September is going to be INSANE!

19northers!

I can’t tell you how pumped I am for September at 19north. Honestly, this past year was a year of analysis, reflection, and tearing what we do apart so we can help people more effectively. It’s been a year of sitting back and letting God do something in me that He could lead us to where He wants us to go NOW. Two things I’ve learned are:

1. Our leaders matter more than outcomes: You matter more than what you do at 19north. You’re more important than a backdrop, than food, than hitting the right note in worship, getting people information, running a small group, greeting people, and anything else you could do at 19north.
2. I’ve closed the front door, and left the back door wide open: Overall, we’ve done a great job of inviting people to 19north, but I haven’t done a great job of leading us to shut the back door through discipleship, connections, and involvement. That’s not a hit on anyone but me hitting a personal lid. All of our groups are coming up with things that will fix this! And here are some….

Invite and Experience: Our annual Pigskin Palooza is September 11. Last year, we saw 15 people born again and 15 people rededicate their lives to Christ. This year, I expect that to be doubled. We’re going to serve our community and make the name of Jesus famous in a way that our generation can hear. (By the way, we need a ton of volunteers to make that event successful, so if you’re interested, email Shannon Oster at soster@19north.tv.)

We’re also having a huge “Ho-Down” at the end of September with a mechanical bull, hay bails, and line-dancing, and a ton of free food. It’ll be a blast! We’re also going to be giving away a ton of Ramen Noodles, 19north snuggies, tee shirts, and some big-ticket items. We’ll be having bands play once a month after 19north (for a 19north after-party)… “The Wrecking” is the first, coming in on September 18.

Connect: Our Fall semester of small groups starts in September. I can’t wait to see people going beyond-the-surface with one another, actually getting into each others’ lives. I’m convinced that a 20-something can’t grow spiritually apart from the right relationships, and our small groups exist to connect people to one another and to God. We’re going to do a night where all small groups meet at Victory and we’ll be having small groups on campuses as well.

Grow: To help people grow on their own, we’re all reading through the Bible in 90 days, starting in September. Ben Rath, Ellie Stanchak, and Kelly Selick are putting together an awesome “NewIn90″ booklet with backgrounds and history of epistles and writers, a reading plan, notes, and more. This is going to be awesome to see people going after God on their own, sparked by what everyone else is doing around them. I can’t wait for this to start for me personally, let alone just 19north!!!

Imact: We’re launching campus ministries and compassion initiatives galore in September for the sole purpose of serving people to make Jesus famous. We’re giving low-income families with teenage daughters prom dresses for homecoming, and in October, we’re hosting a 5k to give the teenagers at Glade Run an extreme home make-over.

We’re also starting to bus students from campuses, and hosting “19north U” at local campuses as well.

Seriously, guys… this is just a highlight of the things to come. God’s going to touch a bunch of college students and young adults in September, and it might be time for you to get boogieing and get involved. Let’s shoot to see 100 young adults born again/redidicating their life to Jesus in the month of September. Let’s think BIG, believe BIG, and live BIGGER… God’s moving in our midst and it’s time for us to recognize it, and start moving with Him.