"because of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony"

One of the external evidences of a person well rooted, or being rooted in Christ, is the expression of their testimony. Last night, we got to hear individual praises and personal experiences shared by the students of BUMP 2012. Each voice resounded and described their encounter with God and how His faithfulness, mercy, kindness, compassion, generosity, help and love always shined through. One can only imagine the delight of the Father's heart, the joy of Jesus and the gladness of the Holy Spirit, as they, the One True God, listened to the orchestra of people singing His favorite song.

"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the ages.'" Rev 15:3

"Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus"

It is interesting Paul's chose of words to Timothy as his ministry days are coming to a close, and Timothy's are just beginning..."suffer with me." Jesus had no less encouraging words for Peter in the Book of John as He described to Peter the type of death he would face as a disciple of Christ.

However, as good soldiers, we will be challenged by hardships and experience suffereing in various degrees. The question is, as a good soldier, will we engage or retreat? Ministry is not always glamorous and running smoothly, but will get messy and difficult a lot of the time.

But Paul's words to Timothy are not all doom and gloom. He also says, "be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." This is the crux of ministry. Not only do we minister because of Jesus, we minister dependent upon His strength alone as well. This is the secret to successful ministry...abiding in God through His Word, prayer and godly fellowship, so that we may have the grace to live and serve our King.

As BUMP leaders, nothing can be more vital than instructing and modeling Paul's secret to ministry to our youth.

" because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia." 1 Thess 1:5-7

Hope Evangelical Free Church

Hope Evangelical Free Church's  2012 BUMP team

This is the fourth time for Hope Evangelical Free Church of Roscoe, Illinois has to return to BUMP and partner with Riverside Evangelical Church to run a VBS. We came with 22 people total - 18 kids and 4 adult leaders. After arriving on Saturday and decorating the church and leading service on Sunday we started our first VBS night on Monday with a total of 15 children in attendance.
Our VBS night starts with a free home cooked dinner for all who will come. Then we play games and do crafts. After that we have a snack and then have our teens lead a new lesson with a new skit every night. They do such a great job.

Game time at VBS

This year our theme is The Big Apple Adventure  and it's all about "when faith and life connect." Back home the teens of Hope serve in their VBS the week before they come on BUMP so they know what they are doing and they are amazing. Each teen brings their own personality and creativity to Bump and it is wonderful to see God's hand in making it all work together for His glory. The best part is that you can see the love of Jesus in their eyes as they make connections with the families here.

Is it hot out? "Ross, take off your backpack... Yes it is hot out"

This year we have had our eyes opened to the religious climate and the opposition to the gospel that surrounds Riverside. We have met Muslims, Mormons, Buddhists and people from all walks of life. We have spent time canvassing the neighborhoods inviting people to join us for VBS, the Adult Classes, and Youth Class.

The Youth Class is a brand new endeavor that involves a partnership between Riversides new Youth Pastor Mark and our Pastor Jim. It has been difficult for Riverside to get their youth ministry growing, but God has given some teens a vision and the group has a direction and hopefully a renewed passion for reaching their neighbors for Jesus. Please pray for continued growth here and for the establishing of a regular youth group night.

Arts and Crafts at Riverside

We've worked hard serving the church in other ways also; weeding gardens, laying mulch, uprooting trees that blocked the sign, cleaning up the courtyard and so much more. It has been such a blessing to be able to do these simple acts of service and see a tangible difference.

Being silly with the little guys

So far this week we have seen two kids come to Christ and a few un-churched families get connected here. Our challenge this year was not so much about the heat, though we have had some feel sick due to the weather and recover quickly, but it has been more about the spiritual battle against the enemies attempt to divide and conquer us through our attitudes. Through continual prayer and a building of love for one another in Christ we are finding the victory. We pray that the children and church we minister to will be blessed and drawn to Christ through our brief time here.

"bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord"

When our church signed up for BUMP, we were told that we would be serving a church that did a soccer camp. This being our first BUMP, I had no idea what that meant. I envisioned us throwing soccer balls at the kids and letting them play until the session was over, or they fell over from exhaustion. However, as I observed more closely the routine of the camp, I took notice that the head couch did not start the kids off with them playing the game, he has begun the sessions with stretches and skill exercises. These are not the fun part of the camp, but the neccessary parts. The couch is trying to instill in them fundamental skills that they will need and use to be successful at the game.

