Hands down — Summer has the best choice of fruit. Nothing tastes better to me after a long summer run than a cold, soft peach. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. Sometimes, I’ll look at a piece of fruit (like a peach) and think: “I wonder who was the very first person to ever try to eat one of these?” I mean, seriously, what if it was made of something that turns into cement when it gets to your stomach. It takes guts to be the first person to do ANYTHING, let alone something that might kill you if it has some kind of poison in it or something.
Well, thanks to many years of field-tested knowledge, we all know that fruit is good for us. God has given us such an amazing variety of things that grow on trees, bushes and vines — it’s all pretty cool. However, fall is a tough time for most fruit to flourish. The season changes as the air gets a little colder, the rain starts coming, then frost, then snow. Most spring and summer crops just tuck away for a little snooze until spring.
Galatians 5:22-23 is one of the most familiar parts of the Bible. It’s the portion that talks about the fruit of the Spirit. I thought it might be healthy to bring this fruit to the forefront of the fall season, in order that we’d all be reminded of the importance of keeping it as part of our diet all year around.
LoveLove defined is simply: “A deep affection”. More than a feeling, though, love is an action. It often demands more than words. In John 13:34, Jesus said “love one another, as I have loved you.” Wow…think about how Jesus loved us. So easily. So sacrificially. It was just part of his make-up to love others. I wonder who God has put in your life (maybe a friend you already have that hasn’t been “feeling the love” from you lately). What kinds of things keep you from loving other people? Maybe it would be good to take a step back…get some perspective…and then move forward in following Christ’s command that we love others, both in words and actions, like He loves us.
JoyJoy is happiness. Joy is seeing the best in someone or something. Joy is pleasure. God wants our lives to be FILLED with joy in every situation (1 Thess. 5:16). Have you ever had one of those experiences where you just think: “it can’t get any better than this!” We have a video of my son, Jake, going down the long water drop on the ride “Splash Mountain” at Disneyland. By the expression on his face and the laughter coming out of his mouth, it was pretty easy to sum up: he was having a blast. His little life was exploding with BIG joy. With all the amazing things that God has put in your life, do you find yourself focusing on the bad things? The let-downs? Are you down on life and critical of others? Let’s remember this fall that joy is contagious. Remember God’s blessings in your life and focus on those things (Phil. 4:8).
PeacePeace is freedom from conflict. It’s calm and stillness. It’s quiet. Peace is something each of us must embrace, yet not one of us can find it on our own. Peace is rest. The type of rest that Jesus said He gives to those who come to Him (Matt. 11:28). Is conflict just a part of your daily routine? Do you look for opportunities to cause friction, or maybe just find that trouble knows where you’re at all the time? I promise you, that’s not the life God wants you to live. Sure, Jesus said in this world we will have trouble, but He also promised us that He is with us — and He has overcome the troubles of this world. If you’re not feeling a whole lot of peace in your life, maybe your trying to find it in all the wrong spots. Maybe you need to be praying that God will fill you with His peace. Believe me, that is the type of request He will gladly fulfill.
PatienceThe ability to endure without becoming annoyed. Proverbs 14:29 says: “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” Patience is one of those traits that is “an acquired taste.” That is to say, it is a rarity for young people to display patience. It’s not impossible, but it’s rare. It’s easy to get “annoyed” when things don’t go our way – right away. I’m guessing most people in the world (including you and I) have lived long enough with being impatient. Let’s try something new. Let’s learn how to think before we speak. Let’s learn the importance of giving people a second, third and fourth chance. Patient people are winsome people. Patience shows maturity (just like the above Proverb says). Let’s pursue patience during the tough and annoying times this school year.
KindnessCompassionate. Sympathetic to others. Figuring out the nicest thing to say, or the best way to shine a light on someone or something. I love nice people. It’s SO easy to be critical of others. We live in a world where critics are seen as scholarly and/or incredibly intelligent. The facts are, God does not call us to be critical of others. Sometimes we share our opinions on a matter without really thinking through questions like, “will it build that person up if I say this” (i.e. Eph. 4:29). Remember, Jesus said that ultimately, the things that come out of our mouths get their start in our hearts (Matt. 12:34). If you’re not saying kind things, maybe you need to examine whether or not you’re a kind person. Walking with God means taking on His traits — and kindness is at the top.
