Young Christian Leaders' Alliance

Danielle A.

"Defeating Post-Modernism" Assignments!

Just firing off an update from the Strategy Group meeting this morning. We discussed preparations for the exciting upcoming event on November 5th, "Defeating Post-Modernism" which will be at Roper Mountain Baptist Church.

The event begins at 7:00 p.m. and although scheduled to run through until 10 p.m., likely won't be that long. There will be fellowship, valuable information, and delicious pizza afterwards.

I would like to note that certain assignments have been given to various YCLA members, and are such as follows:

- David Killinger shall bring beverages
- Justin Summerlin is in charge of plateware and ice
- Matt Wally will be picking up the pizza and leading music - I think the songs we chose were "The Bible Stands", "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and "A New Life in Christ"
- The Goulds will be in charge of some cookies for dessert
- Josiah Magnuson will create the program for the evening.

More info can be found at the public Facebook Event page!

Ten Commandments Series

It should be noted that the Ten Commandments study series will begin in two weeks. Remember when you picked which commandment you'd like to study and talk about? This is that assignment! You'll be teaching a mini-lecture for about 5-10 minutes, so study up - you never know if someone may have a question about your topic afterward!

Krispy Kreme Fundraiser Dues

On a final note - YCLA members, this is important!

The Creation Museum was a blast. Please remember that if you owe anything or have not sold your certificates for Krispy Kreme doughnuts, you need to do so ASAP so we can pay David back for his generous investment. He spent $500.00 to buy all the doughnuts and certificates and not all of it has been returned to him via profit, leaving him in the red. Don't settle for debt - if you can't sell the certs to others, consider buying them yourself  (hey, they're fantastic Christmas gifts for local loved ones!) or donating a set amount of money to the YCLA to help pay off the costs. We appreciate your cooperation!

I think that's all for now. Keep tuned for more meeting and event updates from yours truly and the other awesome bloggers.

God bless~

One of the newest elements of the YCLA involves the idea of mentorships. Think about someone you know who shows maturity in the Lord, who you would enjoy learning from, and ask them if they would be willing to meet with you every so often for the next few months. In addition, if you find God allows you to do so, find someone who would benefit from your leadership and ask them to do the same. The goal is to further edify and encourage each other in the Lord in a more personal context. It will also enable an increase in outreach as each partnership develops a shared focus in action for Christ.

The Peace Center here in Greenville, South Carolina will be hosting the first-in-the-nation Presidential debate on Thursday, May 5th, the National Day of Prayer.  The Greenville Tea Party will also hosting a series of events on the same day in connection with the debate.  These events include a pre-debate Freedom Rally at the Hyatt downtown, a march to the debate location and a prayer vigil, and then a debate-watching party back at the Hyatt.  Many important liberty activists and officials will be speaking for the Tea Party, including Governor Nikki Haley, Congressmen Trey Gowdy and Jeff Duncan, GOA founder Larry Pratt, and many more!  Presidential candidates who are confirmed to be making comments at the rally include Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, and Roy Moore.  A straw poll will be taken following the debate.  You can come on a walk-in basis beginning at 3pm, for only $10 with registration at the door.  I'll be volunteering in the rally so you can come see me too!  For more information, you can go to the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198157323557412. ;

Please come if you can to support the growing surge to turn our country back to our Biblically-based Founding principles.  Whether you can make it or not, please be in prayer for those who attend, and especially for our next President as he seeks to properly lead America.  And may each of us by our examples blaze a path back in the Godly direction our country needs to go!

-Josiah

We're reading through the Bible in 2011!  This year marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of Scripture.  Join us on New Years' Eve to kick off this project with our IcePickNic.  Also, please view our new page for the Pure River Project.  It provides the strategy for the coming year.  It also answers the question, "Why use the KJV?"

Are you discouraged with pointless political campaigns?  Are you tired of electing people who promise change and then fall in with the Capitol crowd for one agenda or another?  Are you ready to learn how to act and make a difference?  If you can say "Yes" to any of these questions, and you are a young person in South Carolina who loves freedom, you are hereby declared a part of the SC Young Constitutional Activists!  You can join us on Facebook, and view more about the group here.  

In reality, the greatest power is not in the polls.  The power is in holding our representatives accountable, and telling them what legislation we want!  On the state level, a lot can happen.  The time is right to bring together a group to make a principled, positive impact.

Watch closely for upcoming events!  We plan on heading to Columbia (our state capital) several times in the next legislative session.  We also are planning other events with state legislators, and other activists.  We have the experience and connections - we just need you and your friends!  Let's see if we can make history once again for our state.  Call my personal number at (864) 420-7933 with any questions.

-Josiah

If you have an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry -powered phone, you can now view our website in top-quality mobile form!  Check it out today and let us know what you think.  Seasonal color scheme variations and other edits are under planning.  Also, if you are a young Christian leader who would like to publish an article on this site, let us know right now by emailing the YCLA!  Our simple address is yclalliance@gmail.com.