It is the same principle we are applying at BUMP. In unique and fun ways, we are instilling the truths about God that are neccessary for them to be successful in life for the glory of God.

"He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children,
That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and tell them to their children,
That they should put their confidence in God" Pslam 78: 6, 7

Restore

Here's one of my students, holding up a child who came to VBS

I love what Laura Hillenbrand writes about dignity in her 2010 novel Unbroken.  She records the true story of WWII airman Louis Zamperini.  Zamperini is not just a fighter, but also a survivor.  He faced it all, including being adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for 47 days in shark infested waters, warding off the open fire of enemy planes.  Having survived both the Pacific and earlier missions, you’d think he’d experienced the worst that life had to offer.  He soon realized that it could get a lot worse, for what he was about to experience, made him long for the raft.

What did Zamperini experience?  The loss of his dignity.  That’s right: dignity.  Having been picked up by the enemy, he became a prisoner of war.  Their strategy was to dehumanize him, treating him with no dignity.  They spit on him, beat him, and did things that are too gruesome to recount here.  They treated him worse than an animal. 

Quite perceptively, Hillenbrand notes that humans have basic needs in order to survive, things like food, water, oxygen—and dignity.  Dignity is as essential to human survival as oxygen.  Without it, we perish; with it, we can survive.  So long as we have dignity, then we can fight; but without a sense of worth, we’ll give up.  Nothing made Zamperini contemplate suicide more than the loss of his dignity.

Why do I say all of this?  Because today, I saw our group give this vital life ingredient to others.  Lest you think I’m being overly dramatic, then think about what it’s like to live in inner city poverty as a child, where you’re mostly seen as a drain, rather than a blessing.  Think about the broken people who surround you in the city, who burn all of their energy just trying to survive, whose lives are often marked by dysfunction, leaving them with little time to invest in the next generation.  Think about being a refugee, having fled your country in order to find life in the US.  Now what?  Think about your family being raided by unexpected disease, financial hardship, or a wound inflicted by another.  You didn’t ask for it, but now you’re dealing with it.

And so are your kids.

They get to watch mom or dad fight a seemingly losing battle, day after day, year after year.  Hardly anyone is glad to see them.  These kids don’t get sent away to expensive camps, amusement parks, or family vacations.  Their summers are filled with nothing but heat and trauma. 

In fact, as we were told, the highlight of their year is when Payne Avenue Church does vacation Bible school.  That’s what we have been privileged to be a part of this week.

But it goes beyond the fun and programming.  It’s much deeper than that.  I realized this as the neighborhood kids began pouring in off the streets for day number three of VBS.  Unprompted by me, my team began running to them, greeting them with hugs and smiles, even before the kids got to the door.  One of my students basically tackled an older child with excitement, holding her as they laughed together, looking forward to a night together. 

When was the last time any of these kids were greeted like that?  When was the last time someone was excited to see them?  When was the last time each of these children received such dignity?

Showing joy when seeing another person is one of the most profound things that you can do for him or her.  Tripping over your own feet and bursting with a smile does a lot to undo whatever wounds have been inflicted earlier by life that day.  Being excited to see someone is a gift, more precious than just about anything else.  It helps that person to remember, though maybe they have forgotten, that they are one of God’s special creations, having intrinsic beauty and worth. 

And that’s what we tried to restore today.

—Sam Kee, North Suburban Church, Deerfield, IL

God is moving in Robbinsdale!

Faith Church in Austin, MN and Grace Fellowship in Kansas City, MO partnered again at Faith E Free Church in Robbinsdale for another great day of ministry!

The early part of the afternoon was spent cleaning the church and doing some landscape maintenance. Our teams enjoyed getting a little dirty, and a couple of students even made a contest over who could pull the most weeds.

A couple of students traveled with Pastor Tom to a home for elderly people with Alzheimer's where we shared some songs, a devotional and the love of Christ.

Lastly, we put on our evening sports camp for about 27 kids. The kids played around with soccer balls, basketballs and pom-poms, an learned about resting in God's constant care. Three students were able to walk some kids through the gospel wristbands, and gave them away as a gift. We all had a great time and are excited to see what God has in store for us tomorrow at Faith EFC!

