VollumeMAX'D December 2010 by Amplify Student Ministries

December 2010

The Official News-zine of Amplify Student Ministries

Why Christmas?

’

features The Purpose of AMPLIFY is to help students…

Ascend

Why Christmas?

Abbotsford Outreach

The Dog Ate My Christmas Cookies!

get closer to God! (Mark 12:30)

Mature learn about God! (Matthew 28:20)

2010-in-Review

Provide love others like God! (Mark 12:31) Feel Loved in a Safe Environment

APATHY > INSPIRATION

Www.joytoons.com

be used of God! (Luke 10:2)

Lyric-Altered Song Guest Speaker:

Youth Evangelism share God! (Mark 16:15) LIVE LOUDER

Columns

Invest Have Fun & Christian Fellowship

10-11

Fashion Kills Quality

Re-Tweets Blazin’ Chapters

3 4 5 7 12 14

4 A.F.L. 5 November Pictures 7  8 December 12 Observances Parent 14 Connection Necessary Knowledge

Events/info Winter Youth Convention

Christmas Party

December Calendar

Sierra Steinhauer Janessa Vorpahl Writer Writer

Clinten Decker Writer

New Year’s Eve Party

Amplify Christmas Program

Becca Barneson Photographer

MysteriousFlower

Columnist

T.J. Heidenreich Editor

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14 16

COST: $105

VAN RIDE AVAILABLE (SEE T.J.)

FORMS/MONEY DUE: Sunday, 12/12

AN AMPLIFY

Christmas Party ~Video clips from the Amplify Christmas Program ~”White Elephant” Gift Exchange (please bring a wrapped $2-$3 silly gift!) ~XTREME CAROLER CONTEST ~All your favorite friends :-)

Friday, December

DECEMBER ‘10—WHY CHRISTMAS?

17th, 7:30PM

Youth Room

Necessary Knowledge 1. How many freshly cut quality trees for the holiday season will Florida Christmas tree growers produce? A. 120,000 B. 10,000 C. 2 million 2. Christmas was declared a national holiday in what year? A. 1948 B. 1805 C. 1870 3. According to statistics, avid Christmas shoppers will be elbowed how many times while shopping? A. Twelve B. Three C. Twenty three 4. What country made the first artificial Christmas tree??? A. Sweden B. America C. Germany 5. Christmas trees are grown in how many states? A. 19 states B. All 50 states C, 30 states 6. The song “Jingle Bells” was actually written for which holiday? A. Valentines day B. New years C. Thanksgiving 7. What percent of Americans sing holiday carols to their pets? A. 56% B. 12% C. 83% 8. During the Christmas season, how many candy canes will be made? A. 1.76 billion B. 3 million C. 70.4 million 9. People spend on average what amount of time wrapping presents? A. 6 hours and 43 minutes B. 45 minutes C. 2 hours and 27 minutes

Answers on the bottom of page 14 :) -Sierra Steinhauer

Sleep-Deprivation-And-Mountain Dew-Inspired Lyrically-Altered Song of the Month “Old Time Holy Roll” (to the tune of Bob Seger‘s ―Old Time Rock ‗n Roll‖) (this article is not an endorsement of nor does it condone Bob Seger)

Just take those old hymnals off the shelf I‘ll stomp and shout to ‗em by myself Today‘s praise ain‘t got the same soul I need an old time holy roll! Won‘t let them make worship a fiasco You‘ll never even get me off of the floor At altar call I‘ll be barrin‘ the door I need an old time holy roll! Still need an old time holy roll That kind of worship just moves the soul I‘m bringin‘ back the church‘s days of old With an old time holy roll! Don‘t care how fast they play the tempo But if the worship‘s weak it‘ll soon take a toll There‘s only one sure way to get God to show Start doin‘ an old time holy roll! Call it a relic, call it what you will Say it‘s old-fashioned, complain ‘till you‘re shrill Today‘s praise ain‘t got the same soul I need an old time holy roll! Still need an old time holy roll That kind of worship just moves the soul I‘m bringin‘ back the church‘s days of old With an old time holy roll! VOLUME MAX’D

Rankings through Week 11. Top SIX teams at the end of week 13 enter the AFL Playoffs. 2010 Championship finishes 12/27.

