YOUTH MINISTRY
We have a vision for youth in New Heritage Church:
- to be trained in God’s ways
- to be equipped for doing God’s works
- to be sent out to serve God’s people.
At this time we are seeking the Father’s direction for the implementation of this vision. In the meantime we are encouraging our young people to attend some of the existing area youth groups.
One such youth group is Teen Vision, a para-church ministry of ours. The vision of this ministry is to disciple teens by:
- identifying their gifts and
- training them up in the use of their gifts.
Teen Vision hosts Bible Studies and prayer meetings for High School and College aged youth. It also holds Bible Studies for Middle School youth, some of which are taught by High Schoolers and College-aged young adults. Retreats and Prayer Watches (evenings of worship and ministry) are also held periodically.
Even without a formal youth group, the ministry conducts an annual youth retreat weekend. This is a powerful time of teaching, ministry and just plain FUN! We also encourage and coordinate attendance at the Acquire The Fire rally. This is an annual event sponsored by Teen Mania, an organization dedicated to help teens live for Christ and reach out to the world.
YOUTH WITH A MISSION (YWAM)
YWAM is a para-church organization with a three-fold focus of Evangelism, discipleship and Mercy Ministries. We have a heart to help train the local church for evangelism and missions. To accomplish this we conduct a five-month Disciple Training School (DTS), which includes three months of classroom teaching and a two month outreach. Additionally, the students participate in the Mission Bridge Course (see above), weekend seminars, retreats and short term outreaches to various places. Our foreign interests are in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico and Cuba where we send teams to help the church evangelize, church plant and supply medical supplies and literature.
Contact: Mike & Terrill Esposito at (410) 922-6794 or
E-mail at ywambaltimore@juno.com
MISSION BRIDGE COURSE (YWAM)
The Mission Bridge is a 12-week course sponsored by Youth With A Mission (see details below) an is designed to:
build up our faith
help us to become more intimate with Jesus
train us to share our faith.
The course meets weekly for teaching, worship and team building. Additionally, three Sunday nights are dedicated for ministry training and a Saturday for drama training. The course concludes with a one week outreach to either the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, New York City or Ocean City, Maryland.
The course is held annually, normally in the spring. There is a one-time registration cost of $50.00 that includes books and a team shirt. The outreach costs vary according to the location.
Contact: Mike Esposito at (410) 922-6794
PROJECT CONSTANT HOPE
Hold On:
love is on the way!
trust in God fully
ARE YOU STRESSING?LOVE IS ON THE WAY! At this point in your life, at this time of crisis, you are hesitating about a decision that will affect your life FOREVER point. With God’s help, you can make it through this difficult time. The following words from the Bible will show you how people, who were just like you, faced hard times and experienced many of the things that you are now going through. God helped them HOLD ON and gave them a new start in life.This is possible for you, too. As someone said long ago: Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God. Psalm 42.11 Contents Do you feel like you’re at your limit? 1 HOLD ON! Check This Out 4 HOLD ON! You've Got a Parachute 9 HOLD ON! God's Got Your Back 12 HOLD ON! God Provides a Safety Net 14 HOLD ON! You Are Important to God 16 Keeping It Real 19 You Are Somebody 20 Always Remember: God Really Loves You! 22 Appendix: Getting Help 24 Scripture Index 26 W 1 D Feeling like a nobody? Listen to these words written by David, one of Israel’s greatest kings, who felt the same way: . . . But I am merely a worm, far less than human, and I am hated and rejected by people everywhere. Everyone who sees me makes fun and sneers. Psalm 22.1, 2, 6, 7a Another psalm says these words to God: I have known only sorrow all my life long, and I suffer year after year. I am weak from sin, and my bones are limp. My enemies insult me. Neighbors are even worse, and I disgust my friends. People meet me on the street, and they turn and run. I am completely forgotten like someone dead. I am merely a broken dish. . . . But I trust you, L and I claim you as my God. My life is in your hands. Psalm 31.9-12, 14, 15a You may feel that God is not there for you. You are not alone. Hear what King David said: 0 Make my eyes sparkle again, or else I will fall into the sleep of death. My enemies will say, "Now we’ve won!" They will be greatly pleased when I am defeated. Psalm 13.1-4 Even Jesus, God’s Son, felt abandoned by God and wondered if God had left him high and dry. Jesus was nailed to a cross and suffered an agonizing death. . . . They nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. It was about nine o'clock in the morning when they nailed him to the cross. . . . About noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until