It All Starts Here
by
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CHAPTER 9
No need for dusty trophies
I don’t know too much about dusty trophies, but that’s mostly because I don’t know too much about trophies. Growing up, I was never too athletic, though I did play soccer for a number of years as a kid. And you know how they are when you’re playing sports that young - everyone’s a winner! And so I got a few small trophies for...for...well, I’m sure it was for something monumental, of course!
Maybe you’ve collected some trophies for different accomplishments you’ve had, as well. They’re certainly nice to have around. Depending on how significant of an accomplishment they represent affects how much we probably take care of them and how intentional we are about presenting them. I mean, my trophies are in a box somewhere in my parents’ attic, but if I somehow were to have won a Heisman trophy (and this is certainly make believe!) you better believe that beast would be in one of those fancy glass cases with the lights shining on it and everything.
However, all of these trophies - both the highly significant and the “thanks for playing” ones - share some of the same characteristics: They signify something that happened, something that’s now in the past. And another common characteristic of all trophies is that they gather dust. They sit and are often untouched, unmoved, and unimportant in everyday life.
Unfortunately, that’s how things can become with our relationship with God if we’re not careful. Too many people allow their salvation experience to be just like that dusty trophy. Sure, it’s highly significant to them, if they were asked. But in all reality it is mostly just something that speaks of an event from the past that has sort of sat on a shelf in their lives being relatively untouched and ignored. Salvation gets treated more like a “get out of hell free” card than an invitation to have an adventurous relationship with our Creator and Savior.
Let’s take a look at someone from the Bible who can give us a picture of what it’s like to have an active, meaningful, daily relationship with God. David is his name and considering the fact that at one point God says that this guy is a man after His own heart, I’d say he’s certainly worth looking at and learning from:
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1-8)
David paints quite the picture of someone with a real desire for relationship with God. Sure, he’d seen God do cool things in the sanctuary. But David was not satisfied to simply have some amazing church service to look back on. He was hungry and thirsty for more! He was clinging, singing, thinking of, praising, glorifying, longing for, and earnestly seeking more.
When you begin your relationship with God you are beginning something that is a lifelong adventure of more. There will always be more God wants to tell you, more He wants to show you, more He wants to do in you, and more He wants to do through you. We just have to be careful that we don’t allow ourselves to get too easily satisfied with enough. So go for more than just enough. And don’t become one of those people who have their relationship with God sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Instead, spend the time regularly to pursue a deeper relationship with God that affects your life today. After all, that’s what He wants!
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Our relationship with God is different than any other relationship we have because we can’t physically see Him, and yet we can build it a lot like we would other relationships. How do you build a relationship with a close friend?
Why do you think it’s a temptation at times to allow our relationship with God to become a dusty trophy that just sits on a shelf?
Take a pointer from David and write your own little note or psalm to God that tells Him what you want from your relationship with Him.
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About the Book
It All Starts Here is a thorough, funny, engaging, challenging, and biblical walk-through of what it means to follow Christ specifically designed for the new believer. No longer do youth pastors and church leaders need to leave the new believer with the “now what?” question still lingering in their mind after they’ve made that important decision. With this resource you can know that they are walking through the gospel message and basic Christian beliefs on a 31-day journey that will cover the kind of topics that would take months of sermons to cover.
Just check out what others have said about this:
“This captivating and relationally-driven book serves as a dynamic and interactive resource for youth ministries looking to engage their new believers in what it means to truly follow Christ. “
(Jeanne Mayo, Founder and President of “Youth Leader's Coach”, International Speaker and Author, Director of Youth and Young Adult Outreach, Victory World Church, Norcross, GA)
“Finally a book that takes students and leaders to the next phase of Christianity in a thought provoking and yet personal manner! This book is sure to be an instant tool for discipleship and a classic to draw from for generations to come! Get this book and make disciples!”
(Pat Schatzline, Evangelist, Mercy Seat Ministries, Author of "Why is God so mad at me?", Trussville, AL)
“Great resource for youth leaders who are serious about the task of making disciples. Its highly-practical and relational approach will help students to stick with the exciting journey of growing in their new faith in Christ.”
(Scotty Gibbons, Student Ministries Director, James River Assembly of God, Ozark, MO)
“…an experience that is relevant, practical and much needed. I highly recommend this to anyone who journeys with kids and wants to see them grow closer to the Father.”
(Todd Lowans, Director, Suburban Chicago Youth for Christ, Chicago, IL)
“I have never found a theologically solid, engaging, and age-appropriate discipleship book that I can hand to new converts in my youth ministry - that they will actually want to read... Until now!”
(Meghan Weber, Youth Pastor, Catonsville Assembly of God, Catonsville, MD)
“More believers would effectively disciple new believers if they had a practical tool they could use. It All Starts Here is designed to be that effective tool that is engaging and easy to use for anyone desiring to help young believers grow in Christ. This resource could be the difference maker that could help your students grow and become Disciples of Christ.”
(Richard Crisco, President of “Empowering Kingdom Leaders”, International Speaker and Author, Pastor, Rochester First Assembly, Rochester, MI)
“…a strategic solution and an essential tool for any youth ministry looking to streamline students into well-rounded disciples of Christ.”
(Rob Gillen, Student Ministries Pastor, Harrisburg, PA)
“A “must-have” for ALL youth pastors looking to better disciple their students. A “must-read” for new believers wanting to know how to start the best journey of their lives.”
(Carrie Maurio, Youth pastor, Phoenixville, PA)
“…breaks down simple biblical truths into understandable and memorable daily readings to bring a student to a new level of understanding and spiritual growth. As a youth ministry veteran of over 15 years I'm thrilled to see this resource be placed in the hands of today's generation.”
(Eran J Holt, Student Ministry Pastor, Glad Tidings AG, Speaker, Writer, Adjunct Faculty VFCC, Reading, PA)
“…walks you through real questions asked in a real world resulting in real growth.”
(Mike Miller, Youth Pastor, Shiloh Youth, Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada)
“…great devotional for the new believing or young in their faith teenager. Stock up on it and have it ready for those students who God brings your way!”
(Joey Ruyter, Student Pastor, Riva Trace Baptist Church, Davidsonville, MD)
“…a wonderful resource that will keep students from floundering who are just beginning a relationship with the Lord.”
(Darren Hileman, Executive Director, South Carolina School of Leadership, Columbia, SC)
“The world cries out to be discipled while Heaven commands us to make disciples. Sadly, we aren't sure how. This is a great resource to that question.”
(Geoff Bassett, Education Professional in Asia, Founder of Light4Asia.com)
“…packed with everything a youth pastor would hope a student would walk away knowing after 4 years of youth ministry, packed into a 31-day devotional.”
(Tim Walk, Senior High Youth Pastor, Mount Paran Church, Atlanta, GA)
“To have a resource that walks through the next steps after accepting Christ is invaluable. To have one that walks through those steps while staying relevant and engaging is priceless! Get this book!!!”
(Joseph Lee, Youth Pastor, Zion Church, Director of Merge Youth Movement, Landover, MD)
About the Author
Jonathan Brooker is a devoted youth pastor with a strong passion for seeing people come to know Christ and then grow in that relationship. Currently he’s using his gifts for speaking and writing to reach the youth of Bowie, Maryland, a city outside of Washington, DC. When he’s not doing youth ministry or writing, he’s often found camping or just relaxing with his parents and three younger brothers.