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  Spring/Summer 2014
  Vol. 19 � No. 2
Please photocopy or email  
to all your youth workers  
       
 
 
  Empower  

Leader Resources

I love to find things that free up time and make my life easier. For example, consider apps: Good Budget helps my family keep up with finances better; Kelly Blue Book makes selling or buying a car easier; Zillow helps when selling or buying a home. All these resources are helpful and make us more knowledgeable. I could try do to all the above things on my own or even try to develop something to help me in these areas, but it wouldn't make sense for me not to tap into what is already out there.

We have realized that often trying to come up with things on our own can be draining and not necessarily time or impact efficient. So with that in mind, the Youth Network and Youth Ministry Teams have come up with numerous (mostly free downloadable) resources to help you in your ministry. Some of those will be highlighted in this youth ministry update, but the majority you can find in the following document: www.chogy.org/sites/chogy.org/files/documents/
CHOGYVisionOverview.pdf
.

Take a look and tap into numerous resources that will help save you time and help you be a better leader.

Working together to raise up a new generation of Christ-centered leaders,

Andy StephensonAndy Stephenson, PhD
Leader of Youth and Family Ministries
Andy can be reached at
[email protected]


 

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  Leadership Summit 2015  

We are excited about what God is doing in the lives of student leaders. God is calling students to be more for the kingdom. He is calling students to ministry, missions, and to leadership.

Leadership Summit (LS) is an opportunity for our student leaders to be empowered and trained in the areas of leadership and calling. We are excited about Leadership Summit 2015! LS will be held at Warner University, in Lake Wales, Florida, July 7-11, 2015. Leadership Summit is an Emerging Leaders event, but it's more than an event-it is a launching pad. Leadership Summit propels our students forward in the journey to Christ centered leadership. We hope that LS 2015 will be on your ministry radar for 2015.

The first chance to register for LS2015 will be this summer at IYC. Special pricing will be available! Regular pricing will be $240 before December 31, 2014, and $280 for registrations received after April 29, 2015. But at IYC, the price will be $200 for churches or state student leadership teams that have never gone, up to five registrations per church or team, and $220 for alumni churches or state student leadership teams, up to five registrations per church or team! A $50 nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of registration. Make sure to check it out at the Emerging Leaders and Leadership Summit Booth at IYC this summer!

To find out more about Emerging Leaders, Leadership Summit 2015, and available resources, visit www.emergingleaders101.com or www.chogy.org.

 Eric ReederEric Reeder is a member of the Youth Ministry Team. He serves as the senior-high youth pastor at Madison Park Church of God in Anderson, Indiana. He can be reached at [email protected].
 

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  Spread the Word Update  

According to the latest financial reports, total giving to Spread the Word since it started in 2002 has surpassed $700,000. God continues to do amazing things across the globe through this ministry!

Do you want to do something to bring greater missions awareness to your local student ministry? Four teaching series are available at www.chogy.org for free! One series could be taught each quarter to bring the focus back to missions several times over an entire year, or you could do a different series each year. Each series contains four or five lessons, and each lesson is designed to last about one hour. Curriculum includes lists of materials needed, activities, Bible study, and discussion questions. Also available are six weeks of student devotionals. All of these materials are ready to be downloaded and may copied and used as needed.

For high school and college-age students who want to be even more involved in missions, STW continues to offer short- and long-term internships overseas. Students must have completed their junior year of high school. Applications are accepted until November of each year. Go to www.chogy.org for more information.

Tami ByrdTami Byrd is a member of the Youth Ministry Team and the youth pastor at South Memorial Drive Church of God in New Castle, Indiana. She can be reached at [email protected]. She helps facilitate communication between STW and those on the field.

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  Campus Impact  

Are you ready for IMPACT?

im•pact noun  im-pakt

1. the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.
2. have a strong effect or influence on something or someone

synonyms: crash into, smash into, collide with, hit, strike, ram

Imagine what can happen this fall when Church of God students everywhere give a concentrated effort toward making an IMPACT for Christ! What would it take to cause a collision between the love of Christ and kids in our communities across the country? I long to see revival. Don't you? IMPACT can help us make this a reality! So what is it?

It's a vision for one thing: that we as a movement can bring about revival by joining together in prayer as we empower students to spread this good news about Jesus. IMPACT is an incredible free resource, available in July 2014. Included are six weeks of lessons to ignite this generation with a passion to share Christ. Also included is a thirty-day field journal for students. All downloadable. IMPACT is also a website where our stories will be told and retold! Make sure the story of revival in your home town will be part of the story!

Impact is coming! Let's get ready for it!

Chris SpittersChris Spitters is a Youth Ministry Team member and the youth pastor at First Church of God in St. Joseph Michigan. He can be reached at [email protected].

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  Emerging Leaders 101  

As we strive to live out our vision of Reach, Disciple, and Empower along with the desire “To be a catalyst in raising up a new generation of Christ-centered leaders,” a tool that one of our teams has been focusing much of their energy towards is the Emerging Leaders website and the Emerging Leaders gathering. We feel this is a great resource not only for your students but also for you as a youth pastor/leader. There are tools to help you as you train your leaders.

EmergingLeaders101.com was recently updated with a brand new look and feel, including a “home” screen that is easier to navigate. I would strongly encourage you to visit the site and check out the amazing resources available there for you and for your students. While at emergingleaders101.com, I would also encourage you to follow EL on twitter as well as “Like” and get notifications on Facebook.

The Emerging Leaders Gathering at IYC 2014 will be held on Monday, July 7, from 8:45 AM to 10:10 AM. We invite you to begin praying now for both IYC and the Emerging Leaders Gathering, and if you are planning on attending IYC 2014 in Nashville, we would love to see you and your students who feel a call to ministry, missions or leadership at the Emerging Leaders Gathering.

