Year In Review

So...usually I think Facebook Apps are lame and ignore them like yellow traffic lights.

But I saw this one today...sort've a year in review collage of your facebooks statuses. It was actually meaningful to do this and eye opening to how big a year it was for Shaina and I.

Top Ten Significant Things
-We moved to an amazing new place in Canal Fulton
-We had Elvis come to our church to help us raise money for missions
-I graduated from seminary.
-Shaina and I both could claim one job status for the first time in our marriage.
-We went to Kenya!
-REAL Men of Genius the Manquel was great.
-I got to preach a number of times and phrases like Go and Do Likewise and I'm adopted and Just Walk Across the Room have stuck both for me and for the Church.
-We got a new vehicle (well new to us)
-We retained the gold medal as overall champions for backyard olympics
-Shaina and I hit 6 years of marriage!

There is a lot to be thankful for. What is your year in review?

5 Reasons Young Adult Ministry Matters in Your Church

1. Churches have developed a mindset of raising up a child through Children's Ministry and Youth Ministry and then when they reach 18, its like they become prodigals and are left to go and squander their inheritance of a good foundation. Young Adult Ministry reminds them of their roots.

2. I haven't done any reasearch on this, but I think there are more crisis points in the years 18-25 than any other age span. College students are presented with liberal (sometimes I'd add, irresponsible) views that create questioning and doubting. Add to that the whole "What am I doing with the rest of my life" decisions and this can be a fruitful time if they have somewhere safe to come to in order to ask those questions and wrestle with God.

3. There is no other age group that seeks greater meaning and will surrender to the cause of Christ with more passion and ferociousness than young adults. They want a cause bigger than themselves to get wrapped up in. They dream bigger dreams than other age groups and just need to know what the Utmost Cause to live for actually is.

4. There's no age group that will be as fun, honest, spontaneous and open as young adults.

5. Without a young adult ministry to bridge the gap, church statistics suggest that people generally leave the church at age 18 and then return around age 33 (typically because a child or two are now in the picture.) This gap will debilitate the church if it is not addressed. We end up spending a good portion of adult ministry trying to reestablish the roots that were laid in children and youth ministries because they have stunted their own growth and are like infants in their spiritual journey.

There ya have it...So how are you supporting young adult ministry in your church?

Got it done.

This is what I was working on. Had an idea to promote the 2010 church preaching plan. Appreciate constructive criticism! I'm no computer extraordinaire, but I'll take it for a 3 hour project! haha. Enjoy.

Church Promo Video from Ben Thompson on Vimeo.