October 27, 2008
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Birthdays
5. Scene Around 180
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That's Funny?
1. 180 NEWS
HS Paintball Retreat
BIG reminder that your registration and fee of $55 for our Paintball Retreat is due this Wednesday night! Hope to see you there!
Middle School Turkey 'N Thanks
Hey Middle Schoolers it won't be long before Thanksgiving is here and that means it won't be long before our annual TNT is here!
Join us on Saturday night, November 15 from 6:00 to 7:30 in the Ministry Center Great Room for a wonderful Thanksgiving feast, with all the trimmings! The cost is only $5. It is sure to be an event you won't want to miss out on!See pictures of last year's Turkey 'N Thanks here and here.
2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE GHOSTS REAL?
Ghosts are a big part of the increase of supernatural themes in movies, TV, and books. The most common worldview presented in stories about ghosts is that they are the spirits of people who died with unfinished business left on earth.
So, in The Sixth Sense, a little boy sees--and helps--dead people who need to fix something before they can leave to the great beyond. In Ghost, a popular movie from the early '90s, Patrick Swayze sticks around to love and protect Demi Moore after he dies. Nicole Kidman's The Others shows ghosts who don't realize they're the ones doing the haunting.
In the real world, evidence for ghosts is scarce. People who take them seriously talk about psychic energy and show photographs with strange lights or colors. But most of the real research suggests that living people tend to create ghosts, either out of fear, grief, or for profit.
For instance, the strangest ghost stories are rarely told by the people who believe they've experienced an encounter with a ghost--unless those people are getting paid. The tellers are almost always people who heard it secondhand.
In addition, people who claim to hear voices or see dead relatives almost always stop experiencing those things when they take antipsychotic medications. That suggests either that ghosts don't like medication or that people who are having intense emotional and psychological problems are more likely to see things that aren't there.
The Bible leaves little room for the existence of ghosts. It never, ever talks about the spirits of dead humans lingering here. Paul wrote that for Christians, to be away from the body is to be present with God (2 Corinthians 5:8). And the Bible describes very specific judgments for unbelievers--judgments that do not include becoming a haunting spirit on earth (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
WHAT'S UP WITH VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES?
Our current ideas about supernatural creatures called vampires and werewolves come primarily from entertainment sources: the original Dracula movies of the 1930s and dozens of sequels and adaptations since then; the books of Anne Rice; and the world created by the popular shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
According to the myth, a vampire is a demon who inhabits the body of a human. They need to drink blood to stay alive; they're very strong; they can live forever; but they can be killed by sunlight, a stake through the heart, or being exposed to religious symbols like crosses or holy water. [You reading this right now? Be the third person to email newsletter@180students.com to let us know and you will win a handful of candy on Sunday!] Oh, and they can turn other people into vampires if they want.
Werewolves are mythical creatures that appear human during the day, yet turn into ferocious and dangerous wolves when the moon is full. A person bitten by a werewolf will become one, and then he or she can only be killed while a wolf by a silver bullet. (They hate garlic, too.)
It's possible that these monsters of movies, TV, and books got their start in the real world. According to a great book by James Watkins called Death and Beyond (Tyndale, 1993), researchers at the University of British Columbia have studied a rare disease called porphyria. Victims of this illness can't produce heme, the red pigment in the blood's hemoglobin.
They believe some early sufferers tried to alleviate their symptoms by drinking blood. In addition, without that substance in their blood, these people are painfully sensitive to light. Sunlight causes sores that deform their hands; the skin of the face gets thin and tight, causing the teeth to stick out. And the body tries to protect itself with increased (wolf-like?) hair growth.
Finally, people with this disease are also violently allergic to garlic. It's possible that the legends grew out of a real-world illness.
The Bible, of course, teaches that demons are very real and that they can, in fact, possess unbelievers, making them violent and giving them supernatural strength. However, the Bible doesn't ever talk about these people living unnaturally long lives.
**
Taken from "Don't Buy the Lie" by Mark Matlock, copyright 2004 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
3. FORGETTABLE FACT
C3PO is the first character to speak in Star Wars (Episode IV).
4. BIRTHDAYS
We've got two birthdays this week! We are wishing the BEST of birthdays to Courtney Leonard an Elli Ramirez! Hope your days are GREAT!
5. SCENE AROUND 180
Yesterday Caleb O'Halloran, Haley Calrson, and Zach Munger were all caught having a great time leading our Kid's Church worship.
Thanks guys! You are making a big difference in the world of a bunch of kids!
Want to be a part of the action with our Children's ministry? Contact Pastor Brian. He would love to talk with you!
6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"When creativity and passion come in and clean things out, you are able to care about more than yourself."
~ Zach Hunter
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"I'm going to call a psychic." "I want to cast a spell on my boyfriend." "Let's have a seance tonight." Thousands of people make comments like this every day often thinking they're just jokes and not knowing it's all a big trap. TV and movies portray the supernatural as innocent, fun, even cool.