GoodnessWow… goodness refers to a lot of things in our lives. It speaks about our integrity, our general decency as human beings, our overall demeanor when it comes to others. When God created the universe (as is told in Genesis 1-2), He always looked at whatever it was that he created and said, “it is good!” You see, it simply reflected HIS glory! So, how can you become more good? Think of it this way: Good is the opposite of “bad”. We all know what things are “bad” – so perhaps it’s just a matter of doing the opposite of what you have been doing. When God’s goodness is in your life, your outlook on every other part of life will change. Let’s make goodness a permanent part of our lives this fall, and let those “bad” things just slip away.
FaithfulnessBeing trustworthy. Holding on firmly to a belief. Being consistent. Do you stick with your commitments? Are you following through in those areas you said you wanted to change this past summer at camp or at church, or wherever? In Matthew 25, when Jesus is telling the parable of the talents, he sums up the work of the good stewards as being the work of a “faithful” person. God is faithful to never leave us. Perhaps this year, we need to concentrate on not leaving Him behind at camp or a summer activity, but make Him the BIGGEST part of our lives…remaining faithful to Him first, and others just after that.
GentlenessI like soft pillows, soft beds, soft running shoes, soft clothes, soft ice cream, soft landings and soft chairs. I’ll bet you do too. Why, then, would any of us believe that someone else would want to hear a rough word come out of our mouths about them? Or a sharp, biting opinion on any given matter. With all the money that we are willing to spend on comforting items (like those listed above) instead of, say, sleeping on the cement in your backyard, why would we choose to be anything but soft towards each other? Are you a “prickly person?” Do you have tendency to be critical and harsh? Let’s soften up towards each other and let gentleness take over.
Self-Control
Discipline. Common sense. Less impulsive and more retrained. James 1:19 says: “let us be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger…” Maybe you are an impulsive kind of person. Once again, self-control doesn’t come easy for anyone. We all must choose to keep ourselves in check, and not let our tempers, our weaknesses or our sinful desires get the best of us. Remember, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us the Holy Spirit lives inside of us! He gives us the ability to have self-control…let’s take Him up on it!
So, fruit is something all of us should be eating more of. Nothing in your life is more important than allowing God’s Spirit to make you more and more like Christ. Let’s take these nine things and tuck them into a secure part of our hearts, souls and minds this fall – and let’s see what amazing things pop up from the soil of our lives in the spring!
September 2007 Archives
Fall Explosion
You may remember many of these outreach ministries from the past, or even be involved in some of them today. Our Port of Call Ministry sought to reach out to local members of our armed forces. Pastor Jake led us in Sunday night illustrated sermons when we moved into our new sanctuary. Summer Musicals have been an integral part of our calendar for over a decade, and our Christmas and Easter Pageants are known around the world. Every weekend, the people of CrossStreets share the Gospel with countless members of our homeless population throughout the East Bay.
Though these ministries are all very different from one another, they share one common thread. These efforts have all played a part in sending out the Gospel to hundreds of thousands of people. We have seen countless souls transformed by Jesus Christ through the touch of these ministries in a breath of time that spans more than a half-century. We at Neighborhood Church praise God for the fruit of these ministries as we pray for more, knowing that the Spirit’s work in our community is nowhere near finished.
Our Youth Department also has a rich history of evangelistic work in the East Bay. Omega High School Ministry is actually one of the oldest youth groups in the world! High School students have been meeting for Omega on Wednesday nights since the early 1940’s, four decades before youth groups became commonplace on church campuses. In fact, in a time when a pioneering ministry called Young Life was just beginning to reach out to High School students in America, Omega had already begun looking for creative ways to share the Gospel with a dying world.
One of Neighborhood’s most famous outreaches to youth is our legendary “Omega Kickoff Rally.” Twenty years ago, our campus would find itself filled to the brim each Fall with thousands of High School Students from around the Bay. These young people gathered together for an epic cheerleading competition and delicious BBQ. During our Rallies, the Gospel went out and lives were changed for forever.
