Rep’s Link – July 2015

Welcome

This month we welcome three new Rep’s –  Isaac Wagner (Vero Beach), Dale Peter (Women at the Well) and Amanda Taylor (Director) at Hosanna House! Isaac graduated Vero Beach June 2012, graduated the Emerging Leaders College last month and was hired on as staff at Vero Beach. Dale entered Teen Challenge in Ft Myers, Florida September 2012; transferred to Women at the Well 2013 and graduated 2014 and was hired on staff January of this year.  Amanda Taylor is a veteran ELP’er – graduated Columbus W in 2007, graduated TCIMI Jacksonville 2008, served at Pen W & Col W as ELP Rep and is now the Director and ELP Rep for the adolescents at Hosanna House. Welcome Rep’s! You are all products of the emerging leaders program and I know you will raise up sons and daughters (gen-next) to sustain TC for the next 50 years to come.

Level I Adult

This month we continue with our core course Knowing and Understanding ExperiencingGodGod’s Will and our text: Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King. Your students should be at the mid-point in their books so continue to press in with them. Have you considered doing an activity that will allow you and your students to experience God at new levels at your weekly meeting? When I did this course with a few ladies at Admin, we went for a prayer walk by the River walk. It was a beautiful setting to experience God with them. At the end of the time, we placed memorial stones at a tree – our commitment to continue grow in Experiencing God.

Level I Adolescent

Our course for the Adolescent track is Servant Leadership and our text: Help! I’m a Student Leader  by Doug Fields. Our text is set in the atmosphere of a youth ministry, but gives practical leadership lessons to help students lead like Jesus, figure out how to be more helpful, listen more, getting others involved and deepen their faith.

Monthly Book Orders and Grades

Southeast region Rep’s can go to Google Drive and search for ELP Monthly Order Form and Grade Sheet Edited. Look for your center’s name in the tabs at the bottom and fill in your information. No need to save or email the spreadsheet (Google Drive saves it and we can access the info from my Drive). If you place an initial order on the form and update the order later (i.e. add 2 more books) after we have ordered your books, please send Kerry Pevey (ELP Admin Asst) an email at kerry.pevey@teenchallenge.cc. All new applications must be in by the 10th of the month for students starting the 15th. Come on Reps, get your stuff in on time, I know you can do it!

From the Rep’s Corner

Last week at the NE/SE Regional Conference I had a chance to connect with  Ashley KeyAshley Key & I 3 (4) – the first emerging leader Amanda Taylor and I sent out to do an ELP Project. She went to Long Island TC Rock the Block in 2009 to apprentice with Anna Ramos and the team there. Here is her testimony of her journey.

I started the ELP track when I was a student in the program. I knew that ELP was established to help equip us to be effective leaders in Teen Challenge. My heart’s desire was, and still is to be a TC Director and I knew that starting the journey with ELP would help me in my calling of Teen Challenge leadership. The opportunity to work with other leaders and watch their journey to leadership brought encouragement to me who was just starting. The curriculum and the projects that I was a part of, hit on topics that were specifically designed for my journey. The Armor Bearer book was the one that had a tremendous impact on the way that I saw what true leadership was all about. Leadership is serving others the way Christ did. I was told this in the program, but the “light bulb” didn’t go on until I read that book. It helped me to understand that leadership wasn’t about just telling others to do something or to just delegate it to someone. It was more about helping my leader fulfill the will of God in their life and watching how God would open the doors in my life because of the faithfulness to my leader. It also spoke of discipleship to me. A leader goes and helps those he is leading. We aren’t dictators. I think I thought that was what leadership was for years. The journey that I took in ELP helped me to see how the Lord had designed true leadership and helped mold me into the leader and disciple-maker that I am becoming.

I have been at Long Island Teen Challenge for 6 years. This has been an incredible journey for me. It has been filled with ups and downs, but God has been truly faithful in it all. I have had my hands in every aspect of the ministry. I have been Assistant House Manager to House Manager. I have overseen the upkeep of the house and the logistics of the program. I just recently graduated from Northpoint Bible College after 2 years of being away, I now oversee the kitchen and I am a Senior Staff at the Women’s Home. It’s such a blessing to be here with these ladies, using the Start Right Program to help disciple and equip them in their own journey with the Lord.

