Echoes

I have been in my share of youth pastor gatherings and trainings where the question was asked, "Why do you do what you do?", not necessarily just to me, but to the group as a whole.

As I consider one possible answer to that question, I am brought to this thought; we exist to produce echoes.

As you all know, an echo is a fairly simple concept. Someone speaks and then pauses to hear its reverberation in the room, cavern or canyon. The truest joy in the echo, is the number of times in row we hear it repeated. 

Now consider the lives of an American student: rich, poor, black, white, middle or high school. Our teenage students are bombarded by noise throughout the day. In the midst of the thousands of messages that are resounding in the mind and hearts of teens, we find our responsibility to produce something that echoes for the sake of the Gospel.

The scientific research and evidence is overwhelmingly clear that humans do not often intake information as transforming or changing unless they receive it multiple times. Consider the forming of a habit, or the memorization of facts; both of these require repetition to be effective. The same is true in a student’s life on his/her journey toward the gospel. I believe our call is to produce echoes in the hearts and minds of teenagers.

There are other layers of consideration when it comes to echoes.  Early in my time as a YP, I realized I was spending 3-5 hours weekly conveying the gospel message to my students. They would return to a home where real discipleship “should” be happening over multiple hours of interaction. It was evident when parents would echo the messages. My heart broke for those who went to a home where there were no echoes, just silence. Echoes are crucial to the development of true discipleship in a student’s life.

Hopefully, if you are reading this, you are not a "one man" or "one woman" show in the youth ministry you serve. In fact, returning to my original question asked in this article, "Why do you do what you do?". Often the right answer is that our job is to be an equipper of the saints. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11, 12 ESV). 

Our job it seems often boils down less to direct contact with students, and more often to the enablement and equipping of adult and student leaders. In this case, as we pour out a consistent message and cast vision of re-stating that message, we once again produce echoes. When it comes to equipping, the reverberation of the vision is crucial. For what we are doing is creating, echoes of echoes.   

For now, I would ask you to take a few minutes, pause ('Selah' if you will) and consider how are you using echoes to the benefit of the Kingdom in your ministry.  Bottom line, like anything, echo is a choice. So make a plan, share it often, and watch the power of echoes work. "The truest joy in the echo is the number of times we hear it repeated."

BIG or little...

As Americans, we like to think BIG. BIG ideas, BIG visions, BIG dreams, make for a BIG splash. As I consider this thought, let me state clearly, I do not believe that any of these are wrong; however, BIG in itself has become another religion in our western world. The BIG play, the BIG hit song, or the next BIG thing, BIG is in.

Even in church we celebrate BIG!! More often than not the general population likes to hear from teachers and communicators who lead the largest groups of people.

I would, however, like to throw some caution up in the air and see where it lands. Reality is most of the overnight BIG splashes that I know of do not last very long. One hit wonders, 15 minutes of fame, and other cliché sayings come to mind. So what does the Kingdom say about BIG?

In the Kingdom, the least are the greatest, the first is the last (Mark 10:44). In many of Jesus’ teachings; the general sentiment is the Kingdom is at hand now. Then, followed in the same breath, blessed is the outcast, the last, the least of these. The little, or seemingly insignificant seen to be most important.

If all that is true, then why do some many of us "Christians" celebrate BIG? Or better yet, does celebrating BIG fall in line with our true discipleship in Jesus?

Jesus fed 5000 men one day, probably 13,000 or so people including women and children. With what? A little boy's lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish. This story has been celebrated thousands upon thousands of times around the BIG things Jesus can, does and will do. Considering what we know about this boy, think about all the little things that had to happen in his life that day. The Mom had to give permission for him to go. She had to make a decision to not let him run to this gathering without food. She had to know something about Jesus or the little boy wouldn’t have been allowed to leave. Without the little, this BIG may not have been recorded.

As Christ followers, I believe we are called to focus on the little things. In fact, I would suggest we are called far more to the little things then the BIG. I can believe BIG, and dream BIG (ask my family, I do). When it comes to how our family chooses to live in our home, it’s the little things that matter most. For in our faithfulness to the little things, starting with focusing on Jesus first each day, BIG, long-lasting, enduring things are built.

Our faith is built on a daily desire to seek Jesus in spirit and truth. Our children are discipled based on daily worship, family scripture-reading, and Sunday church attendance. None of which will probably ever make the news as BIG, but be assured, our family's faith in the living God is huge.

For with God ALL things are possible (Matthew 19). So as you move into this next season of life, what little things need to be aligned or re-aligned in your world? For I am convinced, stay focused on the little things, and the truly BIG things will take care of themselves.