Remembering the amazing history of Youth Ministry on our campus, and in a continuing spirit of evangelism, we are excited this September to birth the newest addition to our ministry to students: Fall Explosion. Named after the explosive power of the Spirit to ignite lives for Jesus Christ, Fall Explosion will kick off the new school year with a bang!
Throughout the month of September, our Junior High and High School students will gather together for amazing, life-changing meetings. Every week will have a distinct theme, each with a specific method of presenting the Gospel. Whether it be an amped-up version of a Classic ministry favorite such as Smash Stuff Night or an exciting new addition to our repertoire, like our Talent Showcase, Fall Explosion will blow the roof off of Neighborhood Church (hopefully not literally). Over the course of four weeks, we will give our students four distinct venues to reach their friends in creative and exciting ways.
If you are a Junior High or High School student, do not miss Fall Explosion! The month of September has been set aside for the purpose of reaching lost students on your campuses: invite people like crazy! Stop right now and pray that God will draw many, many students to Himself during the month of September. It is our desire that this program will ignite our students with enough passion for the Gospel to carry them strongly into the school year. We move forward this September confident that Fall Explosion will be remembered in the history of Neighborhood Church as a huge new addition to a list one of many successful evangelistic programs.
In the Spotlight with Dani Cromwell
When Dani was a young girl, around 3 or 4, she asked Jesus Christ to be her Lord and Savior because she learned that people who didn’t would go to Hell! Of course, only knowing this portion of the Gospel, she says she didn’t really understand what it meant to be a Christian. However, in 8th grade, while on a leadership team, God took hold of her life and showed her what it truly meant to follow Him. As she and other members of the team talked about what it meant to live for Christ, she thought, “there is a huge difference between what I think it is and what I should be doing.” That day she prayed with a leader and decided she wanted to live for Christ, “not because I’m scared of going to Hell but because I want to live that way.” Dani’s been up here on the hill with us for about 3 years. After coming back from a brief stint at De Anza College, Dani recalls trying to figure out where to go to church. She had heard about Crossroads from a friend and decided to come check it out and the rest is history.
If you ask anyone around here they will tell you that Dani is one of the most involved and dedicated leaders here in our student ministries. She has served in 20/20, is a student leader in Crossroads and is now also one of our incredible Youth Ministry Coordinators bringing a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to an already spirited (to say the least) office. As we say goodbye to our much-loved Youth Ministry Coordinator Mandy Koski (good luck with baby Henry!), Dani says she is excited and a little nervous: “I have some big shoes to fill.” When asked what motivates her to participate in ministry, Dani will tell you it feels like she is doing what God has called her to do and she is also able to see the work He is doing in the lives of others. Concerning Crossroads, Dani thinks one of the best parts of serving as a fellow student, is being able to grow and face trials alongside her peers: “Since we are facing the same things, it’s easy to encourage each other.”
As Dani starts this final semester in school, she wants to encourage us all to be diligent with our work and not fall behind saying, “It’s a lot easier to start on top than to catch up.” She also asks that we apply this same principle to our spiritual lives as well, reminding us that “If you say ‘oh I’ll start tomorrow,’ it will always be tomorrow and never today!” Thank you Dani, for all of your hard work and dedication. You are truly an example of what it means to have passion and enthusiasm for your ministry.
If you ask anyone around here they will tell you that Dani is one of the most involved and dedicated leaders here in our student ministries. She has served in 20/20, is a student leader in Crossroads and is now also one of our incredible Youth Ministry Coordinators bringing a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to an already spirited (to say the least) office. As we say goodbye to our much-loved Youth Ministry Coordinator Mandy Koski (good luck with baby Henry!), Dani says she is excited and a little nervous: “I have some big shoes to fill.” When asked what motivates her to participate in ministry, Dani will tell you it feels like she is doing what God has called her to do and she is also able to see the work He is doing in the lives of others. Concerning Crossroads, Dani thinks one of the best parts of serving as a fellow student, is being able to grow and face trials alongside her peers: “Since we are facing the same things, it’s easy to encourage each other.”
