Riding Life’s Rollercoaster

In the world of amusement parks, rollercoasters stand tall as beacons of thrill and excitement. But beyond the loops and drops lies a deeper story—one of anticipation, fear, exhilaration, and growth. Much like the ups and downs of a rollercoaster ride, the journey of a student can be related to this exhilarating experience.

Rollercoasters trace their origins back to the 17th century when Russian ice slides provided the initial thrill. Over time, these evolved into the more familiar wooden and now steel mega-structures found in amusement parks today. Similarly, the journey of a youth group student begins with the innocence of childhood, gradually evolving into the structured environment of high school.

As riders set off on the initial incline of a rollercoaster, there's a mix of anticipation, excitement and anxiety-induced butterflies. Along that same line, entering middle and high school marks the beginning of a student's ascent into adulthood. The climb is characterized by academic challenges, social adjustments, and the exploration of personal identity. Much like the slow climb of a rollercoaster, this phase may feel daunting but sets the stage for the thrills to come.

The defining moment of any rollercoaster is the exhilarating plunge—the sudden rush of adrenaline as gravity takes hold. Similarly, students encounter pivotal moments that propel them forward. Whether it's achieving academic success, forming meaningful friendships, or discovering personal passions, these experiences shape their journey and provide moments of pure exhilaration.

Rollercoasters are renowned for their twists, turns, and unexpected surprises. Likewise, the middle/high school experience is filled with twists and turns, from navigating relationships to facing academic setbacks. These challenges test resilience and adaptability, teaching students to embrace the unpredictable nature of life's journey.

As a rollercoaster nears its end, there's a sense of accomplishment and relief—a feeling of having conquered the ride. Similarly, the culmination of high school marks a significant milestone in a student's journey. Graduation represents not only academic achievement but also personal growth, resilience, and readiness to embark on the next chapter of life's adventure. Side note, we will be honoring the 2024 graduates next month.

By embracing life’s rollercoaster ride, students emerge stronger, wiser, and ready to face whatever thrills life may bring. This is why I emphasize the importance of youth groups in contemporary society so much. A youth group like Revive is like having a safety net for said rollercoaster. We're here to encourage one another, provide support during challenging times, and remind each other of our shared journey. We also prioritize camaraderie, forging bonds that can withstand the test of time, and equipping young individuals to navigate life's complexities with faith as their compass.

Our activities extend beyond traditional Sunday school sessions. From engaging game nights to thought-provoking discussions on faith and life, Revive offers a ever-changing environment where growth and fellowship flourish.

So, next time you feel as though you’re not tall enough to ride life’s rollercoaster, just know that your faith in Jesus will see you through to the end. Let’s continue nurturing the next generation, fostering friendships, and guiding one another in said faith. God Bless!!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog,

Chris Gersic

Pushing Through The Noise

We live in a society that more times than not centers around individualism. Bookstores are full of self-help literature and media focuses on how "I" can succeed. It takes the right clothes, car, make-up, exercise equipment, and so on to make me the best. Self-centeredness is all around us. The "all about me" mindset is woven throughout the story of the Prodigal Son. The younger son wants, receives, and squanders his inheritance and then comes groveling home while the father has been grieving his loss and the older son has remained faithful and hardworking. Two self-centered sons, one who was lost and has returned; one who was always there and never lacked, treated with grace and respect. While our society touts an "all about me, self-centered" image that is not what is laid out in this parable. You see when we mature in our faith, we can shift the focus off ourselves and show grace to others, as was demonstrated by the loving father for both of his sons.

I like Disney movies. In 2003 Disney/Pixar released "Finding Nemo". Marlin is a clownfish who lives in an anemone in the Great Barrier Reef. His wife, Coral, and almost all their eggs are killed in a barracuda attack and only one damaged egg remains, Nemo. Given the circumstances, Marlin is overprotective of Nemo, who, because of the attack, was born with a stunted right fin. On Nemo's first day of school, Marlin embarrasses Nemo, and the two argue. While Marlin is talking to Nemo's teacher, Nemo defiantly approaches a nearby speedboat, (sounds a little like our prodigal son) where he is captured by a pair of scuba divers and taken to an aquarium tank in a dentist's office in Sydney, Australia. There Nemo realizes that his actions were not the smartest and works with the others in the tank to make his way back to his father. At the same time, Marlin moves heaven and ocean to find his son, the prodigal son. Meetings with sharks, jellyfish, Crush and sea turtles, and encounters with self-centered seagulls whose chant is "mine, mine, mine" can't stop Marlin from his mission, to find his son and welcome him home with love and grace. Nemo escapes and makes his way back to the ocean and comes upon his father. Apologies from Nemo are offered, and Nemo is greeted with the love and grace that a father can offer.

The prodigal son, the one who was reckless and defiant has returned having turned away from his self-centeredness and now truly sees and respects those around him. When we give into the noise around us and buy into our culture today, we lose sight of what God is calling us to do. We are called to demonstrate grace and unconditional love as did the father and Marlin. No matter how far away we move from God, no matter how wasteful we are with the gifts God gives us, God is always pleased when we turn back to him. God never leaves us. Hear that again. God NEVER leaves us. God’s unconditional love is always present, and God’s arms are always open. We are being called to look beyond ourselves and emulate the love and grace of Jesus Christ for all to see. Pushing through the noise and allowing God to shift the focus off our self-centeredness and onto demonstrating graciousness and unconditional love for others is the call. So, will you push past all the noise and allow God to provide clarity of purpose, and clear direction, and then respond to his call?

