by ChaseSnyder | Mar 23, 2018 | Discipleship, Top Posts
I attended a Christian university for my schooling. It was a great place to learn more about the Bible and explore the deeper truths of what it meant to live out my faith as a Jesus-follower.
One realization I had early on in my college career is that Christian universities are hot spots for theological debates. Know-It-All teenagers and in-class discussions only fuel the fire for emotional debates!
Some students and professors were quick to debate about theology, the person of Jesus, the church’s impact on history, and leadership styles that work best in the non-profit world.
I’m not going to lie, I love a good debate! My inner redneck loves seeing a battle of any kind!
In class I was the instigator who would get two or more people passionate about a topic and sit back and enjoy the fireworks!
These debates were supposed to be based on what the Bible had to say about a certain topic. But inevitably, some well meaning student would be emotionally attached to his viewpoint but couldn’t figure out where, or if, his point was backed up by Scripture.
He would finally blurt out, “I just don’t think God would ____ (insert whatever argument he was making)!”
After a moment of silence the professor would kindly say, “Well, thanks for telling us what you think, but can we stick to what the Bible says?”
Even though I’m out of college, I still hear these words spoken by people inside and outside of the church.
“I don’t think God would______”
These statements are killing your theology (and witness):
“I don’t think that God would ______”
“I feel like God ________”
Why are these statements so dangerous and misleading? Simply put, our thoughts and feelings don’t measure up to the authority and power of God’s Word.
Our theology, the study and understanding of God, can get majorly skewed when we base our understanding on our emotions and opinions. Ultimately, what we believe about God shapes how we live. If our understanding is based on assumptions, opinions, or emotions, we run the risk of building our lives on a foundation of sand. We will never apply the Bible if we don’t know the Bible.
Jesus said,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24
Why do some people default to saying, “I feel like God _____”? I believe there are two potential answers:
[bctt tweet=”Ultimately, what we believe about God shapes how we live. If our understanding is based on assumptions, opinions, or emotions, we run the risk of building our lives on a foundation of sand.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
“Um… I know that passage is somewhere in the Bible…”
First, I see that some people have the correct theological understanding, but they don’t know where that teaching is in the Bible. The Bible is alive and sharper than a double-edge sword (Hebrews 4:12). It is literally the words of God and is more powerful than our opinions or hopes. It is vitally important to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Some who are growing in their faith may understand a biblical truth but are unable to cite where it is taught in scripture. May we all continue to increase in our understanding and application of the Bible so that we build our lives on the bedrock of Jesus’ truth.
Simply Uneducated
Secondly, others are simply ignorant about what the Bible teaches. I don’t mean to use the word “ignorant” in a degrading way. Some people are uneducated as to what the Bible teaches, who Jesus is, and what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus. Phrases like, “God helps those who help themselves,” “We are all God’s children,” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle” exist because some would rather talk about what they hope the Bible teaches rather than studying what it actually says. Forming our understanding about God based on our hopes won’t get us closer to Jesus. In fact, it will lead us further away from the Truth.
(By the way, in the coming weeks I am going to post about many common phrases that aren’t actually in the Bible.)
[bctt tweet=”Forming our understanding about God based on our hopes won’t get us closer to Jesus, in fact, it will lead us further away from the Truth. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Now What?
I challenge you to take a look at your language this week and see if you are quick to say “I feel like God would____” or “I think that God would_____.”
These statements, and others like them, may be a sign that you need to bring some biblical truth to your conversations. Perhaps you are studying the Bible but you forget to explain that what you believe is rooted in the unchanging Word of God.
Maybe you use these phrases because you are unsure about what the Bible teaches. Do you struggle to read the Bible and apply truth to your life?
All of us have experienced this. The Bible can be difficult to begin reading if you don’t have a plan or guide to help you read, study, and apply the passage.
If you struggle reading and applying the Bible, check out these two new resources, Rooted and Redeemed.
These are 90-day Bible study and prayer journals that list three daily questions for you to answer as you read the Bible. The journals offer the same questions in different styles.
The best part is that you can download the PDF of Rooted for FREE forever. Simply subscribe to the blog with the form below. There is also a free 21-Day Bible Reading Plan to get you started with a daily discipline of studying the Bible.
If printing isn’t your thing, you can pick up a copy of Rooted and Redeemed online on Amazon.
by ChaseSnyder | Feb 12, 2018 | Discipleship, Top Posts
How do you keep your fire for Jesus burning after an event?
One Saturday evening not too long ago, Molly decided her life would never be the same. For the first time, she was truly excited about God.
During an amazing weekend, Jesus seemed to be closer to her than ever before.
