“And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all ” (Luke 6:17–19, ESV).
It is an amazing scene, thousands of people from all over Palestine gathered together to touch Jesus. People traveled days to come and touch Christ. Sick people, dying people, possessed people, poor people, and gentiles (heathens) all people who were consider outcast because of their physical and sometimes spiritual condition by the religious leaders of their day. But Jesus saw them differently! Jesus made himself available to those that the religious leaders wanted nothing to do with. What an amazing testimony to the grace of God. But more amazing then the miracles is that before he preached to them all concerning the Kingdom of God it says “power went out from him and healed them all.” The physical healing of thousands of people is miraculous but what God through their healing took away all their excuses. They no longer would be outcasts because of the physical or spiritual (demon possessed) conditions. They no longer had an excuse to be on the outside. Now they were all left with a choice. They must choose for themselves whether or not they will follow Jesus.
I think the church needs to be about removing bearers that keep people from being able to touch Jesus. We must offer physical and spiritual healing that removes excuses. My prayer is that through my actions and words I will help to remove barriers to the cross, so that more people will have the opportunity to make the choice to follow Jesus!
In Christ,
Pastor Steve

Fire By Night – Student Ministries

Dinner & Dessert Auction

An IYC Fundraising Effort

Dear Church Family!

Blessings.  I trust this short note finds you well.

As you know, our students’ next fundraiser is this Saturday, May 15th!  As a valued supporter of student ministries, you are cordially invited to attend a DINNER & DESSERT AUCTION.  Please come and share a delicious meal with our students and enjoy an evening bidding on our church’s most decadent desserts!

Here are the details you need to know to help make this a successful event.

Event: Dinner & Dessert Auction (In addition to the dessert auction, donations will be taken for dinner.  In the past it has been suggested individuals donate $5.00 and families donate $20.00.  Whatever you are able to give, whether less or more, please come and spend an evening supporting our teenagers.

Where: North Cascades Christian Fellowship

Date: Saturday, May 15th

Time: 6:00 p.m.

How Can You Help?

1. Attend and give generously!
2. Make a dessert to be auctioned.
3. Donate spaghetti noodles and pasta sauce.  Donations will be accepted through Friday, May 14th.

For More Information: Please contact Pastor Shon, 360.722.2738

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and
there was light.” (Genesis 1:3, ESV) Words are powerful. With His Words God
spoke the created universe into existence.Jesus, the Messiah, is known as the
Logos, the living Word of God. The Bible, the Word of God is our primary sources
of divine revelation about God, the human condition and mankind’s redemption.
God understands the power of words and chose to communicate to us through them.
We are created in God’s image and our words are powerful. Our words can change
lives. With our words, we can tear down and extinguish hope or build up and give
hope. With our words, we can bring honor and glory to the flesh or honor and
glory to Jesus. With our words, we can share the hope of the Gospel or condemn
others through religious hypocrisy. Words and how we use them are powerful and
will either bring life or death. As James said, “From the same mouth come
blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ”
(James 3:10, ESV) May we use our words bring honor and glory to Jesus and
blessings to our fellow man.

Friends!

I’m writing to you from the center of it all: The Student Ministries Building. It’s where I work.  It’s the place I call my “office.”  My office is unique in that it doesn’t appear to be an office at all and you certainly wouldn’t mistake it for one.  The traditional giveaways just aren’t there.  In my office you won’t find a clearly defined desk, phone, or filing cabinet.  No elevator music either.  Not even a fake, plastic tree.  It’s true, I do admit it.  My workspace is conspicuously void of the traditional trappings of an efficient office.  But that doesn’t mean things are left undone.  Quite the contrary.  Because in my office, what is there more than makes up for what it missing.

In my office students encounter God.  They meet with Jesus.  They fellowship with the Spirit.  In my office you’ll find arms raised in worship; hands folded in prayer.  In my office the Word is spoken.  In my office students make decisions that alter the course of their lives, their city, their country, their world.  Engineers, doctors, beauticians, teachers, carpenters, pastors, and missionaries are all born in my office.  My office is full of dreams.  My office is crammed with hope.  Faith is stacked in the corners, ready to fall over.  You’ll find God’s love thrown all over the place.  It’s a mess.

I love my office just the way it is.  I know that it sounds full, but there is always room for one more.  So why don’t you come in and visit with me for a little while.  I would love to tell you more about what has been happening in my “office!”