Paul Burke, a graduate of Long Island TC, and I recently got engaged and we will be married photo (29)next year. We met a few short days of me being at Long Island. God truly has written our story. Everything that could have torn us apart, has made us stronger. I am looking forward to working with Paul. We desire to be Teen Challenge Directors and pouring into the hopeless. We have found Hope in Jesus and we want to disciple and teach others. In the future we hope to have our own Church as well.. God has big things in store and we are excited to be apart of His Story!
Ashley Key – Senior Staff – Long Island TC, graduate Columbus Women’s, Columbus, GA

 

Level II – July 2015

Core Courses

Our next Core Course is Ministry Development and our text: From Dream to Reality by Dr. Jerry Nance. Dr. J outlines 21 principles for us to move our dreams from just a dream – to reality. The leader must hear from God, Pray hard, work hard and then pray God blesses your work, cherish and celebrate victories along the way, learning to laugh and much more.  Some of you should have a copy of this book but if you don’t email me at andree.aiken@teenchallenge.cc and I’ll mail one to you.

Your first post for this course will be up on the forum Monday, July 20th. You’ll make an initial post and then respond to someone’s post.

 

ELP Highlights – July 2015

Hello! My name is Haley Lonadier. I’m 30 years old from Haynesville, La. I am a Staff Haley Lonadiermember at Mt. Grace Teen Challenge for Women in Winnfield, La. I’ve now been in ELP for a little over a year and 5 months. I absolutely love it! ELP texts and studies have been very beneficial to my ministry as an emerging leader. The books for each course have been just what I needed at the right time. Being involved in the ELP course and working in Teen Challenge has helped me apply motivational skills and guided me to dig deep to find and use my God-given gifts. Also, this program has provided information that encourages me to set goals for success in my life and ministry. I have absolutely changed my direction to further my Biblical studies and personal life applications. Here at Teen Challenge through ELP, my abilities to perform in ministry are growing and escalating.  This program definitely requires endurance from each individual participating in it, which has helped me in other areas of ministry. ELP has impacted my life tremendously! I surely recommend this program to anyone wanting to make a difference…Thank you!

Bridge Builders – Withstanding the Currents

Teen Challenge’s chances of dissolving and drifting from our mission is only to the degree that we hold fast to God and His Word.  If we forsake our commitment to Christ, and demote the Bible to just another book among many, our chances for straying will be great. The issues discussed here may not seem to be a huge threat right now, but that is because the cultural currents that can cause us to drift are subtle and take place over time, not quickly. But, when bridges collapse, casualties are extremely high. When floatingI-35W-rescue-Minneapolis-20070801 in the ocean, you never know how far you’ve drifted until you look up! We do not fight currents alone. God is fighting for us. We are not called to force others to believe what we believe. We are not called to be theological police to the World, and to try and even change the world through natural means. We are called to serve and obey God, and HE will open the doors of influence for us when He sees fit. We aren’t going to make every senator and government official a Christian and get them to implement Christian laws. Satan knows this. Win Souls not arguments! Help people think rightly but know that no one has ever been argued into the kingdom! Endurance will be key in withstanding the currents! There are 2 types of Currents: External and Internal. External currents from the world, when they infiltrate through the gates of the church, create an internal current that only leaders committed to true sound teaching can endure. The best way to withstand the current is to grow.

External Current

Post-modernism

Post-modernism says that truth is relative; what is true for me may not be true for you. We don’t fight a neutral enemy. We see today people killing Christians and Christians are targeted to conform. Postmodernism is seen anywhere where Christianity is subjectively judged and made to look ignorant and close-minded. As if no one who is intelligent would be a Christian.  The Satan-influenced world is on the offensive, not the neutral, make no mistake. Christian organizations like us have been and will continue to be intentionally targeted to conform, but we must not (Matt 10:16). This scripture will be key to navigating in our culture. We must ask for wisdom and bathe our leaders in prayer for the wisdom of God to guide them. Post-modernism says the human race is beyond the archaic age of Christianity but Paul encourages the Church against the post-modernism of the day “for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” Romans 1:18-20.