We are excited about what is happening within the Emerging Leaders community as we hear stories of students and leaders alike who are not only recognizing the call that God has on their lives but are putting it to action!

Adam RentasAdam Rentas is a Youth Ministry Team member and the youth pastor at First Church of God in Vero Beach, Florida. He can be reached at [email protected].

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IYC2014:
July 5–8, 2014
Nashville, TN
Gaylord Opryland Hotel
www.iyc2014.org

 

   YMT Members
Tami Byrd Eric Reeder Chris Spitters Andy Stephenson Adam Rentas

Tami
Byrd

Eric
Reeder

Chris
Spitters

Andy
Stephenson

Adam
Rentas

Youth Network Team 

  Youth Network Team

            Harold Bradshaw (WY)
            Mark Shaner (IN)
            Brian Seidel (ID)
            Josh Boldman (FL)
           

      R. W. Moody (TX)
      Rob Ringwald (WV)
      Kati Davis (WV)
      Brandon Holbrook (KS)
      Kim Schuessler (IN)

Click here to register

Lower Prices—NEW improved schedule—Same powerful experience!

Don't miss IYC2014!

Creating a moment for life change—IYC2014—July 5–8, 2014—Nashville, TN

Register today at www.iyc2014.org. Check out our incredible lineup of speakers and artists. Last registration deadline with a discount: May 9, 2014.

Nashville skyline

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Click here for more information about Emerging Leaders 101

Help your students grow as leaders.

Check out
emergingleaders101.com
 

Don't miss the Emerging Leaders Gathering at IYC on July 7. If you are interested in being a coach, connect with Eric at [email protected]

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Leadership Summit 2015

Sign up for Leadership Summit 2015 at IYC2014 for a significant discount! (see Eric's article for details). Our student Leadership Summit is going to be held on Warner University's campus in Lake Wales, Florida, July 7–11, 2015. This is an incredible event to train your student leaders. We encourage entire student leadership teams to come. Leadership Summit has been changing lives and helping leaders grow since 2001.

www.emergingleaders101.com or
www.chogy.org/leadership-summit

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We welcome Kati Davis from West Virginia and Brandon Holbrook from Kansas to the Youth Network Team.

Kati Davis Kati Davis
Kati is a woman seeking the heart of God and the heart of students. As a youth pastor, Kati takes Jesus at his word when he says he has come to bring good news to the poor, proclaim that captives be released, blind will see, oppressed will be set free and to announce that the Lord's favor has come (Luke 4:18-19).

Kati has been in full time youth ministry since 2006. Her husband Jordan serves alongside her in youth ministry as well as being the full time children's pastor at Liberty Street Church of God in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Together they have two children, Jayce and Kaden, who are growing into kind, young men of God. Her desire is to be used of God, however he sees fit to use her.

Brandon Holbrook Brandon Holbrook
Brandon Holbrook has been the student ministry pastor of Eastside Community Church in Wichita Kansas, since December 2008. Prior to arriving at Eastside, Brandon completed his degree at Mid-America Christian University and was part of the student ministry staff of Crossings Community Church. His passion is to equip students and adults to lead the ministry.

He has been married to Corie since 2006; they have two kids, Annabelle and Cohen. Born and raised in Kentucky, Brandon is an avid college basketball fan, and his favorite time of year is March Madness.

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IMPACT NASHVILLE

What is it? IMPACT Nashville is living out our faith in such a way that we leave our IYC host city with a servanthood legacy, leaving it better for having been there-giving back to our host city. This year we are providing an extended time for life change!

How will it work? You pick! Go to www.iyc2014.org to find a list of organizations, churches, and schools that we have talked with and that are excited about partnering with us. Call them or e-mail them. Figure out how you can help them on Monday, July 7. Check back regularly as more opportunities are posted.

Need more help? In order to assure that volunteers are spread out throughout the city and that most opportunities are being utilized, information about these locations is provided to you on our website.

Once on the IMPACT Nashville page click on “Impact Volunteer Ideas” to find an updated list of contacts, an estimated number of volunteers still needed, and other important information.

These listings will be posted throughout the spring of 2014 and will continue to be updated.

IMPACT Nashville is the responsibility of your group to plan. This gives you more freedom and helps you match an agency to your group. Transportation, contacts, supplies, and serving are all placed into your hands.

Prepare to serve well.
• Choose a place to serve (from the list on our website or from your own research)
    • Help a nonprofit organization.
    • Shine Christ's light on the streets of downtown Nashville.
    • Visit a nursing home or a retirement home.
    • Help a church.

• Make contact with the volunteer coordinator or activity director to solidify your plans.
• Arrange your own transportation and make sure you've planned for necessary supplies.
• Reconfirm your plans with your contact two to three weeks prior to the convention.
• Pray, as a group, for the opportunity you have chosen.
• Go and serve with love!
• Don't forget to post a story of what you did on our IYC Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CHOGY.IYC!

 


 

Don't Miss It!

CHOG Convention—Be Bold in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. June 23–26, 2014. This is the first time this convention has been out of Anderson in more than one hundred years! The format has been completely changed. You will want to attend this historic event. Yes, it is close to IYC, but we promise you, it will be worth the effort to put this on your schedule. Trust us on this one. If you can only come for a day or two, make an effort. It is going to be powerful. You can find info at www.chogconvention.org.

 
 

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Questions and comments regarding this publication can be addressed to Andy Stephenson, Ph.D., Church of God Ministries, by e-mail at [email protected] or by calling 1-800-848-2464, ext 2153.

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