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Extreme Shepherding

Sometimes church leadership is more like "Extreme Shepherding".  Watch this video and you can decide what represents who in your own context. 

Lost Adventures of Childhhood

I am watching the CTV special entitled "Lost Adventures of Childhood". The thesis of the special is that children who grow up with play more readily adapt and mature as they grow older. The key is free play. That is unsupervised by adults and unstructured play. Once the activity becomes too structured witha specific goal, etc. it isn't play anymore. There should be great pause in this for parents of young children today.

Give children a break, a ball, and a park with their friends.
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

Advice For Students Trying To Abstain From Sex

During our "Marriage Matters" series I did a sermon on sex. One of the questions asked that we didn't get to last Sunday morning had to do with how it could be at all possible for students to abstain from sex prior to marriage. There are significant theological reasons as to why this is important and that it is an honourable pursuit. You can visit http://www.orangevillebaptist.com/audio.html to hear the message for some of those reasons.

This blog entry has to do with practical advice for those who want to pursue abstinence. So here it goes:

1. Draw a line in the sand. You need to have a strong conviction that sex outside of marriage is not God's will. See Hebrews 13:4.

2. Place boundaries in your relationships with the opposite sex. Talk about those boundaries and don't get involved with someone who doesn't want boundaries or won't respect you enough to keep them.

3. Find accountability. Find people beyond your peers who will ask you hard questions. Look for adults who can speak into your life. I would also suggest that parents be proactive not just reactive with your children.

4. Learn how to dive deep into God's Word. Don't underestimate the power and strength that knowing, meditating on, and being committed to keeping God's Word will have in your life. Take a look at Psalm 119:9-11.

5. Stay focused on God's grace in Jesus Christ. I have been leading a men's bible study in Titus and I have been struck with how the truth of the cross, God's mercy, grace, his righteousness impacts how we live right now. As we look back on what God has done for us in Jesus' death and lookforward anticipating the day when Jesus will return for us these things make us eager (super excited) to do good works. Take a look at Titus chapter 2 and 3.