And with the Super Bowl comes 7th and 8th grade super bowl parties! We are so excited to spend some good quality time with our students watching the big game. Whether they are a Patriots fan or a Giants fan, all students are welcome to come celebrate and have a good time with their friends. Students will watch the game at their designated house, which is determined by which Journey Group Team they are in. Here is the breakdown:

Klint Bitter’s Team: The Morrissey’s house (Elkhorn)

Bill and Heidi Nordin’s Team: The Nordin’s house (Elkhorn)

Mark and Diane Bristol’s Team: The Bristol’s house (Omaha)

*For addresses, pick up a flyer during Sunday Morning Worship or at Journey Groups this Sunday night. Or, you can send a message to caitlint@cccomaha.org, and we’ll get you all the information you need!

All we ask is that students bring a soda and a snack to share. We’ll provide pizza and a few fun Super Bowl games while we hang out and enjoy one of our nation’s favorite pastimes. Parties start at 5 pm and (regardless of how long the game goes) end at 9 pm.

We’re looking forward to seeing our students get pumped up for an awesome game! Have a great week, everyone!

There’s already been a correction made to the previous blog, but in case you don’t catch it, there is a date change for the Spiritual Parenting class starting in February. Previously, I had posted that the class starts on February 5th, but the class is actually starting on February 12th.

So no worries–the class won’t interfere with your Super Bowl Plans!

Have a great week, everyone!

Christ Community Church has two exciting new classes coming soon for parents of teenagers. Take a look at the descriptions below to get a snapshot of what each class is like:

Communicating with Teens

These interactive sessions designed for parents of teens will promote purposeful communication with teens that build strengths and character, address relevant topics and resolve difficult issues. You will also learn to develop meaningful family conversations with the teens in your home.

This is a 6-week class that will be held on Sundays at 9 AM in FLC 141-145, starting January 29th, and is being taught by Dr. Ann Luther.

If you’d like to sign up, you can do so here.

Spiritual Parenting

It’s not about perfect behavior–it’s about passionate hearts. God wants hearts and souls that are shaped in vibrant faith and love toward Himself and others.  As parents, you want to pass on a vibrant faith to the next generation.  Join other parents and explore home environments that God can use to call your students to Him.

This is a 6-week class using curriculum from Dr. Michelle Anthony, author of Spiritual Parenting. This class will be held on Sundays from 6-8 PM in EC188, starting February 12th, and is being moderated by Nancy Davies.

* A link to sign up for this class will be available soon!

Both of these classes are great opportunities–especially for parents of middle school students–so we encourage you to take advantage of this and get involved!

Series Summary

The word “Promise” carries a lot of weight. Whether placing your hand on a Bible in a court of law or sealing a pinkie promise with a kiss, making a promise is a big deal. Unfortunately as we have all witnessed, not every promise seems to pan out. Is there actually anyone who keeps all of his or her Promises? Over the next several weeks we will look at the promises that God has made to his people, and how time and time again He has never broken one.

Stand Alone Week (January 8 )

Project 4:4 marks an exciting time here in Middle School Ministry. As we set out on this adventure of reading through the entire Bible together, we wanted to kick it off with a party! This past Sunday we combined our service with the High School students for a time of musical worship, Bible trivia, teaching, and fun.

Stand Alone Week (January 15)

Before we dive into specific passages as part of Project 4:4, we’ll take a broad view look at the first 5 books of the Old Testament.  These books contain key Biblical passages like: creation, the fall, centuries of history of the Israelites, the law, and more.  During this week, we’ll learn how to correctly read and interpret these passages, as well as how to look for Jesus woven throughout each story.

Session One:  Serpent Covenant (January 22)

A talking serpent, deception, pride, and a couple bites from a piece of fruit was all it took to turn the world upside down. Sin entered the world and with sin, come consequences. But even in the midst of this bad news, God had a plan of redemption. This week we will talk about how sin entered the world and God’s promise that it will one day exit.

 Session Two: God’s Covenant with Noah  (January 29)

After the waters receded from earth covering flood in Genesis 8, God makes a covenant with Noah that never again will he curse the ground, and never again will he destroy living creatures.  In making this covenant, we learn that God is a never changing God, that even when everything else changes, he does not.

 Session Three: Abraham Covenant (February 5)

When God made a covenant with Abraham, He promised to bless his descendants & make them into a nation that God would call His own.  In return, Abraham was to remain faithful to God & serve as a channel in which God’s blessing could flow to the rest of the world.  In this covenant, we learn that God is always faithful even when we are not.  He brings about blessing in His time & way.

 Session Four: The Passover Covenant (February 12)

At the beginning of Exodus, God’s people are enslaved in Egypt.  When God is ready to free his people, he brings a series of severe plagues, the final causing death to firstborn all throughout Egypt.  But, God provides a path for people to escape this judgment.  The Passover covenant of Exodus 12 lets us know that God has power over everything and everyone, and the power to deliver us from what we come up against in life.

Well, here’s another blog about Project 4:4. But this isn’t necessarily about the “project” itself; rather, it’s regarding how we go about it. We know the basics about what Christ Community is doing in the year 2012: We are going through a chronological study of the Bible, and we will have read it in its entirety by the end of this year. But the aim is not to finish the Bible for the sake of finishing it or to make the claim that we’ve read the whole thing and pat ourselves on the back. The aim is not to get through the reading as fast as we possibly can—doing some “speed reading” or skimming the surface of the text so that we can hurry up and get along with the rest of our day. The purpose is to read the entire Bible and soak in the depth of its meaning. If our reading doesn’t transform us into Christ’s likeness, then our endeavor to read the Word is futile. Knowledge without transformation is pointless.

I received a book while I was in college called Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, which has been incredibly useful and encouraging in regards to maturing spiritually and getting into meaningful habits of spiritual practice. There’s a section in this book about studying God’s Word, and I thought I would share with you a great explanation the author gives for the significance of studying the Bible:

The Bible is divine revelation. God’s own word to us. It reveals who God is, who we are and why we are here. Through Bible study we gain insights into God, human nature and creation. Studying the Scripture can equip, guide and reveal how to live in life-giving ways that deepen our friendship with God and others. Both Old and New Testaments encourage regular study, meditation, contemplation and memorization of God’s Word. The benefits of Bible study are directly related to how open, attentive and obedient we are to what we read. Jesus exemplified the love of God’s Word in every area of his life. He used Scripture to answer those who tested him, resist temptation, find guidance, encourage his heart, comfort others, explain his actions and ultimately face his own death.¹

I pray that as leaders and students in Middle School Ministry commit to reading the Bible this year, that they are truly transformed by its power. If you are a parent reading this, I encourage you to further your child’s depth of understanding of God’s Word by studying and discussing your reading together. Hopefully you’ve gotten started with your reading already, and if not, you can easily catch up! Check out everything you need to know about Project 4:4 at http://cccomaha.org/

Have a wonderful day and be sure to check out our blog next week for some information about our upcoming series, I Promise.

¹Calhoun, Adele Ahlberg. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005.