FHSM

WORTH IT! Conference

2011-04-15T11:45:00.003-05:00

Arrive at FBC Highlands @ 5:45p on Friday, April 15

Spend the night at FBC Highlands

Depart FBCH @ 9:30a on Saturday, April 16

Arrive back at FBCH @ 8-8:30pm-ish on Saturday for parent pick up

Packing List

Toiletries

Towel

Shower Supplies (soap and shampoo)

Clothes for Friday conference

Clothes for all day Saturday Conference

Air Bed or sleeping bag

Pillow

Bible!!!

Notepad!!!

Pen!!!

FHSM will pay for students/adult leaders breakfast and dinner on Saturday.

Ask God to prepare you for what He wants to do in your life through this weekend.

London...Day 6

2011-03-17T19:34:00.003-05:00

Today, for me, was the most exciting day! I got to do a lot of different things! I visited a homeless shelter with a friend I met here in London, talked to a few teenagers in the square after school, went to the park and watched the guys play American football, and then threw around the ball some ourselves. For dinner we went to the house of some "M" friends of Chris who made us enchiladas and brownies, and I sang some songs with a few from the group! And, we ended with a lot of laughs. Overall an amazing day!!

-katrina

Unfortunately, me and Denton did not run into Alan these past two days, but today was still pretty great. Andrew and I got to talk to a fellow believer and learned a lot of interesting things we had never thought about before. Then, we all went and played American football with some kids of our age. It was really fun, and they really enjoyed the sport. We hope to see them again tomorrow after our tour day.

-coby

Really enjoyed today. Kristi, Emily, and I talked with Georgina and got her email address to keep in touch with her via Facebook. Kelly was sick. :( Pray that she is better tomorrow so that we can have one last visit. The student had a great day and we all are looking forward to our trip into central London tomorrow.

-laurie

We got to interact with tons of teenagers today after their school let out. We showed a group of kids how to play football which was interesting. I got into a long conversation with a kid from Afghanistan. He was about 15 and had lived in Afghanistan until he was about 10 yrs. and had been around while the U.S. soldiers were there. He had very strong views about the war. He explained to me how before the Taliban had taken over the country, there was no order, and the people had no security. He believed the Taliban had established that order. He claimed that the Americans tried to force "freedom" into their nation when the country needed strict order. He made a few good points, and I explained to him that we believe a government should not oppress people into doing what is right by religion, in this case Islam. Although we had our differences, he was very open and polite in our conversation.

-chris

Today was by far the best day. I woke up with a bad attitude about it because I wanted to go to Central London, but I met a big group of teens and talked for a really long time and got into spiritual conversations. Then we went to the park, and the guys played football and had an awesome time!

-lauren

I'm TIRED! But, praise God He is our rest. I have so felt this throughout the long, exhausting days...that in my weakness He is my strength. Today was by far the best overall day we have experienced--simply meaning we saw and participated in God working in incredible ways more than any other day. Let's not discredit what has happened before today at all, but today it was clear. Our students and adults were engaging in meaningful and even spiritual conversations left and right. Jesus was talked about countless times. I got to share the Gospel with a girl named Roweyna from Djbouti (Northern Samalia) who is 15 years old. What a sweet girl! As the Spirit led we talked for 45 minutes or so about the Gospel and she was asking loads of questions. I believe she is good soil that the Gospel has landed on. PLEASE pray for a harvest in her life and those she could affect with Christ living in her. Please continue to pray for Moses as well.

-philip

PLEASE PRAY FOR SALVATION

-Moses, Andrew, Helen, Alan, Kelly, Rory, Anesa, and Roweyna, and the guys who we played foothball with who are coming to hang out tomorrow night (not all are coming tomorrow, but pray that God will strongly stir some to come...the ones He wants and already knows)

-God is at work in Acton in in unbelievable, supernatural ways....PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

London...Day 5

2011-03-17T03:15:00.002-05:00

Today, was another amazing day! I could feel the Holy Spirit talking to me as I was speaking to a guy named Patrick. It was amazing because it was the first time that I have ever had an experience like that. I’m proud of myself and the others because we are all really getting out of our comfort zone and getting better at listening to the Holy Spirit. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue talking to people about God’s Word.

-karina

Today, I was sort of depressed because I had been rejected by many people over the past few days. Philip and I walked around and talked just about God and stuff. So, then Chris and I went to talk to a group of teenagers which lasted for like 20 minutes, and I got their Facebook to talk to them more.

-andrew

Today, I really felt the Holy Spirit leading to specific places. He confirmed this as I ran into people that we had met earlier this week. Pray for the cashier at one of the local coffee shops who I made plans to meet with tomorrow. Also, continue to pray for Kelly—we will meet her for coffee tomorrow. God, is at work in Acton! So happy and humbled to be a part of what He’s doing!

