Running on empty—it’s more than a classic song from the ’70s. It’s the way many Christians describe their spiritual lives. We have our spiritual checklists. We gauge our spiritual growth by all the things we do and accomplish and pursue. We think we’re growing because we’re busier than ever.

Yet deep down inside, we feel empty and tired and dry. Somewhere along the way, we bought into the lie that Christianity is more about “doing” than “being.” But you and I don’t have to live life on empty.

In this three-week series — based on the book by Doug Fields of the same name — we are going to guide students to a new kind of spiritual experience—one rooted in building an up-close, spiritual, and intimate relationship with God.

Recieve wisdom and practical advice on something we can STOP and something we can START—not with the goal of creating a longer checklist of spiritual obligations… but helping us refocus on what’s truly important to refueling spiritually.

Here’s the three-week series by topic:

* Week 1: It’s Not What You Think
* Week 2: It’s Easier Than You Think
* Week 3: It’s So Much Bigger Than You Think

We want to help you avoid—or escape from—the performance trap. And if you’re caught in that trap, we want to assist you in making a bold escape!

Visit the official “Heart of Texas” movie site here.

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Part of the title in this series is a play on words.  Pastor Deanna and I (Shawn) really love Destiny and the teens at Elevate Student Ministries.  We LOVE this place!

The real idea behind this series, though, is that God hasn’t designed us to experience life alone. We were created to have friends and relationships who help us pursue God’s purposes and plan for our lives.  Friends  who walk alongside us through good and bad times.

This series is designed to turn our attention toward the importance and benefits of healthy friendships. As we pursue and develop deep friendships, we are helping to create community and reflect God’s love to the world around us.

We are going to examine the rewards of having high-quality friendships, consider ways to encourage oir friends, and grasp the dangers of gossip. The end-goal is to help all of us make healthy friendships a high priority in our lives, just as it’s a high priority to God.

Here’s how we see it breaking down:

Week 1: Quality vs. Quantity (Proverbs 27:17)
Week 2: Encourage, Encourage, Encourage (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Week 3: How to Ruin a Great Friendship (Proverbs 16:28)

NEW STUDENT MESSAGE SERIES: “LEGACY – Putting a Stamp on Our World”

There are several “global giants” that are afflicting people around the world: spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease, and rampant illiteracy. Most of these have been around since Jesus’ time. The Bible offers a strategy for responding to each of these issues: planting churches, equipping servant leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation.

This new five-week student message series explores the issues and biblical responses to each of these giants threatening humanity. The goal of this series is to help students become better educated and more involved with addressing these problems. Each week we will discuss with students what they can do as individuals, what their small group can do, what our student ministry can do, and what our congregation can do. This is a great chance for students to apply what they are learning and to make an impact on the world.

Here’s how it will break down week-by-week:

• Week 1: Spiritual Emptiness vs. Planting Churches (1 Corinthians 3:5-9
• Week 2: Egocentric Leadership vs. Equipping Servant Leaders (Zechariah 10:2)
• Week 3: Extreme Poverty vs. Assisting the Poor (1 John 3:14-20)
• Week 4: Pandemic Disease vs. Caring for the Sick (James 5:14)
• Week 5: Rampant Illiteracy vs. Educating the Next Generation (Psalm 78:1-7)

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The “Break Free” series will help students identify and talk about the things in their lives that can inhibit spiritual growth. Obviously, there are different hot buttons of temptation and sin for each person, but these lessons will tackle some root issues that can affect every believer. Teenagers often feel overwhelmed and trapped as a result of poor choices, temptation, and sin. The idea is to simplify the trap and, in the process, simplify the ability to break free! This three-week series will show students how to recognize traps, avoid traps, and mature in their relationship with God, who possesses the ultimate keys to true freedom.

Here’s how we’re gonna break down “Break Free”:
* Week 1: The Desire Trap (Romans 1:22-25)
* Week 2: The Word Trap (James 3:2-12)
* Week 3: The Sin Trap (Luke 7:36-50)

This Sunday night, Pastor Shawn has the rare opportunity to share with adults (grin).  He’ll be speaking at the evening service at Destiny Foursquare Church — start time is 6:30 PM.  The message is titled “Perception vs. Reality”.  He has some fun stuff planned.  Hope you can make it out!

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LOVE and RELATIONSHIPS… there is SO much to talk about in regards to students, dating, and romantic relationships.  We can’t wait to start this new student message series — based on the book of Ruth — next week.  Here’s how it’s gonna break down:

• Past Mistakes / Future Grace (chapter 1) – relationships and consequences
• Hot or Not (chapter 2) – dating, romance, and being noble
• Good Girl, Bad Girl/Boy (chapter 3) – beauty, modesty, character, and popularity
• It’s a Life Sentence (chapter 4) – dating isn’t a game a la “playing the field”; it’s a life-long commitment