So, I know this isnt the right week but I would really like to ask you a question-

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

Thank you, B.Coop! :D

Hey Brian, great guidelines for dating, I wish I found them before I dated. My question is: where did you go to school?college? Who are your mentors and how do they invest in you? Thanks man! You are a blessing!

grew up: Hendersonville, NC (East Henderson HS)
under-grad: Furman U.... Greenville, SC (Poli-Sci & Comm Studies)
grad: Clemson U.... (Construction Science & Management)

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...

ps: it's Brad... not Brian--- (no big deal... thanks for your encouraging words)

Brad, I will check out "Axiom", thanks again!

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

B-Coop

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?

WELL, in my humble opinion, it all starts with the Preached Word...
the Gospel HAS TO BE THERE, as of "FIRST IMPORTANCE"...
Great Litmus Test for this Christ-Centeredness: If you remove the fact that Christ died on the cross for Sins... and then resurrected to defeat sin... If you remove that TRUTH in history... IF THEN our sermon's infrastructure doesnt collapse then WE'VE MISSED OUR MARK---

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---

Brad,

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

BCooP I got a relationship question for ya bro!

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?

Great Question TR---

- 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...

Do you notice an increasing amount of disrespect by students towards volunteers and yourself? If so, how do you deal with it both with volunteers and yourself?

i was raised by parents who didnt 'spare the rod'.... AND i come from a sports background with coaches who demanded respect..... so that's my background and makeup....

Fuse* believes in depravity... so all kids are going to be BY NATURE disrespectful...

The key in my mind is to not FORCE behavior modification... but to introduce Christ and BEG GOD for Regenerated hearts....

So we celebrate (from the platform... or from twitter... or in small groups) the change that happens in the soul of someone who has met Christ.... WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE INSIDE-OUT Behaviors and Decisions that that HEART CHANGE precipitates...

Our Volunteers have and know how to communicate some non-negotiables... and they do this often... (ie Cell Phones during a service... etc...)

But the tension we hold in this all is that - WE DONT WANT TO COMMUNICATE VIA ACTION/WORD TO A STUDENT THAT THEY NEED TO LEARN TO BEHAVE... OR LEARN TO BE GOOD... BEFORE THEY CAN BE ACCEPTED--- That would imply that a person should 'clean up before coming to Christ'... and that's Religion at it's finest---

how do you do when you are one on one with a student what is your disciplship strategy?

personally: I want to find where the student is in their journey--- i dont know every student in my ministry well (and actually that's a limiting factor if i think i'm supposed to 'know' every kid well--- thus the body of Christ w/ many people)

Which leads to our Corporate ministry strategy--- We know that every kid is found in 1 of 4 zones:

1)Consumer
2)Relater
3)Disciple
4)Producer

i want to encourage them to move to their next zone as best i can... both personally and corporately... we want to encourage and inspire students to take a 'next step'---

our ain is to leave a legacy of producers that carry on the Gospel message to the next generation---