CHECK OUT THE NEW WEBSITE!

We have been working hard on our new website, and we are happy to announce the next version of the youth website!

To check it out, click on the link below. All future updates, messages, and events will be listed on the new website, so be sure to use it instead of this. All of the content you see on this website is still available on the new website too, so don't worry.

http://www.northwestyouthgroup.wordpress.com

30 Hour Famine

This year our 30 Hour Famine will be on April 27-28.

Click on the picture below to be taken to our Northwest Youth Group page where you can:

• Make a donation to our fundraising efforts
• Create your own 30 Hour Famine online fundraising page
• Get more information about the 30 Hour Famine & World Vision

FEBRUARY Challenge

I want to encourage each of you to join us for All of February in the following ways:

<=ONE=>

Each of you should have your Daily Devo.

MS is "Character"

HS is "Here & Now"

THESE ARE YOURS TO KEEP

So mark em up all you want!

<=TWO=>

LIFE GROUPS START TONIGHT.

For all 4 Thursdays in February, these groups will meet 6:30-8:30 PM.

Grades 7-9 at the Bryants

Grades 10-12 at the Soderbergs

<=THREE=>

Sunday Mornings

now have

New Study Series

&

Seperate Middle & High School classes

So, please make every effort to participate in the above 4 activities, and let's see what happens when you allow their faith be challenged this month!

Winterblast Recap

We had a great weekend with:

~Jennie Wellsand~

leading Worship

&

David Hopkins

bringing us the Word.

WINTERBLAST 2012

Hello errrbody.

Reminder that sign-ups for WINTERBLAST 2012 are due in ASAP.

$105 covers all costs for the weekend (food, lodging, & activities).

Come enjoy worship from Jennie Wellsand (& band) and hear great messages from David Hopkins.

Click here

for all the info

Registration forms are available in the youth room and in the foyer outside the sanctuary.

Updates

Hello all.

Time for some

UPDATES.

LIFE Groups start THIS WEEK. They will be on Thursday, December 8th & 22nd. For more info & locations for our Guys & Girls LIFE Groups, e-mail Ryan at rsoderberg@northwestbaptist.com.

What is the GOSPEL?

Dare 2 Share Ministries

The video is from a guy called "Propaganda" and was created for Dare 2 Share ministries 

(check the link above).  

He really gives us some great insight into the Gospel message ...  

LOTS of good stuff there, so check it out a couple of times.

Trying to prove God 

is like defending a lion, 

homie, 

it don't need your help....

Just unlock the cage.

30 Hour Famine Weekend

We were blessed again by doing World Vision's 30 Hour Famine event this past weekend. Above, you can see the awesome artwork that Brandon & Amber provided for our new chalkboard wall.

As we fasted for 30 hours, we filled our weekend with fun (who doesn't love sardines), service projects, reflection, & worship. We were blessed to have "Weak Into Strong" lead us and some other youth groups in a night of worship on Saturday evening as we broke our fast together with worship, food, & fellowship.

The leaders are so proud of our youth who stepped it up this weekend through the service projects & fundraising! We've raised around $1,500 so far, but we are still collecting for another 2 weeks.

>>YOU CAN STILL DONATE HERE<<

God is good.
Matthew 25:40

30 Hour Famine & Connecting With Others

On April 29-30 we will be doing our annual 30 Hour Famine Event
(click the image for more info on the 30 Hour Famine).

PLEASE make sure to get your student packet / info from a youth leader ASAP. Also, there is a **Sign-up sheet** now in the Youth Room. If you (or friends) are planning on attending, you must sign-up.

----------------------

This year, we will be doing something new on Saturday, April 30th.

Starting at 5:30 PM we will be inviting youth from other churches (or any friends) to join us as we break our fast AND have a night of Music, Worship, & Fun.

To create your own online giving page,

~~CLICK HERE~~
Then Click "Join Famine Group" near the bottom of the page

Youth Room Updates

We've now completed ROUND 1 of our
Youth Room Updates

Splatter Paint in our Pool Room
Chalkboard Paint Outside the High School Room
Lavender Paint in the High School Room

Another work day with more updates coming soon...

Incoming...

Attn Youth & Parents

You should receive a letter in the mail this week.

Look for information about:

• Upcoming Events
  
• Summer Camp 2011*
  
• & Changes coming up for our weekly schedule

*For our summer camp, the cost will be $325 for 6-day camp (Monday-Saturday). HOWEVER, if you sign-up by Sunday, March 13th *with a $50 deposit* the total cost to you will only be $275!!! (we will match your deposit).

?s... See a youth leader today!

Here's to 2011

So here we are, already a month into 2011. In the next couple of days Milwaukee is facing what might possibly become the "snow storm of the decade" which I am sure all of our students & their teachers alike are hoping amounts to a snow day. That said, I figure I will have some time over the next couple days to sit around, inside my warm house, and ponder such things as...