The Best Is Yet To Come

The thrift store has undergone several improvements this past year. Having a new roof installed this past week being one of those improvements. We run an amazing ministry out of an older building, which has needed this maintenance work.

However, this has not been inexpensive. Everything has a cost, and church buildings and  maintenance are no exception. Choosing to put money into our store and building is an investment into what can be accomplished here. It is an investment into the future. When we choose to put resources into something, we are investing in what is to come, not what we may be seeing at the time. This sounds alot like faith. Believing in what we can not see. In ministry, that is what is done a lot. Believing in what we can not see, and investing in the future.

 The weekend food program is a ministry of our church that sends food home with children who are experiencing food insecurity. When we give to children are we not also investing in the future? We don't know the children by name, but the child who can do their homework over the weekend with a full stomach is more likely to succeed in school, and become our next youth pastor, school nurse, or business owner.  When we spend money on new play equipment for our preschool, we are investing in the future too. The young child playing today may become a church architect when they grow up.

 Investing now for the future is having hope for tomorrow. It is having confidence in God's greater plan. An investment in God's plan is always an investment with amazing returns. Always. Yes, the thrift store has a new roof. Yes, we do an amazing ministry here. But what more does God have planned? I am excited to see what God has planned for us in the future.  

Church Math

I love math. I know it’s hated by so many people but for me it brings about a sense of reason and logic into almost every area of my life. One place you wouldn’t think of math being important is church. However, church math is my favorite. Here are my five favorite church math facts:

1. All it would take for our church to regularly worship over 700 people is for every person who currently goes to our church to bring one friend. (Everyone bringing one friend is a lot easier than Pastor David bringing over 300 friends.)

2. If everyone who went to our church gave up one cup of coffee a week and gave that money to the church, we would have an $100,000 to do ministry. That equals feeding 400 kids a year through the backpack program or doubling the amount that goes to our children, youth, and worship ministries each year.

3. If you go to church every week but don’t go to a small group or do anything else to deepen your faith, you’ll spend 52 hours a year at church. That’s less time than you’ll spend on the toilet and it’s less time than you have from the time you leave work on Friday until you go back to work on Monday. Joining a small group is the easiest way to double the amount of time you spend in spiritual development and will get you connected to other Christians to walk along side you.

4. If you used the audio version of the Bible, you could listen to the entire Bible in about 70 hours. That means 12 minutes a day lets you read it all within a year.

5. 85% of Americans become Christians between the ages of 4 and 14. If we want to have the greatest impact on our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, it is going to start with kids and youth ministry.

Why do all of these numbers matter? Well, first of all, if I were to say our goal in the next three years is to worship 700 each Sunday and to bring in an additional quarter million dollars for ministry, it sounds impossible. But when you realize that all that takes is each one of us bringing one friend to church and giving up a cup of coffee a week it suddenly sounds much more doable. None of this is asking you to change the world or do something radical. It’s asking you to do simple things that add up to monumental changes.

We Need You!

Church Family,

As we eagerly anticipate another summer filled with excitement, there's one event that's on everyone's mind (okay, at least it's on mine)—Vacation Bible School (VBS)! It's that wonderful time of the year when we gather for a week-long journey of faith, fun, and fellowship. On June 24th to 28th, from 9 AM to Noon, I'm inviting you to join me for this year's VBS: "Start the Party: Celebrate the good news!"

First off, a huge shoutout to those of you who've already jumped on board to volunteer this year. Your energy and dedication are the heartbeat of VBS, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of you. But guess what? We still need more helping hands to ensure this year's VBS knocks it out of the park.

Last year was phenomenal—we served a record number of kids, and the impact was immeasurable. But this year, we have an even bigger goal in mind: to almost double the number of children we reach. As I’m writing this blog post, we already have over 100 kids signed up in only 10 days. Imagine the lives we can touch, the hearts we can inspire, and the joy we can spread this summer. But to achieve this goal, we need YOU.

Now, I know I might sound like a broken record, but I cannot stress enough the importance of VBS. For many of the children in our community, this might be the only opportunity they have to hear about Jesus. It's a chance for us to share the gospel in a way that's engaging, interactive, and accessible to young hearts and minds. And let me share a testament to the power of VBS—last year, 9 kids said yes to Jesus! The faith of one of those children who said yes to Jesus led to her request to be baptized. She then had 12 other church members follow suit, along with several other reaffirmation baptisms. That's the kind of impact we're talking about! The faith of a child can move mountains!

But here’s the thing—you don’t need to volunteer for all five days. We'll take whatever time you can spare, whether it's one day, two days, or the whole week. Every moment counts, and trust me, there's something for everyone, even if you're not big on working directly with kids. We've got tech needs, snack prep, parent check-in—you name it, we've got a spot for you.

Last year's VBS brought growth, life, and excitement back to our campus, and this year will be no exception. So, if you're ready to join the party with a purpose, head over to navarre.church/vbs and sign up to volunteer or register your kiddos today. Space is limited, so don't miss out on this chance to make a lasting impact.

Thank you all for your unwavering support, and let's make VBS 2024 a celebration to remember!

God bless,

Christine