Welcome To The Next Level

Hey everyone!  It's Intern Tuesday again so get excited. As we continue to highlight the various ministries of NB Families, this week I would like to focus on a summer leadership program called "Next Level," hence the title of this blog. "Next Level" is a month long leadership program designed for incoming junior and senior high school students. We started the program here at New Beginnings three summers ago. The year we started the program was actually my (Derek) first year working as an intern here and Lacey was an exiting senior and participated as a student. That being said, Lacey and I have had a lot of experience with this ministry program and it has been really cool to watch it progress!

On a personal note, the program has been and still is extremely beneficial to my spiritual growth and the development of my leadership skills. I can honestly say this, and I promise I'm not just sucking up to the rest of the staff, (though they do deserve major credit for all the hard work they put in every week) I have learned more in the 3 summers I have worked at new Beginnings then the 4 years I spent at college. Part of that may be my fault though. I always joke that the two things I learned at school were how to cook and how to take naps.

Anyways, since I have built up so much hype about "Next Level," I should probably tell you what all it involves. At the beginning of the summer, the interested students went though an interview process to evaluate their commitment to the program. We end up taking 8 to 10 students each summer. What the students commit to is a Monday-Thursday teaching time which starts at 9 a.m. Thats right, no sleeping in for these future leaders. The teaching time is a great opportunity for our students because they get to hear and learn from each of our pastors here at New Beginnings. Each of our pastors focus on different areas of leadership. For example, yesterday Terry led the students in an event planning activity where they had to delegate responsibilities, plan an entire event, and do it all under budget. All of our students did a fantastic job and I'm sure Terry was glad that they all managed to do it under budget!

The next focus of the program is not only to teach the students how to be better leaders but to actually put the ball in their own court. They are actually planning an entire VBS for the John 3:16 kids! How cool is that? Typically from 10:30 to 11:30 the students work on planning and coordinating their big event. Two years ago, our next level group served at Salvation Army helping them organize a large storage container and various other needs. Last year, the group put on a day in the park for families in need! It was awesome!

Lastly, Next Level provides the opportunity for our students to take upon leadership roles in various ministries on Sunday morning. Our students get to serve everywhere from Genesis Kids to worship arts. I've found this to be a very fruitful experience. If you want to understand what NB Families is all about, there is no better way than serve in all the different ministries that take place on sunday morning.

I think the coolest thing about Next Level is that it paints a great picture of NB Family ministies. A church that takes the time to invest in its youth, a church that understands that our young students are going to be future leaders, and that they are a generation that is going to make a difference!

-Derek

*Here's a couple videos from the past Next Level classes:

• Next Level ITK 2012
• Next Level ITK 2011

A Foolish Exchange

About an hour north of the San Francisco Bay area is the small town of Healdsburg. For a time back in my middle school years, it seemed that it would become the new home for my mom and step-dad. John had been working at the hospital there for several months and it appeared an eventual move was inevitable.

In an attempt to soften the blow and help us feel more comfortable with this potential change, my parents brought my little brother and I out for a short vacation. I remember a lot about our trip. We enjoyed the scenic coast, climbed cliffs along the beach, and even visited Bodega Bay (location where Hitchcock filmed The Birds). However, one of my favorite parts of our visit came when we stayed at the River’s End Resort.

This lodge is perfectly positioned where the gorgeous Russian River converges with the Pacific Ocean. In the daytime you can hear sea lions barking as they bask in the warm sun just across the estuary. The breeze coming off the water is instantaneously refreshing and the sunsets there are nothing shy of picturesque.

As we laid in bed that first night I could hear the tide crashing in. It was amazing! Powerful, serene, relaxing… But then it was interrupted. My parents had grown used to sleeping with some form of white noise each night. So, overpowering the natural accompaniment of the ocean was their sound machine. And get this – the clamor was not that of a babbling brook, not a cascading waterfall, not a gentle thudding heartbeat, not that of a rolling thunderstorm, or the sounds of Serengeti birds (Okay – I may have made up that last one), but I kid you not, it was the sound of “crashing waves”!!