Wednesday

Today we had an opportunity to do an act of service that truly blessed our team and others. We labored together with high spirits and praised the Lord for cool weather.

Pastor Cher at Cross-Cultural Church enlightened us about the ministry to the Hmong people. We learned about their origins and beliefs. We were then treated to a Hmong meal!

North Sub--The Walk Home

North Suburban Church held day two of vacation Bible school at Payne Avenue Church.  The children of the community were excited to return and many brought friends with them.  Though it was hot both inside the building and outside, the night was a great success.  Let me just highlight one aspect of inner city ministry that struck me tonight.  When it was time for the kids to go home, many of the parents did not come to get them.  It was up to us to walk the kids home.  It is a simple thing, probably something that those at Payne Church don't think too much about.  But to those of us outside of their context, it is deeply meaningful.  We give them safe passage home, walking on their streets, going to their apartments and houses.  We go from church straight to life in a matter of minutes.  And we do it together.  Groups of leaders and kids walk together, remembering the event they just had, talking about tomorrow, and venturing into each other's lives.   When was the last time you walked someone home?  Sharing life, step by step?  Not because you wanted to, but because they needed you to.  

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors"

Ministry can be a precarious forum at times; sometimes its difficult to know where God's plan will take you. However, there are those times when you see the hand of God working for us and through us, leading us to the place He desires us to be; today was such a day.

After lunch, our team worked diligently to prepare for the soccer camp at New Salem Church. There was a lot to do, and not much time to do it. But the team understood how important this ministry is, and did their best to serve the needs and meet the deadlines as best they could. Even when we ran into some hinderance, which was a major part of the event, the team prayed and asked for God's help. In moments we experienced His hand moving on our behalf, and continued to finish the tasks that needed to be done.

This evening, one of our students lead two girls in a prayer to ask Jesus into their hearts. You can imagine the emotional thrill it was for our student to be a part of God's evangelistic outreach...and how over joyed heaven is tonight.

"And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."

Praising God at Faith EFC

Youth from Grace Fellowship in Kansas City, MO and Faith Church in Austin, MN are conducting a sports camp at Faith EFC in Robbinsdale.  On Sunday, we handed out fliers and candy during a parade, and both Monday and Tuesday we prayer walked and handed out fliers in the neighborhoods. 

In the sports camp, we offer cheer leading, soccer and basketball, along with teaching and acting out a Bible story from the life of Paul.  Response from the neighborhoods has been great. We had 17 kids come the first night, and we doubled the number at 34 tonight, Tuesday.  Pastor Tom says 75% of these kids have never been to the church before.  He also says this is the most kids he's ever had come to a single BUMP event.  And during our debrief time tonight, another call came in, registering 3 more kids for tomorrow.

We're praying for even more to come, and for an effective communication of the Gospel to these kids and their families, some of which are joining us for a meal before the sports camp begins.  We're praising God for the work that He is doing here at Faith.

Welcome to the family!

We had an opportunity to listen to John Mayer Executive Director of city vision. Our eyes were opened to the increasing cultural diversity in he Twin Cities area. This made us realize that we don't have to go to other countries to witness because God has brought them to us.

Devin Lesmeister 1st year BUMPER, turned his life over to Christ, denying himself, confessing his sins, and putting his faith in Christ alone. Tonight we celebrate a new family member in the body do Christ.

Hidden Potential

Sometimes things happen that we don't expect at all. It is awesome to see hidden potential come out of our BUMPERS. We are learning not to label each other based on what we think and expect from one another, but rather waiting to see how God chooses to use us.

North Sub at Payne Avenue

North Suburban Church from Deerfield, IL has been serving in St. Paul at Payne Avenue Church.  We're partnering with some of their members and leaders to help them host their annual Vacation Bible School.  They are an inner city church, whose community look forward to VBS each year.  Our junior high group has been working hard to let all the neighbors know about VBS this year, which has the theme of "Drive." So far, we've gone door to door and passed out a ton of advertisements, met many individuals, and done a huge amount of prep for this week-long event.  

