A monthly message from Fred Lynch. Fred is the founder of GodStyle Productions, a ministry committed to changing youth culture. For more information on Fred, visit his website or check out his latest project, The Epic (the gospel of John translated into rap).
June 2006
Recently I picked up the latest summer 2006 issue of the Network Magazine and the theme was on unity. Throughout the magazine were inspiring articles encouraging us as youth workers to hold the up the value of connectedness and synergy which is so needed today. Paul Fleischmann has an incredible article (by the way if you'd like to get a copy or read some of the articles online just go to Network Magazine's website and check it out for yourself) titled: United or Untied: where you place your "i" makes all the difference.
Now I can't steal my brother's thunder, you have to go and get fired up from reading his article yourself, but I did have to bite just a little bit (you know that's what us preachers do, ask The Apostle Paul 1 Corinthians 4:7) so Paul Fleischmann, my man please forgive me but that title was so good I just had to help you spread it around a little bit! I'd just like to encourage you to dwell on this thought for a minute. 'Am I united or untied?' The truth is that you can't be both.
In today's fast paced world of everyone living at 70 mph we're all trying our best to provide excellence in ministry for our students as we seek to help parents develop stronger ties to their teens and attempt to assure the Pastor that we aren't in this to 'build our own kingdom' yet we have to speak up to the deacon board because no one else is gonna stand up for the youth and make the elders of the Church 'back-off' and let the kids do their thang….well you know the drill it's a week to week, month to month battle to develop and maintain a youth ministry that is actually affecting the gates of hell. This is why it's so imperative that we use the one secret weapon that Jesus prayed that we'd have access to before he went to heaven. Unity.
And not just the average garden variety type of unity that's thrown around today as a Church 'codeword'. But a unity that looks exactly like we're tied to each other in presence: that means we don't go too long without getting together (even if it's just to 'get together'). We're tied together in prayer: that means that 'our prayers aren't over until we've prayed for each other'. It's really time to bring back the 'our' in Our Father. Ultimately we're tied together in purpose: that means that when the Church down the street wins a new student to their youth group, I win! When a Church looses a student: I loose! This is radical unity. It's the unity that brings about revival. I really believe that it's the unity that Christ longs for us to have.
Fortunately there are some forums in place to help you get exposed to that type of unity and I once again would like to encourage you to take a spin online and check out some of these places. Of course you can go to the urbnet site and as you go, be sure to click on the 'National UrbNet Ministry Events' page and check out all of the exciting events planned for this summer! Also, for those who missed the Urban Youth Workers Institute Conference in May you must be hurting, because it was the bomb! I'm talking over two thousand crazy on fire urban youth workers JUST LIKE YOU! Well here's some good news. UYWI always offers their general sessions and some of their workshops online free of charge (that's right only free-99) All you have to do is go to: www.uywi.org and look in the upper right corner for UYWI//General Sessions and you can download the messages and get fired up. Remember, we're tied together in presence, prayer and purpose: it's the God-kind of unity that changes the world.
FREDDIE FREEBIE: I have a fun video that you can share with your friends and students on evangelism. It's called 8 reasons why I can't share my faith. It is hilarious! If you're looking for a tight new clip to use for a message go to my website @ www.godstyle.com and visit the download page and you'll find it along with many other goodies.
Sharing the gospel from 'Street to Street',
Fred Lynch III
GodStyle Productions
Fred Lynch is the founder of GodStyle Productions, a ministry committed to changing youth culture. For more information on Fred, visit his website or check out his latest project, The Epic (the gospel of John translated into rap).