Transformation Vs. Transition

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.  Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

Over the past four months, I have often reflected on these verses in regard to student ministries.  More than anything, they speak of transformation.  In his first ever encounter with Jesus, Simon was a changed man.  Essentially, Jesus says to Simon, “If you choose to follow me, three years from now your transformation will be so radical and so complete no one will even remember who Simon is.  Simon, you’re going to need a new name.”

I believe transformation is the best word to describe what is happening in student ministries right now.  Some might be tempted to call it a transition.  But the change is more significant than that.  In a transition, you simply move from one place to another.  Nothing about you is required to change, just your location.  Before departure and after arrival you are the same person.  During transformation, however, something different occurs.  As you travel toward your new destination you discover that you have changed.  You arrive with a new mindset, a new set of beliefs, new values, a new outlook, a new way of relating to the world, a new understanding.  You arrive with a new name.

More than a transition, student ministries is experiencing a major transformation.

Transforming Name Change

Like Simon, student ministries has been given a new name.  Moving forward, we will be known as FIRE BY NIGHT (FXN).  It’s a new name, but it has an old origin: They have already heard that you, O Lord, are with these people and that you, O Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Numbers 14:14).

It’s sad to say and even more gloomy to think about, but our students are living in a dark world.  A good friend of mine who is also a student ministries pastor was recently asked if he believed in hell.  He responded, “Yes.  I see it every day as I walk through the hallways of my middle school and high school.”  Truth be told, it’s not the darkness that bothers me.  It’s the lack of light in our world that is so troubling.  Students just don’t have a lot of bright spots to follow.

That is why I am so drawn to the name FIRE BY NIGHT.  I love the metaphor of God appearing to our teenagers as a pillar of fire to guide and direct their steps.  To shine light upon their path.  To illuminate their way.  And it’s my deepest desire as they learn to follow him they will discover that God can be heard, that he is with them, that he can be seen face to face, that he stays over them, and he goes before them.

Will you please pray with me that God would appear in such a way to our teenagers?

Transforming Small Groups

In November, student ministries underwent another significant transformation.  With the help and undying support of eight adult volunteers FIRE BY NIGHT birthed a weekly small group ministry—four Sr. High groups and two Jr. High groups.  What was a program centered ministry blossomed into a relationally centered ministry.

Small groups are now the midweek focus of FIRE BY NIGHT.  The design is simple: discipleship through relationship.  Most groups are comprised of three elements: (1) Fun—building relationships and trust; (2) Bible Discussion—applying God’s word to student life; and (3) Prayer—learning to hear the voice of God and to pray accordingly.

Students wishing to participate in a small group can contact me to learn who their small group leader is and the day>time>location of their meeting.

Transforming Large Group Gatherings

In addition to small group meetings, FIRE BY NIGHT will continue meeting as a large group once-a-month.  In this setting students will encounter God through worship, prayer, and preaching.  Monthly large group meetings are the venue where I get to share God’s heart for transforming teenagers into passionate worshipers and followers of Jesus.  It’s also the place I can communicate the broader vision of why we exist and what we hope to accomplish through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Meetings will end with a ministry of prayer for students who respond in faith.

Initially, large group gatherings will be held in the youth building (my office!), but our staff anticipates quickly outgrowing that space.  When that occurs we are praying about being able to move our large group gathering to the middle school or high school.

Transforming Sunday Services

FIRE BY NIGHT also offers students a chance to connect with God on Sunday morning (9:30 a.m. in the youth building).  Currently, we are exploring the 21 mega-themes found in the Bible from Creation to The Church.  The purpose behind this guided study is to discover how the story of God intersects the story of student life.

As this portion of our ministry grows, our staff foresees this becoming an independent student worship service, similar to what adults experience during the first and second worship hour.  Please pray “mustard seed” prayers for the growth and expansion of this ministry.

Transforming Campus Presence

My life forever changed when I read, Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matthew 9:35).  What followed I can only describe as a vision in which the Holy Spirit identified my pastoral calling with the ministry of Jesus.  To Teach.  To Preach.  To Heal.

My passion and love for Jesus compels me to go to where the people of God are.  To visit and live in the places where the Gospel needs to be preached.  I honestly don’t believe we will see revival in the Church by sitting back and waiting for the unsaved to come barreling through our doors.  Notice Matthew 9:35 says that Jesus went through all the towns and villages.