The official first day of VBS happened today; I'm so proud of our group for doing a great job.  What does this year's VBS consist of?  Skits, games, crafts, decorations, music, singing, Bible study, and Bible application.  Not to mention, we serve a free dinner to the Payne community right before VBS, to make sure that all the participants have a full belly.  Pastor Larry and the Payne EFC members do an outstanding job connecting with their community and offering the hope of Jesus.  It is an honor for us to be partnering with them.

We've also received terrific training through BUMP; our speaker this morning gave us information about all the refugee groups not only in the Twin Cities, but also throughout the world.  We have also been studying principles of servant leadership in the life of Jesus Christ and Moses.  It's been a lot to take in and we haven't had much time to ourselves; nevertheless, our group is motivated and up for the challenge.

How can you pray for us?  We're the only junior high group, which could be intimidating.  So far, it hasn't been.  Please pray that we would all find spare moments to recharge and that God would equip us to do this incredible work.

Here's a video of us preparing for our first rally:

                                                                         

--Sam

"from every tribe and language and people and nation"

We had the blessed opportunity of worshiping with a very unique church called New Salem Church / Iglesia Nueva Salem with Pastor Vidal Quevedo. Their service from beginning to end is done in both languages; English and Spanish. The heart of this church is to minister to everyone in their community from every nation. It was good for the students to see the work of  God's mosaic portrait in progress being assembled together in this kingdom, as we prepare for His eternal kingdom.

"with your blood you purchased for God, persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." Rev 5:9b

Do da' BUMP

Refreshed from a good night's sleep after a 12+ hour bus ride from Hot Springs, SD our team was able to fellowship in true worship at Cross-Cultural Church in St. Paul, MN. The focus of our Sunday worship was all about taking the gifts that God has blessed us with and rather than being complacent in our abilities, trusting God and stretching ourselves in service to give others and Him our very best. We were able to immediately apply this attitude as we worked to prepare for a block party to kick off our VBS week!

Cross-Cultural's rock'n block party included games, snacks, prizes, and an awesome bouncy castle obstacle course. We were encouraged to have a good turn out and a fair number of registrations filed out for the VBS. Prayers were answered as our BUMP team worked together without conflict, illness, or negativity.

We closed out our first full day worshiping our Risen King with all of the twin cities' BUMP teams. It is truly amazing to see so many teenagers singing, dancing, and reading God's word together.

"but to serve and give His life as a ransom to many"

It was encouraging to hear North Suburban Church from Deerfield, IL post on their first day here at the BUMP twin cities. It reminds us as to the reason we have come - to serve, to embrace and engage a world that He created - a world filled with His people. Our morning's devotion was in Matthew 25; "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." This helps keep front and center in our minds that God cares and is pleased to have His name honored when we minister for His glory. It will be a hot week temperature-wise, but I pray that it will be a week ignited by His Spirit to heal the broken hearts and set the captives free. Blessings brothers and sisters.

We Arrived!

North Suburban Church from Deerfield, IL arrived at the Twin Cities Bump location this evening.  We were greeted by some very friendly and helpful Bump staff, before making ourselves comfortable in our rooms.  I'll be honest, it's hot!  But that's okay, for it's a joy to be here.  We headed to the park and started up a game of ultimate Frisbee.  We were soon joined by several neighborhood kids.  It was great hanging with them and encouraging them.  They asked if we'd play with them again tomorrow night.  After our game, we met as a group and prayed.  It was awesome to hear many heartfelt prayers from our junior high students.  I'm so excited to see God at work in their hearts and I look forward to his plan being revealed in the days to come.  Please pray for us as we lead a VBS this week!

Get your hearts ready!

BUMP students will be beginning their 3-week devotional with the week 1 theme: Prep Your Heart - Enter as Followers.

Pray for them as they pray, study, prepare and travel to the Twin Cities!

Praise God with us for the break from the heat and ask for favor during BUMP week!

Two weeks to go!

Only two weeks remain until BUMP Twin Cities! This week's prayer focuses on the teams and their leaders - that they would be READY!
        Ready to: receive all that God has planned for them.
        Ready to: sacrifice all of themselves to God's work in and through them.
        Ready to: learn the lessons God desires them to know.
        Ready to: stretch as God pushes them outside their comfort zone.
        Ready to: grow as their faith is invigorated
        Ready to: transform beyond BUMP week
        Ready to: return home and change their world!