Don't buy the lie. It's not all fun and games.
This book shows you how to think for yourself, and not fall for these lies. You'll learn how to discern what's real and what's not. With this book, you'll be armed and ready to take on the lies that come your way.
Learn more about or purchase "Don't Buy the Lie" here.
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7. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: How do you fix a Jack-O-Lantern?
A: Use a pumpkin patch.
1. 180 News
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Surf Report
4. Birthdays
5. Video of The Week
6. Forgettable Fact
7. Potent Quotables
8. Uh, That's Funny?
1. 180 NEWS
High School Paintball
High Schoolers, get ready for a weekend of friends, movies, meals, some great times of worship and the Word, and of course some paintballing! Download your flier here.
Revolve Tour
Calling all girls of 180! The Revolve Tour is coming soon: November 21-22. What's the big deal? Check out the video below.
2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
WISE AND STUBBORN HONOR
It was 7:53 p.m., and we were locked out of the house. But "The A-Team" was going to start in seven minutes!
For my brothers and me, Tuesday night was big church night. I had junior high Bible study, and my brothers had church scouts (or something like that). After church we'd catch a ride home with a family friend and then race into the house to watch our all-time favorite TV show.
For my parents, Tuesday night was free time. I'm not sure what they did while we were gone. But on this particular night, they weren't home when we got there. A note taped to the front door read--
Mark,
We'll be back late. Be sure to feed Jonathan's rabbit while you wait.
Love,
Mom and Dad
I was infuriated! Didn't they know that Mr. T and "The A-Team" were starting soon? How could they leave us out in the cold while they pranced around town like childless married people?
I ripped the note off the door and sat down in the yard. Josh, Jeremy, and Jonathan joined me. All my dad seemed to care about was that we feed Jonathan's rabbit--which Jonathan had done before we left!
I was very upset at my parents. My brothers were mad, too. Josh and Jeremy had homework to do; Jonathan was just mad because we were.
Now it was 8:30 p.m., and "The A-Team", the coolest show on earth, was half over.
I picked up a baseball bat and started whacking a tree. How could my parents be so rude? Josh and Jeremy were looking all around the house for an open door or window. Everything was locked tight.
Finally, at 9:30 p.m., my parents pulled into the drive. Four angry Matlock boys rushed out to jump them. As the four of us expressed our displeasure in no uncertain terms, my dad asked me if I'd fed the rabbit. I told him no, and then I reminded him that Jonathan had fed it before we went to church.
My dad walked us over to the rabbit food. There, taped to the bag, was the key to the house.
"What did you want me to do, Mark?" my father asked in a Mike Brady-like tone. "Did you want me to leave a note that said the key was taped to the rabbit food so anyone who read the note could find it?"
If I'd honored my dad, my evening would have been much happier. Instead, I was a fool worthy of Mr. T's pity. (See, that's a joke for people who've seen "The A-Team". Mr. T was always saying, "I pity the fool!" I'm not really sure why, now that I think about it. I just knew he was cool.)
Instead of honoring my dad by following his instructions, I jumped to the conclusion that he just didn't get it. He didn't understand that the rabbit had already been fed. So I'd decided his instruction was worthless. But if I'd stopped to remember that Dad usually did a good job of providing for us and giving us worthwhile direction, I would have honored him by honoring his note. And that literally would have been the key to my A-Team happiness.
We saw in the last chapter that the fifth of the top Ten Commandments was the "first with a promise." Here it is from Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Since Paul repeats it in Ephesians 6:1-3 and Solomon emphasizes it in Proverbs, we still hold on to the idea that honoring our parents leads to longer, wiser living.
That makes sense, doesn't it? I'm not saying parents are always right. In fact, sometimes they can be selfish, too strict, or too lenient. So what? What other two people in the universe have made it their jobs to love you, take care of you, and invest their lives in you for your own good? That's what parents do.
Since they've been doing it for so long, we sometimes take their investment for granted. It's human nature for us to ignore the things they do right and with good motives 80 percent of the time (or more!) and to be on the lookout for anything they might screw up instead. To continue to honor your mom and dad (even when you don't understand where they're coming from) takes wisdom and a stubborn refusal to give in to the temptation to dishonor them.
**
Taken from "Wisdom On ... Getting Along with Parents" by Mark Matlock, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
3. SURF REPORT
~ Last weekend kicked off the PlanetWisdom Tour. Find out how you can be an unlikely hero.
~ 180 Student Ministries Facebook Group
4. BIRTHDAYS
We've got one birthday this week! Josh George we wish you the very best as you celebrate your birthday this week. You are appreciated!
5. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
The video is here! The MS Fall Retreat in all it's glory!
6. FORGETTABLE FACT
Food can only be tasted if it is mixed with saliva.