Rank Team Name

Manager

#1—Loners Micah #2—Divine Collusion T.J. #3—Nico‘s back again Dane #4—Footballseasonisover Alec #5—Here Comes Treble Levi #6—2wheelnutt Nick #7—Black Hat Brigade Ron #8—Vorpinators Steve #9—Young Americans Dave #10—Felis Domesticus Matthew #11—Dan‘s Dads Dan #12—Big Wiggly Style Aaron

December’s Special Guest “Speaker”

W/L Total Points Streak

Rank

8-3 7-4 6-5 6-5 6-5 5-6 5-6 5-6 5-6 5-6 4-7 4-7

EVEN +1 +2 -2 +3 +3 -3 -2 +3 -3 -1 -1

1046 1071 1139 1102 1009 1140 1134 1027 1027 981 1037 1033

W-1 W-2 W-1 L-1 W-1 W-1 L-1 L-1 W-1 L-2 L-1 L-1

Rev. Tyler Bryant

Fashion Kills Quality Forgive me for quoting Seth Godin once again, but he tends to get me thinking. He says, ―If we define quality as regularly meeting the measured specifications for an item, then quality matters a lot for something like a pacemaker. It doesn‘t matter at all for a $3,000 haute couture dress.‖ More fashion = less need for quality. Don‘t misunderstand, Seth is not saying that the more fashionable something is, the lower its quality. He is simply saying, the more fashionable something is, the less it needs to be of a high quality. People don‘t care if it is the best quality if it is the most fashionable, the most popular, and the most likely to get them noticed. This should cause us to beware lest we make the Gospel more about fashion and less about quality. We tend to talk a lot about the Gospel in terms of popularity (fashion). How does it relate to culture? How do we get people to be interested? Will they like it better if we do church this way? But do we risk lowering the quality when we try to make the Gospel more fashionable? We need to see the Gospel as relating more closely to a pacemaker. Fashion is not that crucial. The important thing is, “will it save my life?” We are not peddling fashion; competing with the fashionista down the street. We are spreading the news about a life-saving Gospel! With that being said, the ideal situation is when something is considered fashionable because of it‘s quality. A truly life-changing Gospel has a good chance of becoming the most talked about thing this year! Rev. Bryant will be ministering at Pentecostal Assembly Church on Wednesday, December 15th. Don‘t miss it! Follow him on twitter: the1stfollower

OR subscribe to his blog (where this article is taken from with permission): http://the1stfollower.com

DECEMBER ‘10—WHY CHRISTMAS?

DECEMBER 2010

Why Christmas? “We talk of the 2nd coming of Christ, while half the world has never heard of the first.” Oswald J. Smith ―...and that‘s the real meaning of Christmas!!!‖ On this side of the

