JC’s Blog

As a student pastor, I often find myself asking the question “What makes the perfect youth experience?” The battle between perceived need and perceived desires rages on. The students think they want one thing, their parents want one thing, and the youth pastor walks the delicate tight rope. Perhaps it’s the youth pastor willing to sing Justin Beiber in a horrific display of vocal ineptitude, maybe it’s the hoards of junk food with enough caloric energy to power a space ship, or even a game...

Running on empty?—it’s more than a classic song from the ’70s. It’s the way many Christians describe their spiritual lives. We have our spiritual checklists. We gauge our spiritual growth by all the things we do and accomplish and pursue. We think we’re growing because we’re busier than ever. Yet deep down inside, we feel empty and tired and dry. Somewhere along the way, we bought into the lie that Christianity is more about “doing” than “being.” But you and I don’t have to live life on empty....

 Maybe you have thought about it for a long time… Maybe it’s just something you’ve never done or thought you've never needed to do. Well here is your chance! Wed night May 25th 2011 at IGNITE we will be offering you the opportunity to be baptized! Baptism is a Christian’s public declaration of their commitment to Jesus. It’s a outward sign of a inward change!  Through baptism Christians celebrate Jesus’ transforming work in their lives and show their personal union with Jesus in his death,...

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38 My pastor, Mike Gray has been teaching on Love the past 3 Sundays. So this verse has been on my mind alot... I’ve read this passage from Romans probably five hundred times. I’ve preached it. I’ve sung it. I know it by heart. Yet when I consider...

Excited about the new chapter God is leading my little family into. Kaden, Kym & I will be moving out of Chattanooga Tn headed for Salt Lake City Utah this coming Saturday! We have been called to an awesome church there,  Southeast Baptist Church www.southeastbaptist.org & We will offically start one week from today I CAN"T WAIT! Here are a few things I have learned in this past 7 months in the waiting..... I love my wife. She amazes me everyday. My son = WOW I MADE THAT! Never take a...

Click play first while you read this blog...Then watch the video at the end. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trUI1wtIIFk] As a Youth Pastor getting the awesome opportunity to teach/preach to teenagers every week...there are times when I have finished a sermon walked off stage and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I nailed it. By that I mean I communicated my points well the audience showed some measure of understanding and it flowed well. Then there are times when you know even in...