-kristi

Everyday we’re here God continues to amaze me! I had more conversations than the other days, but one of them was absolutely the Holy Spirit. I got into an amazing conversation with a 16 year old girl named Sasha. She doesn’t really believe in any religion, and I had the opportunity to share my story and the Gospel!! Please pray for her and her struggle with faith. I’m a little homesick, but we’re not done here yet. I love you guys!

-jesseca

Today, we visited a Hindu Temple (pretty crazy). Then we went to a Sikh Gurdwara. That was really cool. On the way home on the bus, I got into a good convo with a Muslim guy. He had grief towards us because of 9-11. But. Then at the end of the day everything got better. I had a good day.

-denton

Today was another wonderful day in London. While the weather is cold, the team has enjoyed the warm cocoa shops and the fascinating Londoners. I pray for my new, beautiful friends…Lorenzo, Sopia, Clair, and Nicole. I pray they seek the truth of Jesus Christ! I feel the Holy Spirit working through as I engage with them. Continue to pray for my meeting tomorrow with two beautiful ladies, Clair and Nicole.

-emily

London...Day 4

2011-03-15T19:28:00.005-05:00

Today, Emily, Karina, and I were walking through Acton Park looking for people to talk to. Well, we came across these two ladies in their early 20s and ended up talking to them for over an hour! We did get into some spiritual conversation as well, and we are planning on meeting for coffee tomorrow and want to invite them to dinner tomorrow evening! God is really moving here in London! I can feel him! Please keep all of us in your prayers!

-katrina

Today was another interesting day. Me and Denton ran into Alan in the streets again. I really feel that God has placed him in our lives for a reason. We would appreciate if you would pray that we could run into him in the streets again tomorrow. Also, please pray for another boy named Moses. We have been trying to get through to him this week, and your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

-coby

Today was a beautiful day in London. I spoke to a young man who could not understand why our young people did not party or sleep together. A very lost young man who needs Jesus. Maybe he will think about our conversation, and I will have another opportunity to share tomorrow. God answered prayer by sending Emily to cross paths with a woman we spoke to yesterday named Helen. I will continue to pray in faith that we will see her yet again before we leave. Pray Wednesday that Kelly will want to meet us for coffee to continue our conversations. We need one more opportunity to be able to share Christ with her.

-laurie

Andrew and I spoke with an Islamic man today. He shared many of his beliefs with us and listened to some of ours. The man was from Africa and was in London studying carpentry. We hope to speak with him again and go deeper into conversation. He seemed to respect the fact that although we were Christians, we were willing to hear his beliefs.

-chris

Today was good. Talked to a lot of people, and I miss everyone at home.

-lauren

Day 4 on the ground...I have to say I get so much joy watching our team striving desperately to share Jesus with people by "starting where they're at and listening to the Holy Spirit." That's the phrase for the day, but it should be our whole lives as we realize our sole purpose as followers of Jesus and as the church is to communicate the Gospel to the lost--EVERYTHING else is a means to fulfill this one goal. I have been spending most of my time traveling (by foot...this is not Texas...lol) to our different groups, as we go out in 2s and 3s, encouraging them to continue living out this missional life. Please pray for me in this that I too will listen to the Spirit. Please pray for Moses to choose Jesus...I don't want this to be selfish, but pray that he will delay this decision no longer...that he will give his life to Christ this week. And, pray that God will guard the unity of our team. That all will know we are his disciples by our love for one another.

-philip

TOMORROW WILL BE AN INTERESTING DAY FULL OF OPPORTUNITY. WE WILL GO VISIT A HINDU TEMPLE AND A SIKH GURDWARA IN THE MORNING, AND AFTER GOING INTO THE CITY FOR SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS WE BE GATHERING FOR PIZZA WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WHOM WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS...please pray they will accept our invitation! It will be another great opportunity to simply be around them and get into meaningful, spiritual conversations.

I will end with this as a continual challenge to all followers of Jesus. As we experience God at work through us, in us, and around us as we talk to people about Jesus, we can't help but worship Him! We all, as followers of Jesus, are equipped to be missionaries right where we are. HOW ENCOURAGING IS THAT?!?!!! Worship truly does come as a result of seeing the supernatural happen when sharing Jesus with the lost. Thanks so much for your continued prayer!

London...Day 3

2011-03-14T17:09:00.004-05:00

What the day looked like for us...

-breakfast (and Philip didn't destroy it...yay!)

-in a local coffee shop reading and talking about Scripture (you can read 2 Timothy with us if you like)

-Training with Chris L. ("What does it mean to hear from the Holy Spirit") @ Oak Tree Community Church's building

-Prayer Walking in Acton

-Lunch

-2pm-6pm-->spiritual conversations in Acton (on the streets and in parks)

-dinner @ Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Today was great! I had conversations with 4 people. Please pray for the team and me to be able to have many spiritual conversations each day. To do so, we must get out of our comfort zone and be willing to listen to the Holy Spirit. I'm looking forward to what God has in store for me tomorrow.

