1st - 6th Grades

Our speaker today is Chris Brock. He is Caleb Brock’s dad and Cindy Brock’s husband. He works at Hilton and works with the youth at Heartsong Church. He also went on the Father/Son trip to Honduras.

To start off, I want to say there is my boy, Caleb. Be nice to Caleb because I’m his dad and I’m kinda weird and a little crazy and you all know his mom, Mrs. Brock, and she is more weird and crazy that I am.

I am honored to be here with you. I teach youth a lot and this is my first time with kids. I normally like to share about sports and funny stories, but today we are talking about Heart Patient, so I think God wanted me to get a little more personal with you guys. A couple of months ago, I was having some pain and I went to the emergency room. We thought I had a kidney stone but they ran tests and they found out I have a 5 cm tumor in my kidney and the doctor told me it was cancer from the way it looks. When we heard that, Mrs. Brock and my mom were a little freaked out, but I was kind of calm. The next morning, we went to see a doctor. It was rainy, foggy, and dreary. It was a long drive and we were not talking a lot in the car. The radio was on but I couldn’t tell you what song was on…I was kind of zoned out. Things were happening around me but I was just looking out the window thinking to myself and stuff was running through my mind. It was a lot of fear. I was thinking about my family and me and how this was going to affect me. I was scared and nervous.  God is so cool because all of a sudden, I heard this line from the song that was playing.

“Settle down, it will all be clear….don’t pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear. The trouble it might drag you down, if you get lost, you can always be found…just know you’re not alone, I’m gonna make this place your home.”

I thought Cindy had turned up the radio, but she didn’t.

I was not focused on God at that point, I was focused on me and my family and fear. The first line says “settle down” and when anyone in my family gets upset, I always say settle down. God was telling me to settle down. He was telling me it will be fine, I am in control of this situation. The next line about don’t pay no mind to the demons and that is what I was doing…I was letting fear control me.

I started tearing up and crying a little bit. Anyone that tells you that it’s not cool to cry, obviously they have never seen Rudy. It’s ok to cry sometimes. It’s ok to get emotional. I wasn’t crying then because I was afraid or because I have cancer or because I might lose half or all my kidney. The reason I was emotional is because there is a God that I love that I follow that loves me so much that He sent his son to die on a cross for me. In Ephesians 2:8, he gives grace and forgiveness that we can’t earn. He loves us so much that He will never leave us or forsake us.

When we go through good times or bad times, always know that God is always there. Sometimes we try to control things ourselves…but God wants us to give that to Him.

It could be that you are having a tough time in school, your parents are getting divorce, or someone close to you died, but understand that there is a God that loves you so much that He is just waiting for us to come to Him.

I love the Chris Tomlin song about God of Angels’ Armies…just think, the same God who is over angels’ armies is the same God who is always beside us in good times and bad. He is waiting for us to trust in Him. He will give you peace.

I have surgery coming up and I haven’t been worried at all. I couldn’t get to this point unless God is there with me.

1st - 6th Grades

Our speaker today is Jeff Howard from Downline Ministries.

I am originally from Kentucky and when Coach Brady asked me to do this, I started thinking about what it was like to be your age. I made some bad decisions that started to get me in trouble. The decisions you are making now can send you down the right road or the wrong road.

What I started thinking is if I can go back in time and could tell young Jeff what I know now and should have known then, this is what I would tell myself.

1.     How to be a servant. We learned Jesus came and saved the world, but He came to serve us. You don’t think about a king being a servant, but Jesus was. This requires us being humble.  It’s tough to be humble, you have to put others before yourself.  The world will tell you to take, take, take but being a servant requires you to give.

2.     Learn to become a leader. This requires initiative. Initiative means doing something without being asked or told to do it. Leaders don’t sit back and wait for things to happen. Being a leader takes work. Don’t settle for being a member or part of a group. Don’t sit back and let others do all the work. Help out all the time.

3.     Stay positive. It’s easy to complain. Attitudes are contagious…be positive. Build your group up. Being happy is a choice. When life is bad, God is still faithful.

4.     Have integrity. Do the right thing when no one is looking. Do what you say you are going to do.

5.     Respect authority. Our sinful state allows us to not want to obey those who are over us. If parents or teachers ask you to do something, there is a reason behind that.  Find a mentor. A big brother, youth group leader, your dad…they can share with you how to do this.

6.     Be a good friend. Some of you like to make fun of each other or bully people. Remember that he who talks to you about people talks to others about you.

7.     Be the friend who makes your friends smile.

8.     Reevaluate your friendships. Think about who your three best friends are…think about them for 10 seconds. What are those guys like? What do they do? Are they the kind of guys who talk about people sometimes? Are they the kind of guys who serve their friends? Don’t hang around foolish people.

9.     Real leaders don’t pick on people. Be friends with the guy who doesn’t have 100 friends.  Stand up for what’s right even when it’s not the easy thing to do.

10. Learn and love who you are. Join clubs, play sports…this allows you to know what you like to do and what you are good at. God made you exactly how He wanted you.

11. Don’t look past the season you are in. You are only going to be young once and this is the only time you are going to be a child. Don’t try to be grown up when you aren’t. Enjoy being able to play this week. Don’t waste this time playing video games all day. Build things, be creative, play outside. Develop the skills God has given you now. Embrace where you are…make the most of this time.

