A poem I wrote (Jefferson Bethke) to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. In the scriptures Jesus received the most opposition from the most religious people of his day. At it’s core Jesus’ gospel and the good news of the Cross is in pure opposition to self-righteousness/self-justification. Religion is man centered, Jesus is God-centered. This poem highlights my journey to discover this truth. Religion either ends in pride or despair. Pride because you make a list and can do it and act better than everyone, or despair because you can’t do your own list of rules and feel “not good enough” for God. With Jesus though you have humble confident joy because He represents you, you don’t represent yourself and His sacrifice is perfect putting us in perfect standing with God!
Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus
Skate or Die, Jesus Saves!
This is how you reach the lost youth: skatechurchportland “how to” video (<< click image to watch)
The past 24 years have been a testimony to answered prayer and God’s power to save souls and change lives. Paul and his staff affirm with wholehearted zeal, “The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1: 16), that prayer is the backbone of spiritual ministry, and that one plants, another waters, but it is God who causes the increase (see 1 Corinthians 3:5, 6).
- Over 11,000 skaters in the greater Portland area have heard the Gospel through Skatechurch.
- Skatechurch has held three skate camps.
- 1,240 people locally have claimed Christ as Savior and Lord.
- 20 Skatechurch students have gone on to Bible College in some capacity.
- After getting saved, one skater went on to teach Bible Study Methods and Biblical Hebrew at the Bible college and seminary level.
- Skatechurch has assisted many other skate ministries in getting started and maintaining their own skateboard ministries throughout the US, Canada, Australia, Europe and Africa.
- In 1998, Skatechurch produced a 29-minute video to help other ministries start and run ministries to skaters. The latest version of the “How To” Video, produced in 2007, can now be viewed online for free. 651 DVD’s of the video have been distributed worldwide.
- The skateboard demonstration team has preached the Gospel to approximately 17,710 people throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Arkansas, Canada and Ireland.
- Gerald Griffin, Skatechurch pastor from 1999-2002, and Ben Thomas, Skatechurch pastor from 2003-2005, led a team of skaters to France and Ireland in the summer of 2002. Joel Coombs led Skatechurch mission teams to Ireland in 2004 and 2005.
- 694 people have professed faith in Christ through the witness of the demo team.
- In addition to these demos, from 2000 to 2004 Skatechurch partnered with the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association to do 11 demos at Palau Festivals in the U.S. and Europe. These festivals included:
- building 4,500 to 9,000-square-foot skate parks.
- organizing teams of professional Christian skaters.
- preaching the Gospel to the large crowds that attend the skateboard demonstrations, resulting in 1849 decisions or rededications.
- Paul Anderson, a partner evangelist to Luis Palau, and Skatechurch’s involvement in these festivals became the seedbed for Palau’s ongoing Livin’ It Action Sports Ministries.
Give me Jesus by Jeremy Camp
Start every morning with Jesus. Give Him the first 15 minutes of your day and devote yourself to this desipline. Read the scriptures, listen to Christian content, pray, or meditate on Him… just spend that precious time wisely. Give Jesus 15 minutes to start your day right and to remind yourself, "Let others race to gain this world" in your walk with Jesus you’ll gain your soul and everlasting life.
Give me Jesus by Jeremy Camp.
The Offense of the Cross
Bearing your Cross means that you’re not scared to talk about your faith
The cross demands an absolute distinctiveness of interest and objectives, relationships and resources. It draws the final distinction between the saved and the unsaved, between the living and the dead.
Such capacities and relationships belong only to those whose new birth has delivered them from this present world. It is understandable that the world finds the condemnation of the Cross irritating and unacceptable, and it is to be feared that the presence of "worldliness" in the individual Christian life and in the Church is in direct contradiction to the essential purposes of the Cross. The Lord Jesus described His cross as being "the judgment of this world" (John 12:31). Those who follow Him must accept this verdict, and will consequently have to suffer from the offence of the Cross.
Quoted from T. Austin-Spark
