There is a special place in Heaven for camp directors!

      It is a selfless act that all too often goes unrecognized. Anybody who has ever worked with youth and/or planned a week-long event knows the difficulties and abnormalities that can and will arise. As I've mentioned in another post, when good things are happening Satan is going to work overtime to try to destroy them. An example of that would be the most current camp issue. The camp directors found out on Monday that the speaker for the week was laid over in California and wouldn't make it in time for the first service. Happenstance you say? No, says I! Blame it on the devil. It happens every time. You can bank on it. However, "greater is He that is within [us] than he that is within the world." Our God provided as He always does and an amazing local speaker stepped up and offered an amazing first service. Needless to say, I am looking forward to what God has in store for this coming week.
  The local summer camp here in Greene County is logically deemed Camp  Greene. Camp Greene is a local hot spot for summer God activities. I never took the opportunity as a child and teen to enjoy this occasion, but I have grown to love it as an adult and youth pastor. It seems that God is blessing this particular camp. It is my understanding that the camp had been diminishing in participation in past years, but it has exploded in the past five. The reason for its recent success is (along with God's blessing) the willingness and eagerness of individuals to take the reigns and seriously devote time and effort to this cause. For the fear of leaving someone out, I am not going to name names. However, my hat is off to those who dedicate weeks of their year to this occasion.

     I enjoy assisting with camp for several reasons. First, I enjoy seeing the students grow closer to God. That is a main objective in my life, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Also, student ministry is about relationship building. If you can't build effective relationships with the students then they're not going to open up when it is time to deliver God's word and offer other ministry. Camp is a great opportunity to build on those relationships. Camp time is also a time of unity. Unity is a big part of God's plan for the Church and it is a part that is overlooked and ignored way too often. Adults in the Church could learn quite a bit from the students at camp. I love seeing them mingle with those from different congregations. That is the way it is supposed to be and it is exemplified well at Camp Greene! I’m not sure if you know it or not, but there will be no denominational divide in Heaven. Finally, I enjoy camp because I am not in charge. I know that sounds selfish and I hope you'll forgive me. However, all year long I am in charge and responsible. It is nice to be out of that role once in a while. I offer my assistance every chance I get and I try to be there as much as I can, but I am not the one in charge... and it's nice. There is nothing wrong with being the bus driver and the cat-herder for a couple weeks. Again, thanks to those who put forth such an effort to deliver God's word and love to a generation who all too often are getting overlooked. There is a special place in Heaven for people like you!

I've Been Published!! E.J. Swatsell on Scrap Metal -- Ha Ha

   

     I've been published by Group Magazine! I realize it's just a 3x5 article, but its right there in the May-June 2013 edition on page 29. It may not mean much to many people, but I'm tickled pink! For those of you who don't know, Group Magazine is a bi-monthly periodical about youth ministry and for youth ministers. It is a fountain of encouragement and knowledge. If you are in youth ministry, this is a must have. If I'm not mistaken, there is a e-copy available as well. Check it out... seriously.

     The article that was published was about a fundraiser that we do at Cedar Creek. It actually all started as a joke. I was standing in the narthex of the church one Sunday morning talking about fund raising options and an older friend and youth group supporter jokingly stated that we should sell scrap metal, because its price is high at the moment. He was joking, but it struck my interest quickly. When something like that gets stuck in my head, I might as well explore it or I'll never get it out of my noggin. One thing led to another and we started the process.

    

Here is one of the most important factors about fundraising in a rural congregation. Most members of a rural congregation have had to work hard all of their lives. They are more than willing to financially aide a cause, but not until that cause works for it. They've worked hard for what they've got, and they naturally expect teenagers in a youth group to do the same. Remember that and fund raising in the rural congregation will go a lot smoother.

