Brandon Shanks {dot} com

Last Night in Pictures

The following are some pictures from reverb last night.

 A special thanks to Adriana Torres for doing such a great job taking pics!

For the full photo album click here.

See You At the Pole : The After Event

I am so excited about an upcoming event that we are going to be doing.  We are having a special youth service that will coincide with See You At The Pole!  A team of students in every school is leading the charge to get as many as they can to go to See You At The Pole that morning and then come to The After Event that night! 

Summer Schedule

This is our summer schedule.  We are focusing on opening opportunities to build relationships with students.  Today is our first picnic in the park.  Our goal is have an event where everyone can hang out and have a good time.  Also, it is a great environment for them to bring a friend.

THE EVENT 4.01

We are so excited about THE EVENT coming up on April 1st!  Aaron Kelly, Bryan Pound, James Simms, and Reaction!  Free Admission! It's going to be a great night!

 

Student Bible Studies

A month ago we challenged the students of CSM to be bold about their faith though Bible Studies.  It has been awesome to see groups of students gathering to teach Bible Studies each week!  A group of students that pray on Thursday's started a Bible Study after their prayer and are having 25+ people coming to it!

Proud of you guys!

Chaperone Survival Guide

It would be impossible to have a successful mission trip/camp/retreat without a team of amazing chaperones!  I have been blessed to be able to work with some great chaperones along the way.  We have an amazing group going with us on our upcoming Mission Trip next week.

Here are a few tips that I found for those amazing adults who give their time and energy (It takes a lot of energy) to impact students by being trip chaperones:

1) It's supposed to be that noisy. Worry when it gets quiet.

2) Don’t sweat the small stuff or you’ll just spend more time sweating. Seriously, you lose your cool and the kids will learn to lose theirs, too, and their respect for you.

3) Do whatever it takes to get some sleep. Bring/buy a fan. Drink peppermint tea. Take some advil pm…but if u do: sleep across the doorway.

4) If you think you should stop something? Please do so. Don’t get mad, get some help, but take no chances.

5) You are over packed. I don’t even need to see your suitcase to tell you. Less stuff means more sleeping room.

6) Don’t be a “freak out adult!”

7) Lose the fanny pack. Get a backpack or drawstring…but no fanny packs.

Just joking about the last one...but really...

These trips that impact the lives of students could never happen without you.  

THANK YOU! 
- from all of us

The tips were adapted from here.

Youth On Mission Trip 2010 - MIAMI

Next week begins an adventure for the students of revolution.  We will be taking our annual Youth On Mission Trip.  Our mission trip this year is going to be like never before...kinda.  We have been to Chicago, Washington DC, New York City, and one other place (aka Miami).  

Our first Youth On Mission trip was to Miami, FL to work with Metro Missionary Pastor Ryan Crossley.  When we went to Miami five years ago the church has only been started for a couple months and had a few people attending.  We had an incredible time working with Pastor Crossley and the people of The Rock Church.  We served the homeless, invited people to church, and did many other things to bless the community.  That was a trip of a lifetime.  So many students were changed from that first Youth On Mission trip.  We were all so inspired by the vision that Pastor Crossley had for reaching his city.  We knew that God was going to continue to do amazing things through The Rock Church & the Crossley family!

It has been no surprise to hear of the growth that The Rock Church has experienced in the past five years.  Now they have a weekly attendance of over 150+ people.  They are making an amazing impact in their city!  I knew going back to Miami would be a great opportunity for the students to see for themselves all that God has done and is doing at The Rock Church!  We can't wait to join with them again!

We are looking forward to an amazing week next week!  Youth On Mission 2010 WILL be like never before!!!

Check out these pictures that were taken 5 years ago during our first Miami Youth On Mission Trip:

  
  
  
  

Let's Create Culture

When I saw this it reminded me of the opportunity that I have as a youth worker.  When you invest in the next generation you are creating the culture of tomorrow.  We have to tell students that they do not have to be victims of the culture in which they live.  They have the power to create culture!  They can create a culture that causes people to worship Jesus Christ!

Think about this story, when three teenagers made an impact on the culture of an entire city through their convictions!  I believe that this can happen today through the students that we stand before each week!  The students that we are able to work with will be, for better or worse, the cultural architects of tomorrow.

 Students will be the...the artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, authors, dreamers,  politicians,  preachers, missionaries, teachers, and athletes of tomorrow.  God help us to teach them that they can use their gifts for more than just shallow, fleeting self-aggrandizement. They can use their lives for the GLORY OF GOD!  Their life can be used to spread the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST to the ends of the Earth!

We can be much more than just merely relevant to our current culture.  We can actually be part of creating the culture of tomorrow if we have the courage to be what God has called us to be. 

Matthew 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let's create culture!

Now your turn...any thoughts?

Found Photo here

Found this picture...

 

I found this picture the other day from a couple years ago.  It is a photo of Tyler and Brittany teaching a Bible Study in the library of Central High School.  We have been talking about taking truth #VIRAL for the last two weeks at revolution.  Teaching some friends a Bible Study at school is an incredible way to take truth #VIRAL in your world.

Here are some links to Bible Studies/Tracts that you can teach to/share with friends at school:

A place prepared for you

If God is so good...

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Why So Many Religions

What's With Baptism?

What did the Apostles say about salvation?

Take a chance.  You never know what will happen if you share the Gospel with your friends!  That's VIRAL!!!

 

Compassion for Haiti

Last week when the earthquake took place in Haiti I was not far away.  I was on vacation a couple hundred miles away on a cruise.  A couple days later we came as close as 50 miles to the nation of Haiti.  It was full of irony.  Here we were on a cruise ship with more food than we could even eat and just 50 miles away was a horrific scene of tragedy, disaster, hunger, thirst, and loss.  To me it was a picture of how truly blessed I am not just that day but everyday!  

A great organization that is helping with the relief efforts is Compassion Services through the United Pentecostal Church International.  Check out what is going on on their sites and get involved!

Let's show compassion.  

Here are a couple quotes from a book I am currently reading called "Primal" by Mark Batterson:

"Minds often remain closed to truth until hearts have been opened by compassion."
"Compassion is the ultimate apologetic.  There is no defense against it."