At another, later point, we really get rebellious and mired in our sin, which was represented by a filthy, disgusting plate smeared with old, stinky, rotten, leftover food. A person was holding that plate and was asked to clean the plate with her bare hands as a way of picturing our efforts to clean up our own sin and become pure and innocent again. Of course that’s impossible to do. A different person in the illustration took that disgusting plate, realizing she could never clean it with her bare hands, and sat on it (yes, actually plopped right down on it), demonstrating how we all try to hide our sin from everyone else even though it’s right there with us. But not only are we completely incapable of cleaning up our sin, we also are unable to hide it, at least not from ourselves and, more importantly, from God. What is the solution? We must take the dirty, filthy plate and nail it to the cross, shattering it into oblivion. This action was taken and followed by Jesus handing the person a new, clean, white plate to represent the new life we have in Jesus Christ. So let me ask you again, how clean is your plate?” If it’s filthy, are you trying to clean it yourself or are you just hiding it from others? If so, give that plate to Jesus, surrender your whole life to Him, and ask for the new plate (new life) available to every person Christ died for when He was nailed to the cross (that’s everyone in the world, by the way).

It’s a boy, Lord. And he looks like me. I can’t believe he’s finally here. While his mom’s sleeping, I wanted to talk to you. He is the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t remember being so happy—or so scared. God, I’ve always been a mess-up, not in a major way, you know, but I’ve never quite taken life very seriously. I suppose that’s why I entered youth ministry. I’ve always been able to laugh at life and not really care what others think. But over the last hour, I’ve realized that life is so important and so precious that I’m not sure that I can do this without messing up. I have kids in my group that have no relationship with their father, and I don’t want my child to end up that way. I want to be a great parent, not just a good one. I need your help, Jesus. Light my way.

Except for the part about “not really [caring] what others think” (I do care and sometimes too much), I relate very strongly to what Glenn shared, both as a youth worker and as a parent. As “daddy” to Nolan, Kaelynn, and Addison, I am granted just a glimpse of the love and joy God experiences because I am His child. As a father who has walked with his kids through some accidents and health scares and sad times in life, I am given just a small taste of the concern and compassion God has for me and my life. As a man who grew up having no real relationship with his earthly father, I thank God for the opportunity to give my children that connection (as scary as it can be at times) and to reflect in some small way what it means to have a loving Father in heaven who loves His children in a way I will never fully understand. We all need God’s help every moment of every day. Our children need it, our teens need it, and as “old people” we need it. Won’t you stop for just a few seconds and pray that simple prayer: “Jesus, light my way?”

“Okay, I’ll tell you something I’ve never told an adult. In fact, I’ve never told anybody. Three years ago my parents got divorced, and they decided to keep it a secret. They told me and my sister that we weren’t allowed to tell anyone, not even our grandparents, or we would get in big trouble. So for three years we all have been living a lie. I haven’t told my friends, my coaches, my teachers, nobody, and neither has my little sister. My parents hate each other, and they fight all the time, but they pretend to be happily married around everyone else. It stinks!”

These situations might represent extreme cases, but they demonstrate the hurt and pain caused by phoniness, by not living like genuine Christians. From my 12 years of serving in the youth ministry and seeing teenagers enter their adult years, I would say that the most troubled young adults are those who were raised by parents who put on a good act at church but lived a different life behind closed doors at home. I say this not to criticize past behavior, but to challenge us to “get real” for the sake of our young people. This goes not only for parents, but for everyone with influence over teens, including grandparents, youth leaders, and teachers.

We should also take note of what a 15-year-old boy named Christopher wrote in his journal: “Today is my birthday. I’m 15. The day is foggy, it may rain. We are inside. I’m going to watch TV. I got my journal today. My dad would like for me to go to church with him. But nobody likes me there. But I would like to go.”

Let us never be a church where someone feels unloved or disliked. We can do better than this; we MUST do better than this. Maybe now is our time to tear down whatever has been dictating how we live and to declare that we are simply ready to live a real life before God and others. Our lives, and the lives of our young people, depend on it.

I read these words this morning and they reminded me of a process we walked through during the recent "Portland Youth Rally." Each of us was challenged by the featured speaker, Bob Witte, to write down, on a small index card, our "biggest" sin, the one thing we most needed to kill and cut out of our lives. After that, we were encouraged to nail the card to an actual cross, symbolizing our death to that sin. For the next step of the process, we were urged to grab a rock and not let go of it until we told someone else, out loud, what we wrote on our cards and nailed to the cross. We were not allowed to let go of the rock until we shared our sin verbally with someone else.

How powerful it was for so many people to confess their sins and leave their burdens at the cross where they belong! This exercise was just one element of a powerful weekend that prompted many of our young people (and adults) to initiate real life change through the power of Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. Whenever I am tempted to commit my "big" sin, I now picture my little card hanging on the cross, reminding me that I gave my burden to Jesus Christ, the only one who can really carry my heavy load. I left my sin at the cross where Jesus paid it all to set me free.

Won't you let go of your burden today?