- She finally felt God’s love for her.
- She let go of her guilt over past decisions and embraced what Jesus did for her.
- She developed new friendships with strong Christians.
When she headed home, she was ready to make drastic changes in her life, friendships, and habits. But by midweek, she felt herself slipping away from Jesus.
Once full of hope and excitement about what Jesus could do in her life, Molly has now settled back into her old habits and friendships. She knows life can be different, but she has lost her excitement for God.
Have you ever met someone like Molly?
Perhaps you have had the same experience as Molly – during an event you experienced God like never before, but shortly after your passion seemed to slip away.
How To Keep Your Fire For Jesus Burning After DNow
Retreats, DNows, summer camps, and events are great at sparking spiritual growth, but there must be a plan to fuel your passion when you return home.
- Discipleship is ongoing.
- Spiritual growth requires daily investment.
- Developing spiritual disciplines takes intentionality.
The bottom line: Event based discipleship does not develop disciples.
[bctt tweet=”Event based discipleship does not develop disciples.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
From my vantage point as a pastor and former staff member at a Christian camp and retreat facility, I have seen tens of thousands of people draw near to Jesus.
My hope and prayer is that those same people will continue to draw near to God when they step back into their day-to-day lives.
Four Essential Habits to Stoke Your Fire For Jesus After an Event
Maintain Community with Believers
Events force you to journey with other people who are actually seeking Jesus. If you want to maintain your closeness with God when you return to your normal life, you’ve got to make friends with others who want to do the same.
How many people in your close circle of friends are excited about God?
Maintain a Spirit of Worship
When I worked at a camp, I did a lot of mundane and seemingly unspiritual things every day. I mowed fields, used a weed eater for hours, gathered supplies, and did safety checks. But I was also continually reminded that by doing all of those things, kids would be able to hear about Jesus. That allowed me to take an attitude of worship into tasks that were not directly related to sharing about Jesus.
How can you develop a lifestyle of worship in your workplace, class, or family?
Maintain Daily Spiritual Disciplines
Events have Bible study time scheduled for you. Your typical schedule is not that kind. Everything and everybody wants your time. You have to make time for prayer, Bible study, worship, and service.
What spiritual discipline comes to mind as your biggest struggle? What steps can you take to change?
Maintain a “God is Going to Show Up” Mentality
For someone who is already a Christian, you usually go to a retreat knowing that God is going to do something. Significant time, money, energy, and planning go into every aspect of the event – it is structured to allow the time and space for participants to practice spiritual disciplines, be surrounded by people who also want to grow closer to God, and bring worship to God.
Do you usually approach life hopeful and expectant for God to work in you and use you?
[bctt tweet=”Retreats are only one aspect of your journey with Jesus. You must daily draw near to Jesus.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Stoked: 6 Questions To Fuel Your Fire For Jesus
Because of my work with thousand who have attended camps, retreats, and events, I knew that I had to encourage people to stoke their passion for Jesus in their day-to-day lives.
That’s when I began working on STOKED: 6 Questions To Fuel Your Fire For Jesus.
Stoking your fire for Jesus is easier than you think. These six simple questions will enable your passion to burn brighter for the glory of Jesus.
Purchase it now on Amazon.
by ChaseSnyder | Aug 23, 2017 | Discipleship, Top Posts
During my time in ministry I have had the privilege of seeing hundreds of high school students make the transition to college. While many have succeed in their pursuit of Jesus and a college degree, college has been a dark time of regret for others.
I’m not looking to add to the cliché statements about starting a new chapter in your life book, but I do want to offer some advice as you head into a new phase of life.
I believe college is a perfect opportunity for you to grow as a disciple of Jesus, to see how you have been wired to make a difference in this world, to build friendships that will shape your personality, and to serve God like never before.
Be intentional with your time and your pursuit of Jesus and your college years will be lived for the glory of God.
[bctt tweet=”College is a perfect opportunity for you to grow as a disciple of Jesus.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
6 Things Every College Freshman Needs To Hear
1. Following Jesus Is The Most Important Part Of College
As you step into your first class you will feel the pressure to believe your grades are the most important part of college.
This is not true.
Following Jesus is the most important part of every phase of life.
Yes, your education is important, after all, you are spending tens of thousands of dollars on this degree each year. But anything that hinders your pursuit of Jesus (even the pursuit of a college degree) is not God honoring.
Your worth is found in Jesus, not your degree.
Don’t miss out on opportunities to serve God while you are in college.
[bctt tweet=”Your worth is found in Jesus, not your degree.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
2. Choose Your Friends Carefully
Newsflash, your friends will change from high school to college. Some of you will be horrified that some friends won’t last through adulthood, but others will rejoice at the opportunity to start over!
