At EPIC we finished our Directions series with a look at finding and developing our spiritual gifts.  We handed each of our students a simple test.  You can take a look at the test here: Spiritual Gift Test

We looked at the importance of our gifts and why we should use them using 1 Corinthians 12 as our base.

We ended our High School time by brainstorming practical ways we can implement and use our spiritual gifts.

My prayer is that we not only know what our gifts are but we also know how to use them to bring glory to God!!

This whole series stemmed from a "town hall meeting" we had with our high school students.  You can read about it here: Next Three Steps of EPIC

We had a phenomenal leader’s meeting last weekend with our AMAZING EPIC leaders.  I through out a quick question to them all.  What would you like to see EPIC accomplish this year (school year) and how can we do that? 

Here are their responses to the first part of that question:

• Connect the Unconnected.  We have a lot of students that are a part of Grace Point but not connected to the student ministry.  We want to simply make sure that they know we are here and if need anything we are desirous to help.
• Build Bridges.  Since our ministry hits 6th graders through 12th graders we feel we need to keep them separate for most of the time.  We have found though that they enjoy getting together occasionally.  We feel it is important to keep them separate for most of the time but also see the value of partnering up with activities.

• Think & Live "Outside the Box".  To use a Erwin McManus phrase, "we (as a church) have a choice, to either be a movement or a monument."  Often we choose the latter, and yet God setup the Church to be a movement.  We must not only THINK "outside the box" (our church walls) but also LIVE there as well.  We are desperately trying to figure out what that looks like and how we accomplish that.
• Become a True Spiritual Family.  Another thing we often forget is that God has created the Church to be a FAMILY–a living, breathing FAMILY.  We accomplish this by learning how to 1) love, 2) care and 3) value one another.  If we don’t work together and love one another then we will never be effective in reaching others.

We are still working toward figuring out the second part to our question, "how can we do that?"  But I am very confident that I have the most amazing team of leaders in the world and that together, this will be one of the most impacting years of EPIC.

There are a few posts I don’t dare miss a daily visit to.  Tonymorganlive.com is one of them. 

If you are a leader this is a site you need to bookmark.  Here is a recent post about parenting his first teen child that I thought would be great for all parents:

"Emily has been reading several books on parenting teenagers. She’s not doing that because we’re having trouble parenting our teenager. She’s reading these books because we’re parenting our first of four teenagers and we’d like to get it right the first time. It’s led to some great conversations between Emily and me and with our teenage daughter.

Part of the coaching that has been consistent in each of these books is the recommendation to “seek advice from a friend, counselor or a pastor.” Being a pastor, let me just say that’s about the stupidest advice a book could provide. Good counsel doesn’t come with position. Good counsel comes with experience. And, frankly, I know very few pastors that have successfully raised teenagers.

If you need advice, first ask the question who has walked through this same situation and come out the other side in a healthy position? Personally, I try to find coaching/counsel that’s coming out of a person’s success rather than a title behind their name.

Also, this should be an encouragement to folks that are struggling with specific issues in their lives. I have friends who are dealing with parenting, weight, sleep, financial, career challenges, etc. There are days right now where you’re probably thinking, “I wish this problem would just go away.” The reality is that you are walking through an experience that will ultimately put you in a better position to help others take their next steps toward Christ.

By the way, this same advice applies to personal challenges and ministry challenges. Just because a church is bigger than yours or more well-known than yours doesn’t mean their leaders are the best folks to give counsel.

What’s your specific challenge? Who has successfully walked through that challenge? Talk to that person."

These are actual reports on the Sheriff’s Log in Brown County Indiana (where I grew up).  I loved getting the paper each week just to read this section.  I hope to post these regularly as the come out every Wednesday.

August 11

8:58 a.m. 911 caller says a 56-year-old woman fainted.

11:25 a.m. Becks Grove Road caller needs an officer for a report of mailbox destruction.