As Dani starts this final semester in school, she wants to encourage us all to be diligent with our work and not fall behind saying, “It’s a lot easier to start on top than to catch up.” She also asks that we apply this same principle to our spiritual lives as well, reminding us that “If you say ‘oh I’ll start tomorrow,’ it will always be tomorrow and never today!” Thank you Dani, for all of your hard work and dedication. You are truly an example of what it means to have passion and enthusiasm for your ministry.
On the Record with Spencer Arnold
This fall, we are “On the Record” with Spencer Arnold, an awesome Freshman at Castro Valley High School. Spencer has a solid history in our Youth Ministry and some great advice for all of us. Read on to find out more about the man who is Spencer Arnold.
How long have you been involved in Youth Ministry at Neighborhood Church?
I’ve been coming to Neighborhood’s youth ministry since the fifth grade, when we had Club 56.
What’s your earliest memory of Youth Ministry here?
The first thing I remember in youth ministry was Club 56 Camp. It was my first camp experience, and I loved it!
Man, you’ve been around for a while! What has been your favorite thing about youth ministry at our church?
My favorite thing about youth group is that it is a place where you can hang out with your friends and learn about God.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in the past year as you finished in 20/20?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is to pray about your problems and see what God will do.
That’s definitely a great lesson to learn! Now that you’ve graduated from 20/20, what are you most excited about in Omega?
I’m most excited about the Small Group Scatter Nights! Justin, my old 20/20 counselor, told me that they are pretty cool.
You mentioned your 20/20 counselor, Justin. I bet you’ve had a lot of counselors and Pastors and mentors around you over the past few years. Who have been some major influences on your Spiritual life?My mom and my dad (they paid me to say that). Seriously, they show me on a day to day basis what a relationship with God looks like. The Joe has also been a major influence in my Spiritual life. We hang out and talk about stuff all the time. Also, Roman Sokol gives me verses about different things to help get through tough times. My family thinks that the Joe and 20/20 counselors were hand-picked by God to help and love the Arnold family through the last couple of years.
I think you’re right! It’s amazing to see all these great influences that have been in your life as you’ve grown up in your faith. How do you keep growing in your relationship with God on a day to day basis?I grow in my relationship with God by reading my Bible every day and using His Word to guide me through the day.
What advice do you have for other kids in our Youth Ministry?
My advice is to get someone you can talk to about your problems and struggles you’re going through.
As you start up as a new Freshman, what would you like to see happen in Omega this year?
I’d like to see more people bring friends that aren’t Christians so that they can learn about God.
That’s a really good wish! I hope it happens, too. Thanks so much for your answers today—I really think we’ve gotten a good picture of what makes Spencer “tick.” I have one important question left for you: What’s your favorite place to eat?My favorite place to eat is Val’s in Hayward (Mama burger and a strawberry malt).
Delicious answer! We should grab a burger sometime soon. I’m a banana malt man myself. -Danny Strange
How long have you been involved in Youth Ministry at Neighborhood Church?
I’ve been coming to Neighborhood’s youth ministry since the fifth grade, when we had Club 56.
What’s your earliest memory of Youth Ministry here?
The first thing I remember in youth ministry was Club 56 Camp. It was my first camp experience, and I loved it!
Man, you’ve been around for a while! What has been your favorite thing about youth ministry at our church?
My favorite thing about youth group is that it is a place where you can hang out with your friends and learn about God.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in the past year as you finished in 20/20?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is to pray about your problems and see what God will do.
That’s definitely a great lesson to learn! Now that you’ve graduated from 20/20, what are you most excited about in Omega?
I’m most excited about the Small Group Scatter Nights! Justin, my old 20/20 counselor, told me that they are pretty cool.
You mentioned your 20/20 counselor, Justin. I bet you’ve had a lot of counselors and Pastors and mentors around you over the past few years. Who have been some major influences on your Spiritual life?My mom and my dad (they paid me to say that). Seriously, they show me on a day to day basis what a relationship with God looks like. The Joe has also been a major influence in my Spiritual life. We hang out and talk about stuff all the time. Also, Roman Sokol gives me verses about different things to help get through tough times. My family thinks that the Joe and 20/20 counselors were hand-picked by God to help and love the Arnold family through the last couple of years.
