toy, chicken nuggets, or fries would make him happy for very long. Only Jesus can truly make you happy. Did he fully comprehend the lesson? Did it radically change his perspective on life and the complexities that are found within it? No. He just wanted the toy. But it did remind me of a few things:

1.) Some of the best teaching moments in life are the ones you don't plan or prepare for

2.) In a season where temporary happiness is manufactured and distributed we need to remember that true joy is something we could never make, buy, give, earn, or deserve. It's given as a free gift, received by faith, and came in the form of a little baby in a manger.

We will listen to songs that sing of "the happiest time of the year." We will drink egg nog (okay, maybe not everyone). We will give and get gifts. We will ornament a tree. We will light a house. We will do many things of a festive nature. But will we remember that "although He existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men"? (Philippians 2:6-7)

And that's only the beginning of the story.

Happiness can't be found in a manger, though. That was only the beginning. A genuine glimpse at the manger requires that we also look at the cross. "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:8)

And that's only the middle of the story.

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel...For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4, emphasis mine)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)

That's Salvation. That's happiness. That's joy. That's good stuff.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and heaven and nature sing

Cause Turkey Bowl

2008-11-28T16:55:00.001-08:00

Today we instituted the first annual mid high Cause Turkey Bowl. The final score was 91-84 (no joke!) with the game being decided in OT. Thanks to Steve and Eric for being the referees, as well as Ashley and her crew of girls for taking pictures and being insightful commentators. There were no broken bones and only a few broken egos (If you get a chance ask Dave Hudson what it was like to get juked big time by Austin).

8th grade paintball day

2008-11-28T16:42:00.001-08:00

The 8th graders went to Camp Tadmor for some good ole' paintballin' fun earlier this month. I forgot to post these sooner. Better late than never...

Just one more reason to give thanks

2008-11-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

As we have officially entered the holiday season, first starting with Thanksgiving, slowly proceding to Christmas, and concluding with the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day (I don't want to sound presumptuous out of fear that these words might come back to haunt me...but I am hopeful...go Beavs!). In light of all the thanks that will be given this week don't forget to give thanks for your salvation. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) I didn't deserve it. You didn't deserve it. But thank God I'm saved.

With that in mind, the following video is the testimony of Ergun Caner. He is now the President and Dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, VA. Before coming to Christ he was a devout Muslim. The video is about 25 minutes long and is encouraging in a few different ways:

1.) It's always encouraging to hear stories of salvation

2.) It's a great reminder of what our salvation entails; past, present, and future

3.) It's a story of how one anonymous high school student has been able to impact thousands of people by reaching one lost soul.

How Great is Our God!

2008-11-17T20:31:00.000-08:00

A few of the home groups have watched a very moving message by Louie Giglio entitled "How Great is Our God." In case you missed that week, or aren't a part a home group, and want to watch it, I have posted the video below. It's broken up into 5 parts and runs a little over 40 minutes. You'll want to watch it in its entirety. Enjoy!

Barn Bash Video

2008-11-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

High School Barn Bash

2008-11-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Howdy! We got together with the Crossroad and Careers groups last night for a swell time of eatin', singin', line dancin' and Gospel presentin'. Below are some pictures and of the festivities.

High School "No-Ball"

2008-11-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

What: The High School "No-Ball" is an alternative activity for those who don't want to go to the Snowball Dance.

When: Saturday December 6th from 6:30 PM - 1:00 AM

Activities: We will have a semi-formal dinner at the church with some live entertainment and a guest speaker. Following that we will head up to the Lloyd Center Ice Rink for some broom ball.

Attire: Semi-formal for the dinner portion of the evening. Long pants and tennis shoes are required for the broom ball. There will be time to change at the church prior to leaving if you wish to do so.

Cost: $25 per person. Tickets can be purchased at Cause or through the church office

Dates: Guys and gals will attend this together but we do not want you to "ask someone" to the no-ball.

Questions?: Contact Dan

Promotional video:

It's been a while...

2008-10-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been a few days, weeks, but not quite months since I last posted. Here are some photos of our Mid High Farm Night from last night. It got a little crazy, messy, gross, disgusting, but overall under control and quite fun. The pig slop game has now become a yearly tradition and our creativity/"how-can-we-top-this?" department is already hard at work coming up with ideas for next year's pig slop game.

A new year!