around three o'clock.Then about that time Jesus shouted, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means,"My God,my God, why have you deserted me?" Mark 15.22, 24,25, 33, 34 Y 0 HOLD ON! You may be feeling that life is unfair or that you are suffering for no reason. Job felt like that too. He was a good man who lost everything—his family, his wealth and his health. Job wished that he had never been born! He just wanted to die! Job 3.20-26 If you are tired of feeling down and depressed, thoughts about ending your life may seem to be the solution to your problems. Job was sick of living and he had the same thoughts. . . . Why did you let me be born? I would rather have died before birth and been carried to the grave without ever breathing. I have only a few days left. Why don’t you leave me alone? Let me find some relief, before I travel to the land of darkness and despair, the place of no return. Job 10.1, 18-22 Tamar, the daughter of King David, was totally devastated after being raped by her brother, Amnon. She felt that she had come to the end of her rope. 0 loved her before. So he told her, "Get up and get out!" She said, "Don't send me away! That would be worse than what you have already done." But Amnon would not listen. He called in his servant and said, "Throw this woman out and lock the door!" The servant made her leave, and he locked the door behind her. The king's unmarried daughters used to wear long robes with sleeves. Tamar tore the robe she was wearing and put ashes on her head.Then she covered her face with her hands and cried loudly as she walked away. 2 Samuel 13.11b-19 Like Tamar, you may be feeling very wounded, ashamed, betrayed, and desperate right now. But ending your life is not the solution. God puts people in your life who are willing to help you. Even though you may not think so right now, be assured that God does love you and cares about you. When feeling depressed or having thoughts of suicide, you may feel that you cannot go to God for help because God will be angry with you. But God loves you and wants to help you. HOLD ON! God will never let go! King David had many rough times and turned to God in prayer. Psalm 25.16-18 0 0 King David turned to God and begged for help. Psalm 69.1-3 As bad as things may seem, like King David, know that death is not the answer; it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Psalm 30.8-10 Like King David, know that God is always near. Where could I go to escape from your Spirit
I prayed to you, L
and in my prayer I said,
"What good will it do you
if I am in the grave?
Once I have turned to dust,
how can I praise you
or tell how loyal you are?
Have pity, L
Save me, God!
I am about to drown.
I am sinking deep in the mud,
and my feet are slipping.
I am about to be swept under
by a mighty flood.
I am worn out from crying,
and my throat is dry.
I have waited for you
till my eyes are blurred.
I am lonely and troubled.
Show that you care
and have pity on me.
My awful worries keep growing.
Rescue me from sadness.
See my troubles and misery
and forgive my sins.
Amnon grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me!"
She answered, "No! Please don't force me! This
sort of thing isn't done in Israel. It's too disgusting!
Think of me. I'll be disgraced forever! And think of
yourself. Everyone in Israel will say you're nothing but
trash! Just ask the king, and he will let you marry me."
But Amnon would not listen to what she said. He
was stronger than she was, so he overpowered her and
raped her.Then Amnon hated her even more than he had
I am sick of life!
And from my deep despair,
I complain to you,my God.
Why does God let me live
when life is miserable
and so bitter?
I keep longing for death
more than I would seek
a valuable treasure.
Nothing could make me happier
than to be in the grave.
Why do I go on living
when God has me surrounded,
and I can’t see the road?
Moaning and groaning
are my food and drink,
and my worst fears
have all come true.
I have no peace or rest—
only troubles and worries.
The soldiers took Jesus to Golgotha, which means
"Place of a Skull."
How much longer, L
will you forget about me?
Will it be forever?
How long will you hide?
How long must I be confused
and miserable all day?
How long will my enemies
keep beating me down?
Please listen, L
and answer my prayers.
Have pity, L
I am hurting and almost blind.
My whole body aches.
My God,my God, why have you
deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won’t you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
I cry out day and night,
but you don’t answer,
and I can never rest.
Do you feel down most of the time? Do you feel
sad or "blue" and that nothing seems to matter
anymore? Perhaps you don’t enjoy doing the
things you used to with your friends, and your
family doesn’t seem to understand how you
feel. Your thoughts may seem to be all mixed
up and you’re having trouble finding the right
words to express how you feel.
Are you spending a lot of time by yourself? Or
are you getting low grades in school? Perhaps you
are having trouble concentrating on your work,
or you just seem to be angry all the time but
can’t figure out why.