"What would I like to see in our youth group in 2011"

While I may add more later, I've come up with two goals for now:

Personal Growth
&
Growth in the Size of our Youth Group

Now, youth ministry and ministry in general should never be about having the biggest following (and I totally agree with that) but hear me out.

To begin with, personal growth is essentially always our goal. If we are not equipping the youth of the church with the tools they need and the experiences that allow them to put their faith into action, then we are failing them. In order for our ministry to keep from becoming stagnant, we need to continue to build off of what works while also being open to adding new elements that will increase our ability to foster growth. As "youth culture" changes, we need to be mindful of the effectiveness of our strategies. I truly believe that the introduction of LIFE Groups (in-home Bible studies) will be very instrumental in the growth of many of our youth. The key here is providing a setting outside of the church walls where our youth will be encouraged and lead to discuss the issues they are dealing with. Paired with these discussions and fellowship will be a look at the Bible's teachings and a focus on seeing the Word as a living thing, with great application for our lives today.

Here is a clip I found at - and give FULL CREDIT to - Bluefish TV
You may want to MUTE the music player
above left (by clicking it)

It speaks for itself. Feel free to check out their resources at:

BluefishTV

So now I've got to justify a desire for more youth in our youth group. If I said "just because" would that suffice?

No...eh?

Alright, well here's my thinking on this. I've found time and time again that wherever God is clearly at work, people will show up. Ministries that change lives and people who model God's love draw other people to them. Northwest has certainly seen both of these truths at work as we have been blessed with many godly men & women. Furthermore, so much of what we do is guided by a longing to reach our community that is rooted in a desire to see lives changed through God's grace and love.

Many of our youth are very vocal about their desire to reach others across the world and at home. I just wonder sometimes if they realize that they truly CAN impact the world ... not when they are older, or "more mature," or once they have it all figured out (whenever that is), but right now, EXACTLY HOW THEY ARE. It might take some work, some sacrifice, some struggle, maybe even some persecution. But how great of a pay-off it is to know that God is using you to bring others to Him. Even more so will that be the case when people will be drawn to our youth group not because of our video game selection or our cool room, but because they see God working in our lives and they want to experience that!

So, I s'pose I will sign-off for now even though I realize this post is not finished. Sure it sounds great that we should feel compelled to live out our faith in such a way that it is contagious, but what does that look like? What are some steps to take... an action plan?

My heart-felt prayer tonight is for wisdom and discernment for the steps ahead.

Jeremiah 29:13

Winterblast Pictures

Well... WINTERBLAST 2011 has come & gone.

Check out more photos & videos


~~HERE~~
Check out "Camp 2011"

New Additions to the YOUTH LIBRARY

So we've got
CDs, DVDs & BOOKS
Available to sign-out at the front of the youth room.

I'm happy to announce 2 new additions:

The DVD "To Save a Life"

(Click picture for more info)

&

The BOOK "Take Your Best Shot"

(Click picture for more info)

~~Any ?'s, see a youth leader!~~

WINTERBLAST
January 14-16

Winterblast is an EPIC weekend retreat at Camp Awana in Fredonia, WI.
Our youth will be joining up with youth from
churches across SE Wisconsin for a weekend of
rest, recreation, & transformation.

Total cost is $90 (covers lodging and food).
a $25 deposit is due by December 5th to reserve your spot.

Activities at Camp Awana include:
The Toboggan Run ... Sledding ... Snowboarding ...
Tubing ... Broomball ... Cross Country Skiing ... Indoor Games ....
RazzleBlast (the best game ever created) ...
& Much, Much More

Coming Up...

Attn Youth & Parents

You will be receiving a letter in the mail
and / or an e-mail

This week.

Look for information about:

• Wednesday Nights
• Coffee Fundraiser
• Disciple Now Weekend

Pz

Disciple Now Weekend

Our Disciple Now Weekend is SET
for November 5-6 (Friday - Saturday)
Mark your calendars and get ready for an awesome weekend!

Back From Camp

So, we are back from StudentLife Camp...

had a great time with
Rush Of Fools
&
David Nasser

look for more updates & pics soon!

SUMMER is HERE :)

Hey everyone.

There are events calendars available on the message boards
outside the Sanctuary & in the entrance to the education building.
Also, the events have been posted here on this website.

Any questions, let me know!

Please remember to sign-up for events
...
there are sign-up sheets in the youth room!

pz

Camp, T-Shirts, Youth Room

Quick post, no pictures, all important though...

If you want a 30 Hour Famine
T-Shirt, orders & money are
DUE -- Friday, April 30th

Are you going to summer camp?
NEED TO KNOW ASAP :)

SUNDAY, May 2nd after the 2nd Service
YOUTH ROOM MEETING
(to discuss our plans for the youth room)