     Since I grew up on the farm and still farm a little, I have access to equipment such as trailers and such. This made the scrap metal collection process easier. It was definitely a God thing, as we started with one small dump trailer load of metal. By the end of our first drive we had collected over $15,000 in scrap metal. We frequented the scrap yard so much that we were on a first name basis with the owner. He would usually add a couple cents on the pound when he saw us coming; since it was for a good cause and all. There were even congregants asking us to come clean out their garages, which we did gladly because a good sized garage usually equals about a ton of metal. Then there were a few people who donated old silage trucks that were no longer usable. They robbed what parts they needed and we rolled it up on a trailer and hauled it off.

A thing to remember is that different metals sell for different prices. An example would be that scrap sells for around a dime per pound but good copper sells at $1.40 per pound. Aluminum is also higher. Scrap yards also accept old car batteries and radiators at a higher price than scrap. Again, with God's blessings and the assistance and support of the community, scrap metal collection worked out well for us. Will it work well for you? I'm not sure, but I know that if you're willing to work it is definitely worth the effort. Happy scrapping!

Coonhounds & Ministry: James Chapter 1

 

 

James 1 2-4:

 

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

 

 

            I would like to start off by saying that I am a very happy person. God has blessed me tremendously and I know that He is the source of all my blessings. I have been blessed with a wonderful family who loves me. I have a wonderful “job” that is, in fact, so good that I am hesitant to call it a job. I have a wonderful church family that is supportive of my ministry (God’s ministry through me) at Cedar Creek. I could go on and on and on and I probably should instead of starting this next paragraph. The truth is God has blessed, and I am thankful.

            Having said that, I would like to address the nature of humanity. Please, don’t expect Aristotle or Plato, but hang on for profoundness… It doesn’t matter how good you’ve got it, there are going to be shaping experiences in your life. To the best of my calculations, I have those experiences at least quarterly. I’ll share one of them with you, and I’ll follow up with a reasoning behind the madness. Maybe you’re going through a “shaping experience” and we can laugh at this one together.

 

Coonhounds & Ministry:  

            I was an avid raccoon hunter for a total of about six months. It was a grand idea of mine, just not a very successful one. The idea was rooted in sincerity, as I wanted to find something in common with a certain group of young men within our youth group. It was a relationship building opportunity. Looking back at it, this was not the best idea I’ve ever had. After working all day on the farm on a Saturday (which is important because I was scheduled to preach “big church” the following morning), I decided to take my mediocre-at-best dogs for a run with some of the boys from the youth group. I loved these dogs, but their trainer (me) was definitely lacking. Anyhow, we turned loose at a place called Saw Mill Holler up above Cedar Creek. It was supposed to be a honey hole. Right out of the truck, the dogs struck a trail and hit it hard for about 50 feet. Then they stopped like you turned off a light switch and took a dead left toward some houses and away from any feasible raccoon. My first thought, “I’m too tired for this, what was I thinking?” I looked down at my fancy little tracking system and ol’ Charlie was leaving the country. 100 feet turned into 1600 yards in a heart beat. He was gone. So, we walked down the trail, got in the truck, and headed in that direction. The good dog, Buster, met me at the road when he heard the truck crank. He was too old to be interested in what was taking place. Charlie, however, had winded a female companion somewhere down the road and I was the last thing on his mind! I followed the tracking system and found that he was behind a house and trying franticly to get into the dog pen. Well, the house was fenced in and you don’t just go snooping around somebody’s house at nine in the evening, so I waited at the road. To make a long story short here is how this went down: A neighbor finally came out carrying a shotgun wanting to know why in the world I was lurking around the community. After he figured out who and why I was, he went with me to the home of Charlie’s attractor. The said home owner was gone and the wife was scared to death. She proceeds to lay a fine bead on my forehead with her Glock… admirable, but unfortunate at the time. By God’s grace, she understood the art of raccoon hunting and recognized me. “Go ahead and get him, help yourself,” she said. So I go around back and step over a conspicuous, knee-high electric fence. Come to find out, that fence was designed to keep their pet, 1000 pound boar hog from attacking the neighbors. She didn’t tell me about him, but I quickly found out. I finally got Charlie by the collar and was leading him back to the truck when he vomited stolen cat food on my boot. That, my friends, is pretty much the sum of it.  