Here is one thing you need to know early on in college: drama is forever.
The notion that high school is too dramatic and somehow college will be more chill is naïve. The world is full of drama. You will have to learn how to navigate interpersonal problems.
But the best way is to limit the drama is to carefully choose your friend group.
[bctt tweet=”But the best way is to limit the drama is to carefully choose your friend group.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
3. Get Connected to a Church, Not Just a Group of Christians
Small groups of Christians do not replace the need for a biblically based church.
Christians need to be connected to a local church to benefit themselves and the church community.
Joining a campus ministry or non-profit is not the same as worshipping at a local church.
Don’t get me wrong, campus ministries are incredible – they simply aren’t a church.
(And a group of friends who listen to a Matt Chandler sermon together as their “church” isn’t a church either.)
You need to be a part of a biblically based community of believers. If you have been burned by church, I’m sorry for your negative experience, but don’t give up on the church because of a negative experience.
There are thousands of churches with different styles, traditions, and formats for you to visit and pray about joining.
4. Start Somewhere And Do Something
Deciding on a major doesn’t have to result from God writing out the perfect choice in neon lights for you. In fact, few of your life decisions will be clear.
If you are daily in the Word and prayer, it may really be as simple as “What am I good at and what do I like to do?”
Our communities need more teachers, government workers, doctors, and mechanics who are strong Christians.
Make the jump and prayerfully pursue a practical faith. Once you jump it is incredible to see how God starts to reveal how you are wired.
5. The Price Tag On Your Bad Decisions Increases With Age
The older you get, the higher the price tag on your bad decisions. This is a concept I heard from Brandon Conner, senior pastor at Mosaic Church in Gulf Coast, Mississippi.
As an adult, your decisions hold more weight.
College is a phase of life where people believe that you should live in complete autonomy, but nothing is further from the truth. You need more accountability, wisdom, and encouragement as you mature.
Don’t make the mistake of trying to walk through life on your own. Sooner or later, you will make a horrible decision that may cost you more than you could imagine.
Be proactive in the decision making process by inviting others into the conversation before you make a decision. This is what mature adults do.
6. Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable
Resist the urge to go to class, go home, study, and then repeat.
College is a unique time when you get to do stuff that is difficult once you have a full-time job and family.
Run triathlons, travel the world, do a summer-long mission trip overseas, spend time drinking coffee late at night with friends.
You will have more free time over the next four years than any other time in your life. Don’t waste four years on Netflix.
Even worse, don’t waste four years being self-centered. How can you make a difference in your community and around the world?
Redeem your time and do something to further the Gospel of Jesus.
[bctt tweet=”Don’t waste four years being self-centered.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
by ChaseSnyder | Jun 4, 2017 | Leadership, Ministry, Top Posts
A fire needs three things to burn: fuel, oxygen, and a spark.
If you remove any of these three a fire will quickly burn out.
I have done plenty of camping in my lifetime. Living in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park makes camping a natural part of life for my family. On top of camping, I worked at a Christian camp for over a decade. A safe estimation is that I made two campfires per week for groups and retreats for ten years – that is over a thousand campfires I built, lit, and stoked! Just imagine what I would have been capable of if I attended more than one Boy Scout meeting in elementary school.
While I build significantly less fires as a pastor, part of my role is to stoke spiritual fires in people’s lives.
- We create worship environments.
- We prepare lessons for small groups.
- We counsel families during crises.
- We leverage events to reach outsiders.
But for many of us we realize that in the midst of stoking everyone else’s spiritual fires we neglect to stoke our own. We start to burnout while we are busy stoking fires.
Martha is our spirit animal. We become so busy doing ministry and ensuring our congregation doesn’t miss Jesus that we fail to sit with Him on a daily basis. We literally miss out on the Jesus we are proclaiming to everyone else.
[Read: 3 Signs You Are Losing Your Passion For Serving]
The desire to serve others has left many church leaders with busy hands and passionless hearts. Some of us go as far as Martha and complain when others aren’t helping us with a noble task and we lead those people away from the essential, which is Jesus.(Read Luke 10: 41-42) Our concern for many things can easily draw us away from choosing what is of utmost importance – desiring Jesus.
Apart from Jesus’ sacrifice, service is meaningless. Ministry leaders who serve without sitting at Jesus’ feet are ministering in vain.
In an effort to stoke other’s spiritual fires we neglect to tend to our own. Obviously I’m not telling you that you should stop serving others – this is unbiblical and self-centered. I’m simply reminding you that you can’t neglect your relationship with Jesus.