minder of WHY Christmas should make us merry! Is it in the shopping, the giftwrapping, and the present exchanges? You know it‘s not. So it secular momentum the must be in the cookies, the decorating, the music, and wonderful feast! Christmas ―holiday‖ has Oh, not biting on that one either, picked up, clandestine conhuh? Okay, I‘ll stop playing around. spiracy theories about how its It‘s in the fondness of families drawtrue purpose is being watered ing close, of remembering loved ones have passed away, in the joy of down and lost are becoming who giving to the less fortunate, and the the repetitive headlines being quiet admiration of a holy night where a newborn babe was laid in a proclaimed across pulpits from here to Hollywood. It has manger because there was no room become cliché for our dramas and arti- at the inn, right? Merry Christmas? Those are good things. As a cles to approach Christmas from a ―getmatter of fact, those are things that through-all-the-noise-and-remembershould never stop being a part of the-reason-for-the-season‖ angle and never really get more than a few inches Christmas. But they are not Christmas, not by themselves. Even the into what that really means. Many are story of Jesus‘ birth is not enough by quick to say that it‘s family, others the warmth of human compassion, and still itself. While it is a touching story, the circumstances lending themselves others the birth of baby Jesus. to drama and intrigue, without the Albert Einstein said ―We can‘t message of who Jesus was and why it solve problems by using the same kind was that He came culture will conof thinking we used when we created them.‖ Sounds pretty obvious, but isn‘t tinue to trend away from the truth. Tell an inmate on death row that what we do when we try to comthat a baby was born, and you get a bat the strategy used to transform Christmas into nothing more than a se- shrug. But what if you were to tell ries of soundbytes intended to drive us that same man that his judge has deinto a spending frenzy by manufacturing cided to lay aside his robes, put on the orange garb of a common crimiour own ―Jesus is the Reason for the nal, take up residence in his super Season‖-esque soundbytes? A cultural max facility, and fill in at the man‘s trend will not be countered simply by execution? You‘re not only going to saying ―Merry Christmas‖ rather than get his attention, but, if he believes ―Happy Holidays.‖ Eventually, the disyou, he‘s going to make sure he cerning hearer will learn to tune both doesn‘t get in the way by asking out as hollow and irrelevant unless we can follow up our greeting with a re―What do I have to do?‖ 06

This Christmas season, do more than sprinkle your talk with religious-sounding euphemisms and rhetoric.

Share.The. Gospel. That is why He came, isn‘t it? Why was there a virgin with child? Why were there angels singing, shepherds rejoicing, wise men traveling, and a baby being born in Bethlehem? Wasn‘t it because He was laying aside His royal vesture, putting aside the role of righteous judge to take up the humble spot of a servant, an eternal Spirit being made flesh so that He could dwell among us, to be tempted like us, yet without sin; to know our pains, our hurts, our sorrows, to suffer in our place for our sins and pay the price that we merited for our own actions, so that we could choose life? Wasn‘t it so that you and I, upon hearing this plan, would be pricked in our hearts and say, ―Men and brethren, what shall we do?‖ Wasn‘t it so that we would go, into every nation and to every people, and tell them the answer to that question? There is still a vital need for Christmas in America. It is an open door for not only the love of Christ to be shared, but His Gospel as well. Many do not understand that their Creator became their Savior... Too many have never heard that it was God Himself who was gently laid in a manger. That is, after all, why we have Christmas—to share His story with those who do not know it. T.J. Heidenreich, Student Pastor

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RE-TWEETS

November Pictures

Sethnoble—Moments of courage are rarely based on logic but qualities of character. RevASoto—Don’t approach Pastor with a big problem or complaint before he preaches. #giftsforpastorappreciationmonth IJCunningham—Faith is believing a man can push a wheelbarrow over Niagra Falls on a tightrope. Trust is getting in the wheelbarrow. JMarkJordan—A true AMATEUR is one who does something for the pure love of it. We have enough professional Christians; we need more amateur Christians! TFTenney—God doesn’t ask your ability or your inability. He asks only your availability. Mary Ashe FocusLeadership—There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity. Tom Peters Pauldmoore—Leadership burnout is we start walking with Jesus and end up working for Jesus.—Pete Briscoe #RN10 Rabailey82—@Greenlvrgirl too bad TJ didn’t make u his famous pasta with ketchup combo… Shipwrekced (Daniel Badger)—We all know to be wise stewards of our time and money, so why aren’t we wiser stewards with our bodies? Eat healthy. Exercise daily. Get movin

Follow Amplify: we are “Live_Louder” on twitter

Amplify’s Abbotsford Outreach On Saturday, November 6th Amplify Student Ministries had the wonderful opportunity by the invitation of Pastor Ron Schuenke to go door to door passing out flyers. A group of Amplify students and youth leaders were able to give out enough flyers to invite over 900 households to the first service of the upcoming church in Abbotsford! Even though this was an extraordinarily fun time, we know that this outreach truly blessed the Schuenkes. Please continue to pray that God mightily blesses their efforts at this new preaching point. -Sierra Steinhauer

DECEMBER ‘10—WHY CHRISTMAS?