2008-09-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

As we begin a new year in the Cause this next week I wanted to make sure that there were some key dates you were all aware of:

Sunday September 7th - Move-up Sunday

Tuesday September 9th - Sprague Breakfast Club begins at the Mitchell's - 6:20 AM (check the church website for directions)

Wednesday September 10th - High School Cause REUNION at the church - 7:00-8:30

Wednesday September 17th - High School Home Groups begin (check the church website for locations)

Same night - Mid High midweek Cause begins at the church - 7:00-8:30

Thursday September 18th - Steak Time (a Bible study for 11th and 12th grade guys) Meets in Dan's office at the church - 3:00-4:30

Friday September 19th - South Salem Breakfast Club begins at the Holt's - 6:20 AM (Check the church website for directions)

Sunday September 28th - Mid High Silver Creek Falls Hike after church (more info to come)

Friday October 3rd - Senior All Night Extravaganza

Wednesday November 5th - High School Barn Bash

Cause travel tip for the day...

2008-08-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Your bags go on the conveyer belt...you go on the plane!

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - An elderly woman misunderstood instructions while checking in at Sweden's main airport and was whisked down a baggage shoot after she placed herself instead of her luggage on the belt, media reported Wednesday. The 78-year-old woman, who was not named, was preparing to fly from Stockholm's Arlanda airport to Germany on Tuesday when she lay down on an unmanned baggage belt in the belief she was following check-in instructions, the Upsala Nya Tidning local daily reported on its website. She was quickly swept off to the baggage handling centre, where staff members helped get her back on her feet. The woman suffered no serious injury and caught her flight as planned.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/swedenairportoffbeat;_ylt=AmFtNge7ZUN2fUNJsexVisbtiBIF

Monday Thoughts: Life transformation and bathroom remodeling

2008-08-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

So I've been thinking quite a bit about this whole growth thing in light of studying for yesterday's message and there is one more thought that I had to add to what was already shared. Obviously growth is important for any believer but Scripture also talks about transformation. Romans 12:2 says that we are to not "be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The marks of maturity in our lives (i.e. discernment, boldness, diligence, faithfulness, etc.) are the ways in which growth is demonstrated in our lives. But the process of growth is called transformation. The way Paul writes that phrase "be transformed" is in such a way that something else is doing the transforming to the individual. The hardest part to come to grips with is that I can't transform my own life. It is when I submit my life to the Word of God and the Spirit of God that the process of transformation takes place and the marks of growth can then be seen in how my life is lived. I don't change myself...He changes me. It's kind of like my bathroom (as I have mentioned recently). As you can see in the pictures below there is a vast difference between what it looked like before and what it looks like after. The thing I want you to key in on is the fact that the bathroom couldn't remodel itself. Someone else (me) had to do the work. It just sat there and let me pound away, scrape, cut, and shape it until it was finished. In the same way God has to be the One to transform and "remodel" our lives. Philippians 1:6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Our entire saved life is one long remodel job. Are you letting Him transform you?

Before:

After:

Beach Olympics 2007

2008-08-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

As many have requested, here is the Beach Olympics video from last summer. I am currently in the process of putting the video together from this summer's B.O. event. Enjoy! Oh, and yes, that is me running after the giant ball...

Beach Olympics 2008

2008-08-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

What a difference from last year! A day at the beach just isn't the same without rain, is it? Below are some pictures from the second annual Cause Beach Olympics. The team that took home the gold medal was the Moses Mafia Militia. There have been many requests to post the video from last year's B.O. so I will do so when I finish this year's video and post them together.

Arizona Mission Trip 2008

2008-07-03T09:59:00.001-07:00

Well, after a long and grueling, yet wonderful 11 days we limped back into the church late on Sunday night. Van troubles, a well-timed flat tire at midnight in Bakersfield, and some small bladders all contributed to a longer than expected trip home. But the Lord is faithful and kept us safe and the unity intact. There are many, many stories to tell from this trip, time does not permit me to recount them all at this time. I do have some pictures and a few videos that I will post to give some idea as to what took place in Kaibito and on the White Mesa. There will be a mission trip update during July's Lord's Supper service. So, make sure that you are available to attend and can hear some personal testimonies from our trip. If you know any student or adult that had the chance to go with us please ask them to tell you about what they experienced. I'm sure they will have much to say about what the Lord did on the Rez.

Video clips:

I love this video clip of John Kim. He was one of the students from the Corvallis Korean Church that went with us. His love for the kids was clearly demonstrated through his patience and gentleness with the kids as seen here.

One of the unique experiences of doing a VBS on the reservation is piling kids in the van from the community and bringing them to the VBS. This clip shows Russ bringing a van load of 23 kids back to the church. We thought that was a lot until a few days later when he was able to squeeze upwards of 36 kids into the van.

The church that we stay at isn't very big, but that doesn't stop all the kids from having fun as they learn about Christ. Here is a glimpse at what the group does to begin and end the VBS. We teach them simple songs that contain Biblical Truth and motions to go along with the words.