[bctt tweet=”In an effort to stoke other’s spiritual fires we neglect to tend to our own.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
While a fire needs three elements to burn your soul needs three components to avoid burnout:
- Worship
- Spiritual Disciplines
- Community
[bctt tweet=”The desire to serve others has left many church leaders with busy hands and passionless hearts.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Stoke Your Spiritual Fire
Worship
Being in awe of Jesus. More than worship music – this is about being in awe of Jesus and living a spirit-lead life full of prayer, repentance, and the Gospel. It is a reminder that Jesus is greater, our sins are forgiven, and our calling has been laid before us.
Spiritual Disciplines
Don’t pass over this like you have perfected your spiritual state. How are your spiritual disciplines going? We know that spiritual disciplines are essential for our specification and maturation process. Do you feel hypocritical teaching about the importance of spending time with God because you are unable to clear your calendar and prioritize Jesus in your own life?
Community
A fire left alone will burn out. Are you alone during this season of ministry? And you know that your spouse doesn’t count as being the totality of your community… Who are the people speaking into your life? Who is encouraging you? Who is telling you the truth, even when you want to avoid it? Who is discipling you?
[Read: 16 Ministry Quotes That Will Encourage You To Keep Serving]
Slow down before you rush over these three elements to address an issue or prepare for your next teaching lesson.
How is your fire for ministry going?
A fire left alone will go out.
A fire that isn’t stoked will slowly die.
A fire without oxygen will suffocate.
As one ministry leader to another – don’t be so busy stoking others fires that you neglect to tend your own.
by ChaseSnyder | Apr 17, 2017 | Leadership, Ministry, Top Posts
Student ministry is one of the greatest callings within the church!
Who would want to be in charge of buildings and grounds when you can plan a summer beach camp?
While there are ample opportunities to do some incredible good in student ministry, there are some pitfalls that we must navigate to ensure that we are being effective in our calling.
Every student pastor wants an effective ministry. No one would argue with that! However, effectiveness doesn’t come from exuding more energy. It comes from making the right decisions at the right moment. It takes us saying no to distractions, yes to the right opportunities, and prioritizing people over projects.
[Read: 7 Deadly Sins of Student Volunteers]
Are you committing any of these deadly sins? Be honest with yourself, and then take the necessary steps to get back on track with God’s mission.
8 Deadly Sins of Student Pastors
1. Being Busy Without Being Effective
Most of the student pastors I know are not lazy. Sure, there are a few bad apples that can give student pastors a bad reputation, but most student pastors’ wives would let you know that they actually overwork. A huge sin for student pastors is to be busy with areas that don’t matter without being effective in your call to serve students and parents. Stop wasting so much time on logos, T-shirts, and other areas that you can outsource and start being effective in what you were called to accomplish. Energy and productivity do not equal effectiveness.
[bctt tweet=”Energy and productivity do not equal effectiveness. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
2. Failing To Develop Your Leaders
There is a line between doing and leading. Spending all of your time doing ministry yourself will never enable you to effectively lead your ministry. There are times and situations where you must be on the front lines, but you must develop leaders to be effective ministry leaders too.
[bctt tweet=”Spending all of your time doing ministry yourself will never enable you to effectively lead. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
3. Failing To Share God Stories With The Church
Don’t be an island of ministry. Share stories with your senior leaders and church community about what God is doing. The church needs to be encouraged by the stories of life change that are happening in your ministry! Talk with your direct leaders to see what avenue is the best to regularly share God-sized stories with the church.
4. Being a Poor Communicator
Did your mind instantly think I was going to talk about your preaching style? That is because as pastors we tend to elevate time spent in front of a large group and devalue communicating with the parents, leaders, and our staff. To be an effective pastor you must be able to lead from the platform and from the office. How well are you communicating with your ministry team, parents, students, and the church body? Are you sharing vision, communicating needs, talking about encouraging stories of transformation, and building excitement about upcoming events?
5. Tending To Everyone’s Spiritual Fire While Neglecting To Stoke Your Own
Your role is to stoke the spiritual fires in students’ souls. In the rush to tend to others’ fires, we often neglect stoking our own spiritual growth. You can’t forget to stoke your own spiritual fire and lead out of your passion for Jesus! Books by Donald Whitney and Paul David Tripp are excellent encouragements for pastors.
[bctt tweet=”In the rush to tend to others’ fires, we often neglect stoking our own spiritual growth.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
6. Not Being A Great Team Player With Your Staff
How well are you interacting with your staff? Being a team player takes energy and effort. It’s essential that you show up prepared for staff meetings, ask difficult questions, and invite others to speak into your leadership over the student ministry.