EPIC Resource Group

EPIC is a coaching ministry for local churches and communities across the US. Our resource group believes the hope of America is the local Church and it's heart to reach this generation.

EPIC's goal is to be a catalyst for churches and communities with a passion to serve the secondary schools in their communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In America, there are approximately 25 million public secondary school students. According to EPIC's research* there is a gap of 12 million unreached students with the gospel of Christ. We believe this group of students is an 'Army of Hope' waiting to be reached and released to influence the world for Christ.

The local churches or communities that surround these 12 million unreached students are filled with a burden to reach their communities. Many are under-resourced (urban + rural) which has often stalled or hand cuffed the efforts of the message of Christ. The average local church in America is 75-150 people. Most churches this size do not believe they have the resources to provide life changing resource for the students in their community. EPIC's coaching helps churches regain perspective and provide them with hope, strategy, and curriculum to do so for years to come.

EPIC accomplishes this through intensely coaching and resourcing 3 local churches or communities per quarter (12 for the year). Follow up with each local group occurs quarterly for the 9 months following.  All resources will be provided through partnerships with EPIC and the costs associated with their coaching are covered by the EPIC Resource Group.

The outcome is local churches finding new perspective to surround their public secondary schools with the gospel of Jesus, students coming to Christ, and local churches serving their communities in greater ways due to the influx of teenagers being touched by their local ministry.

If you are in a community or part of a local church that EPIC Resource Group could serve, please contact us at stevecherrico@gmail.com.

* Through a conglomerative discussion between multiple national youth programs, it is believed that approximately 13 million of the secondary school students in America have a Christian movement reaching out to them with the Hope of Christ each school year. This leaves a 12 million student gap with no plan in place to reach them. 

Steve Cherrico - Nashville TN

Steve Cherrico was born in the inner city of Denver, CO and raised in the greater Washington D.C. area. He came to a realization of his need for a Savior after a new friend shared the gospel with him age 15. Within a few short years he was heavily involved in a local youth group, and during his senior year due to unforeseen circumstances, was put in a position of leadership with 3 other high school seniors running the youth ministry they were involved with. 

In 1993, after one year at Iowa State University, he was given the opportunity to move to Nashville, TN. While in Nashville he was heavily involved with Salama ministries, taking 40+ inner city children to camp each summer in the Appalachian mountains, overseeing the camp and leadership team. 

Steve and his wife Jessi, met in the beginning of 1997, and were married about a year later in 1998. While continuing to pursue other endeavors locally in the music and fitness industries, he began to run camps for Christ Church, and came on staff with them in April of 1998. He was added to full-time staff in 1999. 

During his tenor with Christ Church, he was often used as a rebuilder, or reorganizer of student ministries and also had the fortune of leading a church plant for two years in one of the most diverse areas surrounding Nashville, called Antioch. Steve’s wife Jessi was also the Director of Children’s Ministries at Christ Church, from 2000-2003. He has been blessed to oversee just about every facet of ministry from 4th grade to college ministries, keying on raising up leaders to replace him in each area. He is passionate about seeing the next generation walk in the purpose and calling they have been given and coaching them through that process. 

Steve also has a heart for Africa and Haiti, engaging some of the world's toughest 3rd world countries. He is heavily tied to multiple ministries in Africa & Haiti serving orphans, street children, former prostitutes, and students. In 2007, he had the great fortune of leading a group of 27 adult and student leaders on a trip to Kampala, Uganda in partnership with On The Go Ministries and Gaba Community Church in Uganda. He has also taken groups to Ghana through Adopt One Village. In 2012 he lead a group of adults to the brand new My Life Speaks campus in Neply, Haiti. All of these experiences have shaped his heart to reach this next generation for Christ.

Steve completed his (3.5 year) self-study ordination program through the Christ Church / Oral Roberts University partnership in May of 2004. 

In March of 2008, Steve and Jessi, felt the Lord releasing them from Christ Church, and moved to a national staff position with First Priority of America. He serves as a trainer for the local community movements across the country, coaching them through their work locally.

Since coming on staff with First Priority of America Steve has been able to serve the local church across the US through coaching. Locally he has been able to help multiple local churches re-launch their leadership perspective. This includes pastoral and lay leadership training & coaching. As well as student ministry training & coaching. 

This coaching model has allowed him to create a network called the EPIC Resource Group. EPIC strives to serve local communities that believe they are under resourced however as the local church have a desire to impact the secondary schools in their community. Most of these groups are found in very rural or very urban settings across the US. 