In many ways, our schools are like towns and villages.  They are communities were students meet and share life with one another.  School is where students go to perform their “job” of learning.  In the towns and villages of middle school and high school relationships begin and end, food is served, shared, and consumed, hallways are like highways, student governments exercise authority, students rebel against that authority, athletes train and compete before excited crowds of onlookers, and groups of friends form tight knit neighborhoods.

Needless to say, the towns and villages of our schools need to be visited by the presence of Jesus.  They are in need of some great churches to be planted within them.  Since the first of October, I have felt God calling me to establish an on-campus presence at our middle school and high school.  I hope to accomplish two things.  First, without any specific agenda in mind, I want to bless our administrators, staff, and students.  In this capacity I hope to spend a morning or afternoon each week and at each campus volunteering my time wherever the greatest need exists.  Second, I’m praying for on-campus opportunities to build relationships with students.  I’m hoping for unstructured time to encourage, strengthen, and guide students into the loving arms of the Father who made them, the Son who saved them, and the Spirit who desires to change them.

None of this, of course, will happen without a significant amount of prayer and anointing.  Please pray that I would receive divine favor among those who have been given authority over our schools; that they would give me keys to doors that have remained locked for far too many years.

Transforming Community Service

FIRE BY NIGHT believes that students have the capacity to change the world through sacrificial giving and service.  That’s why we sponsor and participate in events like World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine.  FXN is also looking into a program called A Trashcan Can Make A Difference.  We hope to see this program take off in our schools as well.  Here’s a little bit more information courtesy of just4one.org:

In our culture, the trashcan is where we collect our refuse—those unwanted and unclean items that we want to be rid of. For many however, the trashcan represents life—a medium through which daily sustenance is found. In the spirit of the ancient practice of gleaning, in which the leftover crops at the edges of farmers’ fields were left for the poor and the stranger, we’ve reclaimed the trashcan as symbol of hope and given birth to a new initiative: A Trashcan Can Make a Difference (TCMD).

TCMD is a collaborative redistribution effort that uses trashcans for the collection of new goods for those in need. The items collected are then specifically distributed to those in need through partnerships we’ve developed with other local non-profit organizations. TCMD is continually growing through franchise activism—that is, a growing network of concerned individuals, families, businesses, groups, churches and schools collaborating autonomously to host a trashcan in various locales, providing those communities with a visual reminder and an opportunity to embrace the values of generosity, social concern and cooperative living.

Transforming Future

Okay, this is where I take a huge breath . . . and begin praying for a lot of strength.  That’s a fairly ambitious agenda.  But I believe it’s possible for all of it to be accomplished and realized.  We have faith in a God who can do immeasurably more than what we can even ask for or imagine!

But, that’s not all.  Beyond what I have already described, here are a couple of other things FIRE BY NIGHT is looking forward to:

Rekindle: An early, Monday morning gathering over coffee and espresso designed to help students reengage spiritually before the school week begins.

IYC 2010: International Youth Conference.  July 12-17 in San Diego, CA.  $395 plus travel and incidental expenses.  Open to students going into the 9^th grade through graduating seniors.

30HF: World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine.  February 19-20 at Warm Beach Free Methodist Church.

Logo: Graphic designer Patrick Hardy of Pixel Fresh Studios (Redding, CA) is designing a professional logo for our group to use.  It will be exciting to have some branding that uniquely identifies our group.

Transforming Gratitude

Thanks for spending some time to visit with me for a few moments.  It was a pleasure taking you on a quick tour of my office.  I hope you have a better understanding of who our students are longing to become and what they desire to accomplish.  In addition, I appreciate so much your kind words of support.  I think students and staff alike feel your generosity and sense your genuine desire to see this ministry succeed.  We especially thank you for your prayers.

I would also like to express my appreciation to our FXN small group leaders.  Clay, Cassa, Amy, Brent, Emily, Rob, Delicia, and Christina you folks are amazing.  It is an incredible honor and privilege to share this ministry with you.  Thanks for every moment you spend on behalf of our students.  You are literally changing the face of this generation.

My gratitude also goes out to Pastor Steve Fish who has championed this ministry from the beginning and lends the full weight of our church resources to support FIRE BY NIGHT.

To the pastoral staff, thank you for your encouragement and help.  I am blessed to work by your side.