 

 

 

            I have since retired from hunting. I liked working the dogs, but the end result always required the killing of the coon. I guess I’m getting soft in my old age, but I don’t enjoy that like I used to. There’s always a moral to a story like this. In this case, there are several. First, not all ideas, though good intentions, are successful. Second, never take an electric fence for granted; it is there to either keep something in or keep something out – or both. Thirdly, Satan will use any tactic possible to distract good things from happening – as in the following day’s sermon, in my case. Lastly, and most importantly, James 1:2-4! This scripture is a grand reminder that through trials (even those in our lives much more serious than the above) we can become stronger in our faith and closer to God. Life will catch up to us. Bad things, sad things, crazy things, and ridiculous things are going to happen to us; especially when you’re trying to live right. When sin came into the world, Satan made it his goal and last-ditch effort to try to trip everyone up in anyway that he can. It is not easy being a Christian, especially one trying to serve in the ministry. Finances will be tight. Toes will be stumped. Wedding bands will be lost in hay fields (literally, not metaphorically). Equipment will tear up. All of this will happen at the most inconvenient time. There is hope yet! Remember this quote from my father: “If the devil is not working on you, he probably already has you.” Even though we are waging war with Satan in this daily spiritual battle, Christ won the war for us when he died on the cross! That’s pretty significant. Also, in 1 Corinthians 10, Paul tells us that nothing will ever be placed on us that we can’t handle. That is also good news. When it all boils down, James 1 is enlightening. The trials that we are going through are the same ones that God is using to teach us endurance. It is that endurance that will allow us to “fight a good fight and finish the race.” Consider it joy!

 

 

 

June article in "The Call" -- CCCOG Newseltter

            Well, we made it again. We made it through one of the busiest seasons in youth ministry. It starts with egg making in February, and ends with graduations in May. This year was a successful busy season. Eggs went extremely well and state youth convention was one of the best that I had ever taken part in. All of these successes are to the glory of God, with the assistance of the prayer warriors and supporters of the Cedar Creek Church of God and beyond. I cannot believe May flew by as quickly as it did. It has been a very productive May. We started with our all-church fellowship dinner that I think was a great success. We had a good time with the cook out and the movie projected on the wall in the Christian Activities Center. Times like these are priceless, as good Christian fellowship is one of the glues that hold relationships together. It was also a great opportunity for fundraising for the youth group. Thanks for your support in this endeavor. Later in May came graduation time. On the 15^th of May, I had the opportunity to assist in the United Baccalaureate service of Greene County. This is an important event that should be supported heavily by local congregations. It is the last truly Christian event within the local county school systems. We are concerned with the lack of Christ in our school systems, so we need to support this event as much as possible. This year’s baccalaureate was a good one as Mr. Steve Fitzhugh brought the word preceded by the Advanced Chorus from Greeneville High School. Both venues were amazing and the Lord spoke during the service. It is also during this service that the Doer of the Word Scholarship is presented. One male and one female from each school are presented a $1000 scholarship earned by their sincerity to walk with Christ day in and day out. This is not a political award, as it is student-chosen to avoid such an issue. I am proud to say that one of the recipients of this year’s Doer of the Word Scholarship is from our youth group here at Cedar Creek. Congratulations to Mr. Dallas Malone. The following Saturday was graduation for several of our students. I am proud to have been a small part of their lives during this time. I have really enjoyed watching them grow and mature in the Lord as well as in life. I continue to pray that God will bless them as they continue onward in this crazy journey we call life.

