Monday's with Mark

There has been a word that has been on my thoughts for awhile now. The word is something that we have all heard and know what it means. We know it is an essential thing to have in our life, yet we struggle with it. The word is accountability.
Why is it such a tough word? In our work life we always seem to excel. I believe the reason behind that is simply because we are held accountable. If we didn’t do our job correctly we don’t receive a paycheck. We have a boss that is making sure we get the job done. What about when it comes to our faith?
Why is it that in our spiritual life we have a lack of accountability? I believe that accountability and spiritual growth are linked. As I step back and have looked over this last year I see the difference that our church can make in students lives is holding them accountable. Accountability is important; it is part of our H.A.B.I.T.S. It is also the hardest letter to teach in the H.A.B.I.T.S. series as well. I have started to ask a few questions. These are a few that I have started to ask myself.

1. Is my life an open book?
a. Don’t hold anything back. Many times we compartmentalize our life. This is not God’s desire. He wants everything. Are you willing to give this person rockstar access to your life?
2. Can you be taken serious?
a. When you start to speak truth into someone life they have to take you serious. If you are always joking and clowning around it will be difficult for them to seek advice from you.
3. Can I handle what comes up
a. There may be some things that cannot be cleared up within minutes. It may take days, months, even years to deal with some things

I wish I took this serious in high school. Trevor lived down the street. We went to a different church, although he went to a lot of things with my youth group. I never opened my life up to him and we were neighbors. I have no idea why either. Now that we are miles apart we have opened our lives to each other. What a help it is to know I have someone that is in my corner praying for me and cheering for me, and I am doing the same for Trevor. I am no longer afraid of what he might discover. He again is in my corner and there to help me get through it.
We are not lone rangers we are in this life together. I pray that we would seek out accountability. If that is the key to success in the business world, I know it is the key for the spiritual world.

Love Wins,
Mark, Student Pastor
Green Valley Baptist Church

Monday's with Mark

Well D-Now weekend is almost here. This is one of the biggest events that we do all year. We put a lot of time and energy into making this weekend amazing. You will start to get a flood of information; here is your first rain drop.
The theme this year is God's Reality. There are a lot of reality shows on TV. We watch them and wish maybe our life was more like that family, we could cook like them, even lose weight like them, or thankful that we don't live with a bunch of strangers. We wish that someone else’s reality was ours...but the truth is we are not somebody else and the question is moved to what is God's reality for our life? During our 3 main sessions we will look at what God desires for us at school, work, where our thoughts should be, and how to change our reality to align with God's plan.
Each session will have a time of worship, led by Cameron Story and Kyle Kicker. The guest speaker for each session is Gary Permenter.
Students will spend the night in host homes that are divided by age and gender. Each host home acts as a small group and will lead their small group in a discussion of what they heard that day and the application side of it.
Students will need to eat before they come on Friday night. The cost of the weekend is $50 and includes a T-Shirt and the Bowling on Friday Night as well as meals on Saturday. For more info contact Pastor Mark. To sign-up grab a D-Now brochure fill, it out and turn in the fee.

Love Wins,

Mark