Generation Axis

Hey Axis:

I just wanted to take a second and share with you something that I feel on my heart…

There are many people that look down on your generation. There are people that say that your age bracket will never amount to anything. Just like they said about mine, and the one before mine and the one before that.

So many friends of mine growing began to believe that they were going nowhere. People that went to the same church I did, heard the same sermons and saw God move the exact same way now do not even have a relationship with Him.They bought into the lie that they were nothing and could accomplish nothing.

There are Youth Groups all across this country that are plain, common and ordinary.

But those groups are not Axis.

I refuse to believe that you cannot accomplish big things for the kingdom of God. I refuse to believe that you are nothing. I refuse to believe that you cannot change this city and our world.

Axis, you are not just a run of the mill, average youth group.

You are an army.

And I believe that when we learn to fight in the spiritual realm that the Devil is going to be terrified every time you wake up because he knows you’re going to mess up his stuff that day. I believe that when we weaponize our prayers with pinpoint focus and we commit ourselves to changing our world that no demon or collection of demons in Hell can stop us.

We are an army. We are going to change this city. We are going to walk in our schools and see the devil cower and run because of the power that is at work in us. We are going to walk into places, lay hands on the sick and watch them recover.

But to be a soldier for Jesus. To be an army for God, it requires boot camp. It requires training. It requires learning what it means to be a soldier.

This Sunday, March 25th, we are beginning a series at Axis called “Warrior” which is going to be a “Boot Camp” to show you what it takes to be a soldier. This series will be fun. You will learn a lot. You will experience some things that you never have before.

But more so than that, you will leave this series a soldier for Jesus in the war that is raging even at this very moment.

I love you guys. I believe in you. I believe you are going to change your world.

Don’t forget to report for duty on Sunday, March 25th as we begin “Warrior!”

-Noah

As I stood in the front during altar at a service at our church just a few short weeks ago, God began to speak to me.

You know me well enough by now to know that I don’t frivolously say that God spoke to me. But I can tell you with 100% certainty that He spoke to me.

As I stood praying in that altar service, I begin to feel drops of water. Not forceful, but consistent. I was hit with probably 5 drops of water. In 5 different places I felt these drops almost as if someone was flicking water at me.

In all honesty, my first thought was that someone was praying too close and spit was spraying out of their mouth. But as I peeked to see if that was the case, nobody was there. And then there was the different locations of the drops of water. Through my suit coat, through my dress shirt, I could feel these drops of water on my skin.

Before I could even really open my mouth to ask God what it meant, He begin to tell me.

“What you have experienced as a youth group up until this point is merely the sprinkling of rain before the torrential downpour”

Axis, we have seen God do incredible things. We have seen God answer prayers that seemed to be impossible. We have seen God encounter us as we sought to encounter Him. We have felt His presence. We have experienced Him in our services. We have seen some awesome stuff.

But everything that we have experienced so far, as awesome as it is, is just a drop or two of water compared to what God is going to do in our group. That is not to downplay what He has already done, but show us the magnitude of what He is about to do!

God has big things in store for Axis in 2012! I believe that this is going to be an incredible year for us. I believe that this is the year that we will turn Richmond upside down! I believe this is the year that your schools will be forever changed.

I believe that this is the year that we have been waiting on!

Don’t give up! Don’t quit trying to get closer to God! Don’t allow yourself to be distracted! Commit to this life!

I can hear the thunder in the distance…I can see the clouds turning darker…I can hear the wind picking up…..

It’s about to rain!

Hey Axis,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note on this awesome Monday. Services were incredible yesterday. If you missed it, you truly missed out. I am so proud of all of y’all!

As I sat in service last night, God began to impress me very strongly about something that I needed to share with Axis. Here it is!

Much has been said lately about God being removed from schools. It is not something that is recent or new. In fact, when I was in school (100 years ago according to Jacob) much was being said about it. The realization that God has never been a part of your school career began to sink in.

Quick History Lesson:

In the 1960s and prior, students would openly pray before each and every school day. In 1962 and 1963, a movement was instituted by a known atheist Madalyn O’ Hair to remove prayer from schools, citing that it was “Unconstitutional.” Long story short, the supreme had no choice but to rule in favor of removing prayer.

So from the 1960s until now prayer has been removed from school, and thus God has been removed from our education system.

But there’s a fallacy in the statement that God has been removed from our schools. While prayer has been removed, God cannot and will not ever be removed because of one simple fact.

YOU go to your school.

And when you walk the hallways of your school, then the God inside of you is walking the halls of your school. When you sit at the lunch table, God is sitting at the lunch table. When you are rushing to get to your class on time, God is rushing to get to His class on time.

You are the God in your school.

Don’t be scared to share Him with your friends. Don’t be afraid to share His word. Don’t be afraid to show others the Hope that you have experienced.

They may be able to stop you from officially praying as an entire student body, but they cannot ever stop you from sharing your testimony. Tell someone about all that God has done for you. Share His love. Share His grace. Share how good He has been to you.

Tell your friends about what it means to be in His presence.

They will never remove God from schools as long as His children are willing to talk about their daddy.

Don’t get discouraged when it seems you’re the only one living for God at your school. Because the God in you is bigger than discouragement. He’s bigger than any struggle. He is bigger than any failure. He is bigger than the school superintendent.

He is bigger. He is stronger. He is greater than anything.

Don’t allow Him to be silenced in you.

I love you guys! I completely and totally believe that there is a revival coming to your school through you. I believe that your testimony is going to impact the lives of your classmates. Let God into your daily life.

You guys are awesome!

Noah

Friday, December 9th join us for our “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party!” There will be food, fun, games, caramel apples, Christmas Carols and even MORE FUN! Prizes will be awarded for the ugliest, most creative and the sweater with the most ‘Christmas Cheer’ Go get a sweater, take one from your grandmother or make one because you don’t want to miss out on the UGLY SWEATER FASHION SHOW!

The fun starts at 7 PM and will be held in the Axis Student Center. Contact Noah via FB, Text or phone for more info!