Everyone is sad or angry sometimes, but if you
are feeling this way every day, then you may be
thinking that you are at a point of no return. But
HOLD ON!
HOLD ON:
or from your sight? 0 HOLD ON! You've Got a Parachute What should you do when you are feeling depressed or suicidal? Your thinking may be clouded or unclear. At such times, it’s harder to see the positives and easier to focus on the negatives. That’s why it’s important to reach out to God and to family and friends who love you and want to help you. Sometimes God will send angels to help us, like he did with the prophet Elijah who was running away from people who wanted to kill him. Elijah begged the L "I've had enough. Just let me die! I'm no better off than my ancestors." Then he lay down in the shade and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel woke him up and said, "Get up and eat." Elijah looked around, and by his head was a jar of water and some baked bread. He sat up, ate and drank, then lay down and went back to sleep. Soon the L "Get up and eat, or else you'll get too tired to travel." So Elijah sat up and ate and drank. The food and water made him strong enough to walk forty more days.At last, he reached Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, and he spent the night there in a cave. 1 Kings 19.4b-9 10 Like the prophet Elijah, allow yourself to be open to "angels" who will feed your heart, mind, and spirit when you cannot do this yourself. "Angels" may come to you in ways you don’t expect. Your angel may be a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a professional counselor. Do not hesitate to seek help. God is always ready to help you. Hebrews 4.16 You do not have to choose death. Choose life! Here are some wise sayings: Proverbs 12.28 All who are wise follow a road that leads upward to life and away from death. Proverbs 15.24 The prophet Moses told the people of Israel: 11 your God, love him, and do whatever he tells you.The L Deuteronomy 30.19c, 20a Proper thinking can change negative feelings. The apostle Paul, a first-century Christian, said Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think.Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. Romans 12.2 Jesus said: Matthew 11.28-30 FOLLOW THE ROAD TO LIFE HOLD ON! G God cares about you and has plans for your life. The people of Judah were living in exile when the prophet Jeremiah spoke these words of hope from God: Jeremiah 29.11-14a Hezekiah, a king of Judah in the eighth century close to death, but God spared his life. Your words and your deeds bring life to everyone, including me. Please make me healthy and strong again. . . . No one in the world of the dead can thank you or praise you; 12 13 none of those in the deep pit can hope for you to show them how faithful you are. Only the living can thank you, as I am doing today. Each generation tells the next about your faithfulness. Isaiah 38.16, 18, 19 God loves you and wants you to have a full life. Jesus said: John 10.10b, 11, 27, 28 Please make me healthy and strong again. 14 HOLD ON! God a Safety Net When you are feeling weak and confused, God will send the Holy Spirit to help you. Romans 8.26,27 Chill out! Jesus said: . . . Don’t worry and ask yourselves, "Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?" Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things.Your 15 Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants.Then the other things will be yours as well. Matthew 6.25,26, 31-33 The apostle Paul said: Philippians 4.6, 7 GOD WILL SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP YOU 16 HOLD ON! You are IMPORTANT to God Listen to these trusting words from the Psalms. God will guide you and never leave your side. The L I love you, L You answered my prayers. You paid attention to me, and so I will pray to you as long as I live. Death attacked from all sides, and I was captured by its painful chains. But when I was really hurting, I prayed and said, "L please don’t let me die!" You are kind, L so good and merciful. You protect ordinary people, and when I was helpless, you saved me and treated me so kindly that I don’t need to worry anymore. You, L my life from death, my eyes from tears, 17 my feet from stumbling. Now I will walk at your side in this land of the living. Psalm 116.1-9 The L You, L You are my choice, and you keep me safe. You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright. I praise you, L for being my guide. Even in the darkest night, your teachings fill my mind. I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear. With all my heart, I will celebrate, and I can safely rest. I am your chosen one. You won’t leave me in the grave or let my body decay. You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful. Psalm 16.5-11 18 The L I look to the hills! Where will I find help? It will come from the L who created the heavens and the earth. The L and he won’t go to sleep or let you stumble. The protector of Israel doesn’t doze or ever get drowsy. The L there at your right side to shade you from the sun. You won’t be harmed by the sun during the day or by the moon at night. The L and keep you safe from all dangers. The L now and always wherever you go. Psalm 121 19 Keeping It Real God wants you to know that what happens to you matters not only to God but to others in your family and community, too. When feeling depressed or suicidal, you may feel that your death will not matter or that your family and friends will be better off if you weren’t around anymore. When you are hurting, others are hurting also. Talk to others about how you feel. If they don’t understand, don’t stop there. Go talk to someone else and keep talking until you find someone who will listen to you. You are an important member of a community – the body of Christ. What happens to you does matter to others. 