 

            Right after graduation is a great time to get the summer ministry started. We had two “kickoff” gatherings for two of our ministries. On the 26^th of May, we had a pool party/Bible study at the home of Micky and Tammy Reaves. This was to kick-off our Sunday night youth group series. The numbers are not as big on Sunday nights as they are on Wednesday, but it is still a welcoming environment for the students as well as the Holy Spirit. On the 24^th, we had our College-Age summer kickoff at the home of Kevin and Julie Kinser. It is an overwhelming epidemic throughout the church that students are kind of dropped after they graduate from youth group. I refuse to allow this to happen at Cedar Creek. We have poured too much into the lives of these young men and women to merely abandon them after graduation. God has directed me to do all that I can to keep these students connected. Therefore, I will do my best. Because of their busy schedule with college and/or the work place, and because my main focus must remain on the youth group, I cannot offer a great deal of time. However, I do not think it requires a great deal of time to be successful. We have a wonderful college-age Sunday school class and we are starting this monthly bible study. College age students (along with anyone else) are also invited to observe during youth group on Wednesday evenings. These students know that they have graduated and are no longer youth group members, but they also know that we here at Cedar Creek welcome them in all facets of ministry. Please continue to keep both of these ministries in your prayers.

 

            The summer is usually a regrouping time in youth ministry. Many families are on vacation and are absent from church. Many of our students are gone to camps or are attempting to hold down a summer job. This makes for some vacancies within in our group during this time of year. I do not allow that to hinder ministry. I do not slow down much during the summer. Some do, and that is perfectly fine. However, there are still students out there who, quite frankly, have nothing to do. I take advantage of that. I am planning some day trips and a retreat for the summer. The number of students may not be huge, but I expect a good twenty or thirty to participate in these activities. My philosophy for the summer is this: plan ministry opportunities often, and those that can come may come. It may be a different twenty every time, but that is perfectly alright. So, if you will, please continue to pray for our group. Pray for the safety of the students and for the success of the ministry. Said success is completely related to our allowing Christ to work through us. Success in ministry is measured by the will of God being accomplished. That is my goal, as I am sure it is yours as well.

 

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. May God bless you during this warming time of year and may we all continue to remember the source of all blessings and prosperity.

 

 

With love and prayer,

 

Pastor E.J.

Memorial Day in today's rising culture....

     What do you think about when you think about Memorial Day? If you ask a teenager that question, you would be surprised at some of the answers. There are a few that will offer an admirable answer mostly expected by an aging generation such as mine and those before. However, the majority will say things like "the day when the public pools open" or "the weekend we go to the lake" or "the start of the cook-out season." Maybe I'm overly patriotic, but it means much more to me and I think it should to the coming generation as well. To me, Memorial Day is more of a season than a day. It is a season of remembrance. It is the season when I especially remember my loved ones who have gone before. It is decoration weekend for the cemetery at which a lot of my family is buried. It is the season when I especially honor our veterans... all of them: those fallen, those returned, those missing, and those active. I'm quite positive that I share these sentiments with at least a few fellow patriots. However, what are we doing to pass down the meaning of Memorial Day to those coming generations? Is it important enough to share?? I think so.

 

 

     Memorial Day Season, 2012: Members from the Cedar Creek COG Youth group took a trip. The best I remember, there were five of us total. (See Youth Ministry Foot Note) We made a day of it, but I was on a mission. It was my mission to teach these students the importance of Memorial Day. We met at the church and piled in Polly (the name of our 1992 15 Passenger Ford blue-suede suite on wheels) and headed to town. The goal was to attend the Memorial Day Service at the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery. The purpose was two fold: first to visit the cemetery, second to hear the key-note speaker. The speaker was a World War II veteran by the name of Paul Shelton. I met Paul a few years ago when he started attending the Flag Branch Church during my time there. He is a very personable fellow, with a powerful story... I wanted the kids to hear it. The best I remember, the service started with the reading of the numbers of the fallen from Greene County. There was a welcome and then Paul spoke. He spoke of his experience in the Battle of the Bulge, I do believe. Nevertheless, he told his story with passion and emotion still lingering from those days some 60 years ago. He told of the friends he lost and the Purple Heart he'd received. The moment that I saw tears in the eyes of the girls of our youth group was the moment that I knew the day was a success. Of five students, only one had been to the cemetary before and three of them had never witnessed a 21 Gun Salute. I might not have preached to those kids that day, but I definitely ministered to them. They now understand a little more about how God has blessed our Nation and about the sacrifices that were made so that we could be where we are today. Are we loosing this knowledge in today's generation? If we are, whose fault is it? What are we going to do about it? As for me and my house...

