Month: April 2015

How Social Media Can Ruin Your Teens

 

Satan’s newest weapon aimed at teens: Social Media.

 

  • 81% of teens (ages 12-17) are on social media.
  • Only 3% of boys and 17% of teen girls have NEVER seen internet pornography.

 

Recently at r12 (our high school worship service) we discussed the impact of social media/technology on Christian teens.  We talked about the dangers of social media for teens; the problems with selfies, and the drama the “likes” create.  The most disturbing part was the amount of sexual activity and pornography that takes place in social media.

 

I hope to scare you as a parent about some FACTS with social media:

  1. Your teen DOES NOT need a smart phone or to be on social media. By definition they are NOT an adult and you pay the bills. I’ve said it forever, it is better to have a sober, out of jail, under my roof teen who “hates” me; than to have a sexually active, needle in the arm, porn addict, pot head that is on a different couch each night.

 

  1. If adults make poor decisions with social media, and often times do not handle it properly (I have been guilty,) then what kind of fool are we if we give it to a 13 or 14 year old.

 

  1. If you allow your daughter to post pictures of herself in a bikini on social media, grown and even married men will look at these pictures as a form of pornography. So will many, many of their teenage friends, both male and female.  The truth is, too many of our young ladies are not mature enough yet to make a decision of what they should or should not post on social media yet.  Just as bad is the self-worth and value they find in themselves based on what is said on social media about their body.  The parent who lets their 15 year old daughter post pictures of their “body” online, will have to answer to the Lord one day for leading their CHILD into sin.

 

  1. Social Media will lead your kid to pornography. PERIOD. There is not a tool or app out there that can 100% protect your teen from seeing pornography when they spend a good bit of time on social media.  A parent can however help them deal with this and run from this.

 

  1. Social Media can lead your teen to find their identity in a number. A number of likes, comments, or shares rather than how God knit them together in their mother’s womb can define them. The parent’s job is to teach them they are more valuable than a like.

 

  1. Your teen WILL BELIEVE what they read on social media, true or not. Social media is just as real to teenager as going to school. It is not a virtual world, but part of their world.  Therefore Twitter accounts that describe what is romantic (rather than the scriptures) will be believed.

 

  1. Your teen will witness, be part of, or be the victim of bullying as a result of them being on social media.

 

  1. Social media handicaps a teen’s social skills. Things like looking people in the eyes, shaking hands, holding a conversation without texting. And bigger things like speaking truth or when reconciliation needs to be pursued, these type conversations are much easier and less meaningful and fruitful over social media. Recently a “friend” of my wife made assumptions about my wife based on what she perceived on social media. She then sent her a ridiculous inbox message about the issue, filled with things that she would have never said to my wife’s face. This is what social media has the power to do relationally.  Fracture.

 

  1. It’s evident that you don’t follow your teen on social media by the language they use… Teens will say things and re-post things on social media that they would never say in front of their parents.  Do you know what they are saying?  Ask them to show you…

 

  1. If your teen is not responsible enough to drive a car, they are not responsible enough to handle social media properly. Currently there is an age “suggestion” on social media, but nothing preventing a 13 year old from getting on Twitter.  As parents, we need to help our kids discern when they are ready for different things in life.  Dating, staying home alone, getting a job, driving, for example.  Social Media needs to be viewed through the same lenses.  We must guide them in this process.

 

God created us as relational beings, in His image to be in relationship with Him.  This is a good thing.  Social media was created to a relational end but it is much more than that now.  I use social media and believe, managed properly it is a great tool, as well as a way to stay connected. I have been greatly encouraged through it as well as humbled at times.  Wisdom and discernment are needed though for anyone who chooses to use these devices.  And two areas teens really need help in are the areas of wisdom and discernment. Guide them well.

 

– Josh

 This blog post was written by Joshua Glymph, High School Pastor at Fruit Cove Baptist Church. You can contact him at josh@fruitcove.com.

