The other day I came across this infographic from the company called PhoneSheriff.  As I spent time looking over the info that it presented, it showed me how much things have changed since I was a teenager and helped me understand a bit more what the majority of our students go through.

Here are a few things that standout:

1. 50% of video chat apps contain pornographic or obscene imagery - This is interesting because the question is no longer will students be exposed to pornography, but when.  As leaders/pastors, we must create a safe environment for our students so that they feel comfortable having conversations about sex with caring adults who will show them what God's Word has to say about the topic.
2. 25% of teens have been bullied repeatedly on their phones or online - It seems that bullying is everywhere and kids can't escape it.  Since they are accessible at all times, that means that they can be cyber bullied wherever their phone is.  Again, as leaders/pastors we must make sure that we are creating a safe environment where kids are told continually that they are accepted for who they are... that they belong just as they are!

Take a look at the graphic and let me know what you think!  What stands out to you?

- Rick

The other weekend we had one of my favorite services of the year... we call it our Student Takeover.  It is where our students takeover every aspect of our weekend services.  The parking lot, greeting, coffee and donuts, bulletins, ushering, worship, message all done by our students and youth team!  It seemed like we had students everywhere!  And guess what?  Everything survived... The services didn't fail.  The offering wasn't forgotten.  There weren't any accidents in the parking lot because a student dressed up in a horse costume was showing you where to park!  In fact, we heard from a lot of people that they loved the service and should do this more often!

Here are a few reasons why I love when students takeover!

1. The Church See Students As The Church - I struggle when I hear people say, "Students are the future of the church."  That is a false statement... they are the church now!  They are capable of leading the church today and I believe that God wants to use them!  Many of the great biblical movements were started by young people that God empowered to do great things!  When our students takeover, the adults in the church see them as capable young people that God is working in and through.  I appreciated what our pastor said the week after our Student Takeover, "It's comforting to know that if every old person in the church suddenly left, Oak Pointe would continue to run and grow because of our students."
2. God's Redeeming Work Is On Display - I truly believe that one of the greatest evidences of God's existence is how He transforms lives.  Throughout the course of the service, we sought to show how God is working in the lives of our students.  That took different forms, but it was cool to see our students declare who God is and what He is doing!  It was not about us or the ministry... it was about God's work in the lives of our students!
3. Students Are Put In Positions To Grow - Our students took over every job during the weekend services, and many of them had never led in that capacity before.  We had students greeting, ushering, leading worship, helping with coffee and donuts, and working in the parking lot.  This is was foreign to them but it forced them to rely on God and trust Him to work through them during the services.  Every student did an awesome job and I continually heard from the adults in our church that they loved our students working in their jobs.  I love when our students grow and exceed our expectations!

I love when students takeover.  I love when students grow.  I love when the adults praise God for our students.  I love being apart of a church that trusts our students to takeover.  Below are a few of the videos from our services.  The first is the youth team giving the announcements and the second is a testimony video of our students on why they love the ROCK and 707.  The third video is a spoken word testimony that one of students wrote and prepared for our services... It was a major highlight of the service!

Has your church ever had a student takeover?  What is your favorite part when students takeover?  Comment and let me know!

- Rick