 

 

 

 

Youth Ministry Foot Note: Often times during the summer, you plan things with big expectations, but because of conflicting schedules and other competition, the turnout is not very big. Do not be discouraged, it is a natural phenomenon throughout the youth ministry world. I've learned that you plan things and execute them with those who show up. It will probably be a different five or ten students the next time, but at least you are ministering to some during this slow time. 

Pick Your Battles Respectfully -- Sunday Night Service

     Sunday evening service is a source of conflict through out the entire Church as we know it. It is no different at Cedar Creek. There are those who believe that there should be no Sunday evening service at all. They believe that this time should be reserved for "family time" or rest. On the other side of the spectrum, there are those who believe that there should always be Sunday evening service and that it should always be in the sanctuary as traditionally it has been for ages. Before we dive into this topic, I think that it is very important to remember that we are all Christians and that we are commanded to love one another. That being said, I will now divulge my opinion on the matter. You are forewarned.
   
     Youth ministry is a different bird. As in other realms of life, if you are going to attain your goal, then you must do so by whatever means necessary. In the case of youth ministry, the goal is to be a mere tool which God can use to win souls and disciple Christians. Getting back to the topic, I think it is extremely important to be in God's house as often as possible. Maybe this is because I absolutely adore the concept of God's love for me and I consider it to be the least that I can do to show up at Church. This is beyond the fact that I am paid staff and expected by check writers to be at the services. I do not like the fact that people sometimes take the church concept too lightly. To me, there is nothing more important in life than our responsibility to Christ.  If you really want to have "family time" have it at church. What better place is there at which to have your family? Now before you hang me, I realize that issues conflict, and I have no problem with that. Things such as work, vacations, emergencies, and accidents do happen. It is to be expected. Enough of that, I think you get the drift.

     Being a youth minister, you are often times caught in the middle on issues between the youth group and "big church." There are generational gaps that will, for various  reasons, never be bridged. It is the job of the youth minister to keep Christ at the center of all debates while keeping dissension and disagreement to a minimum. I'm getting to the meat and potatoes, hang with me. At Cedar Creek, the youth group historically does not attend Sunday evening service. They just won't. Since I am adamant about twice Sunday worship, I have tried it all. I have tried bribing them with trips to ice cream parlors and restaurants. It may seem shallow to some, but do not forget the time they would spend in corporate worship before hand. Before you get all worked up, it didn't work. None of it worked. You can't push a chain. If they don't want to be there they're not going to come. Me being the analytical type, I wanted to know why they didn't want to be there. It wasn't making sense at first. I knew at least some of them truly loved The Lord. Then it hit me... They weren't feeling reality. Today's coming generation won't fake it. If they feel someone else is faking it, then they're out. We get mad because they won't come to church on Sunday night when it is our own fault. They see our lukewarmness and disengage. Skeptics are going to claim that they are choosing things of the world instead of church, which might be the case for some. However, this is just an avoidance of of the truth. Lord help us.