God has given us another new year that started just a few days ago. What will we do with it? Perhaps we can take to heart and apply the truths we will learn at the "Avalanche" Youth Rally in Deer Park. The theme is "Underground" and over the course of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, we will explore the lives of Daniel and his friends, who were bold followers of God even when it was unpopular, even dangerous. These young people did not hide their faith or keep it "Underground;" rather, they greatly influenced those around them, including the rulers and authorities of their day. As we participate in this youth rally, we hope, along with the event organizers, that our teens will be strengthened in their faith and passionate about living it out each and every day, even when the world is opposed to it. This will be extremely challenging at times, but nothing is impossible with God and, hey, we "still have one more year!"

Just this past week I learned about a great illustration of youths who did something great! This takes place in a little nowhere town called Vinita, OK. The youth minister had to take over the responsibilities of the minister also, because the minister was fired. One day he was meeting with a woman who needed money for a prescription that she couldn't afford. She was a single mother, out of work, and just couldn't afford to pay for her needed prescription. So, the youth minister paid for it out of his own pocket.

When he made his board report, he mentioned this need and told the elders what he had done. They informed him that a lady in the community had died and had left $50,000 to the church to be used to help people in the community. He could just use some of that fund.

He was glad to learn that and so the next month he spent $200 helping people who had needs in the community, taking money from that fund. When the next board meeting was held he told them what he had done. The board got upset that he was spending that much money. The youth minister told the board that the community people needed that kind of help. They were firm. You cannot use that money—we need to save it in case a tornado or flood comes through. He told them that he was going to spend $200 next month and that they should prepare to be amazed. They told him if he took the money from that fund, he would be fired.

The youth minister went to the youth group and shared the need with them. This youth group had only about 30 kids. They decided to take up an offering to help with this need. They pledged to give $200 every month. And they raised it! So when the next board meeting was held the youth minister told them he had spent $200 helping people in the community. The board was angry! They started to dress him down and were ready to fire him when he said, "Wait. I told you that you were going to be amazed. I didn't take the money from your fund. I challenged the youth group and those 30 kids not only raised that much money, but have pledged to give that much every month.

The board got real quiet! Most of the guys were pleased and they were saying, Oh, well. Great! Finally one man said, "Guys. I don't know about you. But I don't feel good about that. I feel guilty. Those teens have shown a better example of Jesus than we have. I move that we give $200 a month from the fund for this need.

And then I look at people in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, all the way up to the oldest people I know, and I still hear some of the same sentiments expressed by my young children, just in more "mature" sounding ways. All of us say and hear things like, "Well, I think we should do this," and "I really don't like that," and "I prefer this," etc. We get better at hiding it, or at least we think we do, but this selfish thing, this overwhelming desire to have things OUR way, is a constant battle we must face and overcome as Christians.

Although we've struggled with this problem since the very beginning when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, I believe that many of us do know that God should be the focus, as opposed to ourselves, but we often fail to live like we really believe it. As difficult as it is to realize that life is "not about us," we know instinctively this is right; we connect with this idea and we are very drawn to it, which at its heart goes back to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In just a couple of weeks (yikes!) we will host our 13th Annual Spokane Youth Rally with the intention of helping teenagers throughout the northwest understand that, "It's Not About Me." We are excited to welcome back Gary Zustiak ("Zus") from Ozark Christian College, who will share three powerful messages that address our tendency to think it IS all about me, and then help us to realize that it's NOT about me, but rather it's about God and other people. As we approach this youth rally, which takes place from Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, please keep the event in your prayers and, if you're a member of Sunrise, I would ask that you consider opening up your home for a few out-of- town kids to have a place to lay their head for the weekend. I know God will bless your willingness to serve His young people!

On occasion I have asked our young people to consider the following question: What if your closest friend or family member could see everything you did, hear everything you said, and even know every thought you had? They all admit how horrifying that would be. Thankfully, no other person has that knowledge, but God does! And what’s even more incredible is that He continues to love us, unconditionally, despite our sins and failures and weaknesses. Of all the amazing qualities of God’s love, this is one of the most unfathomable and yet wonderful. God has always loved us and He always will love us. Our young people need to hear and understand this truth – in fact, we all do!

Bud and Teresa Gothmann are tireless servants of our Lord, His young people, and our congregation as a whole. They participate in nearly all of our Wednesday night meetings and activities. They even sacrifice some of their vacation time to make sure our teens get to summer events such as Clear Lake Christian Camp and New Life Northwest. Although their own children are grown up now, they continue to answer God’s calling by leading and serving in the youth ministry at Sunrise.

Along with Bud and Teresa, I want to thank Jenni Detling and Emily Bond for taking over the “Jesus Chicks” ministry and spending important time with our teenage girls. They teach our young women about God, model what it means to live as Christians in this world, and work hard to have quality relationships with our young people.

Additionally, I would like to thank my good friend Wesley Steele for all of the support and assistance he has provided, not only this year, but in many years past. He genuinely enjoys spending time with our teens, and the kids in turn love to see him at Youth Group meetings and activities. He is always someone we can count on to do whatever is needed, no matter how large or small the task. He is a servant leader who sets a great example for our youths at Sunrise.

Last but not least, I want to say, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!” to Rose Carlson for transporting a van load of teens to and from Youth Group every Wednesday. She has made a huge impact by enabling our teens to show up consistently and bring some friends with them. Rose may not consider herself one of our leaders, but she certainly demonstrates what it means to serve God and His young people.