To the B.O.A., administrative and office staff, and the leadership committees that keep this church vibrant and alive, I thank you for your dedication and hours of service.  It means so much to me how you prioritize student ministry.

Peace,

shon bentley

pastor of student ministries

Photo by Andrew Poole

In our world today there seems to be a lot of confusion about the “church”?  Some say the church is any gathering of believers. Some say that the concept of the local church is unbiblical, and still others say that the only church is the Catholic Church. George Barna in his book “revolution” shares a story of two guys playing golf on a Sunday morning and as they play they talk about spiritual things, creation, and discuss the Bible… from what I gather George Barna calls that church. I’m not sure I agree with that assumption. I think as believers we should be able to answer the question “what is a church?” In the New Testament the church is referred to in three distinct ways. First is the “Church Universal.” That is the entire body of Christ made up of every born again believer. The church universal stretches across time and geography and links every believer together with each other and Christ. Ephesians 4:4.

The second way the church is referred to in the New Testament is geographically such as the Church in Corinth or Jerusalem. We still refer to the church this way today as we talk about the church in America, the African Church or the Church in China. When we make statements like that we realize there are many local churches in a geographical area and that they are all part of the church universal. We see examples of this in passages like Acts 11:22 and many of the epistles were written to the church of a geographical area

The third way the church is referred to in scripture is at the local level. In passages like 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15 Paul refers to local congregations I think there is very little confusion on the first two definitions of church but there seems to be some confusion on what constitutes a local church John Piper defines a local church like this: “a local church is a group of baptized believers who meet regularly to worship God through Jesus Christ, to be exhorted from the Word of God, and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper under the guidance of duly appointed leaders.”

In my study and understanding of scripture a local church must have the following 4 things to be considered a church:

1. It must consist of a community of believers who have made a public confession of faith who gather for worship and teaching. Matthew 28:19, John 1:12-13, Acts 2:47 & Romans 15:6-7
2. It must have appointed leaders who preach the Word. Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy, Titus
3. It must of the sacraments of Communion and Baptism. Luke 22:19,1 Cor. 11:24, Mathew 28:19
4. It must exercise church discipline. Mathew 16:19; 18:18, 1Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:13; 1Corinthians 11:34; Titus 1:5; 1Timothy 5:20; 2Timothy 4:2; 1Corinthians 5:3-5,13; 1Timothy 1:20; Hebrews 13:17; 2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10

If a group of christians claims to be a “church” but do not meet those four criteria I’m not sure that they are a Biblical church. They might be a ministry, a small group, a Bible study but they are not a church.

Why is it important to define “church”? Because in our postmodern world many Christians are buying into the idea that hanging out with Christians on the golf course, meeting up for a beer after work, or talking in a chat room constitutes being a “local church.” The “local church” is an important part of our faith. We are called to live out our faith and community and not to forsake the gathering of the saints but the sad thing is many believers are missing  out on the blessing of being in biblical community.

We celebrated new life together and wanted to share the delight with you! Be sure to join us next summer for our annual Church Campout!

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17

Let me begin this devotional by saying that I DO NOT think that we are saved by doing works. I know that we are saved by grace, BUT I also think that when you have the Holy Spirit residing in you, you will have the DESIRE to search out and do things to serve the body and further the Gospel of Christ. Otherwise, as James put it, “faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.”

Often times we will see someone in need and say something to them that fits the standard “church” answer (you know the right words to say or prayers to pray), but you don’t actually do anything about it. Has that person’s situation changed? No! You have to take action. This is demonstrated in James 2:15-16: “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” Is that brother or sister any less naked or hungry when you have left them? No! You would have to take action for that to change. Sometimes words are just not enough. As the saying goes: “If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk.”

As Christians, we have been given the command to help others, and we are reminded of this in several places of the Bible. Just a couple of those examples are: Galatians 6:10 ^“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” and Mathew 25:40 “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

So, don’t be a Christian full of kind words and good intentions with no action to back it up. As the saying goes: “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

Photo By Ben McLeod

What actions can you take today to liven up your faith?

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” John 13:14-15 (ESV)

Poto by Rick Miller

As a parent (or someone who has worked with children), you probably know how VERY important you are in influencing your child’s actions, words and behaviors. I remember when my sister had her first child, she would hear her daughter say things and wonder “Where does she get that from?” Later on she’d catch herself saying the exact words she’d heard her daughter say earlier!! She hadn’t realized that her daughter was simply mimicking the example that she was given!