-karina

Today we walked around the parks with a football (American) hoping for the Holy Spirit to lead us to talk to someone. We talked to a couple at the park with their dogs, and they invited us to a pub at 10p tonight which we couldn't go to. So, I called them to plan a meeting for tomorrow to talk about their faith. We had other conversations which weren't very benefitting.

-andrew

Emily, Laurie, and I met Kelly (a woman we met yesterday) for coffee today. She is from Australia and just moved here. She is so nice and teaches school. We are praying that by the end of the week we will be able to share the Gospel with her...The people in Acton are so busy and don't seem to have time to talk, but as we get into conversations, we learn that they are longing for interaction and know that part of that need for connection is their need for Christ.

-kristi

I'm still pretty exhausted. Acton reminds me of every major city I've been to. I feel the Spirit more, maybe because I'm actually trying to listen. He continues to let me see how powerful He is by opening doors I thought would never be opened.

-jess

Well today...at first, my day started off really slow. I was extremely tired, and I noticed I am starting to catch on with the accent here (I like it). When we were walking around, me and Coby ran into the older guy, Alan, who we had seen yesterday. We will be having coffee with him tomorrow. I also got to have a really good talk with a teen named Rory. Our dinner was good, and now, we are playing pool. It's pretty awesome here.

-denton

What a brilliant, gorgeous day here in London! Praise the Lord! Helen, Kelly, and Andrew are a few of the lovely Londoners we met today...each one with a unique path. We thank God for our heart felt encounters. We pray for His guidance and our eagerness to continue to spread the Gospel in the days to come.

-emily

Please be in prayer for those mentioned in the comments above. The Kingdom of God is here, and we want them to experience it! Please be in prayer for the following:

-Oak Tree Community Church (they are truly seeking to live as a missional church in the heart of Acton always engaging with and in the community)

-Acton Baptist Church (what a loving, caring church who has been so gracious to us...they also are actively involved in this community sharing Jesus)

-Amanda-->a woman who is a follower of Jesus; she is connected with both the above mentioned churches as God called her to move into Acton to begin living with these people 2 years ago solely for the purpose of sharing Jesus with them in doing life together. What an incredible lady who is seeking Christ's mission to "seek and to save the lost." Join me in praying for financial support for her...God is sustaining her, but it would take roughly

$85-100/week to support her in a way to continue doing local missions as her primary job.)

-Pray for salvation--> Moses, Andrew, Helen, Alan, Kelly, and Rory

Much love for all of you...we covet your prayers. Feel free to comment back to these posts, and they will be read to the team.

London...Day 2

2011-03-13T18:58:00.002-05:00

DAY 1 was just 12 exhausted people wondering aimlessly thru the streets of London as Chris kept us awake all day long. We were so tired we can't even really remember what happened during the day. We crashed hard!

DAY 2--A good day that began wonderfully as we got to worship with Acton Baptist Church (praise the Lord for believers here that experience the Father's presence and actively engage in telling this community about Jesus). It was a day full of continuing to get adjusted to the time here and get over jet lag; however, it was a day of our team getting out into the community to meet people, and God did some awesome things. We got out of our comfort zones (everyone)--thanking God that He has already pushed us to that point; some even got to share the Gospel; and, others have already lined up second contacts with people they met today. GOD IS AT WORK! Please continue to pray fervently that we will clearly hear the Holy Spirit and that He will guide us into spiritual conversations. Please pray for the people of Acton, where we will be all week (west London). I am going to bed tonight so proud of our team and absolutely pumped to see what God does tomorrow (our 1st really intense day)!

-philip

READ ON TO SEE THE TEAM'S COMMENTS (half of the team each day)...

Today, for me, was still a day of getting to know the area. We walked up and down the streets of Acton and really got used to our surroundings. Since today was Sunday, a lot of shops were only open 11a-5p, and not many people were out. I have noticed that here a lot of things are opposite to what we do in the States, like the driving. They drive crazy! And apparently we don't really have an accent, but I HAVE found myself already slipping into a British accent! The verses I read today that really stood out to me were Romans 3:21-24.

-katrina

Today we were hanging out with our new friend Moses at a local coffee shop, and we got into a conversation with this man who had started singing REAL loud out of nowhere. We plan to meet with him for the rest of the week. Please pray for Alan that God would open his heart and ears to what we have to say.

-coby

Today was very successful. The church service this morning was very eye-opening. The people who were there were very welcoming and not afraid of what others thought of them while they were worshiping. Later, we walked around and started talking to people. Jesseca and I got to have a nice conversation with a man named Winston at an indoor swimming bath (pool). Hopefully, we get to the chance to meet him tomorrow.