I think you’re right! It’s amazing to see all these great influences that have been in your life as you’ve grown up in your faith. How do you keep growing in your relationship with God on a day to day basis?I grow in my relationship with God by reading my Bible every day and using His Word to guide me through the day.
What advice do you have for other kids in our Youth Ministry?
My advice is to get someone you can talk to about your problems and struggles you’re going through.
As you start up as a new Freshman, what would you like to see happen in Omega this year?
I’d like to see more people bring friends that aren’t Christians so that they can learn about God.
That’s a really good wish! I hope it happens, too. Thanks so much for your answers today—I really think we’ve gotten a good picture of what makes Spencer “tick.” I have one important question left for you: What’s your favorite place to eat?My favorite place to eat is Val’s in Hayward (Mama burger and a strawberry malt).
Delicious answer! We should grab a burger sometime soon. I’m a banana malt man myself. -Danny Strange
Nine Months
Nine months. That was how long she’d had to forget. Nine months was how long she’d had to wrap up memories of the only life she’d ever known. Nine months was how long she’d had to try and forget such luxuries as acceptance, respect, trust, even love. Nine months. That was how long she’d had to thank God she hadn’t lost her betrothed forever. The whispers in the marketplace, the disappointment in her mother’s face…it just wasn’t long enough.
Nine months was how long an all knowing, all powerful God had determined she’d needed to salvage her life and prepare her heart for the most fascinating, terrifying, life shattering event she would ever know. Anyone could ever know.
And no one this side of eternity would ever know.
How could anyone possibly understand the searing pain of a life she’d always dreamed of being ripped from her fingers? How could they know the sheer terror of being met by one not of this world? How could she explain the unadulterated violation she’d felt in knowing her virgin womb had been touched by the hand of God?
But then, no one would ever know the heady exhilaration…the pure, almost uncontainable song of joy that spilled from the very depths of her soul. The Mighty One had done great things for her! Oh, the unimaginable intimacy! Yahweh, the Holy One! The prophecies her young mind had only dared grasp, now beginning their fulfillment through her…of every woman who ever had been or ever would be. Oh, that all people would call her blessed!
Nine months. That was how long it took for her young body to nurture the very seed of Heaven. At first, she spent many nights lying there, hands pressed against her abdomen…flat and firm…wondering at the miracle of life within her. Was He really there? Could it all have been a figment of her imagination? And then there was the fear and elation when she felt those first flutters from somewhere deep within her swollen midsection. It was a sensation so foreign, yet strangely comforting. How could it be that this Child was dependent upon every fiber of her being to survive? And not only Him, but all of the world! She held within her the mystery of Heaven, the hope of the ages. All of the world needed all of her to survive, and yet her very next breath of life could only be determined by Him.
And then the time came. As quickly as He’d come upon her, He came forth. The pain came in a rush, and was so intense it took her breath away. All of the voices and shadows around her were nothing more than a blur. Every bit of her heart longed to clasp this precious, powerful being in the protective holds of her womb, yet her body screamed to be rid of Him. In the hours it took, she felt as if He was being torn from her very flesh. And in doing so, her heart was being torn out as well. Every glimmer of this new found maternal instinct cried that it was all wrong! Nine months coming to their final culmination here, in a rush of cold, hard, sweat, dirt and blood? With nothing but the eyes of cattle to witness the birth of a miracle? They were alone in the light of the stars, in a foreign land. One hand gripped Joseph’s, the other a fistful of straw. Clinging to life, writhing in pain, and nothing to wipe her tears. No words to soothe her fears. They had no one but each other, nothing but an empty stall and a promise.
And then it happened. He came without a sound. It was as if He already knew. And when was He was placed into her arms for the first time, He had looked up at her solemn, innocent. It was almost as if Someone else was looking through those eyes…Someone too Holy that any man should behold Him and live. Her heart pounded as her arms instinctively wrapped tighter around her baby.