“We are facing a very real crisis of critical thought among today’s youth. Our secular culture increasingly favors a growing multiculturalism that affirms a uniform tolerance of all worldviews while simultaneously opposing a firm commitment to any one belief. Many young people believe that all religions are basically the same. Consequently, many young men and women cannot articulate their own faith.” ~ RZIM

Withstanding the current of post-modernism will take the absolute truth of Jesus Christ. Be careful of watching too much news which is designed to strike fear in the hearts of the believer. Is our stance on what the news say or what the Word says? We, Christians, know how the story ends. If you are consumed with the news you will end up going by Fox news and not the Good News. Guard your heart. The Gospel is the answer to the world and the Church; strength and grace to the Church and hope to the world.

Cheap Relationships due to hyper-socialization

We are managing and multi-tasking at a level of relationships we weren’t supposed to social-media-keeps-youngmanage. We were not created to manage these relationships with so many people. The current of cheap relationships that is facing us will make it very difficult to bestow the DNA of TC on Gen-next because of the technological age. Hyper-socialization will create cheap relationships. Weak relationships create weak conduits for influence. We must have stronger relationships. Time and effort is the only ways to create and sustain relationships. We live in a culture of short cut where we want everything fast and convenient. Teen Challenge must be a conduit of quality discipleship through quality relationships. If all we have is microwave-relationships and poor social skills we have microwave discipleship. The younger generation must humble ourselves to receive from the older generation. Discipline yourself to do face to face communication. Call instead of text, meet someone instead of texting.

Internal Current

Hyper-sensitivity

Our society have become excessively sensitive and as Christians we don’t want to offend people. From this hyper-sensitivity, sometimes we can pervert Christ into something that isn’t Christ to try and make Him “relevant”.  If we are afraid to tell people they are in sin then we give them a wrong impression of Jesus. Are we giving people Good News or just news? Hyper-sensitivity makes it difficult for evangelism to happen. We need to preach what the Word says not just the fluffy parts to make people feel good. Keep your eyes on Christ when you are made to look like an idiot and irrelevant as a Christian. Don’t change Jesus around to look good for everyone else.

Biblical Compromise

We compromise the truth of God’s Word because we want to be politically correct. We accept standards that are lower than what our Father desires. One sure way to be stronger and move forward is in the depths of God’s Word. How we minister God’s Word in mentoring, PSNC, GSNC – we must be experts on how people’s beliefs effect their behavior. Why do so many of our graduates relapse? They stop listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. They lack understanding of spiritual authority; trying to do things in their own strength – operate in the flesh in a way that they can’t hear from anyone around them. If we do things as God wants us to, we’ll have God’s blessings in our lives. As Teen Challenge staff and students we must grow stronger in integrity; be people of the heart and of the head. If we are to withstand this current we must grow stronger in biblical integrity and sound theology 1John1:1-3. The gospel has been handed to us, and we must hand it down to our students in boldness and the Spirit’s power!

Religion (external and internal)

Become a passionate lover and worshipper of God. Do not lose your love and passion for Jesus. Keep it fresh. Spend time with Him in prayer. In the journey is where we thrive. Many times we retreat from our passion and intimacy when placed in leadership position. DO NOT LOSE YOUR PASSION AND EXCITEMENT FOR JESUS! Many times our graduates and leaders look at Christians whose love for Jesus has been replaced by religion; lists of do’s and don’ts. Satan would love nothing more than that you would exchange your true desire to know God and to seek Him (which is harder), and do the easier way – to try and be good. Try and do more good things than you do bad things. This is religion to a ‘T.’ We live in a passive culture where we stand out if we are passionate about something. Never lose your intimacy; becoming a spiritual oasis to others takes a thriving relationship with Jesus. The fear of God and Hope will be key in our witness 1 Peter 3:15. When we have a true love and hope in Christ, people will see it, they will rub up against it, and know something is different. We are the only true carriers of hope in the world.

Conclusion

As Christians and leaders, be vigilant to guard your heart against the effects of the cultural currents that we face! The enemy (world, flesh, devil) will try to take out your heart. If we drop like flies one-by-one, we cannot be united as a whole and withstand the cultural currents we face!

 

Excerpts from ELP Summit 2015 presented by Dan Williams – ELP Rep (Middle GA)