Our room was literally yards away from the real thing and we (and by we I mean my parents) were gonna choose the imitation sound machine?! I have given mom and John a hard time about this for years now and perhaps the pinnacle of such razzing ends today as it has made its way into this blog. But what I have since come to realize is this: if not careful, we are all in danger of making a similarly foolish exchange. However, our selections carry a much weightier loss…

In Romans 1 Paul identifies a major trap and tragedy of mankind. He points out that we are prone to worship creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:22-23). In so doing we miss the intent of God’s gifts toward us. Instead of having our affections stirred to worship Him in gratitude, we chase after by-products of His goodness. In essence, we settle for an imitation when the real thing is at hand (Romans 1:25).

I’m not just warning of our desire for money and power, a new sea-do, or a bigger home. As many of you know, I love trekking through the mountains and I’m crazy about my family! Yet none of these earthly locations or relationships is meant to take place of the One who has blessed me with them. The splendor of His works and the richness He supplies e Hethrough family are ultimately given so that the beauty of Christ and His love for us might be seen.

While I’m extremely appreciative that I was permitted to visit such a beautiful place as California, I’m so thankful my parents weren’t led to move there. But I’m most grateful that over the years, the Lord has proven Himself to be much greater than even the very best of His creation. As we wrap-up our summer sports, take our vacations, and enjoy some extra time together with friends and family, may we help each other to look beyond the pleasure of the immediate and see the glorious wooing of the Immortal. 

Raising kids in a scary world!

Dad rock's the sweater vest and Baby Jill!

In the King James version of the bible the phrase “Fear not” appears 74 times. The phrase “be not afraid” appears in the King James version 29 times.

Here are some other great verses about fear:

1 Timothy 1:7	Psalm 55:1-2, 4-5	Psalm 27:1
Isaiah 41:10	Psalm 34:4	Philippians 4:6-7
Matthew 6:25-34	1 Peter 5:6-7	John 14:27

Expectant parents go through nine months of anticipation, preparation, and excitement. But, in reality, nothing really prepares you for the moment the doctor hands you an infant. And then it hits you—you’re a parent. It’s not like babysitting or being in charge of your younger siblings. This is different.
As new parents we found it necessary to share anything and everything our little darling did, as if it were the first time a baby ever laughed, crawled, ate vegetables, pulled up to stand, took a step, or even went potty. For parent each accomplishment is stunning. Pregnancy and baby photos on social media sites like Facebook and twitter can become so numerous that an extension has been created for Chrome web browsers that block constant sharings of cute and quirky baby images on Facebook. Its called “unbaby.me.”

For parents, it is a different experience all together. We can’t get enough of our bundles of joy.

• Remember that first time we laid eyes on our little precious treasures?
• Remember checking out every little feature, we made sure that nothing was missing?
• Remember how we sat mesmerized by this little being, tenderly touching the softest skin ever felt.
• Remember how even menial tasks like feeding, ricking, and changing dirty diapers was delightful?

But the attitudes can shift when we take our babies home from the the hospital! Fear sets in immediately. How in the world could we continue doing all those new parenting duties without the nurse looking over our shoulders?

Sheila Wray Gregoire writes,

“We love our kids so much that the thought of anything bad happening to them sends us into a panic. Yet, if we’re not careful, this caution can become oppressive. When we let fear dominate our parenting, we can actually shield our kids from the very things they need to be learning.

The world is a scary place. A mere glance through the newspaper reminds us just how many dangers our children face. ”

And yet, we soon learn that we are not parenting alone. Even though this world seems more fraught with danger than the one we grew up in, we can still commit our children to our heavenly Father, who always watches us. How often do we send up quick prayers throughout the day because of an elevated fever, unexplained crying, or not knowing what could be wrong? Yet God is always available.

• Years ago, extended families provided more of a sense of community.
• People were less mobile and spent more time with each other.
• The number of single-parent homes and latchkey kids has grown over the years.