Nine months wasn’t enough. A lifetime of nine months could never have prepared her for the way his chest felt beneath her trembling hand. The way He smelled. The way His forehead wrinkled when He began to cry. Who would ever look into the face of the newborn God as He slept in their arms? A face that looked something like her own, yet bearing no features of the one she called her husband. And there that strong, weary man lay beside her, stroking her hair, looking at the child he would call his own; yet knowing He belonged to no one. With both a fierce determination and the tenderness of a father, she watched as he took in the sight of Him. Together they would raise this Child and love Him as their own. And He would be the Savior of the world.
Nine months. That was how long it took for hope to be born. Nine months of secrets, and intimate moments; of endless tears and never ending praise. That was all she’d been given. Nine months. That was it.
Then Mary pondered these things…and she treasured them up in her heart.
Nine months was how long an all knowing, all powerful God had determined she’d needed to salvage her life and prepare her heart for the most fascinating, terrifying, life shattering event she would ever know. Anyone could ever know.
And no one this side of eternity would ever know.
How could anyone possibly understand the searing pain of a life she’d always dreamed of being ripped from her fingers? How could they know the sheer terror of being met by one not of this world? How could she explain the unadulterated violation she’d felt in knowing her virgin womb had been touched by the hand of God?
But then, no one would ever know the heady exhilaration…the pure, almost uncontainable song of joy that spilled from the very depths of her soul. The Mighty One had done great things for her! Oh, the unimaginable intimacy! Yahweh, the Holy One! The prophecies her young mind had only dared grasp, now beginning their fulfillment through her…of every woman who ever had been or ever would be. Oh, that all people would call her blessed!
Nine months. That was how long it took for her young body to nurture the very seed of Heaven. At first, she spent many nights lying there, hands pressed against her abdomen…flat and firm…wondering at the miracle of life within her. Was He really there? Could it all have been a figment of her imagination? And then there was the fear and elation when she felt those first flutters from somewhere deep within her swollen midsection. It was a sensation so foreign, yet strangely comforting. How could it be that this Child was dependent upon every fiber of her being to survive? And not only Him, but all of the world! She held within her the mystery of Heaven, the hope of the ages. All of the world needed all of her to survive, and yet her very next breath of life could only be determined by Him.
And then the time came. As quickly as He’d come upon her, He came forth. The pain came in a rush, and was so intense it took her breath away. All of the voices and shadows around her were nothing more than a blur. Every bit of her heart longed to clasp this precious, powerful being in the protective holds of her womb, yet her body screamed to be rid of Him. In the hours it took, she felt as if He was being torn from her very flesh. And in doing so, her heart was being torn out as well. Every glimmer of this new found maternal instinct cried that it was all wrong! Nine months coming to their final culmination here, in a rush of cold, hard, sweat, dirt and blood? With nothing but the eyes of cattle to witness the birth of a miracle? They were alone in the light of the stars, in a foreign land. One hand gripped Joseph’s, the other a fistful of straw. Clinging to life, writhing in pain, and nothing to wipe her tears. No words to soothe her fears. They had no one but each other, nothing but an empty stall and a promise.
And then it happened. He came without a sound. It was as if He already knew. And when was He was placed into her arms for the first time, He had looked up at her solemn, innocent. It was almost as if Someone else was looking through those eyes…Someone too Holy that any man should behold Him and live. Her heart pounded as her arms instinctively wrapped tighter around her baby.
Nine months wasn’t enough. A lifetime of nine months could never have prepared her for the way his chest felt beneath her trembling hand. The way He smelled. The way His forehead wrinkled when He began to cry. Who would ever look into the face of the newborn God as He slept in their arms? A face that looked something like her own, yet bearing no features of the one she called her husband. And there that strong, weary man lay beside her, stroking her hair, looking at the child he would call his own; yet knowing He belonged to no one. With both a fierce determination and the tenderness of a father, she watched as he took in the sight of Him. Together they would raise this Child and love Him as their own. And He would be the Savior of the world.
Nine months. That was how long it took for hope to be born. Nine months of secrets, and intimate moments; of endless tears and never ending praise. That was all she’d been given. Nine months. That was it.
Then Mary pondered these things…and she treasured them up in her heart.
Grounded Magazine
Check out our Grounded Articles, written by members of our Youth Staff and found in issues of Grounded Magazine!