Alan Pastian

THE WALK-THRU

Kingdombuilders is happening tonight and it's another moment to see what we are doing at RVC to make a difference in our world.  This is going to be our first walk-thru into the new youth space which will have all of us excited and there's no one more excited about this than I am.  As we walk through the building, Imagine the future with our students at River Valley being trained to be leaders for their generation.  Pastor Rob said this isn't a place that is to "keep youth outta trouble" but it's a place where we will be worshipping, discipling and training youth from RVC to be worldchangers.  We are building the Kingdom and young people.  See you tonight!

ONE SUMMER INTERNSHIP

Met with 6 guys today to start the buzz about our ONE SUMMER internship program.  We are offering some ONE student seniors the opportunity to learn from the best in the south metro.  The pastors and staff are committed to raising up this generation to make a difference with their lives and it starts with some sweet training with the staff at RVC.  What would happen if you devoted ONE summer to the ONE who matters most and cares the most about your future?  Sign up and see what happens.

IT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT

I was brought to tears again as I realized that it's about people's lives being changed.  3200 people in church this morning and over 100 conversions to Christ.  We can get so focused on the wrong things or get so busy we can miss what life is about and what following Christ is about:  changed lives.  The day I stop being moved when people find Christ is the day that maybe it's time to move on or find another career.  I was moved to tears today, lives being changed, I love my job.

GREAT FRIDAY

We had a great service at RVC tonight for our "Good Friday" service.  We sang a song with the lyric, "if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus is now."  Which made me think if have I ever loved Jesus as much as I do now?  I can honestly say that I do love Jesus with all my heart and that I've never been closer.  What a "great Friday" service.

REDBOX WRECKAGE

The Redbox phenomenon is highly convenient for me...and extremely cheap.  "Quantum of Solace" for a buck?  You had me at "new releases."  All I wanted was to run in quick and return my redbox.  Quick never happened.  There was a line with 6 people ahead of me and someone was going through each new release reading what the preview of the movie was about.  I even did the loud "sigh" and they still didn't budge.  What should have taken 20 seconds took 20 minutes of my life I can never get back.  I'm switching to apple downloadable rentals from now on.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

I'm not a guy who battles being afraid... never have for some reason.  But if there was ever a fear that has crept into my life at times, it's been the fear of living a wasted life.  I'm 2 years away from being 40 and I just want to make the best life that I have and live a life of no regrets.  John Maxwell suggests these below and says, "Many leaders squander their early years and spend the rest of their careers trying to make up for lost time...as with finances, decisions made early in life accrue the most interest."

How have I invested my life since I've been younger depends on what I've done since the beginning.  Here are 10 things to consider before reaching 40: 

1.  Know yourself.

2.  Settle your family.

3.  Determine your priorities

4.  Develop your philosophy of life

5.  Get physically fit.

6.  Learn your trade.

7.  Pay the price

8.  Develop solid relationships.

9.  Prepare for the future.

10.  Find purpose for your life.

It's never too late to make improvements.

BETTER THAN A 1000

Seeing all the students at RVC this weekend is so amazing to me.  I was so impressed by our students and their passion for God.  Beyond the passion there is a devotion that God has put into the students that causes them to love God and be here this weekend than doing a 1000 other things.  I was reading in Psalm 84 that it's better to be in God's house than a 1000 anywhere else.  We are building this youth center and how cool would it be to have our students say "one day in our youth center with God is better than a 1000 anywhere else."  

NEW LEADERSHIP IS HERE

When it comes to new leadership in our churches, nothing is more apparent than the leadership coming up now...and they aren't sitting around.  Young adults want to make a difference now rather than waiting.  They are putting themselves out there to make a difference no matter what the risk or the the pay.  Because of community based things like twitter and facebook, the hierarchal leadership is replaced with a desire for collaboration and tribal coagulation so that what they could accomplish alone and on their personal platform is now replaced with a mentality that "we" can do this rather than "I."   I'm going to definitely harness their passion.

YOUTH WEEKEND IS HERE

I don't think we fully realize how great it is to have a pastor believe in students and the student ministry in such a way that he is willing to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into this coming generation.  River Valley has always been about investing in good things with a good return...that's why we are where we are today as a church.  This weekend we will be praying for the youth of RVC and to that I want to say thank you to Pastor Rob and to all of you who believe in the students at RVC.  This is a generation you CAN believe in. 

Stories

When it comes to the future of our youth ministry, I get excited.  It's stories like these that remind me that I love being a youth pastor:

A young girl came up to me last night and said that while we were worshipping, tears came into her eyes and she said that felt her heaviness lifted and she met Jesus during the worship.  She then confessed all of her hurts and dark areas of her life with a hug right after saying, "I met God tonight...I almost didn't come."  

A young man went on one of our missions trips this summer and said to himself why he isn't being a missionary here?  Channeling his passion, he started up a Bible Study at his school which in turn has birthed over 4 school Bible studies coming out of our youth ministry, led by our students from their own schools.

A young girl has not been to church since she was 5 years old because her parents lost trust in the church and simply stopped going.  She came to RVC for the first time 3 weeks ago.  She came up to me after one of our ONE Wed nights and said, "Thank You.  I can believe in God and I can trust God again with my life.  He really DOES believe in me!"

A  young man came up to me recently and said, "I'm supposed to be a Pastor I think?"  To which I said, "What are you gonna do about it?"  To which he replied, "Spend as much time I can at my church and learn...let's do this thing!"  

Everyone has a story that has brought them in touch with God.  In our youth ministry there are plenty and plenty more to come.  Kingdombuilders is happening this weekend.  Our miracle offering this weekend is investing in the future generations and in future pastors and leaders.  We have an incredible kids ministry and youth ministry facility on the way...and it's because of your generosity.  

I wanted to say "thank you" in advance for giving to Kingdombuilders.  Because of your generosity this weekend, you are helping create stories that are yet to be written and will be talked about for years to come.  You just don't know the impact you will have on our students lives here at RVC but realize your giving makes a difference.