Learn to do what God says is important.

My prayer for you is if you can allow yourself to be trained, you can all be the noble warriors God designed you to be.

 

1st - 6th Grades

Our speaker today is Randy Shepherd from Crossfire Ministries

It’s a pleasure and honor to be here this morning. Thanks to Dr. Sexton and Braxton for asking me to speak today.

At halftime of the game one of our guys gives his testimony on how the Lord has changed his life. Another player comes up and gives the plan of Salvation. How you can know you have a relationship with Jesus. We share that at halftime whether there are 15,000 people there or 15.

I just got back from Africa ten days ago. I spoke 22 times in 9 days. Most schools in Memphis I can’t go into and speak about Jesus. In the public schools in Africa, they want us to share about Jesus. We spoke to about 15,000 students. We are blessed to live in America. They call where people live in Africa the slums. We adopted a little boy and can provide him with food, after school activities, and more. They named this boy Given because he was given from the Lord. It was a small place. We have been in 63 countries in 20 years. We were at the Olympics this summer ministering to athletes and fans there. We shared the Gospel with lots of people there.

Barrett and Blake, come up here and help me. When I was young, I was into basketball. There is nothing wrong in being into basketball as long as you don’t get your priorities out of line. I lived in North Carolina, so ACC basketball was big there. I went to ACC basketball camps growing up. Before I show you some tricks, I want to show you what my pastor showed me when I was little.

I was in Starbucks the other day and I saw a lady who was from India. I started a conversation with her. I asked her if she had ever heard the Gospel message. I asked her what she knew about Jesus. I shared this message with her about how to get to heaven. I asked her if she had ever heard that before. She said in 31 years, she had never heard that before.

Ekta was her name…please pray she will give her life to Christ.

The Bible represents God. God is perfect and holy. Be honest…if you ever have told something that wasn’t true, a lie, raise your hand. I’ve done it and I am not proud of it. The basketball represents the world. For God so loved the world…

The Bible says in John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Verse 14- The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

In between God and the world, we have space. In that space is sin. I was talking to a waitress who told me she had never sinned. That isn’t true, we have all sinned. Our sins separate us from God.

Teachers, nurses, fireman, policeman are all trying to make a difference in society and need to make more money. Athletes get paid too much money.

When you work, you make a wage.

The Bible tells us the wages of sin is death.

Here is the good news…Jesus went to the cross. Spikes were nailed in his hands and feet. He bridged the gap. Jesus rose on the third day and defeated sin and hell for you and I.

I went to basketball camp when I was 16. I checked into my dorm room there. There were about 600 guys there. There were 2 guys next to ours and we shared a bathroom. He came in and shook my hand. He said my name is Mike Jordan. He was 17 then. We got on the same team that week and he made me look good. By the end of the week, we had won the camp championship. The tragedy of that week was I was a Christian but I hung out that whole week with Mike Jordan and we talked about lots of things but I never mentioned Jesus to him.

We have friends we need to talk to Jesus about in our lives. Don’t miss the opportunity. God wants to use you.

When I went to Africa, I apologized to them. As Americans, we have sent a lot of music around the world that is garbage. You need to listen to pure, true, and holy music. Those are things about the Lord you want to put in your mind. Protect your minds.

I was so into basketball that my parents would come home from work and I would have instruments out. I was spinning the ball and putting it on different fingers. Mom and dad didn’t think that was strange. Next day, I was spinning on a spoon.

The next thing I had a toothbrush. I was spinning on a toothbrush. Jesus went to the cross. He was fully God and fully man. He bridged the gap between a holy God and a sinful world. The toothbrush will clean my teeth, it’s my prayer that you ask Christ to come into your heart and let him clean your heart out and give you peace, hope, and purpose. Once we give our life to Christ, call your friends up and tell them what you did! Share it with the world…tell others about Jesus!

1st - 6th Grades

Cast Vision-Virtue of the Month

The Noble Knight

• Noble Knights are “called to duty”
• Noble Knights live by a code of honor and integrity.

Building Boys, Making Men is a PDS-created program designed to give boys a Godly vision and definition of manhood. Our boys learn this definition and the seven virtues listed above through chapel programs, class meetings, devotions, classes, and their relationships with the PDS faculty and staff.

The program develops a boy’s character, values and faith and offers many practical applications. The specific curriculum for our boys varies depending on the grade level and is age appropriate.

At the beginning of each month, we'll be providing parents with talking points and action points to complement what we're doing at school. It's all about strategic parenting. 

Communicate Truth-Monthly Scripture

Proverbs 2:7- “he is a shield to those who walk in integrity”

1. Memorize this scripture together this month
2. Teach your son the definition of integrity and how that applies to his life now

Commit to Discipleship- Teaching Points

Make a list of people that you know that you and your son would consider “good/nice” people.

1. By each person’s name, list the specific qualities that make them nice.
2. Discuss with your son which qualities you possess and which you need to work on.

Champion Service

Find a way this month to honor the people (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) that have influenced your family. Write a note thanking them for all they have done.

Chief Memory Maker

Spend the day with a grandparent or relative and have them talk about what it was like growing up during their generation and how they walked in integrity through it.

1st - 6th Grades