I am very excited about having Silver Ring Thing come to our Church this Sunday. Silver Ring Thing is a purity program allowing people to commit to sexual abstinence until they are married.  I posted on purity and the program last year that you can read here.

When: This Sunday (August 30th) from 6-8 p.m. with an after concert with Third from First from 8-9 p.m.

Cost: $5 online, $8 at the door, and $20 for the Ring!

To Register for the Event Go Here: http://www.silverringthing.com/registrationdisplay.asp?regID=281

Directions to Victory: Click here

I can’t encourage you enough to invite as many people as you can to this event. This event has, can, and will change lives forever. If you’ve invited your friends to church and they didn’t want to come, try this out… tell them it’s all about sex! Do whatever you can to get them here!

If you’re a youth pastor – it’d be beyond beneficial to get your students here! Register Now!

Here is the promo video for the event:

iTour Promo from Jared Ott on Vimeo.

And some other videos to wet you’re appetite on sex and dating, compliments of LifeChurch.tv

See you on Sunday!

¹²Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. – I Timothy 4:12

We just finished up our summer of service program. It’s a program where we have students come in twice a week during the summer for personal and spiritual growth along with working behind the scenes at our church in several ministries. This has been the 3rd year we’ve done it and every year I fall in love with the students we have come in! It’s so fun to watch the students grow personally, learn to work with one another, and pursue God with all of their hearts!

Here is a tribute to each one – Over our dinner celebration we gave each student an “Award” that we made up on the spot.

Ryan Nuzzo – “The Never Here Award” – Nuzz! You’re the man! Thank you for having a servants heart, for knowing and sharing the Word of God with everyone, and for making hilarious videos, or at least coming up with ideas for them!

Giant -”The Golden Toe Award” – Giant, you have a great heart and a ton of potential. Believe it!

Aaron Schmelzer – “Flirt of the Year Award” – Schmelz – we love you’re compassion. You love people and that is obvious to everyone. Thanks for making us laugh and most of all – thanks for the hugs!

Swanson – “The Most Super Powers Award” – Swanson! You’re the man! Thanks for your sarcasm, desire for personal growth, your heart for people, and willingness to be taught. You have a bright future ahead of you!

Brian Schmelzer – “The Most Plain Colored Shirts Award” – Tom Schmelzer!!! Haha… I love you brother! If you want to know what you’ll be like in 20 years – Look at your dad! Never stop being you bro!

Niki Wolbert – “Female Flirt of the Summer Award” – WOLLL – B! It’s been great having you for 2 years! You’re a leader and a great MC. I love your desire for the things of God… never lose that and watch the places where God will take you – you won’t be able to believe it!

Anjelica – “Blondest Award” – Anjelica, we are so glad you became a part of S.O.S. this year. I know you want to go into ministry and I could totally see that! You have such a heart for people! I can’t wait to see how God uses you!

Allison Hammerle -  “Most Likely to Kill Someone Award” – Allison! You’re a born leader! We love having you come in – SOS would not be the same without you, neither would Rev! Thanks for everything you do!

Ellen Limback – “Shoe Fettish Award” - Ellen, it was great having you this summer! I loved your nugget! Never lose your servants heart!

Josiah Long – “Rat Pack Award”- Josiahhhhhhhhh!!! Where would we be without you! Thanks for always coming through and being faithful! It doesn’t go unnoticed and God will promote you and take you to great places!

Michael Hampson! – “The Strongest Virtual Intern” – Hampsonite!!! I’m going to take you at in UFC 2009! Get ready! Thanks for coming in this summer – you were a blessing! Can’t wait to see how God uses you at Rev over the next few years!

Nathan Hampson – “The Most Likely to Build a Cyborg from Spare Parts from Intelligent Lights Award” – I tell you this everyday, but you’re the man and we couldn’t do what we do without you. Thank you for being faithful and for dreaming big for Rev! We’re going to touch a generation together bro!

Emily Franco – “Flagger Award” – Emily! You’ve grown so much in the past 3 years! It’s been awesome watching that! You’re MCing opportunities will come! Keep being faithful and serving! You’re awesome!

Peter Reynolds – “Flirt of the Century Award” – Peter! You’ve grown so much in the past few years as well! We all love you at Rev! It would definitely not be the same without you! God has big things for you bro – believe that!

Michael Zilka – “The Best Kept Secret Award” - Zilk, your quiet, but amazing! Never quit being you – you have so much to offer and you were a huge blessing this summer! Thanks!

Thank you guys so much for the memories, growth, ideas, videos, and all of the hard work this summer. I hope it’s a summer you’ll look back on and realize it changed your life! Love you guys!

It is pleasant to see dreams come true,but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them. -Proverbs 13:19

I’ve been talking about gifts and how when developed they’ll open doors for you. Today I want to focus on why most people never get the opportunities they want in life. Here are a few reasons:

• Pursuing Money Instead Your Passion - I’d say this makes up 90% of America. College students graduate looking for the $ and pursue dreams that aren’t in their hearts. They pursue them until their 40 and realize they’ve wasted half their lives and they got the money and the money didn’t make them happy. Get good at what you’re passionate about and the money will come.

• Trying to Develop in Areas  that You’re Not Gifted In - If you asked 10 people if you were a gifted singer and 9 of the 10 said no, I don’t care how good you think you are and might become – give it up and find something that you love and that is obvious to others that you’re good at it.

• Being More Focused on Being Discovered Rather Than Being Developed - So many people will do anything to be discovered and are never willing to pay the price that it costs to be developed. Only people who are willing to be developed will be discovered. Leaders won’t waste their time on people who only want to be discovered. Get over yourself!

These are 3 big ways to become miserable and never have any great doors open for you… Can you think of any others?