Ezine Archives

eZine 09.04.2002

September 4, 2002

TheSource4YM.com

	Jonathan’s Resource Ezine

Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Wednesday, September 4, 2002

In This Issue

STORIES, QUOTES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS YOU CAN USE Here’s a bunch of ammo for your talks from the new 2002 Speakers Resource CD
LAST WEEK TO PRE-ORDER BOOK The Top 12 Resources Youth Workers Want Coming Next Week!

If you aren’t a subscriber of this EZINE and would like to subscribe – it’s free – just pop on www.TheSource4YM.com and sign up in the upper right hand corner.

STORIES, QUOTES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS YOU CAN USE. Here’s a bunch of ammo for your talks from the new 2002 Speakers Resource CD

Most of you know that right now you can receive a FREE CD by pre_ordering my new book, THE TOP 12 RESOURCES YOUTH WORKERS WANT this week. https://thesource4ym.comhttp://www.jonathansresources.com/Books/default.aspx That CD is loaded with stories, quotes, and illustrations. Here are some samples included on the CD that you can use this week in your ministry.

TOPIC: Commitment

~~Are you a chicken or a pig?~~

(As told by Bill Butterworth)

How committed are you to your faith? One way to find out is to determine if you are a chicken or a pig?

A chicken and a pig went for a walk around the farm. As they passed the farmers window they noticed a wonderful breakfast prepared for the farmer and his wife sitting on the breakfast table. As they peeked closer they noticed ham and eggs on the plates.

The pig and chicken were silent for a moment as they took in the impact of what they saw. Finally, looking at the eggs and prideful of her contribution, the chicken said, “now that was a sacrifice!”

The pig looked at the ham on the plate and finally turned to the chicken and said, “Yes, for you it is a sacrifice. But for us it is total commitment!”

So what is it? Are you a pig . . . or are you just chicken!

TOPIC: Absolute Value vs. Truth

~~Absolute North~~

(As told by Steven Covey)

Everyone close your eyes. Now_ no peeking or this won’t work. Everyone point North_ or which way you think is North. Don’t poke anyone in the face_ don’t open your eyes_ point North. (Pause)

Now don’t change the direction your pointing . . . but, open your eyes! (In most situations- everyone will be pointing all kinds of different directions. Pause for laughter) A lot of different opinions huh? Let’s not worry about what it REALLY is_ let’s just vote! Let’s vote on which way we want North to be.

You can’t. North just is North. Let me use this compass. North is that way_ it’s an absolute_ you can’t vote on it.

TOPIC: The Search for Truth

~~The Owl~~

Each evening bird lover Tom stood in his backyard, hooting like an owl _ and one night, an owl called back to him. For a year, the man and his feathered friend hooted back and forth. He even kept a log of the “conversation.” Just as he thought he was on the verge of a breakthrough in interspecies communication, his wife had a chat with her next door neighbor.

“My husband is a bird lover and spends his nights out in the backyard … calling out to owls,” she said.

“That’s odd,” the neighbor replied. “So does my husband.”

Then it dawned on them………

TOPIC: Being a Light

~~~~Quote~~
“A church is the only organization that exists primarily for the benefit of non_members.” _C.S. Lewis

~~~~Quote~~
“I like their Christ, I don’t like their Christians.” -Mahatama Gandi

~~~~Quote~~
“I will believe in the redeemer when the Christian looks a little more redeemed.” -Friedrich Nietzshe

~~The Moon~~
Isn’t it amazing how on a evening with a full moon, the sky is lit up and you can see a lot because of the light from the moon. The moon, of course, doesn’t produce any light, it simply reflects the light from the sun.

What if the moon were to someday say, “Sun, I don’t need you any more. I’m going to go out on my own.” The moon would just be a rock. Nothing more. We are who we are, because of Christ’s light in us.

TOPIC: Who God Is
~~Quote (An “Expert’s” Opinion)~~

(Sharing her opinion about life after death) “everyone is at peace and happy, and they all hop around from cloud to cloud. In heaven you can see your grandparents and everyone you loved once again. And an old man with a long white beard wanders around, that’s God.” -Britney Spears, Cinema Magazine

and the last one . . .

TOPIC: Fellowship
~~Trying to Do the Job Alone~~

National Health Insurance, Inc.
ATTN: Claims Review
PO Box 2000
New York, NY 12276

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block number 3 of the accident report form, I put “trying to do the job alone” as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficient.

I am a bricklayer by trade. On the date of the accident I was working alone on the roof of a new 6_story building. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of brick left over. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the side of the building, at the sixth floor.

Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out, and loaded the brick into it. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of brick. You will note in block number 11 of the accident report that I weigh 135 pounds.

Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building.

In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.

Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.

At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground __ and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds.

I refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.

In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks, and, fortunately, only 3 vertebrae were cracked.

I’m sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks, in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel 6 stories above me __ I again lost my presence of mind, and I let go of the rope. The empty barrel weighed more than the rope as it came back down on me and broke both my legs.

I hope I have furnished the information you require as to how the accident occurred.

Sincerely,

John Fields

GET MORE OF THESE STORIES QUOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS: These stories, quotes and illustrations are just a few of those on the “2002 Speaker’s Resource CD.” This CD provides ready-made youth talks, stories and illustrations for your youth ministry. I’m giving these CD’s away for FREE to anyone who pre-orders the book on my web site- hurry- the book comes out next week: https://thesource4ym.comhttp://www.jonathansresources.com/Books/default.aspx

LAST WEEK TO PRE-ORDER BOOK. The Top 12 Resources Youth Workers Want. Coming Next Week!

My new book “The Top 12 Resources Youth Workers Want” hits the shelves of your neighborhood Christian book store the week of September 9^th. But you can only get the free CD by PRE-ORDERING this book now on our web site.

Take a closer look: https://thesource4ym.comhttp://www.jonathansresources.com/Books/default.aspx

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

If you have any other youth ministry ideas you want to share, please email me at jon@thesource4ym.com

God Bless!
Jonathan R. McKee

Do you have a speaker for your next camp or retreat?

Check out Jonathan’s speaker page and who’s recommending him!

/speakers/jonathan.aspx

Jonathan R. McKee
THE SOURCE for Youth Ministry
https://thesource4ym.com/