10 am, April 28, 2015

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 will be an historic and potentially culture-altering day for the United States.  On that day, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments concerning the issue of same-sex marriage.  The outcome of these hearings, slated to be released in late June, will have tremendous consequences for how churches in America do ministry going forward, and it will have significant impact on issues of religious freedom.  It is IMPOSSIBLE to overstate the importance of this decision.  We must reaffirm some things that do not change:

1. We must affirm the importance of PRAYING FOR OUR LEADERS in America.  While we may not agree with or necessarily affirm the direction they are leading, we must remember that Scripture commands we be faithful in praying for all in authority, and in this instance this means members of the Supreme Court as well.  (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

2. We must remember the foundation on which we stand and that NO COURT OR CONSTITUTION can define what doesn’t belong to it. Marriage is an institution ordained by God and DEFINED BY HIS UNCHANGING WORD, not by the opinions of man no matter how highly placed or intelligent he may seem.  Genesis 2 gives us the precept on which we are to stand regarding Scriptural marriage, and it is clearly a relationship established between male and female.  It is a relationship established and imbedded in the creative order that men and women may become moms and dads.  It is a relationship that clearly portrays a spiritual reality, that of Christ’s relationship with His bride, the church and His death and resurrection that secured that Bride for Him.

3. We must stand apart from the cultural decay that surrounds us.  Though we live in the midst of the cultural ruins of our day, we must continue to shine the light of the Gospel and the hope that Jesus brings to a lost and dying people.  Nothing that happens, no matter how marginalized or discriminated against we may feel, must stop us from being the salt and shining the light of the Gospel.

So on Tuesday, April 28 at 10:00 AM, PRAY for this significant decision placed before the Supreme Court:
Pray that all people everywhere would honor the institution of marriage.
Pray for the Supreme Court justices that they would be receptive to truth when they hear it presented.
Pray for lead attorneys who will be arguing on behalf of states seeking to uphold Biblical marriage
Pray for those who disagree with the Biblical definition of marriage, that God would help them understand and respect the opinions of those arguing for the foundation of marriage grounded in Scripture.
Pray for God’s people to be prepared even in the event of a decision that does not go as we hope.  God is not mocked.  He is sovereign, and His purposes will ultimately prevail!

As Christians, we must walk in confidence that God is in control even of this circumstance.  We live, not in fear or in anger, not in malice or rancor, not in bitterness or wrath but in the love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts.

May they know we are Christians by our love!
(adopted from article on http://russellmoore.com)

Christ, Culture, and a Call to Action – Secret Church

Christ, Culture, and a Call to Action: SC15 from Radical on Vimeo.

How does Christ, in the middle of this culture, compel us to act? At Secret Church 15: Christ, Culture, and a Call to Action, we’ll be discussing what the Bible has to say about the many cultural issues of our day and how we ought to respond. Gather with your church, your small group, your family, or your friends to participate in the six hour, April 24 simulcast. Register at Radical.net/SCsimulcast

Secret Church. 7pm on April 24.

The Mission

In the movie, The Mission,  Robert De Niro plays the role of a slave trader-turned Jesuit priest.  Practicing his trade among the Guarani Indians in South America, he is portrayed as a ruthless, cruel man.  Personally, his life was falling apart and this culminated as he caught the love of his life, his fiancé, and his brother, whom he also loved deeply, in bed together.  Enraged, he killed his brother in a duel.

Carrying his guilt to a Jesuit priest, he receives an act of penance to remove it.  The priest prescribes that he drag his armor and weapons of war in a net behind him and go back into the South American jungle to serve and live among the Guarani…the tribe he at one time victimized by his slave trading.

Climbing the Iguazu Falls, Mendoza (the character played by DeNiro) drags his net through the mud and the underbrush to exhaustion. When they reach the top of the falls, the group encounters some warriors from the Guarani tribe.  One of the warriors walks over to Mendoza, draws a long knife blade, and appears to be coming to slit the throat of this slave trader.  Instead, the knife slices through the ropes that held the burden being dragged behind Mendoza, pushing the net over the cliff and setting him free.  In relief and gratitude, Mendoza both weeps and laughs as the burden of his guilt is now gone.

