Comments on: Forever Changed

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:58:38 +0000

The student ministry that I was a part of for 4 out of 7 years only had a youth pastor for 9 months, so we as students decided we were going to reach our friends, leader or not, so we as a small group of students stepped up and became the leaders. (I was 14 at the time) Though, my student ministry experience was much different than a lot of other people's that experience forever changed me and I believe helped shape me for the work I did in Student ministry for many years and now as a pastor. .-= Nick´s last blog ..The Devastation of Losing Trust =-.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:12:15 +0000

My youth group from 6-8th grade totally changed my life. I was a Christian before then, but it was during those years I learned what it meant to “own” my faith.

PS – not related, but I moved my blog back to blogger from wordpress, if you could update your link? thanks!
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Crim Pro – Check! =-.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:43:00 +0000

youth group, choir and mission trips – all provided me fundamental scriptural guidelines that though I threw aside during my 20′s, today provide me the knowledge needed to fulfill God’s plan for my life.

By: gitz

gitz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:50:41 +0000

Our church really lacked in youth groups. I went to Catholic school, so it's not like I didn't have that influence, but there was nothing beyond that, outside of school, to join and be a part of. I think it would have made a difference in a lot of lives of kids I grew up with. My first real experience with that type of thing was in college, and I soaked it in like a sponge. It was something I didn't even know was missing until I experienced it. .-= gitz´s last blog ..I'm Irish. Where's My Luck?!? =-.

By: David Knapp

David Knapp — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:19:23 +0000

I didn’t have this. I was such a loner that I think I was fine with it. Now that I am older I realize how important and great community is.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:15:58 +0000

while youth group did have an impact on me, i'd have to say that the group of people from the group on campus that i'm involved with have made a bigger impact and continue to do so. =] .-= Susan´s last blog ..Freedom =-.

By: Kathi Waddle

Kathi Waddle — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:25:13 +0000

I definitely had a youth group that impacted me. Pastor Larry was such a wonderful man of God and he cared deeply about all of us youth. I remember all the stupid games he would come up with like one was called Flower Pot. Do not remember how it was played, but I remember the name of the game lol And every year at the beginning of the school year we’d go out to the orange groves and play Mission Impossible. All of us were on teams and we had to get from the bottom of the orange grove to the top where the train tracks were without getting caught by a gunner (a youth leader with a flashlight). If we got caught we had to start again at the beginning (there was a lot of crawling on our stomachs). And at winter retreats we’d play Air Raid and Assassins all weekend. Larry would yell air raid wherever we were and we had to hit the ground as fast as we could. He actually yelled this once in the dining hall in the middle of breakfast. That was real fun. And we did musicals in youth choir and sang from the Petra songbook and went to a Stryper concert (I like to say I had a progressive youth group). My senior year we were going to be going on a trip to San Diego where we were going to do some ocean beach outreach with Point Loma Nazarene University. We were even going to be doing a musical there, but we never did go on the trip. Larry had five seizures in one day and ended up having to step down as youth pastor. Five years later (1991) he passed away from brain cancer. That was the biggest funeral I have ever been to. That said a lot about the love he had for us and how much he cared about us and the impact God allowed him to make on our lives. I still miss him. He used to tell me my senior year of high school that I was on the 5 year plan lol

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:52:11 +0000

Since I didn't grow up in church, I missed the youth group opportunity. But I am so thankful to be a member of a church like Cross Point that does have a fabulous youth group. I look forward to my daughter experiencing this blessing in several years. .-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Madison =-.

By: Pete Wilson

Pete Wilson — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:36:27 +0000

@mary, that group had a major impact on me as well!

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:04:42 +0000

I was never much involved in my church’s youth group until high school. I spent what I consider to be my most formative years (middle school and high school) overseas and the only friends I still am in regular contact with are my friends from that youth group and our youth pastor. We all still live in different states and countries but it is just as important to us today as it was then to encourage each others’ faith. They taught me to completely redirect my path and I know I wouldn’t be as aware of His grace and presence in my daily life now if it weren’t for them. It is so important to invest time in our youth. I never thought I was lost until I realized I had been found. They changed my life forever.