Photos:

This is what happens around the 9th hour of being in the van...

This is George Mann. He is one of the Bible teachers at Kaibito Baptist. He led a Sunday School class for the adults on Sunday morning while Bryan Bernard led a youth service for the students.

This is Benny. He is also one of the teachers at the church. He played the roll of MC for the church service.

Some ladies in the church sang a few songs for us in Navajo. Tim Saffeels did a great job of playing some impromptu piano to accompany them.

We were then asked to lead in a few songs. Jacob Domeyer led us in a few hymns while Tim accompanied on the piano.

Testimonies are a big part of the Navajo services. Caley Williams, Zac Bell (not shown), Jane Kim, and Daniel Ha all gave their testimonies.

On Sunday afternoon we spread out to go door-to-door inviting all the kids in Kaibito to the VBS that week.

This is the sign on the church.

Sunday evening was filled with lots of prep for the VBS.

More VBS prep.

You guessed it...more VBS prep.

This, too, was after some VBS prep. These guys broke concrete blocks and made room inside of a hogan on the mesa for the VBS at George Mann's place.

This, too, was funny. You'll have to ask Matt or Tim about their blue shirts that they wore EVERY DAY!

As the kids arrived each day we would play with them outside before the VBS.

Snack station during the VBS.

Jacob Ross helps a little dude with the game.

Josh Hudson led the Bible lesson each day.

Here we see what the VBS is all about. Even during the snack time our students take advantage of the opportunity to share Christ with these kids. Each of the snacks, crafts, and games was tied into the Bible lesson for the day.

On our last night in Kaibito the people in the church made us Navajo Tacos. Here we see Jacob, Shelby, and Ari learning how to make fry bread.

Last, but not least, we have Chef Dorri. We ate so well on this trip people will want to come back just for the food!

The year in review

2008-06-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting in a while. It's been quite a year for the Cause. Both the mid high and high school ministries have been busy and we praise God for what He has accomplished. Rather than give a written account of all the activities I thought it would be more fitting to provide some visual representations of the year (i.e. pictures). They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Most of these pictures might not need (or deserve) a thousand words said about them, but it is fun to look back on what has happened this year. Today I will start with some snapshots from the high school ministry and add the mid high pictures in a few days. Enjoy!

Senior Retreat (October 2007)

Winter Retreat (December 2007)

Barn Bash (April 2008)

Home Groups (All Year)

Monday Morning Thoughts

2008-05-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

"And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" - Esther 4:14

Yesterday morning the mid high group was in D-Teams while the high school group took a look at the book of Esther. It is the only book of the Bible where God is not mentioned by name, prayed to, or seen in any visible way. But His sovereign hand is everywhere in the story. He uses a faithful person (Esther) to accomplish something great for His glory (save the entire Israel nation). Esther 4:14 is a great passage. She has just learned of Haman’s plot to kill off all the Israelites in the land and has an opportunity to do something about it as she has amazingly found herself as the queen of King Ahasuerus. She is fearful of what it will take for her to save her people. Her cousin, Mordecai, makes a profound statement to her, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Do we ever truly know what the Lord is doing within the moments that we find ourselves in? Often times it isn't until much later when we can look back and see the trail of His sovereignty that we can actually understand what He was accomplishing. If that is the case, all we can do is stay faithful in the moments that we find ourselves in. Are you going to be faithful today in the midst of the trials that come? Are you going to be faithful today in the midst of the temptations that come? Are you going to be faithful today in the midst of whatever you find yourself in? Who knows what the Lord is wanting to accomplish in and through you today? He does. Stay faithful.

Father Daughter Day

2008-05-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we held our annual Father Daughter Day at the church. As always, the food was excellent (provided by Dawn Leon and her crew). Scott Hunter shared some thoughts with the dads and daughters about purity and how important it is to make it through these critical years in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. The dads and daughters then left for a day out together filled with different activities ranging from shopping, coffee, the beach, and even golf.

Feeling tired?

2008-04-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

Monday afternoon thoughts...

2008-04-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

"Remember me, O my God, for good." Nehemiah 5:19; 13:31

On two different occasions we see this statement come from Nehemiah. Wrapped up in these seven words is the motivation behind one man's life. He wanted to please his God. He wanted his God to see him as a man who did what was right in His sight. It is clear that Nehemiah knew Israel's history, along with the promises that God had made to them (1:5-11). It is also clear that Nehemiah was aware of the downfall of Israel's previous kings (13:26). I can only imagine that he was aware of what Jeremiah had written 100 years earlier about the other kings of Israel; each of them having their lives summed up by one of two statements, "He did what was right in the sight of the Lord," or, "He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." Nehemiah was a man who wanted to do what was right in the sight of the Lord.