 College & Career Ministry

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The Dog Ate My Homework Christmas Cookies! We had prepared for days.

We looked up cool and tasty recipes. We made lists. We shopped for groceries.

Then, one cold December day about a year ago, my mom, our friend Robyn, and I worked all afternoon and evening and into the wee hours of the morning making hundreds of different Christmas cookies and treats. We measured, stirred, boiled, baked, frosted, cut, stacked, and cleaned…but most of all we had fun. We carefully prepared several platters and set them on the counter. We were so excited to soon share our goodies with our friends, families, and neighbors. We were also looking forward to enjoying plenty ourselves. :-) A day or two later we returned home late in the evening after visiting a friend. We‘d had a nice time and were talking and laughing as we opened the door to our house. We entered our kitchen and found…a complete mess! Platters lay overturned on the floor. Shredded tin foil was scattered all over. The floor and counter were covered with what remained of our goodies (and hard work) – a few broken pieces and a whole lot of crumbs. We looked around, mouths hanging open. Dad said ―Oh, no!‖ and went off to investigate. Mom and I didn‘t say a word. We just stared, shocked, and probably both considered bursting into tears. Once again, Christmastime is here. The holiday season is upon us. The ―giving and getting‖ time of year. People are out busy-busy in the snow and traffic trying to get their loved ones everything on their wish list. Mothers and grandmothers are making lists and shopping for the foods that they will be making. Relatives are making travel plans to come home for the holidays. Children are memorizing their parts for the Christmas program. It‘s the same every year around this time -busy-busy. This has become our routine. As I was riding home in the car the other day I was thinking about how everyone is going somewhere and doing something. I think around this time of year our heads get caught up in an ―I gotta get this and get that, and go here and go there‖ way of thinking. It‘s been said before, but I will remind you again: In the craziness of the season, we need not to make sure we don‘t forget what Christmas is truly about. The birth of Christ…spreading love…giving to those less fortunate…

spending time with family and friends. All the ―busybusy‖ doesn‘t really end up mattering much. It‘s God and people (and the time we invest in our relationships with them) that does. Making memories and spreading God‘s love is what is going to last, not what you gave this person or what you got from somebody else. We‘re making plans for this year‘s cookie baking day. Hopefully we‘ll get to enjoy and share a few more this year. You‘ve probably guessed from the title of this article what exactly happened to our precious Christmas cookies last year. Our beloved dog, Mocha, somehow hadn‘t been properly locked in her crate that night, so while we were gone she helped herself to the cookie buffet we had left in the kitchen. As sad and upset as we were, we laugh about it now. I know I‘ll always remember the fun we have making cookies each December. I also know that I‘ll never forget the sight of Mocha lying on her side that one year with a full belly, sporting a nice little doggie grin. :-) Thanks for the memory, Mochie, but paws off my cookies this year!

By Janessa Vorpahl

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson DECEMBER ‘10—WHY CHRISTMAS?

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DECEMBER ‘10—WHY CHRISTMAS?

December’s Blazin Chapters □

Matthew 1

□

Luke 1

Read and then record your thoughts on three Bible chapters relevant to Amplify’s theme every month. Challenge Yourself. Do it!

□

Isaiah 7

What is this chapter’s theme?

What verses inspired me in this chapter? What thoughts challenged me in this chapter? How can I apply a principle from this chapter to my life?