-lauren

Today while walking around Acton, we had a chance to familiarize ourselves with the area. I invited a man named Alan to sit with us at Poco Loco, a coffee shop. The man rejected the offer, but we did get into conversation with him for about 20 minutes. Alan was very nice and talked a lot about music. The culture here is very different from ours, and I think today's experience helped us to become familiar with it.

-chris

God opened doors to some good potential, long-term conversations. He also taught me that I need to be more patient in these dialogues a...patient for His lead.

-laurie

CHEERS!

DNow 2011

2011-02-05T17:21:00.005-06:00

God is doing amazing things this weekend in our students lives and around our community. Our God is incredible!!!! Real brokenness among young men who are understanding the power of Christ in living transparent lives is happening. Our Father, who we know cares about the widows, orphans, and least of these around the globe has provided in a HUGE way in our community today to sponsor at least 3 Compassion International children so they can have food, water, shelter, other basic needs, and hear the Gospel of Jesus--true hope. I'll be back soon to tell you more about the weekend...love you guys a ton!

Life's Hardships Require Godly Patience

2010-10-31T00:46:00.003-05:00

James 5 shows the rich Jews oppressing the Jewish Christians of the day by not paying them their wages leading to their deaths because they couldn't afford to provide basic necessities for their families....
***Just a Thought: The world would tell these Christians to take the matter into their own hands and fight back. But, we must remember that Godly wisdom stands completely in opposition to worldly wisdom! We know that, but look at our actions… Mark my words: The world will call us weak cowards. Look at Jesus’ reaction when headed to the cross, carrying the cross, and on the cross.
SILENCE—knowing that God would take care of it!

Arrogance and pride get in the way though…I’m sure this was a huge struggle for these Christians! “I deserve my wages at least.” The only thing we deserve is eternal death because of our sin. It’s only God’s grace that allows us to live, breath, earn money, and do everything else under the sun.

When will we stop just calling ourselves Christians and actually be labeled by others as FOLLOWERS OF JESUS?!!!?

As a follower of Jesus, BE PATIENT in life’s hardships and sufferings!

PATIENCE: 1. Wait on God (Goal: to become mature and complete in our faith)
2. Find Hope in Christ's Return (suffering is temporary)
3. Stand Firm (actively [not passively] wait seeking Christ through it all)

Health Fair Under the Bridge

2010-07-01T10:23:00.001-05:00

Alrighty guys!
I am sure you have seen this on your calenders and because we all have read them throughly and now plan our lives by them I am sure (lol) I am going to let you know what you are getting yourself into.

On July 18th we are going to be going to the underpass of North Main and I-10 in Baytown to minister to the homeless and poor in our area. Bay Area homeless shelter will be assisting us through the entire thing.

The plan is to have multiple stations set up with things that they might not get alot of. Hair cuts, check ups from nurses, pedicures, supplies like toothpaste tooth brushes clothes toys etc., sack lunches,and just being there to listen.

This is where you guys come in. =o)

We'll need people to sign up saying that they are willing or have the skills to...

do haircuts-
wash feet (Jesus did it...)-
pass out clothes and toys-
donate clothes and toys-
make sack lunches-
do health check ups (if there is training)-
give a listening ear-

If you are interested in any of the things listed or have any other ideas just let me know!

I am really excited to see what all God is going to do through your willing hearts and hands.

Remember Matthew 9:36-37
"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. The he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful,but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

CAMP!!!

2010-06-08T15:33:00.003-05:00

Camp is officially less than a week away!!! I am not sure how excited you guys are, but I am extremely pumped! God is going to do some crazy things and in the process let us have a boat load of fun.

Here is the packing list for all of you who forgot to pick it up from the youth room, or conveniently didn't get it in the mail, or didn't answer your phones. You know who you are... =o)

2010 Journey Youth Camp

Highland Lakes

Packing List

YOU MIGHT WANT TO LABEL ALL YOUR THINGS.

**BIBLE** (Make sure your name is in it. If you forget everything else, you will be set with this.)

Note pad/ pen/ pencil

Bedding-- Sleepting bag/ sheets and blankets

Pillow

Towels (Take note that it is plural. You may want one for waterfront AND one for your shower.)

Tennis Shoes

Play Clothes for recreation every day

**Shorts should be finger tip length (no soffes,no white or khaki colored shorts OR shirts. Most games involve water.)

Closed toed shoes required for Rec.

Clothes for nightly worship service (nice but casual clothes... nice shorts are allowed)

**Underwear**

Socks

Pajamas

Swimsuit **NO two-pieces!!! Boys- They don't look good on you. Girls- Wear one-piece or

bring a DARK shirt to wear over**

Soap (Please bathe.)