This showed in everything that he was about. His brokenness over Israel's sin. His consistency in going before the Lord in prayer. His perseverance through difficulty and opposition. His selflessness before God's people. His cultivation of an environment in which the Word of God was respected and lifted up. His demand for holiness. There wasn't an area of Nehemiah's life that wasn't impacted by his desire to please the Lord in all things. How refreshing is it to find someone who has that same desire. But, isn't even more refreshing to find someone who not only has that same desire, but also backs it up with a lifestyle that matches those words?

This world...actually, more specifically, the church doesn't need any more lukewarm, watered down, inactive, prayerless believers. It needs more who are willing to follow the example of Nehemiah and set an example for others to follow. How are you like Nehemiah? What impact could you have for eternity if you lived out the same desire as Nehemiah? "Remember me, O my God, for good."

Until next time...

Monday morning thoughts...

2008-04-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

"For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:9-10

Yesterday we looked at the book of Ezra in our time together. It is the first of a two-part story of how the nation of Israel was released from captivity and allowed to go back to their home land. Ezra played a key role in the spritual life of Israel during this time. Six different times we read about the hand of the Lord being upon him or the people he was leading (7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31). As we see above, the reason for the Lord's hand being upon his life in a favorable way is because of Ezra's response to God's Word. He studied the Word. He lived the Word. He helped others understand the Word. I don't know of a better example for how we should approach the things that God has revealed to us in His Word.

What are you doing, as a parent, to help your student set their heart toward these things? As I gave the students the challenge to be like Ezra, I will give the same challenge to you. Are you setting your heart towards God's Word the way that Ezra did? When was the last time you sat down with your student and shared with them how God's Word has been impacting your life? Do they see how God's Word is impacting your life?

As we read on through the book Ezra we come across a situation where Ezra is broken over Israel's sin (9:1ff.) As he is crying out to the Lord a crowd gathered around and heard his prayer. They too broke over their sin and Ezra challenged them to confess and repent from their sin. The people responded in a right way. How powerful it is to see what God can do through one person who is faithful to His Word!

What is my student learning in the Cause?

2008-04-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Biblical teaching has always been a foundational activity at Salem Heights Church. God’s Word provides everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3) and that goes for students just as much as it does for adults. As a result of this we place a high priority on teaching the Scriptures to our junior high and high school students. This takes place in various settings from Sunday morning messages given to the entire group to small group discussions in the home groups and D-teams. As we desire to complement and confirm the ministry that is taking place within the home we would like to provide a way for parents to connect what the students are learning in the Cause to what is, and what can be, discussed at home. Therefore we have put together some resources that are available for you to know what is being taught and how you can discuss those things with your student at home. I have heard in a number of instances that it is often times difficult for parents to pry information from their student in regards to what they learned that morning or that evening. What if you as the parent were able to know what your student is learning and can start the discussion that way? All of the Cause Sunday morning messages are now posted on the church website for download (below are instructions on where to find them). There is even a podcast that is available so that you can receive these messages weekly on your podcast player. As well, on Monday mornings I will do my best to post a few discussion starting questions based on Sunday's message. These discussions will be invaluable as you and your student walk through these years.

We are currently working through the Old Testament book-by-book and are now through 2 Kings. This past Sunday's message was unable to be recorded due to technical difficulties.

Until next time...

How to access the messages:

Go to www.salemheightschurch.org and look for the "Doctrine and Sermons" tab. Run the mouse over the tab and a menu will drop down. Click on "Sermons".

You now have one of two options for downloading the messages:

1. Click on "view podcast" to see a page where all of the available messages can be downloaded. Right click on the desired message and then click "save target as". You may want to save the file with a title that will help you remember what message it is. Save the MP3 where you desire and it will be available to play on your media player or burn to a CD.

2. Open your podcast player (iTunes works very well and can be downloaded for free at www.apple.com). Click on "subscribe to podcast" and after a few moments you will be able to access all of the messages through that program.

If a new message has been recorded it will be available by Sunday afternoon.

What's happening with the Cause?

2008-04-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

Well, if anyone is actually reading this...thank you! With a desire to help those who have any sort of connection to the Cause student ministry at Salem Heights (whether as a student who attends, a parent who has a student who attends, or as anyone else who has any sort of interest in what happens with the Cause) I will be providing updates on past events, current events, and perhaps even future events. An occasional thought from Scripture might pop up from time to time. Check back from time to time as I hope to update this on a more than semi-annual basis. Until next time...