The Balance, formerly the YCLA Bulletin, is a monthly publication of the Young Christian Leaders’ Alliance.  The new title reflects our desire to weigh facts using proper discernment, so that we “turn not… to the right hand or to the left” (Josh. 1:7) and walk the “strait and narrow way.” (Matt. 7:14)  

This newsletter will be publishing encouraging articles by youth from across our nation. Our goal is to amplify Biblical youth-leadership and character training, by providing a variety of perspectives on important issues, while strengthening our foundation in God’s Word.

If you would like to get published, we welcome you to write an article for The Balance.  Our November theme will be “Selfishness: What it is and How to Avoid it” and our December theme will be “The Gifts of God.”  Further month themes have yet to be set.  To submit your encouraging story, poem, paragraph, or essay, or to contribute an idea or question, please email us at yclalliance@gmail.com!  We look forward to hearing from you.

You can now view our newsletters on Scribd (click here for October).  Look for a new, exciting, practical edition every month!

Dear friends,

July 2010 marks the third year that our YCLA group has existed as such. We praise God for the great impact we have been able to have so far, and pray that it will continue to grow in the future. Our vision for the next few months includes audio-video productions, increased church events, expanding Operation Pi (Prayer Initiative) for the coming school year, and re-creating the YoungChristianLeaders.org website as a leadership resource location.

Please join in prayer with us that God will give us opportunities to serve Him, and that others will catch the vision of young people mobilized for Christ!  You can now download one or more of our newest brochures. Then, print them out and give them to three of your friends!  There is one advertising the BEAMS system, one on the YCLA itself, and one presenting Christ as the Creator and Savior.  If you would like more information on how to support us, please email us at yclalliance@gmail.com.

Thanks so much!  We can't do it without you.  Keep leading for Christ as you follow Him.

For His Service,

The YCLA

By R. Josiah Magnuson, YCLA President

This past month, thanks to the prayers and support of many of you, and the skill and devotion

of the many trip organizers, I was able to spend ten days in Nicaragua on a senior class mission

trip through Kingsway Christian School. My group ministered to numerous children and

families in this Central American country. We were able to work with a team from King’s Castle

Ministries, a Latin American organization which trains kids, teens, and college students in

evangelism and missions.

When we first arrived in Nicaragua, I thought I knew what to expect, and in many ways I did. I

know what poverty means and have seen endless pictures of foreign countries. But nothing

could have prepared me for the actual experience. There are simply some things which can

never be done justice in a photograph. These things included, for me, such lessons as the

humanity and value of every person, true joy in Christ, and the power of relationships.

First, God impressed me with the fact that every person is a real human being with the same

needs and desires as everyone else. The Nicaraguans have a desire for food, for dignity, for

improvement, for love, just like anyone in the United States. They have so much less than us,

but they are no different. I already knew this fact with my mind. It’s a lot different to absorb it

into one’s soul.

Second, God gave me back a true joy in Him on this trip. Even though I’ve had a lot of

disappointments in my life, I realized that my heart can sing to Him no matter what is going on

around me. The kids in Nicaragua are a prime example of this joy. Many of them (and

especially the Christian kids) are enthused and energized people, showing huge smiles at the

slightest act of friendship, even amid constant stench, hunger, sickness, and political

uncertainty. We can learn much from the way the people of Nicaragua find satisfaction and

beauty in little things.

Third, I learned that relationships truly are more important than material “stuff.” Friendship is

indeed based on the intrinsic value of others. And, ministry can be built around friendship,

rather than around money. In America, it tends to be the case that ministry cannot happen

without material things. We wait to go on God’s vision until we have amassed a vast stockpile

of resources. But in Nicaragua, we learned that God can use anything He wants to. Whether

through a simple soccer game, or playing nose flutes, or praying for a sick mother, or doing

dramas with a gospel message, God brought light to people’s lives. We went into numerous

schools, a jail, a hospital, and an orphanage. In each place, we saw terrible and sometimes

unspeakable conditions. But in each place, Christ seemed to shine through us to work in the

hearts of those we ministered to. And thus, our group drew closer not only to the Nicaraguans,

but to each other as friends.

I had not expected to experience a country so modern and yet so unmaintained. I had not

expected to experience a city with streets where the smell of trash and smoke could not be

escaped. I had not expected to see such a low level of poverty on such a grand scale. But the

thing I may have least expected in Nicaragua was the lesson that joy is possible, in the middle of

it all. God can work in any place at any time, to fulfill the lives of those who trust Him.

I just bought a really good mic for my computer today.  I've been practicing and experimenting with it to see how to make good recordings to put online - hopefully I can put a lot of Bible and/or YCLA articles on audio so people can hear them expressed.  (There are of course a lot of good Bible recordings, but most don't sound like a book - they tend to be monotonous it seems like.)  Here's an attempt at something different: http://youngchristianleaders.org/Documents/Proverbs%203%201through17.wma  It will improve with time no doubt, but see what you think.

-Josiah M.