Over 70 Students at group last Wednesday

In the times of Moses, Joshua and the prophets, the God of the Bible commanded his people to write down what he was doing among them, lest they forget. There are seemingly strange occurrences when God commands one of the leaders to build an “alter” or leave “memorial stones” in certain places. In our 21st century minds, these scenarios seem so strange. But these strange occurrences were simple ways for the people of God to remember what was happening among them by God’s Spirit.

Today, I believe writing to be one main form of remembering what God is doing in our times and places. In contemporary times, we blog. So we’re doing a series of blog entries called “Memorial Stones,” where we remember some of the things God did in High School ministry over the past couple of months. Here’s what we’ve seen:

->During August alone, 11 students were baptized. This is a representation that God has worked in these peoples’ hearts and minds. Now the Spirit is working and changing them into a more whole, created person in the image of God.

->Just over the summer, we’ve seen Wednesday Night grow from an average of 40 to nearly 80 last week, 9/1. Week after week, it’s been unreal to watch a room that was once barely filled, to people grabbing more chairs and cramming into our multi-purpose room at the church.

->God brought 4 fresh, passionate small group leaders to group. God has been moving in adults’ hearts, causing them to commit fully to a group of students in order to disciple them in the ways of Jesus Christ. He’s calling some off the bench to work more passionately in the kingdom.

->15 students went on a micro-missions trip to downtown Portland. In 30 hours, God changed our hearts to become more aware of our poverty that we experience, even if we are materially rich. Beyond that, we received a deeper understanding of the gospel and its effect on neighborhoods.

It’s important for us to recognize what God has done for us over the summer, so that we might trust him more and ask him for more of his movement.

At our gathering last Wednesday, we took time to gather into smaller groups and pray for one another and our schools and city. The prayer time ended with all of us saying the prayer that God’s prophet Habakkuk prayed thousands of years ago:

O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known…

Please pray with us as we watch God continue to move the way he has promised. And pray that he moves in our time together.

For Him and His Kingdom,

Pastor Chris

We had 20 people come down to East Portland to serve and be served by the people of the Lents district. Huge thanks to Clark Blakeman and Second Stories for running the trip. It was awesome!

We’re going down to East Portland for what I like to call a micro-missions trip. That means it’s a short, but sweet missions trip where we serve and listen to the least of these for a couple reasons:

1) Jesus commanded us to do stuff like this because it benefits us, others, and God’s work on earth.

2) It’s actually SUPER FUN. Real fun. Not like, Jersey Shore fun. Real fun with your friends and leaders.

3) Why not?!

Sign up HERE, RIGHT NOW.

Last night we had the awesome experience of watching seven lives display their love for Jesus through the sacrament of baptism. Baptism is one of the many physical symbols in the Christian faith that shows the inner working of Christ in someone’s life. In baptism, we show that our old life is laid down and dead and we rise in new life with Jesus.

Jesus’ final commandment and charge to us before he ascended into heaven was “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19). As his church and his followers, we are to first make disciples, but the language indicates that as we make disciples we are to be baptizing them. It is simply part of the process of knowing and following Jesus Christ (discipleship).

Yesterday, seven students came forward to show our little family that they wanted to live for Jesus forever. In other words, they were showing that they are his disciples. Two of these students showed up to Wednesday night not planning on being baptized, but were moved by the Spirit that night to just walk into the water in their jeans and t-shirts. It was awesome! Here are some pictures from the night:

[View with PicLens]