Ultimate Frisbee Pictures

After the game, Zach gave us a demonstration on hitting the tackling
dummy (pictured in front of Greg).

We had a good weekend playing Ultimate Frisbee. They were hotly contested games that came down to the very last point. If you would like to see more pictures from Sunday, click here.

Would you rather...

...have needles for leg hair or an ear lobe the size of a basketball?

What say you?!

Justification - Topic Continued

For those of you who were unable to make the High School Bible Study last night, we continued our discussion of "What Does It Mean to be Saved?" After having looked at man's sinful nature and God's wrath, we then looked at God's calling us out of death, regenerating our hearts, converting us (and allowing for us to respond in faith and repentance). Last night we looked, in particular, at the doctrine of Justification.

Justification is God's work in saving us by pardoning our sin (pouring out his wrath on Christ at his death) and granting us righteousness (crediting Christ's life to us). So, in God's eyes, we are made righteous once and for all. This applies to us in many different ways. We are made right with God, we are made right with man, and we are made right with ourselves. Of these three, it is most difficult to understand how the being justified in the eyes of God applies to our relationships with others.

In an article written by an RUF Campus Minister, Jason Harris, he has an excerpt that discusses how being justified by Christ's work affects our relationships with others.

"Secondly, justification transforms the way we relate to others. One of the sharpest contemporary critiques of religion is that religious faith leads to the exclusion of those who do not share the same views. That is why one author, for example, rejects religion in all its forms as “an enormous multiplier of tribal suspicion and hatred.” Jesus, however, was not naïve. He recognized the problem of human oppression, particularly as a result of religious faith. After all, he directed the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee to self-righteous people who treated others with contempt. But Jesus told the parable in order to show that justification by grace alone through faith alone not only heals our relationship with God, but also provides us with the ability to embrace others in genuine humility and love.

The problem with self-justification is that it makes us radically insecure because we are never sure if we have ever done enough. As a result, we are driven to compare ourselves to other people and to marginalize and exclude others in order to prop up our unstable sense of significance and security. But if we believe that God loves, accepts, and welcomes us on the basis of what Jesus has done for us rather than what we have done for ourselves, then it is impossible to turn our faith into a factor that leads us to oppress others. If we believe that God relates to us on the basis of grace rather than merit then we know that we are no better than anyone else. And the more we understand our need for God’s compassion, the more we will be able to extend compassion to others."

What do you think this excerpt is trying to say? How does God's work of justifying Christians free them to love better?

Reflective Question (meaning don't answer it here): What people should you do a better job of loving?

Spring Break!

Don't you want to be here?

In honor of Spring Break week, I figure that we ought to have a little discussion.

What is your favorite thing to do in this week off from school? Do you prefer vacations to the beach, the mountains, theme parks, staycations (meaning you stay at home)?

What say you!?

bAll Saints Student Fellowship Bracket Challenge

This is my favorite time of the year. Partly because I can begin to wear shorts again, and partly because the best sporting event of the entire year is just around the corner. So, in order to celebrate the "madness" of March, we are having a NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Challenge.

The "bAll Saints Student Fellowship Bracket Challenge" is a Pick 'Em Tournament - meaning that you pick the winners of each game (63 winners in all), and whoever has correctly picked the most winners wins the Challenge. It requires no knowledge of College Basketball, and there is no reason not to join. You pay nothing to enter the competition, but the top 3 brackets will receive prizes.

Here are the directions for entering the tournament. Click on this link and follow the instructions for joining. You may have to create your own profile with CBS Sports in order to join. When it prompts you for the group password, enter "password."

We hope that everyone is having a wonderful Spring Break. If you have any questions, please email Taylor.

Lyrical Analysis - "Human"

A couple of months ago, I was driving while listening to the radio, and an interview came on with a band called The Killers. For those of you who don't know them, they are not a combative or aggressive band; they are simply a good alternative band with a name that doesn't have too much meaning. Anyways, so I was in my car, and their lead singer was talking about how his new album was the best that he and his band had ever written (which is a pretty bold statement considering some of their older stuff was pretty decent).

After the interview concluded, they played the most popular song on their new album, Day & Age, called "Human." As I listened, I could not figure out why he thought this song was good (other than it being catchy). It seemed to be about absolutely nothing. So, here are the lyrics:

"I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door

Close your eyes, clear your heart

Cut the cord
Are we human or are we denser?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we denser?

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave good bye, wish me well

You gotta let me go
Are we human or are we denser?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we denser?

Will your system be all right
When you dream of home tonight
There is no message were receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating

Are we human or are we denser?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer

You've gotta let me know
Are we human or are we denser?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human - or are we denser?

Are we human or are we denser?
Are we human or are we denser?"

Side Note: It seems that there is some disagreement with the lyrics. Some people insert "dancers" where it says "denser," while others include "dancer." Does any one word make the song more meaningful?

What do you think this song is about? Help a brother out!

What is a Church?

We are, of course, are a ministry of All Saints (a church, not a para-church ministry). So, what does that mean? Why is All Saints considered a church while Young Life is not? Couldn't we just declare a group of us a "church?" After all, we are all members of the body of Christ of THE Church.

Well, Taylor's old RUF Campus Minister, Rev. Brian Habig, wrote a book called The Enduring Community with another Campus Minister named Rev. Les Newsom. In it, they talked for a long time about the distinguishing features of The Church (meaning the global body of Christ) and the local church (of which you belong). Here is an excerpt from the book on the "Marks of a Church.*"


What do you think?

*The .pdf has two articles in it. The first article is The Enduring Community.

RYM High School Summer Conference

Yes that is Taylor. And, if you go to RYM Summer Conference,
you may look as studly on the top of a peak.

Dates: June 1 - 6
Place: Estes Park, CO (YMCA of Rockies)
Cost: $350

If you have been around (at all) you have seen us shamelessly promote RYM Summer Conference. Since we have been so shameless in the past, I figured that we ought to continue this absurd trend.

So, please tell everyone that you know (even the people who have heard us promote this 1,000 times). But, in all seriousness, we would love for you guys to come.

Here is a link to the brochure.

First Post

This is the first post on the Student Fellowship blog. I thought we would kick it off with something mildly entertaining.

Would you rather have no hair at all (like no eyebrows, arm hair, top hair, etc.) or have all of your normal hair with the addition of hairy palms and bottoms of your feet?

What say you!?