1 Corinthians 12.19-26 You can be a source of help to others. Just as people are ready to help you, God entrusts you to help others who are going through similar situations. 2 Corinthians 1.3,4 20 You You are awesome and unique, and you were created by God in God’s own image! Genesis 1.26, 27 You are precious to God and highly valued. And respecting your body is a way of honoring God. The apostle Paul wrote: 1 Corinthians 6.12, 13b, 14 No longer a nobody! Like King David, put your trust in God. Listen to David’s prayer: 21 I was a nobody, but I prayed, and the L from all my troubles. If you honor the L his angel will protect you. Discover for yourself that the L Come to him for protection, and you will be glad. Psalm 34.4-8 Remember Job and how low he was? Look at what God did! Know that God cares for you. made Job twice as rich as he had been before. Then Job gave a feast for his brothers and sisters and for his old friends. They expressed their sorrow for the suffering the L some silver and a gold ring. The L him fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand pair of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. In addition to seven sons, Job had three daughters, whose names were Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren Happuch. They were the most beautiful women in that part of the world, and Job gave them shares of his property, along with their brothers. Job lived for another one hundred forty years — long enough to see his great-grandchildren have children of their own — and when he finally died, he was very old. Job 42.10-17 22 Always Remember: God Really Loves You! Anyone, even faithful Christians, can go through a crisis. God doesn’t promise that you will never have problems or even that you will never feel depressed. But God does promise to love you always and be there for you. God loves you so much. I John 3.1a God loves you and offers you eternal life. John 3.16, 17 God’s love for you gives you new life. 1 John 4.7b-9 23 Bottom Line: Nothing Can Separate You from God’s Love! Romans 8.37-39 1-800-SUICIDE Suicide Crisis Center Toll-free hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 1-800-784-2433 For local hotline information, visit the Suicide Crisis Center on-line at: www.SuicideHotlines.com You are not alone! 24 Appendix Getting Help 1. Everyone has bad days and sometimes gets the "blues." But depression is more serious and it’s hard to get over by yourself. Be sure to talk with an adult you can trust if you are having any of these warning signs of depression: • Changes in sleeping – waking up very early or sleeping all the time • Noticeable change in appetite; significant weight loss • Feeling sad most days, most of the time, for two weeks or more • Thoughts of dying, feeling that you’d be better off dead • Thinking of specific ways to commit suicide • Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy • Not being able to stop thinking sad thoughts • Feeling alone, worthless, hopeless, and helpless 2. Faith and prayer are extremely important in fighting depression. But God also makes use of medical doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors to bring about healing. Most pastors have a list of mental health professionals who are experienced in helping teenagers and young adults. 3. Depression often results from chemical imbalances. Antidepressant medications, along with therapy and counseling, provide a very effective treatment for most depression.You don’t have to keep feeling depressed. 4. If you know a friend who is talking about suicide, please try to get the person to talk to an adult. If your friend doesn’t want to do this, you may need to confide in an adult yourself.This is one time when keeping a secret may cost a life! Do not promise anyone that you will keep their suicidal threats a secret. If a friend has actually done something to hurt themselves such as cutting themselves or swallowing a lot of pills), get help immediately. 5. Be supportive and encouraging if you have a depressed friend. Show your friend you are proud of them for having the courage to seek professional help. And, of course, let them know you are praying for them. 6. You can’t "argue" a person out of depression.The reasons why the person is depressed may seem trivial to you, but to the depressed person they are huge. People who are depressed tend to magnify difficulties, losses, and problems.They don’t see a way out. Just telling them to "cheer up" won’t help, and actually may make them feel worse. Getting out of depression usually requires a change in thinking, and this takes time and may require professional help. 7. Certain people are at a much greater risk of suicide – especially those who have been physically or sexually abused, those who are struggling with sexual orientation, and those who use drugs or alcohol. If someone you know has already tried to hurt himself/herself in the past, this is a major risk factor. It’s crucial that they get help if risk factors are present. Old Testament Page Genesis 1.26, 27 20 Deuteronomy 30.19c, 20a 10-11 2 Samuel 13.11b-19 5-6 1 Kings 19.4b-9 9 Job 3.20-26 4 Job 10.1, 18-22 5 Job 42.10-17 21 Psalm 13.1-4 2 Psalm 16.5-11 17 Psalm 22.1,2,6,7a 1 Psalm 25.16-18 6 Psalm 30.8-10 7 Psalm 31.9-12, 14, 15a 1-2 Psalm 34.4-8 20-21 Psalm 42.11 iv Psalm 69.1-3 7 Psalm 116.1-9 16 Psalm 121 18 Psalm 139.7-12 7-8 Proverbs 12.28 10 Proverbs 15.24 10 Isaiah 38.16, 18, 19 12-13 Jeremiah 29.11-14a 12 New Testament Page Matthew 6.25,26, 31-33 14 Matthew 11.28-30 11 Mark 15.22, 24, 25, 33, 34 3 John 3.16, 17 22 John 10.10b,11, 27, 28 13 Romans 8.26, 27 14 Romans 8.37-39 23 Romans 12.2 11 1 Corinthians 12.19-26 19 1 Corinthians 6.12, 13b, 14 20 2 Corinthians 1.3, 4 19 Philippians 4.6, 7 15 Hebrews 4.16 10 1 John 3.1a 22 1 John 4.7b-9 22 Scripture Index