7. Failing To Establish Work Boundaries
My 4-year-old son has a plastic cell phone that he used to carry around the house with him and pretend to take calls, capture videos, and send pictures to his grandparents. It was cute until I realized he was mimicking me. Your family needs you to be completely present. Ministry can be and all-the-time thing if you let it, so decide ahead of time what your boundaries are and only bend them in true emergencies.
8. Putting All Of Your Energy Into Midweek Worship Gatherings
Josh Griffin recently tweeted this gem: “Our job is not to get students to show up, but to show up in students’ lives.” Worship gatherings are a portion of the ministry that Jesus has entrusted us with. Showing up in students’ lives means that we are disciplined to get outside of the walls of our church and meet students where they are. How are you investing in leaders and students outside of the designated “church time”?
Now What?
After taking an honest look at this list, how many of these sins are you struggling with?
What other areas would you add to the list?
by ChaseSnyder | Mar 18, 2017 | Leadership, Ministry, Top Posts
For student ministries, volunteer engagement is essential.
The days of a student ministry being led by a charismatic leader with adult chaperones is as far behind us as bellbottom jeans.
Every church ministry must be aligned around relational discipleship for the flourishing of the Gospel. Student ministries will fail to develop disciples when the student pastor is the only person investing into the lives of the students. When we fail to develop disciples, we fail to fulfill the Great Commission.
Leaders are the key to student ministry discipleship. You can say goodbye to discipleship if multiple adult leaders are not connected to students.
[bctt tweet=”You can say goodbye to discipleship if multiple adult leaders are not connected to students.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
That’s a big deal! The discipleship process must involve every adult volunteer. If we want to ensure every adult is on mission we need to identify what is getting in the way of our discipleship efforts.
[Read: 8 Deadly Sins Of Student Pastors]
Are you committing any of these deadly sins? Be honest with yourself, then take the necessary steps to get back on track with God’s mission.
7 Deadly Sins of Student Volunteers
- Showing Up Late And/Or Leaving Early
Nothing communicates a lack of investment more than showing up late or leaving early. A large portion of discipleship is proximity. Those who are inconsistent at Bible studies and worship gatherings are not developing disciples. The Great Commission doesn’t say “Sit in a youth room to fulfill a student-to-leader ratio.” Jesus commissions every disciple to create disciples.
[bctt tweet=”The Great Commission doesn’t say ‘Sit in a youth room to fulfill a student-to-leader ratio.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
- Only Talking With The Adults
Why are you volunteering with the student ministry? Is it to invest in students? Great. Investment doesn’t end once you step into the room; that is when investment begins! Don’t fall into the temptation of sitting in the back of the student room and chatting with the other adult leaders. You are serving to make a Gospel difference in a teenager’s life. So pull up a chair and get to know some students.
- Failing To Follow Up With Students
One hour of communication per week does not sustain a friendship. Discipling students involves following up with students throughout the week. This may look different each week (attending ball games, texting students Bible verses, inviting students to events), but the key is to show up in the life of a student. When you show up outside of “church time” students will begin to see that God cares for them outside of “church time.”
- Never Talking About Jesus Or The Bible
Student ministry isn’t all fun and games. Who am I kidding? Student ministry is awesome! The presence of games shouldn’t lead to an absence of Biblical instruction. Each student ministry volunteer has a responsibility to share about the grace, love, and goodness of Jesus. Don’t let the student pastor be the only voice the students hear.
[bctt tweet=”When we fail to develop disciples, we fail to fulfill the Great Commission.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
- Pretending That You Have Figured Life Out
You know that being an adult doesn’t bring clarity to life and an uncanny ability to live perfectly! Be careful not to project a “holier than thou” persona in front of your students. Jesus has saved you, and the students, by grace alone. Sure you have some wisdom to share, but be sure that you are communicating that you still need Jesus.
- Failing To Grow Spiritually
The number one role of a student ministry volunteer is to be a spiritual leader. It doesn’t matter what area you serve in, you must be growing spiritually. The church’s mission is to create disciples. Only disciples can create disciples. An excellent book to gauge your spiritual health is Ten Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Donald S. Whitney.
- Investing In The Program While Neglecting People
How many hours have you spent working on the worship set list this week? Or how much time have you spent looking at your small group lesson for Sunday? How about this one: How many hours have you spent encouraging and communicating with students this week? Preparation and study are essentials to be a great leader, but when we drift away from the people and only invest in the program, lesson, or worship gathering, our students will leave the church.
Now What?
After taking an honest look at this list, how many of these sins are you struggling with? Being able to diagnose our current level of engagement will allow us to dive deeper into our discipleship efforts!
What other areas would you add to the list?
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