Don't Miss this Opportunity for Mission Belize - Teens up to Sr Adults

I recently attended a trip to Belieze with Jordan Easley, Matt Lawson, Jeff Audis and some other good friends.  We stayed in a place called La Estima.

While spending time in Belize I realized a few things...

1.  Belize is a great place to travel too:
 It is a quick and cheap plane trip and has some amazing scenery while being there.  Some of the best divining in the world.  It is truly a must go place in your lifetime.

2.  Belize is a Safe place to go.  
As a youth pastor i am always looking for safe environments where our students can go and experience a new culture.  Belize is truly a place you can go and w/ the help of the managers of La Estima you will be very safe no matter your age.  Weather you are a teenager or a Sr. Adult.

3.  Belize is in need of the GOSPEL:
This is what pushes me to Belize the most.  While being there I came to the concluding there is no dominate religion and if some of us begin to partner w/ the right people we could truly change a country.  Belize is is need of the GOSPEL.

POINT:
My point is this.  After leaving many of us spoken about this amazing opportunity.  Jeff Audis begin to study further into it and has now created, through our friends at TEAM IMPACT,  a way where we can spread the gospel all through Belize.  They need OUR help though.  We need to partner w/ them in watching this come true.

RECOMMENDATION:
I have attended this trip and can tell you it is very much worth the experience and the partnership.  La Estima is a VERY VERY NICE place to stay w/ your group and a VERY safe place to stay w/ your group.  Team Impact is VERY purposeful in their mission to reach Belize.  Those two combinations shows me we stand a real chance to reach this country.  Will you join w/ us as we work to spread the Gospel to Belize?

New Book Coming out for Boys / Men - Checkpoints - A Tactical Guide to Manhood

Several years ago God put a real passion on my heart to write a book for young men.  I noticed as a youth pastor there was very little out there for me to recommend to Dad's and Small Group leaders for there "guy" groups or there "sons."

Through a lot of prayer, God open the door for me to connect w/ Marsha Pursley with Navpress.  Through several conversations she said this is a book they would love to publish.

I then contacted my friend Nathan Wagnon who I became very close to in college.  I knew Nathan and I would make a good team.  Nathan is the smart one of the team who can write really well and as well can spell really well which is a big help to me.

Nathan, who is active in the military, fully committed to be a part of this Journey and off we went.

Long story short Checkpoints was born.  The book is now at the editor and will be released in July of 2012.

@checkpointsbook is all about challenging boys to be men.  It takes boys on a 40 day journey done over 8 weeks through several topics.  Each topic is picked from our experience over the past 11 years of leading groups and myself as a youth pastor.

At the end of each week there is a guide (After Action Review) in which a small group leader, Accountability group, Dad or anyone wanting to discuss the book could use.  This makes the book not just a good book but a good piece of curriculum as well.

If you are in Middle School, High School, College, Dad, Small Group Leader, Youth Pastor, Accountability Group or work with guys in anyway this book is for you.

Help us by Liking our Facebook page http://www.checkpointsbook.com and then following us on twitter @checkpointsbook

We have several options to put this book in the hands of many athletes and others through donations.  If you are interested in helping with that contact me.

Most of all Pray for us as we finish up this process and see how God uses this book to touch the lives of young men all over the world.

Twitter Question: What is the name of your current sermon series? Answer are -

@drewdsnider Drew Snider  Getting out of your comfort zone requires BEING YOU

@sammidgett Sam Midgett  how to survive a zombie attack

@keithrowell Keith Rowell finishing up 'Prayers that Shook the World' next week starting 'Naked' tlking the importance of authenticity

@thepresident34 Chris Mikesell  we are going through @DaveRamsey generation change

@EliasPenalo Elías Peñalo  the Yoke of Sin, but I'm not done yet :)

@raysanford25 Ray Sanford  part 2 of "Josiah Road" series tonight.

@raysanford25 Ray Sanford Then kicking off the iWorship series that focuses on the selfishness of making worship all about ourselves instead of Jesus

@B_Harrison Brandon Harrison  dead or alive

@Robb_Hand Robb Hand  We are going through a series: Radical Followers: What it means to seriously follow Jesus. Tonight is on Community.

@RevElkins Dan Elkins  We are going through Ecclesiastes with our Middle Schoolers. Have a great time!

@pastorbialek Jeremy Bialek  Our's is finishing up on the Fruit of the Spirit tonight. Good stuff. You can't force the fruit. It's a product of the root.

@Joshgering Josh Gering  Carrier: Going Viral Romans 8:11 "The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you."

Creative idea in signing up for YAPTAP

We use YAPTAP as our texting service.  It is an A+ product your hold check out.

To get students to sign up during our Brick by Brick series we are using yaptap to play an interactive game each week.

One week we gave a $25 gift card away by sending out a challenge through yaptap and who ever did it first won.
2nd week - we did a scavenger hunt and hints we are only given out through yaptap.
3rd and 4th week we have come up with other challenges for the students to do.  (we have not done them yet since we are in the middle of the series while i am typing this)

We are having students sign up now more due to this.  It is our hope to get all of our students/parents/volunteers on yaptap so we can communicate quicker and easier to Long Hollow Students.

Here is all the options for LHSm to sign up for yaptap - CLICK HERE

Hang with the Long Hollow Student Ministry Staff - Free Youth Ministry Conference

Long Hollow Student Ministry loves the opportunity to meet and learn from other ministers from all over the country.  We are a staff that is committed to watching students be saved, baptized and grow in their faith.

To help spread the resources God has blessed us with and to help learn from other churches we have created a FREE 24 hour conference that you or your team can attend.

We will let you pick a Wednesday Thursday you would like to come and we will host you and give you some of our staff's time.

the Schedule would look like this:

Wednesday:
2-3 Meet w/ a LHSM Staff Member
3-4 Meet w/ a LHSM Staff Member
5 Dinner on your own
6:15 Middle School Service
7:15 High School Service

This Wednesday night you can pick from 1 of 4 campuses:
1.  Hendersonville Campus - Church of about 6500 in attendance with a MS and HS Wednesday night service.
2.  Gallatin Campus - Church of about 500 with a powerful wednesday night
3.  White House Campus - Church of about 400 with a powerful wednesday night
4.  Robertson County Campus - Just getting started up.

Thursday:
9am Attend and Observe during our LHSM staff creative planning meeting.
10:30 - 11:30 Meet w/ an LHSM staff member
11:30 - 1:00 - Meet w/ LHSM Youth Pastor Brian Mills
1-2pm - Take a tour of our new youth building

Jeff Lovingood, Next Generation Pastor and Youth Ministry Legend, will be giving his time during this as well.  Time to be determined depending upon his schedule.  He will be meeting with all who attend this conference.

If you would like to attend this please email juanitrice.kirby@longhollow.com and she will work out the dates we are available and what you would like to accomplish while being here.

We look fwd to learning from you as we break down student ministry.