How and when did you know that it was your calling to be a pastor?

Thank you, B.Coop!

I know it's not Friday, but I'm a little behind on catching up on all the blogs I read, and I had to ask you about your response for your Volunteers. What kind of training do they go through? One of the biggest problems I have is that the volunteers who serve are oftentimes not relational with the students who walk in the doors.

Do you guys go through a book, or what? I would love to know. Thanks

p.s. I knew it was Brad, I guess I was not thinking for a sec. Sorry bout that! Thanks for the help!!

Mentors… i'll suggest a chapter from 'AXIOM' via Bill Hybels— you'll have to go read it… believe it's called “The M-Word” or something close—

Mentors: Piper/Chandler/Hybels/Stanley/Groeschel/Driscoll/Giglio books, blogs & podcasts…

then multiple men @ NewSpring who make themselves available for wisdom wkly…

The Aim is to constantly Preach about the Eternal WAKE that the Death/Burial/Resurrection/2nd Coming of Christ has created… PERIOD.

After that is made THE priority of our ministry— we rely heavily on relational conversations that occur in Small Groups or throughout the week.

Every Volunteer @ Fuse* goes through training to refine and embolden their ability to articulate the Gospel (This happens in the month they train before they are released to fully engage as a Fuse* Volunteer). So, Every security volunteer… every parking volunteer… every camera operator… every person serving slushies or playing ping-pong… ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS could be called upon to walk a student through a Salvation Experience @ any moment…

That's crucial— As the Student Pastor, i limit our Evangelical reach if i (or my staff) are the only persons that are burdened to… or intentionally make efforts for communicating the Gospel… HOWEVER, if that is the case, im hamstringing our ministry's future and not leaving the legacy that God's Word has asked all Christians to strive for– a ministry that empowers every member of the body to be a minister of the body…

Those 2 areas are our 'intentional' efforts PJ… hope that's what you were looking for—

- 1st: My advice is that COMMUNICATING about the struggle is over half the battle! As long as you and she dont discuss the war that is raging… it allows the enemy to creep around in ambiguity—

- 2nd: Be legalistic about stuff— i know that sounds crazy… but when it comes to striving for Holiness— the only environment i've been able to thrive in has been one that is seriously guarded—- From a practical standpoint…. agree upon some non-negotiables… and WRITE THEM DOWN… Cory-Marie and i have a couple of deal-breakers that we each have written down and they are in both of our journals [we both have signed those deal-breakers]…. They are things like 'no cuddling on the couch'… and 'no open-mouthed kisses'…. That may sound dumb… but im so thankful for those boundaries… they have helped to keep relationship in check! Which leads me to my final thought….

- 3rd: if the TWO OF YOU TOGETHER DONT ADVANCE the KINGDOM in a GREATER WAY than the TWO OF YOU APART… then you dont need to be in the relationship… That is to say… your relationship should create a FEAR in the ENEMY… not a sly grin… If SATAN isn't scared of the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FLOWING FROM A CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIP… IT's My Experience that the RELATIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE TERMINATED…

What are some steps Fuse takes to “intentionally” communicate the Gospel, rather than creating a typical “high-octane”, “high-energy” level youth ministry that the majority of the models in the U.S. take as an approach to minister to students?

I'm a guy who is dating a girl and we're not engaged or anything yet and I think you're at the same point in your life as well. How do you go about keeping your relationship with her pure and fleeing from temptations?

Also what are some things that you're doing to make sure that your relationship with God is the number 1 relationship and making sure that she doesn't become your God?