I first heard about this from Tim Schmoyer’s blog on “How to get an Xbox 360 Elite for free.” I was intrigued by the idea and thought maybe I should consider trying it for our youth. Well, lo and behold, I hear that Tim just got said free Xbox 360. So, if seeing is believing, I’m interested. So here’s how it works (text below taken from Tim’s excellent youth ministry blog - thanks Tim!)

HOW IT WORKS
It’s pretty easy to do. It probably takes about 10 minutes to setup. Click on the link below, register, pick an account type (referral is the easiest) and complete just 1 offer. This is not like other sites where you need to complete one offer on 2 or 3 different pages. And a lot of these offers are free trials with nothing else to buy and no commitments!

There are plenty of cool offers to choose from, such as Netflix, Stamp.com, BMG music, Blockbuster online and Gamefly, services you might regularly sign up for anyway. I’m going to do the BMG music membership for music for the youth. Another good offer is renting DVDs through Netflix (it’ll cost ya $9.95 to try it) - I’ve had it for years and I love it!

After signing up and completing your one offer, simply refer 8-13 people (depending on the free prize you choose) to do the same under your link. Then they will ship your 360 Elite or your selected item for free.

Step 1: Click on this link: http://www.360Elite4free.com/index.php?ref=4418438

Step 2: Sign up and choose an account type (Referral is the easiest)

Step 3: Complete just 1 offer (like Netflix or Stamps.com) and refer up to 10 people to do the same.

Step 4: Receive your Xbox 360 Elite for FREE!

Here’s a news report and also another one on YouTube that explain how all this works and proves that it is indeed legit.

Anyone wanna help our youth and work towards their own free Xbox 360 Elite?

Click here

Yesterday, I headed off with a student for an overnight camping trip to Coal Lake. He needed some time away to refocus and refresh his perspective on life. And as it turned out I did too. We hiked in 3 miles to the Coal lake and set up camp. Our theme for the trip was Mark 1:17 when Jesus called out to some fishermen and told them to “Follow Me.” So we discussed what it meant to follow Christ.

Kierkegaard said that, “The difference between an admirer and a follower still remains, no matter where you are. The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ, he renounces nothing, gives up nothing, will not reconstruct his life, will not be what he admires, and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires.”

We discussed how Jesus doesn’t want admirers. He wants followers. We really got into sobering discussions about how in both of our lives we follow in some areas and others areas we don’t. The scriptures say, “Come follow me, he said to Simon and Andrew. At once they left their nets and followed Him.” What will we decide? To drop all we have and follow Him? That’s what we’ve been called to do.

We ended our discussion with a poem by Steven James:

the path is narrow,

my heart is hard,

guide my feet.

break me, God,

for I will not bend.

and I’m not shaped as I should be

anymore.

Both of us left our trip challenged and convicted of the places where we’re not fully committed to Christ. Jesus doesn’t want part of us. He wants all of us. The cost is great. We’ll endure hardships, heartbreak and trials. No one ever said life was easy. No one ever said following Christ would was for pansies either. It simply comes down to a choice. Will I be known as an admirer or a follower?

Oh and here’s a shot of my new pair of Chacos I was breaking in on the trip. They’re the most amazing shoe/sandal known to man. I’ll give you the complete review later.

From the mouth of a student (who is a Christian but sick of the posers he’s around) I was talking with:

“I don’t consider myself a Christian because I’m too real.”

Powerful quote. I don’t think he really knew the gravity of what he was speaking. As Christians, I think we’ve forgotten (or hidden ourselves behind fig leaves) how to be real. We just try to fit a mold that doesn’t exist beyond the sweet preachy t shirts, bumper stickers, and CD’s found in the Family Christian Bookstores. It’s become the pursuit of ultimate fakeness. As long as we look holy, then we’re good. We’ve gained this goodness, but lost the authenticity. And without authenticity, what are we actually left with?

Any thoughts?

Funerals are peculiar things.

Saturday, I attended a funeral of a student that died in a car accident. I didn’t know him personally, but I did know one thing: he wasn’t a believer. I was asked by our church to attend this funeral to possibly counsel with youth who had questions or needed someone to talk to. I’ve been to many funerals and there’s aways a distinct difference between those of people who know Christ and those who don’t. The feeling in the room was absolute devastation. Everyone was clinging on to something and holding on to anything they could find. There was no hope.

It just breaks my heart to think how differently that ceremony would have been if the young boy had known Christ. How it changes our view of this life, if this life isn’t all there is.

I mourn for the loss of that young man’s life because he didn’t know Jesus. I mourn for the family that’s left behind, because they don’t know Jesus. I mourn for the fact that this will all repeat itself again, if they don’t know Jesus.

But I’m getting preachy. What does it mean to me? I now have a picture of that student on my desk. It’s a sobering reminder for me. It reminds me the job I have as a youth worker. I share Christ with kids that don’t know him. And that student represents one that will never know Him. It reminds me the seriousness of the task at hand. There are lost who need to be found. I may not be the Savior, but it’s my job to point them to the Savior.