Shampoo

**Deodorant** (Please... we beseech you.)

Sunscreen

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Medications (Must be turned in to Adult Leader who will turn them into Highland Lakes

medical staff)

Hat and sunglasses (So that you can look fashionable AND protect your skin)

Snacks (if you want them)

Money for snacks and souvenirs (optional)

Money for lunch on the way there AND on the way bakc. (optional... but you WILL get hungry)

As Many canned goods as possible for the Journey Camp Ministry (optional)

Paintball forms and money!!!

We are on the GREEN team with some other churches so bring a lot of GREEN so we can be a big support to the GREEN team!!!!!!!! Be creative with your GREEN but be appropriate!

NO CELL PHONES, Game systems, radios or other electronics

No weapons of ANY sort: knifes, guns,swords (besides the Bible), brass knuckles, etc.

Emergency Numbers:

Highland Lakes Camp (513)264-1777

Philip Lynch (guys leader) (409)673-0647

Kristi Simmons (girls leader) (281)352-8996

Brianna Edwards (girls leader) (832)399-6998

What's New With FHSM!?!

2010-05-19T15:23:00.002-05:00

Well.... For starters, this is Brianna Edwards, the NEW youth intern for the summer. And might I say, I am pretty jazzed about getting to hang out with you guys this summer. It is going to be a crazy, wonderful, life changing, God moving kind of summer.

I have been praying for this youth group for quite some time now. And today marks the 1 week mark in my internship here. So if you have had some random girl calling/annoying you about camp, that was me. For those of you who are unaware, camp is less than a month away. We are going to Highland Lakes Baptist Encampment 30 miles outside of Austin. (I looked it up.) It is going to be an amazing experience, and for those of you who don't get to come with us, you should have picked up the phone. Just kidding. But seriously.

We have a Mission Trip to Elsa, Tx coming up as well as, pool parties, a Health Fair for homeless, ENCOUNTER (featuring an amazing band), a beach trip, hang outs, FREE FOOD, and basically a whole lot of fun.

Even though this summer is going to be packed with alot of fun, it is also going to be packed with life changing experiences. That is why I am here.

Let me share with you a little bit of why I felt called to coming back to Highlands this summer. God is going to move mountains. And He is going to do it through the youth! I am not sure if that pumps you up, but it definitely does for me. He has already started igniting hearts and the passions of this generation and He is not finished.

This summer is all about hearing the call, opening our eyes to those around us, and then using the gifts that God has given us to serve Him. We are called to step out in faith, so this summer, my challenge to youth and adults alike is to explore your comfort zone and then completely trash it. Break down those walls. Don't sit back and use the old excuses of I am too young, or old. Or am too young of a Christian. Or I don't do well meeting new people. Or whatever else we are clever enough to come up with. Those aren't scriptural and require way to much thought and time to think of.

This summer I pray that we all catch the disease of following Christ passionately.

Once again, I am so excited to get to be a part of this amazing Youth Ministry and I hope to meet and grow close to all of you this summer!

God Bless,
Brianna

P.S.- A very colorful calender will be sent out very VERY soon.

What is PRAYER?

2010-04-27T20:59:00.002-05:00

PRAYER? That seems like such an intimidating word...but does it have to be? I hope you make time for ENCOUNTER over the next couple weeks as we will be digging into this idea of prayer and how it can change our lives! I hope to see you there.

Sex Messages

2010-03-08T15:54:00.002-06:00

Well it turns out that I can't post the messages from the last 2 weeks of ENCOUNTER on here (or at least I can't figure out how to do so). Current Message Series: "Sex and Things Related...God's Way!" Week 1--Dating Week 2--God's Word on Sex

Please email me to get a copy of the messages (parents, teenagers, or other adults are all welcome to inquire for a copy of the transcript from these messages). Email me at
plynch@fbc-highlands.org

Sex!...God's Way!

2010-03-06T00:47:00.002-06:00

We just completed week 2 of our 3 week series on "Sex and Things Related...God's Way!" If you haven't been here make sure to catch this coming week of Encounter. We will send out our Africa Team with prayer and support, and we will wrap up our sex series as well as answer some of the questions posed by our teenagers this past week about sex.

The link to this past week's talk will be posted soon right here. Parents and teens please check it out!!!

DNow Registration

2010-01-12T11:18:00.001-06:00

STUDS!

2010-01-09T02:04:00.002-06:00

These guys are crazy!!! Andrew and Nathan downed 2oz of Similac Go and Grow baby formula like it was no big deal. I can't even smell the stuff without almost throwing up much less drink it! Thanks guys for showing us all that you are real men--REAL MEN DRINK BABY FORMULA!

Movie in the Park

2009-11-14T12:22:00.003-06:00

I am so excited about Movie in the Park tonight. We are praying for God to use us however he wishes this evening to impact teenagers' lives for Jesus. I pray that you and I would be bold about talking to people about Jesus. Oh, and did I metion it is going to be a blast. Where else can you go see a movie outside on a 9' x 12' screen for free?!?!