Steve and Jessi have 3 multi-racial children, Justus (8), Nate (5) and Corina 15 months, all three are local adoptions from the greater Nashville TN area. As a family they love to play games indoor and out, read together, and enjoy all kinds of music. Steve is also an avid reader, loves to play most sports (especially; basketball, football, tennis, disc golf), and spend time investing into current and future leaders for the Gospel's sake. 

Its a simple faith, 3 minute reminders...

Well i have one of those stories tonight, that only a Father could make real.

Tonight as a family we were all hanging in the bonus room of our home, enjoying a simple time together.  Justus and I had played some basketball at the gym earlier, and quite frankly he smelled like a  boy.  So i directed him off to the shower and went back to the rest of us playing in the bonus room.  A little while later, as Justus finished his shower, we heard a small "crash" and then Justus cry for help, Jess made it to his room first, i was with Corina.

However Justus kept screaming, so i gave Nate quick instructions how to stay with Coco, and as i raced down our hall way, Jess began to yell for me as well.  Justus had opened up his large dresser in his room in such a way, that it fell on him, and onto the lower half of his right leg. As i entered into his room, the dresser was still there on top of his leg. Its about 50-60 pounds and Jess had just started to work to get it off of him.

I grabbed the dresser and threw it off of him, saw his right leg and instructed Jess to leave to get Coco as i assessed the situation.  His right leg was out of joint at the knee for sure. Unfortunately, this is not the first time in my life i had seen a leg that was popped out of joint.  I looked in Justus' eyes, he was scared. I asked him to show me where it hurt, and if he could move it.  Through tears he touched his right knee on the outside, and no he could not bend it. Now i was scared.

He kept apologizing over and over again, "i am sorry daddy, i am sorry, i did not mean for it to fall on my leg."  I looked him in the eye, loved him with my words, and reassured him, he was going to be ok.  I then took a look at the leg again, and it was crooked bad.  I explained to him what it mean to have a leg out of joint, and that we were going to need to go to the hospital.  This freaked him out, but again, we worked through what that meant through tears and hugs.

I immediately called the local non-emergency number, explained to them that this dresser had fallen on my son's leg, and it was out of socket.  I asked them to tell me if i should call an ambulance or not.  The person on the other line, explained they could not make that recommendation, that was up to me.  Not satisfied with that answer i hung up on them and i called a friend who was a doctor.  Richard understood quickly my concerns of moving Justus and explained to me, how to do it so that i could protect his leg while taking him to the hospital.

Slowly, through much pain, Justus and I worked to get him dressed in some shorts and a tshirt.  Then just before i was going to pick him up, i looked in his eyes one more time.  I moved in close and held him as tight as i could with my hand gently on his leg and prayed a very short prayer, "God please protect my son's leg as i move him, and please heal him in Jesus name."  As i moved away to position myself to pick him up. Justus immediately looked at me with this dazed stare, "um daddy", yeah buddy i replied. "I don't know how but i can move my leg" he said.  Sure enough i looked at it again, and something was hugely different, almost like his leg was straight.  I asked him, are you sure, he said "yeah it feels totally different."

And then without command, he bent his knee, no issues.  I screamed for Jess in such a frantic voice, she came running from the other room. Later she told me she figured i either had found more damage, or something else had happened. She was on the phone with a friend, who was headed our way to care for the babies as i was going to head to the hospital.  As she came in, i was weeping all over my son.  God who is able to exceedingly and abundantly more than i ask had popped his leg back in place.

Jess looked at if a few times, and told her friend, "um, i don't need you now and will call you back."

You have to understand this all happened in like 3 minutes.  It was crazy. I asked Justus to walk with his mom around the house to be sure.  And "thanks be to God!" it was and is. I called Richard back and explained to him what had happened, he celebrated with us, and then confirmed my thought of icing it and getting Justus some tylenol for the pain just in case.

As Jess and i put the boys down tonight for bed, we were reflecting on that 3 minutes. And i recounted my time of prayer with Justus.  To be really honest, i did not pray with expectation of a supernatural healing of his leg right there and then.  I just prayed with trust knowing that God can do anything, and that i am to ask. So my prayer was short and simple. And God showed up in a way that even surprised me.

Tonight was a reminder, that even in the midst of what is a scary moment of life, our faith is a simple one. "Trust me", says the Father. "All your cares, cast them on me.  Not in majestic new-religious terms.  Honestly, authentically, simply trust me."

I pray that our testimony will be a simple reminder to you as well, that God is not absent. He is not only fully alive, He is fully present. He is calling all of us to a simple faith, in everything "Trust Him." Thanks for celebrating with us God's hand on our family.