DECEMBER “NOT SO OBSERVED” OBSERVANCES By Clinten Decker

So it‘s December, the month dedicated to Christmas, snow fun, and treacherous Wisconsin roads. Maybe you want to know what other important dedications December has? In reality, you probably couldn‘t care less, but for the sake of my article you will pretend. That‘s all I ask. Last month I emphasized Epilepsy Awareness Month, this month I am emphasizing something equally important, Bingo‘s Birthday Month. …Yeah so I am not sure who Bingo is? (Maybe the farmer‘s dog? Like from the song…‖and Bingo was his name-o. B-I-N-G-O, B-I‖…well you get it. It‘s obscure.) So, just guessing that at the end of the year they just throw together some random junk to observe. It‘s probably all the scraps from the rest of the year. December Monthly Observances: -National Tie Month –Obviously a vital observance. -Safe Toys and Gifts Month – So apparently gifting a chainsaw to your 6yr old cousin is not a good idea. Ever. … I mean, really! Do we need this as a national observance? Really, who says ―Well, I was going to give my child something that would kill him but then I found out it was safe toy month…‖ -Spiritual Literacy Month December Weekly Observances: -Cookie Cutter Week, 1st -7th – Mom! I wanted the spaceship, not the star! -National Hand Washing Awareness Week, 6th -12th – This one is important! Some of you need to be aware of the fact that most people actually wash their hands and you should, too! -Human Rights Week, 10th-17th -It‘s About Time Week, 25th-31st – Stop procrastinating and just do it! December Daily Observances: -National Cookie Day, 4th – This day makes me happy! -International Ninja Day, 5th – Got skills? -National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 7th -Dewey Decimal System Day, 10th – What do you know of the DDS? -Cat Herders Day, 15th – Somebody‘s got to herd those cats! -Underdog Day, 17th – Come from behind and blow someone‘s mind! -Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day, 21th –Around the World in 80 Days, anyone? -National Whiner‘s Day, 26th – Everyday seems to be their day. Whine, whine, whine! -Make Up Your Mind Day, 31st – It‘s time to take a stand. Well, that‘s all folks! Have a terrific month and remember to stand out this Christmas season by keeping a good attitude and the right perspective on what Christmas is really about! 12

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APATHY > INSPIRATION The Mysterious Flower on: REALIZING PURPOSE

Have you ever started a project or assignment in a classroom that seemed completely pointless? You didn‘t see the learning value in it, it was time consuming, and it wasn‘t very interesting. Or maybe you‘re one of those people that

can never finish what they start; you get part way through something and you lose your focus, passion, and drive. Somewhere be-

tween point A and point B you lost sight of your goal and it became less important. If we‘re not careful, this will be the trend even with Apostolic young people and their relationship with God. In truth, young people aren‘t the only ones facing this problem. Apathy seems to be stemming from multiple influential sources. Yet, excuses cannot be made, because every person is responsible to make their own choice to serve God with their whole heart, or not to. Apathy cannot be overlooked any longer; neither can it be brushed aside as merely how it‘s going to be in the church sooner or later. If you aren‘t serving God with everything you have now, how do you expect to do it when you‘re older and have even more things to take your time and attention? Ask yourself honestly: What‘s important to me, and where does God rank on that list? Do I care about what has been given to me from the Word of God? Do I care about what I am doing (or not doing) in the church? Do I try to learn in Sunday school, or do I just go there? Do I try to be a true worshiper in services, or am I content with just coming and listening? I want to point out that seeking (actively looking for) the kingdom of God should be first on our list. Jesus, in Matthew 6:33, says ―But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.‖ The program we are presented with can become more important to use than the desire to seek God. We respond to God when the preacher does well, but if we don‘t feel a connection then we are content to remain unaffected. It wasn‘t good right? When the music is blasting and the drummer is throwing down sick beats, then we dance. Yet, when the drummer is absent and the keys are off, sometimes we don‘t even try to worship God. We stand there thinking, “This song would be so much better if we had better music. Oh well, I’ll just skip worship tonight I guess.” I‘m not going to try to convince you that you need to give everything you have to God. If you know that he already gave everything for you by shedding blood, what can I say that could ever be a more convincing argument? God doesn‘t need the stamp of approval from man; on the contrary, we need the stamp of approval from God. What I want to do is get the attention of those that do care about the things of God. My challenge to those that care is to be the one bringing in the spirit of God to services. Without God‘s presence and anointing we have nothing but generic motions. In the prayer room, call out to God. Push yourself to say things that are from the heart, not from memory. Worship God because of who he is every time you get the chance, not just when the music is good. Apply the word of God to your life even when the preaching is less appealing. In summary, don‘t be caught up in the attitude of apathy that tries to sweep away generation after generation of young people. Push yourself to become passionate for God. Passion will not be thrust upon you, but you will find it through diligent searching and reaching for God. When you don‘t feel something is the exact moment you need to push yourself to make something happen. -The Mysterious Flower