Woah!

2009-10-14T22:48:00.003-05:00

So what kind of conversation do you picture a student minister having with students. Prayer, encouragement, godly conversations....Well check out the conversation I just read a student minister had through text with a student. Too funny! (you know who you are)

Guy Student: I'll be praying for you!

Student Minister (SM): spank you very much mr. friend!

Guy Student: No problem! Spank you for spanking me! :D ha

SM: Dude ur gay!

Guy Student: your gay mann! hey i gotta go to bedd goodnight homo!!

Let me know what you think about this!!! Just thought I would leave you all with something to chew on as I head off to Africa. I am going to miss you guys.

2009-10-07T17:42:00.004-05:00

ENCOUNTER in 45 minutes...heck yes...Please God come on us tonight, and let us experience you and whatever you want for us!!!! Hope to see you all here, friends!Girl of the Week--Allison...what an incredible girl with a great personality!!! if you don't know her, you are missing out on laugh after laugh. We are glad to have you around, Allison.

Dude of the Week--Just because it is Denton's 16th bday...yesterday! Happy bday! Thanks for doing life with us all. We love you.

MAN OF THE WEEK

2009-09-30T16:51:00.001-05:00

Just felt like it was finally time to share this with everyone. By the way, this was supposed to be a DUDE trip. I don't know what happened.

Progressive Youth Rally

2009-07-30T01:17:00.003-05:00

This is going to be a great day of worship with loads of other teenagers from all over the Highlands and Baytown area. Come join us as we travel to 3 different churches for food, fun, fellowship, meeting new friends, worship, and a free concert by Thalon. All this for only $5 at the door when you get to FBCH. We will start at FBC Highlands at 9:30am for breakfast and worship; then (@12pm) we will move to Second Baptist Baytown for lunch, awesome recreation, hanging out, and worship; last, we will travel to FBC Baytown (@5:30pm) for dinner, worship, and then a concert by an awesome band. Check them out @ http://www.myspace.com/thalon

We will be back to FBC Highlands at 11pm to go home. Hope to see you there. You won't regret it!

Summer Xtreme

2009-07-30T01:13:00.002-05:00

Summer Xtreme 2009 has come and gone. It was a blast and we got to see God do incredible things in our midst as 3 teenagers gave their life to Christ during the week and now know God's salvation. How cool!!! Stay tuned for pics to be posted! And of course, we had to bring Trash Can Relay back...what an awesome game!

75!!! 75!!! 75!!! 75!!! 75!!!

2009-05-12T23:09:00.003-05:00

Remember our GOAL for Youth Camp is to bring 75 students with us. We currently have 39 signed up. A long way off our mark, but if each of you bring one teenager with you there is no doubt we will get 75. Studies show that people make more decisions for Christ in their life at Christian camps than anywhere or anytime in their life. So let's pull together to reach our goal and pray that God will change lives! You can be a part of that...1st make sure you're signed up and paid $50 deposit....then go invite some friends!!!

RENT-A-CAMPER will begin this Sunday.

Pumped about camp,
Philip

Journey Youth Camp 2009 Student Registration Form

2009-05-06T17:00:00.015-05:00

Click on the link in the right hand column to view the Student Registration Form. Please print it out and return it to Philip Lynch or First Baptist Highlands' main office (office hours: 8am-5pm, M-F) by June 21. Notice that all forms and camp balance are due by June 21, 2009. If you have questions please feel free to call Philip Lynch at 409-673-0647 (cell). I am pumped about camp and hope all of you and your friends plan to go!!! If you haven't invited someone yet, it's not too late. Help us reach our goal of 75 students. The deadline to sign up and pay the $50 deposit is June 7, and the cost now is $235. But, please do not let money keep you from going. We have a great church who supports our teens to get to camp...so just let Philip know in private and the money will be taken care of. This will be a week that you will not forget!

What If You Knew You Only Had One Month To Live? What Would Be Different About You?

2009-04-10T01:29:00.009-05:00

Week 1: What Matters Most
"Live Like You're Dying"--you are not guaranteed tomorrow...James 4:14

*Make a list of everything you would do if you knew you only had one month to live

Week 2: Deepening the Relationships that Matter Most
"Love Like You've Been Forgiven"--God forgave us first through Jesus Christ

*Make a list of all of your FAULTS
*Make a list of the significant people in your life (those who you would want to spend time with if you only had one month to live)
*Be Characterized by Love
-Tell and show your love through SMALL ACTS

***Clean up any relationships that need cleaning (forgiveness is hard, but you can do it)
-Leave your ring, watch, or shoe on the opposite finger, wrist, or foot as you normally wear it until you talk in hopes to resolve the conflict

Week 3: Leaving a Legacy Mt 7:24-27
*Believe that you are capable of leaving a legacy.
-Are the things you're spending your time on legacy worthy?
*Turn "Someday" into Today
-Cast your legacy vision
-Commit to a legacy of faith
*Acknowledge God Everday

One Month To Live!