We, as children of God, have the benefit of having the perfect example to look to and learn from. Not only that, but His examples are recorded in a book so we can go back and study it and learn from them again and again! (It’s called the Bible, in case you didn’t catch that).

Instead of looking to our peers or the culture or the media to get an idea of what actions, words and/or behavior we should live by, we should be looking to the Word of God. John 13:14-15 says “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” I think that you can take out the “washed your feet” part and add a blank line (“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have ___________, you also ought to ______________.”). You could fill in so many other things Jesus did: shown mercy, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, loved the lost, shown grace and compassion, served the undeserving, ate with sinners, loved the children, shown forgiveness, and on and on and on! If our Lord and Teacher has done these things, then we also ought to do these things!!

Jesus was not the type to sit around and see what others could do for Him. He went out and did things Himself! So should we. Don’t just sit in church and wonder what you’re going to be able to TAKE. You need to get out there and do a little GIVING! Opportunities are out there to serve in the church and follow the most excellent example we have been given. But YOU have to take the first step. Get involved.

Cassa Wing

Photo By Laracee

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

You always hear people say that “the children are our future.” I would say that most people believe this to be true. It makes sense, right? As each generation gets older and eventually succumbs to the natural progression of death, the next generation takes the place of the last in all areas: having families, in work, and in continuing cultural traditions and religious faith.

You see children being trained or taught from the moment they’re born- how to walk and talk and read and write and thrive in all areas of life. Parents have such an instrumental part of this training! Studies have shown that the most influential people in a child’s life are her parents (this is true, even if the child does not act like it is true!). The next most influential person in your child’s is her teacher. As a Christian, this can include who is teaching/training your child about their faith. This also includes you (as the parent), as well as their Sunday School teacher or pastor.

The vast majority of people who ask Jesus into their heart do so as a pre-teen child. One study I found stated that “a person who is unsaved at the age of 14 has only a 10% chance of being ‘saved’ later in life” (www.religioustolerance.org). This is why it’s so important to get involved and at least try to plant a seed in the lives of children that we see around us. This is also why Northern Peaks has made kids one of the top priorities of our church.

Many kids get their only religious training on Sunday mornings in Sunday School, taught by volunteers from the congregation. Unfortunately, these volunteers are very few and far between. I think that some people hear the word “teach” and get freaked out. They think “I can’t teach. I don’t know how. I haven’t been trained to teach kids. I don’t know enough to teach.” and other such thoughts. What these people don’t realize however, is that so much of teaching a child is by what you do, not so much about what you say or how your lesson plan goes. The best way to teach is by example, through stories, through involvement, and by showing how to love, share, and care.

Christian parents also have a responsibility to be training their child at home, not just leaving that responsibility to the teachers at church. It is important to share your faith with your children, so that when they leave the influence of your homes, they will have formed a habit — that of taking time daily to talk to God in prayer and meditating on His Word. You are the Christian leaders of your household, and you need to train your child well so that they may become the Christian leader of their own home when the time comes.

We all have an awesome responsibility — and a great privilege — to deliver God’s message to the next generations, to make sure that the great circle God began when He sent his treasured Son to us as a little babe at Bethlehem is unbroken. And when I say all, I mean all. Just because your kids may be up and out of the house, does not mean that your “job is done.” Some of my fondest memories are of older folks spending time with me:my grandma teaching me how to make a latch hook rug, my Sunday School teacher that was such an awesome story teller, our church piano player that I turned pages for while the choir sang, our elderly pastor that came out during youth group to play volleyball with us, and that one older lady from church that was the only person (other than my mom) that could get me to stop crying as a colicky infant (that one is a fond memory of my mom’s, I don’t remember it at all, but my mom loved coming to church Sunday morning to pass me off to that lady so her arms could get a rest!).

There are so many ways to touch the lives of our kids- teach a class at church, be a helper in a class, get involved with the nursery, volunteer at AWANA or VBS, give some individual time and attention to a child that you know in the community, teach the girls how to bake or sew, teach the boys how to chop woodor shoot a basket, etc. I don’t know what you specifically could do to touch the life of a child, but whatever it is– do it! Invest in the future now by “training up a child in the way he should go.”

Cassa Wing

Children’s Ministry Director

Northern Peaks Christian Fellowship