It’s also true that we don’t parent alone. Thankfully, God is available 24/7. He doesn’t have an answering machine. He doesn’t ask us to hang on as he takes another call. He doesn’t screen his calls or decide not to pick up. In fact, Scripture tells us He longs to hear from us.

John 14:21-24 When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy. 23 In that day you will not ask Me anything. “I assure you: Anything you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

All we have to do when we are unsure about a decision is to call on the Father. He will readily disperse the wisdom we so desperately need. It’s there for the asking.

On Fridays, for the rest of the summer, we will address how we parents can lesson our anxieties and learn to trust God with our kids.
Be not afraid!

"Cultivating Three Kinds of Intelligence: Introducing Generation iY" Part 3

The information quoted in my blog today comes from the book "Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future". This is part 3 of a 3 part series on Generation iY (defined in the next paragraph).

In his book, author Tim Elmore defines "Generation Y, as being the Millennials, those born between 1984 and 2002". He says "The younger Millennials, born after 1990, resemble their older Gen Y counterparts in many ways, but in volumes of other ways they stand in stark contrast to them. More than any previous group, this younger population has been defined by technology-which is why I believe it's accurate to call them Generation iY."

 My thoughts are in bold below.
 
Cultivating Three Kinds of Intelligence
 "Helping young people grow isn't just a matter of delivering content, of course. It's about developing men and women who leverage their influence in positive ways-which is another way of saying we must cultivate three vital qualities in Generation iY:"

• "Emotional Intelligence. We need to help them develop their EQ-  self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management."
• "Moral Intelligence. We need to coach them toward robust character-personal discipline, secure sense of self, strong positive values. (Perhaps we could call this MQ)
• "Leadership intelligence. Finally we need to encourage clear vision, courage, priorities, big-picture perspective, and planning skills. (LQ)"

"Perhaps more that traditional targets like GPA, SAT or ACT scores, or even IQ rankings, we should aim toward helping young people increase their EQ,MQ, and LQ. All three of these "intelligences" will significantly nurture healthy leaders in this emerging generation."

"Here's an example that hits me close to home. I've mentioned already that my daughter Bethany is a diplomat. She is not a Leader, but a leader- a situational leader, rather than a habitual one. Her nature is to be laid-back and casual. However, because she has developed the three important areas above, she has been a resident advisor (RA) in the dorms. She has been a student trustee. She has also served on the executive team for the annual leadership conference as a teachers assistant."

"Not long ago, Bethany called me and told me how inadequate she felt when she was asked to serve in another leadership role. She knew she could handle the duties, but she confided that there were so many other smarter students on campus who could fill that role as well."

"I simply reminded her that good leaders aren't necessarily the ones with the highest IQ, but the ones with the highest EQ, MQ and LQ. Faculty and staff had noticed she was savvy in relationships, that she had strong character and thought like a leader. She was exactly the kind of person they were looking for."

Happy 4th of July!!
What are your thoughts about what Tim Elmore has to say here regarding the EQ, MQ and LQ? Does his example of his own daughter, Bethany, hit home with you and your Generation iYer?

What would happen if you concentrated on cultivating these three vital qualities in your Generation iYer,? Understanding that not only do we want to cultivate these three vital qualities, but we Christian parents should be incorporating biblical values that are "equipping" our children that will help to guide and mold them in all three of these vital qualities. 

I believe they will need these vital leadership qualities in the future to fight for the Christian faith that the current culture continues to push to the side as intolerant and irrelevant.

Since it is the 4th of July, a day that we celebrate our freedom, what do you suppose were the qualities of the people who left England, leaving religious persecution, to come to a new land where they could live free?

What will the United States and the world look like in 2030 when this Generation iY get's to be adults; leading in politics, leading the churches, leading the business world, leading the culture? 

The future is waiting for new leaders. The future leaders are in the hands of today's parents.

Terry Langenberg
Twitter: TheLangenberg
Facebook: TheLangenberg

Leadership Weekend

Out of all the numbers in the above graphic, which one bothers you enough to do something about it!?  How many kids must be kidnapped, sold, traded, used, abused and killed before enough is enough!?