“He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses much more; he who loses faith, loses all.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

DECEMBER ‘10—WHY CHRISTMAS?

NOVEMBER AMPLIFY MESSAGES “Submitting to God” - Key Point: In a world of fancy advice, the tried and true method of those who would be vintage disciples of Christ is simply this: seek the will of God, and then submit to it. “Vintage Law Enforcer” - Key Point: When carnal desires are allowed to roam the streets of our hearts at will, it takes some old fashioned CONVICTIONS to lock ’em away and protect ourselves from the mayhem they would otherwise cause in our life. “Monk vs Sumo” - Key Point: Beefing up to become a spiritual heavyweight is the path to success in a life that Jesus promised will bring storms to try and knock us over. Don’t try to be a Christian in hiding, fill up on the Word and head out into the world to share the Gospel!

PARENT CONNECTION

A couple of weeks back I came across a blog by Ohio Superintendant Rev. J. Mark Jordan. I‘ve always enjoyed reading what he writes, and was not disappointed by this latest entry. In it, he discussed how his parents raised him in a godly way, and how it contributed to his spiritual success in later years. I think it‘s definitely worth a read for every parent who wants to follow the advice of Proverbs 22:6—―Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.‖ ―Growing Up Ignorant,‖ by J. Mark Jordan. http://jonathanjordan.squarespace.com/journal/2010/11/17/growing-up-ignorant.html It‘s a little bit to type, but it‘s worth it! God bless!

-T.J. Heidenreich, Student Pastor

Celebrate the new year together at Amplify’s annual

  Crazy Games Costume Contest HELLO 2011!

Following NYE Service Until 1 AM 1.A 2.B 3.B 4.C 5.B 6.C 7.A 8.A 9.C

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December 2010 Calendar Sun

Mon 28

Tue

Wed 30

UWEC Bible Study 5:45PM

AMPLIFY, 7:30-8:30PM

7 UWEC Bible Study 5:45PM

Thu

Amplify Christmas Program 6:30PM

Fri 2

8PM

6:30-8:30PM

20 ASM Ldrshp Mtg 8:15PM

WINTER Appleton,

YOUTH WI

CONVENTION

5 AMPLIFY, 7:30-8:30PM

2 Breakfast Juice 10AM

Ladies Christmas Banquet

Amp. Program Practice 5PM-8PM

AMPLIFY CHRISTMAS PARTY, 7:30PM

Spec. Speaker, 7:30-8:30PM

19 PAC Sunday School Christmas Program 10AM

Necktie Revolution

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM & CHOIR PRACTICE,

Sat

CHRISTMAS SING 30

CHRISTMAS EVE

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

31 NYE SERVICE 7:30PM NYE PARTY 9:30PM-1:00AM

JAN 1st HAPPY NEW YEAR’S!!!

— January 27-28—Midwinter Camp @ Pentecostal Assembly February 25-27—Spring Amplify Revival March 11-12—Hyphen Spring Break Conference, Madison, WI June 27-July 1—WYM Youth Camp, Shawano, WI August 3-6—North American Youth Congress, Columbus, OH September 16-18—Fall Amplify Revival October 28-29—Mosaic Conference, Wausau, WI December 29-31—Winter Youth Convention, Appleton, WI

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 Christmas Cookie Fellowship Following   