7. POTENT QUOTABLES
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."
~ Christopher Reeve
"What's another word for thesaurus?"
~ Steven Wright
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CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH SHANE & SHANE!
Songwriting duo Shane & Shane offer their first ever Christmas project, Glory In The Highest (A Christmas Record), in stores October 14. The album features 8 holiday classics like "O Holy Night," "O Come O Come Emmanuel" & "White Christmas," plus 3 original recordings, all with a jazzy country/gospel flare.
Get a FREE download of "Away In A Manger" by clicking here.
Look for Shane & Shane on tour this Christmas with Bethany Dillon & Phil Wickham!
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PLANETWISDOM TOUR
Be sure to check out the PlanetWisdom Tour. You can request info, including a free DVD, here.
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8. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?
A: Squash
October 6, 2008
1. 180 News
2. Something For Your Heart
3. Surf Report
4. Birthdays
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables.
7. Uh, That's Funny?
1. 180 NEWS
High School Paintball
High Schoolers, get ready for a weekend of friends, movies, meals, some great times of worship and the Word, and of course some paintballing! Download your flier here.
Revolve Tour
Hey gals of 180! The Revolve Tour is coming soon: November 21-22. What's the big deal? Check out the video below.
MS Fall Retreat
We had a great weekend at Camp Tadmor! Great times of worship, and teaching. Great times of fishing. Great times on the Giant Swing. Great times in the Game Room. Great night games! GREAT TIMES!
See all the fun pictures here. Watch for the video to appear soon!2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
COULD'VE...WOULD'VE...SHOULD'VE
Guided Meditation
You have so many thoughts and feelings rushing through your mind all at once. On one hand, you can't wait to experience what's ahead of you today. What are you about to do? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, isn't it? You've been looking forward to this your entire life, and you can't believe you've been given this opportunity--it's almost surreal. On the other hand, you're scared to death because you've never attempted anything like this before.
The minutes click by and you're closer and closer to actually going through with it. You sense a huge knot growing in your stomach. The fear is beginning to overwhelm you. Maybe you should back out. There's sure to be another opportunity somewhere down the road, right?
But then you consider what all of your friends will think if you back out. Many of them have encouraged you to give this a shot, and you know you'll be disappointed if you choose not to go through with it. But who's making this decision, anyway? You are so conflicted you begin to feel sick. What decision are you going to make?
Finally the moment of truth arrives. Your heart is racing. Your hands are shaking. It feels like everyone is looking at you, waiting to see what you're going to do. So what will it be? Are you going to step up and do it? Or are you going to back away and wait for another opportunity?
Scripture Guides Us
It seems as though fear keeps a lot of people from doing the things they genuinely want to do. What role does fear play in your life? Has there ever been a time when you backed out of something that you wanted to do and then you haven't yet received another chance to do it? What does the Bible say about fear and how it should affect our lives?
Take a few minutes to "chew on" the following Scripture verses, allowing God's Spirit to speak to you.
1 JOHN 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
LUKE 12:4-5
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
PSALM 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Questions for Reflection
1. Think of a time in your life when you were afraid to do something, but you went ahead and did it anyway. What happened? How did you feel afterward?
2. Think of a time in your life when fear kept you from doing something. What happened? How did you feel afterward?
3. Have you ever had to live with the regret of not doing something you wished you had done? How did that make you feel? What would you do differently if you had it to do all over again?
4. Name the things you're most afraid of. Why do you think you're so afraid of these things? What may help you work through your fears?
5. What do you think the Bible means when it says, "Perfect love drives out fear"? What is perfect love? Why do you think it has this effect on fear?
6. What did Jesus have to say about fear in Luke 12:4-5? How do these verses make you feel?
7. David seems to be walking through some incredibly fear-filled times in Psalm 23. What does he do to help manage his fear? How could this same technique help you?
**
Taken from "Chew on This!" by Dave Ambrose, copyright 2007 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
3. SURF REPORT
~ Check out the latest adventures of Bethany Hamilton, teen surfer and shark attack survivor.
~ Dr. Dare's recipe for a Sixty-Legged Worm. Yep--60 legs!
4. BIRTHDAYS
We've got four this week!! BIG 180 wishes go out to Jason Pittelko, Jared Bass, Jamie George, and Bria Perez! We wish you all the VERY BEST!5. FORGETTABLE FACT
Karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.
6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"If you can't feed 100 people then feed just one."
~ Mother Theresa
"AHHH. Donuts...What can't they do?"
~ Homer Simpson
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"CHEW ON THIS!"
You have to chew to get to the good stuff!
Meditation essentially means to chew on something over and over again. This month long devotional provides you with the stuff to chew on that will take you deeper--to the really good stuff.
Learn more about or purchase "Chew On This!" here.
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5. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What kind of cheese doesn't belong to you?Nacho Cheese!