2009-03-24T00:37:00.007-05:00

I am super excited about the new series we are starting this Wednesday night at ENCOUNTER. Be sure you will leave with a unique, new perspective on life each week!!! So make plans to be here, and invite as many friends as possible for the next 3 weeks as we realize that we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Also, remember this Sunday, March 29 is our church-wide Beautiful Feet project immediately after morning worship. We will be going out into our community to serve people in the name of Jesus. There is a spot for anyone interested! Be praying that God will use us in huge ways to lead people to his saving grace. Will you be a part of furthering the Gospel this weekend?

Jamaica Beach Mission Trip

2009-03-18T13:04:00.003-05:00

We will be going to Jamaica Beach, TX (on Galveston Island) on our mission trip this summer. June 14-19. There will be an important meeting this Sunday after morning worship in the gym...with lunch provided. I hope you make plans to go share the gospel of Jesus with us this summer.
Kid's VBS
Church Construction
Beach Reach
Teen Outreach

Treasures in Heaven

2009-02-13T13:24:00.005-06:00

Man, are you serious that I should constantly be thinking about and living for God? I am sure some of you left feeling that way after this Wednesday. You see, we spoke about storing up treasures in heaven, but I dare say, some of you don't really know what heavenly treasures are. Or if you do, how do you go about getting them in your life? When we really fix our gaze on God alone; when we are determined to try to bring Him glory in EVERY single thing we ever do, He will develop in us that Kingdom mindset we talked about. So, do you have a Kindom mindset? When, someone in class makes fun of you, do you roll your eyes at them, make a rude comment back, or out of your Kingdom mindset do you think, "I need to go out of my way to show this guy/girl the love of Christ because I know he/she does not know Christ"? When you work really hard to earn some money, do you run off to buy that "thing" that you just have to have (that by the way, will get old and dingy and fade away over time), or out of your Kingdom mindset do you act on your thoughts about the family who has lost everything recently or about the families that are starving spiritually because they do not even have a Bible translated into their language? (http://www.theseedcompany.org/ or straight to http://www.oneverse.org/) What does it mean to have a Kingdom mindset, to you? In America, myself included, we have too much "stuff" we cling to. When will we shift our lifestyles to storing up treasures in heaven and not treasures on this earth. It is our ACTIONS that show where our real treasure is and who or what we are really worshiping/serving in our lives.

Reread Matthew 6:19-24 everyday for 7 days and see what God does in your life!!!

Sorry, the videos have not been posted...I am working on it though.

Philip

MOVEMENT

2009-01-30T21:15:00.004-06:00

DNow was chaos rolled up in a heavenly flour tortilla (the homemade kind). I know that makes no sense. But, throughout the busyness of the weekend God really did some cool things in our midst. To see you all reach the community in different ways through Random Acts of Kindness was humbling...especially to see a special guest come Saturday night. And, to hear and see you worship our Savior and lead others to the cross on Sunday literally took my breath away. I am pumped about the excitement and freshness God has brought to our church through DNow 09, and we are expecting a movement of God to continue. Will you join us in praying for this to truly be a movement of God in your life and other teenagers in our community?

Stay posted and check out the videos that will be up soon from DNow 2009!
I love you guys,
Philip

DNow 2009 Registration Form due January 11

2009-01-11T10:09:00.002-06:00

Click on the form to the left. Print it out. Fill it out and return it to Philip or Claudia in the office ASAP! You can call me (Philip) for questions or to work out getting the form to me: 409-673-0647

DNow 2009--"Revealed"

2009-01-11T10:03:00.004-06:00

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BLAST AND DISCUSS REAL QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE BIBLE! The Bible doesn't have to be scary. Get registered for Disciple Now (DNow) and come learn how you can understand and be changed by God's Word. And, come have tons of fun with us as we go out into the community to serve others and to play a crazy, fun game. All this topped off with a great speaker and band who are geared to you as a teenager.

GET SIGNED UP NOW!!!!!!!

Sold Out Christians in 2009...enough mediocrity!

2008-12-29T15:38:00.005-06:00

It is crazy that 2009 is only 3 days away. Can you believe another year is history? Think back to who you were at the beginning of the year. Now, think about who you are now. Are you spiritually more mature? Are you closer to God or farther away? Do you spend more time with him or less? I have kinda had an unfair advantage as far as growing spiritually this year because I got married so I had no choice but to grow up spiritually. But, I still wish I would have grown to my full potential this year. It is all about EFFORT! Will you put forth the effort in 2009 to grow in Christ? In "big church," yesterday, I talked about active obedience to God, embracing Jesus (falling in love with him), and living out the Word of God. To sum it up, James is telling us to put into practice what we know and learn from the Bible. My prayer for you is that in 2009 you will read God's love letter to you (the Bible) daily, let it change you, and do what it says!

