Part of our language here at CBC Youth centers heavily around these three concepts: Time, Moments, and Milestones. I want to take a moment here and remind us of why these are incredibly important and needs to be revisited often.

These last few weeks, we were able to baptize seven youth who all got into the water and proclaimed the Gospel over all other narratives that compete for their time, attentions, and affections. These were milestones for these students and their families. These are core memories that hopefully will be a faithful reminder of God's goodness, God's church, and God's plan. Some of you are entering into phases of your parenting your students where you need to think about MILESTONES. So whether that is a certain age that you celebrate or a transition in life, find a celebratory way of doing this. So here's a big one: even if you don't do a big "sweet 16" celebration, do something that marks certain changes in the life of your teen. Maybe it's when they enter into their teen years (i.e. 12 to 13), maybe it's when they turn 16 or 18. Maybe it's when they accept Christ or become baptized. Maybe it's when they finish middle school or high school. Spend time, energy, and money on commemorating these MILESTONES. Make sure also to do this in community.

Alas, this brings me to the other two - time and moments. You're going to need to be extremely intentional during the holiday season. If you don't intentionally schedule time to disciple your family, your family will not be discipled directly. If you don't intentionally take advantage of discipleship moments, your teen will NOT be discipled directly in those moments. Please please please parents consider the weight of discipleship in the lives of your teens. Consider the aggressive spirits and worldviews out there that are dying to disciple your teens. Here's the gospel hope parents, you have everything you need at this current moment to do this. And you can! God has given you right at this moment, with all your inadequacies the tools to disciple your students in this season (no matter how difficult or impossible you think it is). You have, at the very least, a direct line to God the Father, maker of heaven and earth, sovereign over all things, lover of your soul, eternal, holy, righteous, good...that is your blessing right now. You also have the inheritance in the saints struggling and ready to assist you. All you need to do is ask and they are there.

I'm not sure how your Thanksgiving went but for me, I think I might have spent more time on a screen than with my family if I can be honest. And we were even out at a beach house in Galveston. The allure to "decompress" or "chill out" on a screen is intoxicating to us. Screen time is going to be one of the biggest, hardest forces we'll be trying to subdue in our Christian culture today. So much is at stake and yet if we as Christians don't rule over it, it will surely rule over us right? So this season, please please please work hard at limiting screen time. And for some of yall, because you haven't had good boundaries, this is going to be really really hard. You may even want to give your youth and yourself a heads up before you do this. But I want to (need to) pastor ALL of us through this well. We have to be aware that screen time is really not leading to much fruitful discipleship within our families. At least not as much as face-to-face can do in the long run. So during this season, be creative in finding ways to limit your screen time. Do a puzzle, go hiking, go out and eat and nobody get on their phones, come up with a family challenge (without recording it), drink some water, vacuum your living room together, roll around...anything.

According to the Mayo Clinic, too much screen time has been linked to:

• Obesity
• Poor sleep or insomnia
• Behavioral problems, including impulsive actions
• Loss of social skills
• Violence
• Less time for play
• Eye strain
• Neck and back problems
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Difficulties with work or school

Hey everyone, as you're praying through where to attend and exercise your membership for the upcoming year, I want you to pray about and consider being a part of this youth group for better or for worse. We never assume that just because you were here last year that you want to be this year and we want each and every year to be a commitment. I know many of you have graduated and moved on from the youth group but still, I want invite you to join and to serve students as you see the need.

For leaders, parents, and youth...please take a look at the application and pray through it. If the Lord leads you here, we welcome you. If you decide not to join, then i pray you find a church and community that is gospel-minded, gospel-serious, and that you bless that church and community with your gifts, talents, resources, and membership. If you need help finding a church, please let me know and I'll be sure to find you one that's awesome.

But if you do want to be a part of CBC, here are the links:

FOR YOUTH: https://forms.gle/vdhumH2jtCK4qPg5A

FOR LEADERS: https://forms.gle/KuMQgrMvTABCCuHg7