Stay On The Path

Like i am sure a few do, i tend to find plenty of quiet time while on the elliptical.  So i devour the scriptures and then worship a bit.


This morning, i was given a gift.  The Lord provided me with a vision.  I was a 5yr old child, and was walking on a narrow dirt path.  In front of me 20-30 feet was the Lord.  He was in all white, brilliant, yet not overwhelming.  I ran to catch up to him, as fast as my little legs would allow.


As i reached him I joyfully danced around Him, like a small boy does when they are telling their dad about an amazing adventure they were just on.  As I danced and ran around Him, He continued to look on me with gracious, loving eyes.  His face was so kind.  


Then He grabs my hand and brings me to a stop, He comes down on one knee and looks me in the eyes.  His face turned to one of warning. Though i could not hear what he said, I was understanding none the less. He kept pointing towards the narrow path we had been walking on, looking ahead.  It is then that I saw, large wolves on either side of the path.  Not just 2 in one place, but up the path quite aways, I would see them pop their heads towards the path and then run off.  The one thing I knew from Jesus words was that "no matter what" I was not to leave the path. 


I then asked Jesus a question, assuming i was alone with Him, "Jesus what about all your children, how can I reach them if i just stay on the path?" It was at that moment that i looked ahead again, and there around me were hundreds of thousands of children, all dancing in full joy around Jesus.  And yet all were in full joy, but on the path. It was not chaotic at all, instead very peaceful, and right.


As I wondered at this sight, and joined in, I noticed that along the path ahead there was a clear (almost bubble like) wall between the path and either side.  As i danced, I would see a child come through the bubble and into the path with us. Joining in immediately with the rest of us in the dance.


I then understood from Jesus what he was saying.  If i stay on the path, my life, in full child like joy, will attract those who have yet chosen the path. So I continued to dance.


This time, I began to look back to see who else was coming on the path, again there were children as far as the eye could see dancing around, I could also see some coming through the bubble wall onto the path.  However, Jesus again grabbed my hand, this time I could hear what He said, and He did not need to get down on my level. "Don't look back, your life's worship of me attracts for eternity. Long after you have passed the point you are at on the path, other children will be attracted to the path by your worship.  However, you are to stay focused on the now, and the future. There is nothing you can do to effect what has happened earlier on the path, that is for me to care for."


So once again i returned to dancing around Him, and enjoying walking on the path. It was an amazing end to the vision.

I am reminded of Romans 12: 1+2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

As you live today on the path, may you find the child like faith enjoy the dance, and be fully present. Not worrying about yesterday, but instead focused on Him now and forever. Whatever you do, "Stay on the Path."

A morning at the gas station

While at the gas station last week I had the craziest thought. I was filling up Jess' car with fuel and wondered, "what would happen if someone drank all 18 gallons of this gas that i am putting in the car?" Of course, silly thought, just a small amount of octane would kill someone, i think :<).

Fast forward about an hour later that morning and i am worshipping for a bit, and a picture comes into my mind of a driving rain storm. The rain began to pour so hard, i was drawn to "like a child" open my mouth wide open and drink. Then out of no where, the rain turned into a water fall, gushing down my throat and into my body. It was truly awesome!

I asked the Lord, "what does this mean?", His response was, "only the Father can turn water into oil. Only the Father can take living water, and out of it produce fire." Remember the Old Testament story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. I was stumped for only a second and then began to realize that this fresh filling was about the power of the tongue.

The bible says that the tongue has "the power of life and death." (Proverbs 18:21) I was then reminded of the gas that i was pumping today. Why did I need it, simple, to be part of an controlled explosive process under the hood of my engine.  This explosion creates power to move my car to its next place.

The Father's living water is no different.  Out of a fresh filling of "living water" we face opportunities to see God's power come through our mouth, which again "has the power of life and death." There is however a warning in this as well.  That same power which brings life, can if not controlled appropriately, cause death.  Remember the car, what if there was no fire wall between your engine and you as you drove?  Or no crank case to shelter you from the explosions that are constantly happening under the hood? Right, death possible, for sure lots of pain.

The same Holy Spirit that fills you with the living water, is also able to give you the wisdom on where and when to use this power for His Kingdom.  The real question is have you asked today? If it begins to rain or even pour onto you, are you willing to open up like a child to receive His overflow? Praying that for all of you today my friends.

There is "life" to be brought forth today, quite possibly in the next place you are headed. He is ready to fill you with it. Just ask, like a child receive.