25
In everything we have won more than a victory
because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing
can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not
angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not
powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation
can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus
our Lord!
Love comes from God, and when we love each
other, it shows that we have been given new life.We are
now God's children, and we know him. God is love, and
anyone who doesn't love others has never known him.
God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son
into the world to give us life.
God loved the people of the world so much that
he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in
him will have eternal life and never really die. God did
not send his Son into the world to condemn its people.
He sent him to save them!
Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so
much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are.
After Job had prayed for his three friends, the L
I asked the L
and he saved me
from all my fears.
Keep your eyes on the L
You will shine like the sun
and never blush with shame.
Some of you say,"We can do anything we want to."
But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I
refuse to let anything have power over me. …
We are not supposed to do indecent things with our
bodies.We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge
of our bodies. God will raise us from death by the same
power that he used when he raised our Lord to life.
God said, "Now we will make humans, and they will
be like us.We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and
all other living creatures."
So God created humans to be like himself; he made
men and women.
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The
Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort. He
comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share
that same comfort with others in trouble.
A body isn’t really a body, unless there is more than one
part. It takes many parts to make a single body. That’s why
the eyes cannot say they don’t need the hands. That’s also
why the head cannot say it doesn’t need the feet. In fact, we
cannot get along without the parts of the body that seem to
be the weakest. We take special care to dress up some parts
of our bodies. We are modest about our personal parts, but
we don’t have to be modest about other parts.
God put our bodies together in such a way that even
the parts that seem the least important are valuable. He did
this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly,
with each part caring about the others. If one part of our
body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored,
the whole body will be happy.
Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.
With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and
requests to God.Then, because you belong to Christ
Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can
completely understand. And this peace will control the
way you think and feel.
I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry
about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life
more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the
sky! They don’t plant or harvest.They don’t even store
grain in barns.Yet your Father in heaven takes care of
them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?
In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here
to help us. For example, when we don’t know what to
pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be
put into words.All of our thoughts are known to God.
He can understand what is in the mind of the Spirit, as
the Spirit prays for God’s people.
I came so that everyone would have life, and have it
in its fullest. I am the good shepherd, and the good
shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.
My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They
follow me, and I give them eternal life, so that they will
never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand.
I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future
of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me
and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You
will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with
you and accept your worship.
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come
to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you.
Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle
and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy
to bear, and this burden is light.
Choose life! Be completely faithful to the L
Follow the road to life,
and you won’t be bothered
by death.
So whenever we are in need, we should come
bravely before the throne of our merciful God.There we
will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will
find help.
If I were to climb up
to the highest heavens,
you would be there.
If I were to dig down
to the world of the dead
you would also be there.
Suppose I had wings
like the dawning day
and flew across the ocean.
Even then your powerful arm
would guide and protect me.
Or suppose I said, "I’ll hide
in the dark until night comes
to cover me over."
But you see in the dark
because daylight and dark
are all the same to you.
Psalm 139.7-12
...Guide
and
protect
me
I
AM LONELY AND TROUBLED