5:22 p.m. A man says that an officer was harassing tenants earlier in the day.

7:13 p.m. There is a vehicle in the middle of the roadway on Christiansburg Road with the flashers on and no driver in sight.

8:05 p.m. There has been a drive off from a gas station on State Road 135 North.

August 12

10:42 a.m. A vehicle is weaving all over the roadway on State Road 135 North.

11:06 a.m. There has been an accident between a car and a deer on Harrison Ridge Road.

1:53 p.m. An elementary school needs an office for a report regarding a missing piece of their picnic table.

6:59 p.m. Parker Road caller needs an officer. Someone is trying to repossess her son’s car but has no paperwork.

8:30 p.m. Caller wants officers to do extra patrols at a business in Nashville because of threats by the owners.

10:36 p.m. A woman on Harrison Ridge Road says her mom refuses to give her her child.

August 13

6:45 a.m. Vaught Road caller needs an officer for an accident report. They had a collision with an animal.

8:56 a.m. Government office in Nashville says a female has fallen and hit her head.

10:31 a.m. A caller on Albert Johnson Road needs an ambulance for an 86-year-old man with congestive heart failure.

5:21 p.m. A cell phone caller says some possibly intoxicated individuals are trying to pull a vehicle out of an embankment on Skinner Road.

7:16 p.m. There is a report of a vehicle in the parking lot for a local business and it looks like the female behind the wheel is on something.

7:47 p.m. There is an out of control driver at Dobbs Cemetery and Nelson Ridge roads.

8:37 p.m. Caller on Keith Donaldson Road says her 13-year-old son was riding his bike and a man grabbed him around the neck.

August 14

11:38 a.m. A woman called regarding a man stealing from her bank account.

2:27 p.m. There is a report of a suspicious vehicle on State Road 135 South possibly dumping trash.

8:12 p.m. Two juveniles are shooting a BB gun at vehicles in Helmsburg.

9:02 p.m. A man on Deer Trails says his ankle bracelet broke.

11:29 p.m. A caller on Wells Drive says there is ooey-gooey stuff coming out of a female.

August 15

7:34 a.m. There is a fight involving a knife on Nelson Ridge Road.

10:11 a.m. A truck has been stolen from a business on State Road 135 North.

1:03 p.m. Three teenage boys are behind a building in town smoking marijuana.

3:15 p.m. A person has fallen outside of a business in Nashville and needs medical attention.

9:35 p.m. 911 caller says that two males are lying in the road on State Road 45. They had to swerve to avoid them.

11:25 p.m. Wells Drive caller is complaining of abdominal pain and shortness of breath.

August 16

3:30 a.m. Bluebird Trail caller says that there is exceedingly loud music being played in the Carmel Ridge area.

4:46 a.m. There is another noise complaint from a caller on State Road 45. The music is on Railroad Road.

10:11 a.m. A man says his 2 1/2-year-old son is jumping on an unguarded and unsupervised trampoline on State Road 135 South.

3:32 p.m. A transformer is smoking in a yard on Coffey Hill Road.

5:46 p.m. Bell Road man says a vehicle has driven through his barn and is still in his barn.

9:35 p.m. There is a 32-year-old female possibly having a stroke in the State Park.

August 17

11:10 a.m. Multiple callers request an ambulance in the state park to assist a 56-year-old female who has fallen off of a horse.

11:36 a.m. Center Lake Road resident reports a dog bite.

11:41 a.m. An ambulance is needed for an 8-year-old boy with numerous bee stings at Strahl Lake.

11:51 a.m. There is an accident with property damage on State Road 46 West involving an inverted vehicle.

6 p.m. A business in Nashville says that a 42-year-old female is having an allergic reaction.

10:23 p.m. A caller from State Road 46 East needs an ambulance for a 17-year-old male that is unconscious.

Just read that scientist believe an octopus can be right or left handed. Stupid scientists–an octopus doesn’t have hands!!!!