For many, 'Human Trafficking' was something that happens "over there" or to "bad people".  However, this past weekend, a group of high school students decided to dig deeper and learn more about the issue first hand (we call it "Leadership Weekend": a focused event where 20 students experience a different marginalized people group each year).

For our students it started out nice and easy in our state's capital: Oklahoma City!!  There we found ourselves in downtown enjoying the river walk in bricktown.  After dinner they ended one mile southwest to the 3500 block of South Robinson (an area know for prostitution), though we didn't see any unusual activity, the thought began to creep in: "how could trafficking be happening just a few blocks from where the city is pouring millions of dollars."  From there we visited a local truck stop and began the discussion of Human Trafficking in OKLAHOMA (it's rumored that 80% of Human Trafficking in the U.S. runs right through OKC because of the interstate system)!!

As we returned home to Tulsa we watched a gut-wrenching documentary about "Modern Day Slavery" (Nefarious).  But our evening didn't stop there... Twelve incredible volunteers stayed up until 3:30am putting on a Human Trafficking Simulation which started with a 'U.S. Visa Office' and ended with most students being "Trafficked" into Sweat Shops, Sex Trade and even Debt Bondage (there are so many stories to tell from this 5-hour experience but none can be told well in a blog... Please ask the students to share their stories).

The next day our students heard from an O.A.T.H. (Oklahoma's Against Trafficking Humans) Representative on the reality of Human Trafficking right here in Oklahoma and also heard first hand from a survivor!  After a short break we gathered again to learn what to look for and how to stay safe online through the Co-Founder of The Demand Project.  To top all that incredible information off Changing Lanes Ministries came to speak on the dangers of pornography and the help that is just one step away (ownership of our sin and seeking help)!

After some incredible debrief time, our students went to dinner and a movie... And "luck" would have it, 'Not Today' was showing in a nearby theater (a new movie out about finding purpose because of Human Trafficking).  After returning, our students stayed up late again to set-up to teach, lead & inspire our adults in our quarterly 5th Sunday: Reach-Out Sunday!!  After our worship service the students set-up three different stations for members to experience a taste of their weekend:
1) Oklahoma Missing Children (with Free Child Safety ID Kits)

2) Labor Trafficking Experience

3) Sex Trafficking Experience

After all of this, we sat down to write letters to the A21 Campaign (survivors of Human Trafficking all over the world), for one last debrief of the weekend, AND to put together over 100 "survival bags" from the items you donated for DaySpring Villa!!

Whether you are White, Black, Red, Purple... Rich, Poor, In the Middle... A Christian, Muslim, Atheist... We should be able to agree on the issue of Human Trafficking in our world!!  AND contrary to what you might initially feel when seeing the statistics: we can do something NOW to "End It"!!

May we be the time in history where slavery truly ends... May we come together as one body, one spirit and one purpose... May we be bothered by this 'divine burden' in our soul... May we not just sit and wait for the next generation to take care of this issue... May Christ give us direction and power in His name to defeat this evil in Oklahoma, the United States and around the World!!

Will you join our students and many other individuals in this call to Prayer and Action to put an end to Human Trafficking!?

National Trafficking Hotline:

1-888-3737-888

Salutations! From Derek Auffenorde and Lacey Painter.

Salutations! We're the interns, Derek Auffenorde and Lacey Painter. You've probably seen us around making noise and hurting your ears. And if you haven't seen us, we're probably cleaning the toilets....just kidding (maybe ;)).

The NB staff has asked us as interns to highlight some of the ministries that we have the incredible opportunity to serve this summer.   This week we want to focus on the worship service and how it is an integral part of NB Family ministries.