     I've come to the conclusion that I have a couple of options here. I can abort Sunday night ministry and blame it on the pagan culture, or I can adapt. Ok extreme conservatives, I didn't say "succumb" or "yield", I said "adapt." Even though it is looked down upon by some, I have started a Sunday night youth service. To be honest with you, I catch some flak from some of the older members. Nonetheless, it is going good. God is working, and (as much as I desire to please everyone) it is His approval that I seek. We still have a long way to go. We are probably running around one quarter of our numbers of a Wednesday night, but it is quality. I would rather minister to 15 in a small group or "destination unknown" setting as to sit beside three in a Sunday evening corporate worship setting. I know God is working in our group and I am very appreciative. Again, I would never want to inhibit the "us verses them" theme, because we are all in this together. If I had it my way the sanctuary would be packed three services a week with all ages of God's people enjoying true worship in unity. Until then, I've got to do what needs to be done.

Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading.

Thunderstorms, Leaking Roofs, & Fire Alarms -- All a part of the ministry!

     Wednesdays are usually routine. During the school months, I come into office around nine or so and work on finishing up the night's lesson for that evening. At 11:20 I head over to the local high school (South Greene, 3 miles from the church) and eat lunch with the students over there. The administration of that school is more than willing to allow me to spend some time with the students. (More to come on this topic later) On any other normal day, I would leave South Greene and head to town quickly to put my check in the bank and catch up on any errands that might need to be taken care of. After that, I'd head back to Cedar Creek to get things ready. Students usually start showing up around 3:30 after they get out of school.

     Well, yesterday (5-22-13) didn't work out so well. To say the least, it was a crazy day. It was the first Wednesday that the students were out of school for the summer. Therefore, my weekly lunch plans were altered as there was no school to eat at! Understandable... not too big of a deal. So, I met some kids at the YMCA to work out with them during lunch time. This is a great opportunity for ministry (more to come on this topic as well!) Since the weather was nice, I rode my motorcycle as is usual. When I left the Y, the skies turned dark and were starting to open up just as I got home. The Lord watched over my ignorance and allowed me to get home before the storm hit. I was appreciative.

     This storm was just the starting point of the craziness. I grabbed some tuna salad for an after-workout protein snack, swapped vehicles, and headed back to the church. FYI, the church is about five miles from my house. When I left the house, it was not storming, raining, or threatening to do so. I made it half way there, and I had to pull under a Bradford Pair at Solomon Lutheran in order to keep from getting the car beat to death by hail balls. Mind you, according to The Weather Channel Desktop, there was a 30% chance of an isolated thunderstorm. I appreciated the isolation. I finally made it back to church only to sit down at my desk for about 30 minutes before another storm came through. This storm was more intense. I looked out the window to see our landscaping escaping and our flowering pair trees disintegrating. It was craziness. Then came the leaks. It was raining so hard and for so long that our fairly-modern building was leaking in places that it had never leaked before.

     Here is a note for all of you individuals that are contemplating the ministry. First off, if you are thinking you are called into the ministry, pray hard about it and don't rush into it. However, also think about this: Satan would not put thoughts of Kingdom expansion in your head. If you are read up (the Bible) and prayed up, and the ministry is on your heart, then God is probably tugging your heart's strings. Secondly, there is much more to a pastorate than preaching, teaching, and visiting. Sometimes you have to pull out coolers to catch the leaking storm water. Sometimes you have to figure out how to reset the fire alarm when the roof leaks on a smoke detector and sets the system off. Yep... that happened. The fire alarm was activated for several hours before the smoke detector could dry out and the system could be reset. With the help of my admirable administrative assistant, we silenced the alarm, but the strobes continued to flash. It was humorous to watch the faces of the senior members of our congregation as they walked in for their portion of Wednesday evening service.

     Ministry continued. We, as all good youth groups do, played dodge ball, worshipped to YouTube videos (Whom Shall I Fear by Tomlin & Gold by Britt Nicole), and completed our service with prayer and a sermonette by yours truly. I spoke on using your gifts for the purpose of the Kingdom. God gave us the ultimate gift by the sending of His Son. The least we can do is offer our talents to Him in return. 1 Peter 4:10 was the text, an appropriate one I suppose. Lesson for the day, expect the unexpected and plan on rolling with the punches!