NYWC Friday Report

Here is the report from Friday. This has been my first wi-fi accessibility.

We got here at 10am and the first session I went to was Jim Burns on Teaching Kids Lasting Values and Morals. I have known Jim forever and had all three of his girls go through my JH group, but I thought it would be fun to see how his sessions are going these days.

Jim Burns highlights:

• John 5 (man at pool of Bethesda) is his favorite story to teach students. Why didn't the man stay and hang around the pool and help others get in after he was healed?
• Sexual purity talks should be given to parents even more than students - how to talk to their kids about sex
• Jim advocates listening, reading, and watching what kids are into. He would have all his kids' friends over to their house to watch the VMA's and have a running commentary.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:8 is his life verse for youth ministry - "our lives as well"
• There is a kid out there for you to believe in. Teach them values and challenge them to live their lives for God.

General Session 1 - Brenda Salter McNeil highlights:

• cool animated moving hick face with live voiceover would be fun for announcements
• Flatfoot 56 - celtic punk Christian band - cool!! Never heard of them, but I loved them. Bagpipes and punk rock!
• The whole stage background was just a big scrim with lighting and projection hitting it. I liked it.
• The seating is set up really weird with chairs facing sideways to the middle with the speaker moved out front. I don't really like it. I like the innovation, but it's uncomfortable.
• "People begin when God dreams them up - not birth or conception."
• "whatever" = if I don't care, it can't hurt me. Hakuna Matata. Her whole talk was based on the Lion King and it was actually pretty good. I was skeptical at first.
  
• "You are Mufasa's boy" - when we go after a Simba we have to remind them that it's not about them, it's about God.
• Youthworkers are Rafiki. Speak truth into their lives about who they are and what is their purpose.

General Session 2 - Phil Vischer highlights:

• Phil Vischer was incredible and inspiring in all the right ways.
• When God's people don't know what to do, they should wait. Wait on God.
• If I have given God my life then where I am in five years is none of my business.
• Impact doesn't occur when we are pursuing impact. It happens when we are pursuing God.
• When you are ready to put your plans and dreams on the altar and kill them, you are ready to pursue them.