NB Family ministries made its debut long before we gave it a name. As we discussed what the contents of this blog were going to be, we realized that our idea of family is not limited to the walls of our home or our genes. Since first attending New Beginnings as young students in the youth program, the church has become our family. You may have seen us leading worship once or twice around here, and that didn't start because of a random idea we had while daydreaming in Algebra. We were encouraged not only by peers our age and older, but by the leaders in this church, both staff and volunteers, who helped us define our gifts and cultivate our leadership skills. For example, the Church (the people...not the walls) never gave up on us even when we were blowing speakers in the children's room with out-of-tune guitars, a Lacey singing way off key, and a Derek who thought he was the next John Bonham, creating the next Hillsong United masterpiece.

 What happened, though, is that people stepped in to be our cheerleaders, to give us constructive advice on how we could be better, but most of all to just love on some scraggly high schoolers. Family, at that point, became defined not just by bloodline but by a group of people who loved us as their own, welcoming us with open arms no matter how terrible we sounded.

This is why we love NB Family ministry. Worship service plays a huge role in what we do here at New Beginnings. From our vantage point as worship leaders it's beautiful to see the church come together as one. It's a great representation of what we do here at this church and what NB Families is all about. Though there are several ministries that make up this family, the worship service is where we all come together as one, just as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:12 (ESV) "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." Whether you're a student, a young adult, a parent, a worship leader, or just a member of this body, your part is important in unity and may even be important in raising up some crazy high school kids who just want to play music all the time. What you do is vital here, and it's appreciated. New Beginnings family ministries is designed to encourage the development of a healthy family in the home, which in turn overflows into a healthy family within the Church.

Objects in the rear-view mirror may appear closer than they are...

This past week I loaded into a mid-sized SUV with a couple of my good friends and we headed west on a road trip. Our schedule had provided us just enough time to squeeze in a Rocky Mountain MANcation adventure. With tents, sleeping bags, an ice chest, and provisions for the road, our vehicle was crammed full. In fact the gear in the back was packed so high that the rear-view mirror was of no use at all.  While this would make parallel parking and lane changes a tad more difficult, it was nothing like the visual obstacles we would later face in Kansas.

Somewhere between Wichita and Salina we ran into a large swarm of bugs. The sun had barely disappeared before a mass of insects came out to play and unfortunately collect on our windshield. For a stretch of miles this continued so much that our visibility was greatly hindered. There were so many thuds on the glass that we thought we had driven into an Old Testament plague! We managed to get by intermittently using the mist and wipers until we could clear the glass at the next gas station. But that scenario got me thinking…

As a driver I need to know what’s behind me. It is important. However, it is far more imperative that I know where I’m going! I must be able to clearly see what is ahead. Perhaps that is why the rear-view mirror is so much smaller than the front windshield. Could you imagine if the sizes were inverted?! I’m thinking it would make safe transportation quite a challenge.

Paul points out that as believers, our lives should be pursued with a similar perspective. Our focus should not be on those things from our past but on that which lies ahead (Philippians 3:13-14). Yet often we find ourselves so aware of the failures or missed opportunities of life gone by that little attention is given to the hope that is before us.

Don’t get me wrong. We need to know where we’ve come from. We must never forget how the Lord has revealed Himself to us and through the cross, offered us forgiveness and right standing with the Father. I pray we learn from our mistakes and continue to strive onward in constant remembrance of what Christ has done and is doing.

Here’s an example from this past weekend. On one of the mountains we climbed in particular, it seemed like we were just hiking in place. We would push hard and exert great effort only for the summit to seem as far away as ever. In these moments it was helpful for us to look back toward the valley and realize how far we had actually come. May our former times serve us in a similar way. May we occasionally glance back and be encouraged by how far the Lord has grown us.

Perhaps it’s our imperfections that hinder us charging forward today. Paul essentially tells his friends in Philippi that a mature view of ourselves will constantly be aware of the fact that we’ve not yet been perfected but we do indeed belong to Christ (Philippians 3:12, 15).  So when our gaze is stuck on the rear-view mirror, just waiting for our past to catch up with us, let's remember that for those in Christ, it will not! He has removed our sins from us. No more guilt and shame for sorrowful years gone by! He is making all things new and has given us a fresh start with a higher calling. May we clearly focus on that which is heavenward and persistently press on to grab ahold of it.