With love in Christ,
Philip

I Can't Believe It

2008-12-13T17:15:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it snowed for 6 hours in Highlands, TX? Yeah, neither can I, but I loved every minute of it. I am sitting in a Starbuck's in Denton, TX (near Dallas) about to head to a wedding, and I couldn't wait any longer to share our ginormous, awesome, cool, best snowman ever with you. This was an hour and a half well worth it. I never knew you could really roll a snowball...so cool! Well here it is--almost as tall as me and definitely a lot larger. In the pic is Philip (me), Lacey, Kristi, and Alan B. I wish you could have been there with us. We should all have another snowball fight sometime soon. What do you think? (Respond and let me know what you think of our snowman and the snowball fight.)

Go The Extra Mile...with humility!

2008-12-05T19:00:00.002-06:00

Gees, I really love hanging out with you guys! It made me happy to have Encounter this week, and I loved every minute of seeing some of you try to drink Root Beer out of baby bottles (I bet you were wondering how babies do it so well...kinda weird huh?) I was also digging that we had two new guys here to attempt the impossible shot...I am ready to give another $20 away! You know, there hasn't been a single Encounter since we started the impossible shot that we haven't had a guest. So keep inviting your friends to the party!
We also looked at Matthew 5:38-42 in a fresh way. If you weren't here you should read it, it is salty (good). In this little paragraph, Jesus really challenges us to go the extra mile and live like a true Jesus-follower. It's not about paying people back for treating us wrong/bad; it's about loving them when everything says we shouldn't. Jesus challenges us to go the extra mile with humility--can you put others before yourself? YES, but WILL YOU?

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-28T19:58:00.003-06:00

I know...I am one day behind on the whole Thanksgiving thing, but I still wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you had a great time stuffing your faces with your family. It has been really nice for me to relax and enjoy the company of my family. Too often, I take them for granted.

I know this is going to be hard for you all to believe, but yesterday morning Lacey and I woke up to run in the Beaumont Turkey Trot. Sounds like fun, huh? Well it was 5k (3.1 mi) of blood, sweat, and tears...ok, maybe just sweat! Our final time is not important though...all that matters is that we finished, right? Haha. While we struggled with the 5k my brother and his wife busted out a 10k and made us feel really bad about ourselves. I hope it motivates us to get in shape!

I hope your Thanksgiving was as eventful and family-filled as ours.

Wow!

2008-11-17T10:28:00.000-06:00

Movie in the Park was a lot of fun, and we had a great turnout for our 1st one ever. I really believe this is because many of you were praying for this event, and we had an incredible team of adults who devoted to praying for Movie in the Park everyday last week. Due to all of the faithful prayer and because of our prayer-answering God, we had 54 teenagers show up and we were able to build connections with 12 unchurched teenagers. If you pitched in to help with Movie in the Park, thank you so much. Your time and effort is so appreciated, and it paid off...God is good!

Now, to change gears a little... (I shared this with a student already, but as I was sending the email I realized I should share it with you all.) I was reading in Acts 14 this morning and it spoke about Paul and Barnabas strengthening and encouraging the disciples in different cities. And as I think, you are disciples of Christ that God has placed in my path so I just want to be an encouragement to you today. Stay strong in your faith. I know it might get boring sometimes and it is really hard to make time for God, but keep holding on. God is using you guys to do awesome things, so keep going, relying on Him for strength, power, and boldness. Many things are going to be hard, but press into Him and keep going. Make time for Your Creator (who is your friend) today! Hope to see you @ Encounter on Wednesday for a crazy, good time!

Moving Forward

2008-11-12T14:46:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that I have been here for nearly 8 months. You know what they say, "Time flies when you're having fun!" God is definitely doing some cool things among us here at First Highlands Student Ministry. Last week we had 7 guests at Encounter and in the month of October 6 teenagers were saved as they received Jesus into their life. That is so awesome! We are also moving forward with our Servant Leadership Team...yah...so you will soon be plugged into the roles you have expressed interest in. You guys are a blast to be around, and it's incredible to see how we are growing closer to God together. I hope you find this blog to be helpful in getting info and letting all your friends see what is going on in FHSM. Maybe it will even become kind of an internet home for you (meaning you are looking at it weekly). We will constantly be adding dates and posts just for you. I love all of you so much, and I could not think of a better place to be in my life right now than spending so much time with all of you guys.

Don't forget about Movie in the Park this Friday @7pm at Stratford Park. It's going to be a blast!!!!

Congrats to Coby Johnson for making the Impossible Shot last week in Encounter and winning $20. Bring your friends and you could also find $$$ in your pocket.

MOVIE IN THE PARK

2008-11-12T11:16:00.000-06:00