The message portrayed in this moment in the film is powerful.  As Mendoza seeks to enact his own penance and find forgiveness by his own exhausting efforts, he learns that forgiveness comes as a gift…not as the result of our own effort.  We cannot earn our way into God’s favor…we must receive our access humbly as a gift given.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  -Romans 6:23

What do you need to be set free from today?

Engaging in Controversial Cultural Issues: Secret Church 2015

Engaging in Controversial Cultural Issues: SC15 from Radical on Vimeo.

Must the church engage in controversial cultural issues? Can’t we just believe in Jesus and go to church?

At Secret Church 15, David Platt will lead us to see what the Word of God has to say about cultural engagement. Go to Radical.net/SCsimulcast for more information about registering.

Secret Church. April 24, 7pm.

Victory Over Death

MAX LUCADO, in his book, Six Hours One Friday, tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily. A hospital was not too terribly far away- just across the river, but the Indians would not cross it because they believed it was inhabited by evil spirits. To enter the water would mean certain death. The missionary explained how he had crossed the river and was unharmed. They were not impressed. He then took them to the bank and placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn’t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist and splashed water on his face. It didn’t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river. Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He punched a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water and escaped. It was then that the Indians broke out into a cheer and followed him across.

That’s exactly what Jesus did! He told the people of His day that they need not fear the river of death, but they wouldn’t believe. He touched a dead boy and called him back to life. They still didn’t believe. He whispered life into the body of a dead girl and got the same result. He let a dead man spend 4 days in a tomb and then called him out and the people still didn’t believe Him. Finally, He entered the river of death and came out on the other side. Victory!

And today, you can experience that same victory:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.  (Romans 10:9-10 NLT)

Believe… receive…  and you will know eternal life NOW!

Secret Church 15: Christ, Culture, and a Call to Action

Secret Church 15: Christ, Culture, and a Call to Action from Radical on Vimeo.

The next Secret Church gathering (SC15) will take place on Friday, April 24 from 7:00pm until 1am. We invite you to join us for this intense time of worship, prayer for the persecuted church, and Bible study as David Platt leads us in our study of “Christ, Culture, and a Call to Action.”

The culture around us is constantly changing, and successive changes are often accompanied by significant challenges. So how does the call of Christ compel us to respond to these challenges? How does a Christian respond to the rapid rise of so-called same-sex marriage and the increasing acceptance of homosexuality? How does a Christian live in a world of sex slavery and rampant pornography, a world where babies are aborted and widows are abandoned? How does a Christian think in a culture of pervasive racial prejudice and limited religious liberty? What does a Christian do in a church that exalts prosperity amidst a world of extreme poverty? During this Secret Church, we will explore biblical foundations for answers to these questions and come to significant conclusions regarding how Christ calls every Christian to engage culture with a firm grip on the gospel in the church and a fervent passion for God’s glory in the world.

Hallelujah!! He is Risen indeed!

He is Risen!

Those three words have reverberated through time and will continue to do so in eternity. He is Risen!

The hopeless now have hope….the displaced now have a home…the prodigal has a pathway back. He is Risen!

Death has lost its icy grip on the soul of mankind.  Those who “all their lives have lived in captivity to the fear of death” are set free by the power of those three words. He is Risen!

The sinner can be forgiven….the sacrifice has been accepted…the blood has been spilt…sin has been covered. He is Risen!

The failure gets a new beginning.  The blind receive their sight.  The lame can dance.  The deaf can hear…the mute can sing. He is Risen!

Satan has lost to the One Who holds the keys to Hell and Death…and now he will find his destiny in the flame and smoke of the abyss alongside the demonic forces at his command. He is Risen!

In those victorious words lay our victory as well….we are “risen with Christ” to walk in new life.  He is Risen!

And with the saints and the church throughout the ages we agree: Hallelujah!!  He is Risen indeed!

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