Are you concerned about what your kids and the kids in your congregation are encountering when they go to church-sponsored regional and national youth events? Are you tired of events that are more about entertainment and merging with the culture than about being set apart from it? Are you concerned that they will be negatively influenced by things like yoga, mysticism, and an emphasis on “experience” rather than God’s gifts found in Word and Sacrament? Are you seeing your children’s Lutheran beliefs gradually ebb away in favor of a people-pleasing emphasis on what they’re doing rather than on what Christ has done for them? If you are, then I suggest you check out Higher Things.
Higher Things is an organization dedicated to assisting parents, congregations, and pastors in cultivating and promoting a Lutheran identity among high school and college youth through conferences, retreats, publications, radio, and the internet. They offer national gatherings as well as weekend retreats, a network of Lutheran campus ministries, a quarterly magazine, Higher Things Radio, and a first-rate internet site offering blogs, forums, daily devotions, and other areas.
There are several things which distinguish Higher Things from many run-of-the-mill youth organizations and events. First, the LCMS pastors and laypersons that spearhead Higher Things work hard to instill in the kids a Lutheran identity. This is done by thorough teaching without the fluff. They do not dumb the message down, but rather strive to meet the kids at their level and challenge them in the things that make our Lutheran beliefs truly “higher things.” Secondly, to quote the video (which you can view below), “our youth are serious about worship, demonstrating a proper reverence of God, a devout appreciation for liturgical forms of worship, and a desire to receive God’s gifts of life, forgiveness, and salvation.” Third, this is not a one time event. The kids stay involved throughout the year via the magazine, personal contacts they develop, campus ministries, Higher Things Radio, events, and a highly interactive website. And of course, there are plenty of recreational and social opportunities as well. All of these combine to make Higher Things an organization that will impact your child and the kids in your congregation in ways that will benefit them spiritually for the rest of their lives.
I hope you'll visit the Higher Things website and watch the following video. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Higher Things is an organization dedicated to assisting parents, congregations, and pastors in cultivating and promoting a Lutheran identity among high school and college youth through conferences, retreats, publications, radio, and the internet. They offer national gatherings as well as weekend retreats, a network of Lutheran campus ministries, a quarterly magazine, Higher Things Radio, and a first-rate internet site offering blogs, forums, daily devotions, and other areas.
There are several things which distinguish Higher Things from many run-of-the-mill youth organizations and events. First, the LCMS pastors and laypersons that spearhead Higher Things work hard to instill in the kids a Lutheran identity. This is done by thorough teaching without the fluff. They do not dumb the message down, but rather strive to meet the kids at their level and challenge them in the things that make our Lutheran beliefs truly “higher things.” Secondly, to quote the video (which you can view below), “our youth are serious about worship, demonstrating a proper reverence of God, a devout appreciation for liturgical forms of worship, and a desire to receive God’s gifts of life, forgiveness, and salvation.” Third, this is not a one time event. The kids stay involved throughout the year via the magazine, personal contacts they develop, campus ministries, Higher Things Radio, events, and a highly interactive website. And of course, there are plenty of recreational and social opportunities as well. All of these combine to make Higher Things an organization that will impact your child and the kids in your congregation in ways that will benefit them spiritually for the rest of their lives.
I hope you'll visit the Higher Things website and watch the following video. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
3 comments:
When I was a vicar in Oregon we took the youth to Higher Things in St. Louis. The kids really appreciated the conference. When I was a parishoner in my first church we took the kids to National Youth Gathering, the event they like the most was the servant event. They didn't care much for the other events. While we don't need to send our youth somewhere to serve others, it is telling that the so-called worship at the National Youth Gathering had nothing to offer the youth.
Thanks for sharing this Scott. is there any way the video clip can be forwarded to someone?
Kari
It's on its way Kari.
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