rbcstudents Small Groups: Sunday, December 16th

We had a wonderful day this past Sunday! We started the day off by looking through the book of Matthew and learning about worshiping God and not ourselves at Christmas.  Christmas can be a tricky time when it comes to avoiding materialism.  American culture makes the Christmas season so much more about possessions and presents than it does the real message of Christmas.  This is a time for us to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 
We also LOVED getting to carol and swap gifts with everyone at Switch House!  Who could ask for a better way to end your weekend than singing Christmas songs together and getting "awesome" White Elephant gifts? :)
We hope you had as great of a day as we did on Sunday and we hope you got a lot out of what we taught.  This week, remember what this season is about and apply to your life in some way!

December 9th - 411

411 for Sunday, November 25th

Winter Retreat Info & Registration

Hey rbcstudents! Who is excited for Winter Retreat 2012?!
I know Nate, James, and I are! So you should be too.

Here's a little more information for you...
There WILL be a parent meeting next Wednesday, November 28th
at 7:30 pm in the FC.
So make sure to remind your parents.

If you haven't registered yet, you need to!
You can even do it online.
Just click on the Winter Retreat image above 

and it will guide you to our online registration page.

Here are some videos to get you excited about Winter Retreat...

A Note From Kate Leigh Ford.

Hello there rbcstudents! I’ve already had the opportunity to talk to some of you, and I look forward to getting to know all of you.  I am so incredibly excited to be a part of the rbcstudents staff! Some of you know me from a few years ago and some of you got the chance to hear me speak at Creative Night last week, but there are probably quite a few of you who know nothing about me.  First, let me introduce myself… My name is Katherine Leigh Ford, but you can just call me Kate.  I am from Denver, Colorado, but grew up here in lovely Springfield, Missouri.  I moved here when I was 10 after living in MANY different places.  I graduated from New Covenant Academy (Go Warriors!) and then quickly rushed off to Los Angeles for art school.  I studied Visual Communications in LA and got the opportunity to also be on staff at a church called Mosaic, which is really what led me to working in ministry.  After a series of different events, I made the difficult decision to leave my home in Los Angeles and move back here.  I moved here about four weeks ago, and God has made it so evident that this where I am supposed to be.  From the minute I found out about this position, it’s been so easy to see how God has been orchestrating my steps and I feel so incredibly blessed to be where I am.  Outside of my job here at Ridgecrest, I am an installation artist, painter, and blogger (feel free to visit my blog at Cordially-Kate.com). My favorite color is white… I have an extreme addiction to coffee… My favorite flowers are Craspedias and Peonies… and most importantly, I love Jesus. So there you go… Kate Leigh Ford in a nutshell.  If you have any questions or just want to talk, please let me know! 

rbcstudents small groups: Sunday, November 18th

What a wonderful and entertaining morning we had yesterday with rbcstudents.  This week we continued our new series, "Voices in My Head".  Yesterday we learned that the phrase "listen to your heart" can actually be quite dangerous.  Often times we do things according to our own desires, rather than according to God's desires.  We learned (and observed) that when we can only hear our own voice, things don't sound right.  Sometimes it can be difficult to discern between God voice, our own voice, and the voice of the enemy.  We studied a parable in John 10 about sheep and their shepherd.  We, just as sheep do, tend to wander where our own desires lead us.  Just as a shepherd is the best protection for sheep, Christ is the best protection for us.  As believers, we have God as our shepherd and therefore find joy and protection in Him.  This week we encourage everyone at rbcstudents to listen to God's voice carefully and see where He is leading you. Have a great week!

411 for Sunday, November 18

411 November 11

411 November 4, 2012

411 October 28, 2012

rbcstudents small groups, October 28, 2012

Today was our final lesson in The Story.  Our lesson was titled "The End of Time," and we discussed the book of Revelation and the end times.  All of this can very confusing, as well as interesting.  In our groups, we looked at the big picture of Revelation.  We looked at John's view of heaven, and what is happening there.  Heaven will be about God, and about worshiping Him.  Heaven will be full of people from every tribe and nation, worshiping God.  Heaven is a place where God will wipe away every tear from every eye.

Next week, we will recap all of The Story. 

411 October 21, 2012

411 October 14, 2012

High School Leadership Summit

On Saturday, October 20, rbcstudents will host the High School edition of the Global Leadership Summit.  This will be an incredible opportunity for you to learn, grow, and be challenged as young leaders.  We challenge YOU to come, and to challenge YOUR friends to be a part of this day.  You can register online at ridgecrestbaptist.org/GLSHS

411 October 7, 2012

411, September 30, 2012

rbc Small Groups 9.16.12

Happy Monday, all!   We hope you all had an amazing weekend!  Tailgating was a little 'soggy' on Friday night, but we had fun anyway!   Saturday was no exception to the 'sogginess' either...We hope you took the time to spend with those that mean the most to you.  

Yesterday was yet another great time in Small Groups.    Where else might you see a fellow student mummified?   Or have some candy with a unique twist?  It was certainly a "Thriller"!  All was not without purpose, though.   Our lesson yesterday was about Lazaras being raised from the dead.    The opening activity involved a brief discussion about what a dead, decaying body looks like and the various stages it might go through.   We wrapped a willing volunteer to illustrate the process by which one was buried in that time period.   It was amazing to later learn that Jesus raised a dead and decaying Lazaras from the dead!   What a tremendous way for us to see who Jesus was and is.    Who do you say Jesus is?   What does your life tell people about who Jesus is?   Often times we try and live in a way to make ourselves look good or successful.  Our goal should be to align ourselves with Jesus in all we do using caution to insure that we aren't letting 'life' get in the way.  

Have a great week and make it your goal to strive and live a life that exemplifies you know who Jesus is and what he has done for you!  




  

411 September 16

rbcstudents Small Groups 9.9.12

What a great Monday!  The weather was awesome over the weekend and today is looking very nice, as well.  We hope that you had an opportunity to spend some time outside enjoying it!     The weather isn't the only thing that was pretty amazing.  Small groups were once again an hour of fun-filled, jammed-packed, getting to know God's word action!   

The lesson was Chapter 24 of The Story which continues with the many miracles and teachings of Jesus.   The hour started with an illustration of the feeding of 5,000.   It's a familiar story of Jesus taking food from a boy and multiplying it so that it would feed the masses.   As a group, we enjoyed some bagels and gold fish as a result.    In the story, the boy gave all he had to Jesus.  Are you willing to give your all to him, as well?    This was simply one of the many accounts of Jesus' miracles.  In class we tried to list as many miracles as we could.   Seems the 11th grade boys came out on top with recalling 17 of them!  (Well done, boys... you must have an amazing teacher?!)  In small groups we also studied the Lord's prayer.  This is a prayer many of us know, but are we truly praying AND forgiving?   Jesus teaches us to forgive others and the heavenly Father will forgive us.  Gossip, jealousy, revenge and bitterness are all toxic products of the lack of forgiveness.  The Lord's prayer can be found in Matthew 6.   Challenge yourself to commit it to memory and when you pray, do so with a forgiving heart.  

Have a great week~  

411 September 9

rbcstudents Small Groups 9.2.12

We hope you were able to rest and relax over the long Labor Day weekend.  Small Groups were full of energy on Sunday.   The hour opened with an activity to get the minds (and feet) moving!   It was a trivia game of "Who Am I?" which provided to be quite interesting by identifying football players, baseball players, pop singers and even TV sitcom accountants.  The goal was to tie into the lesson about John the Baptist and Jesus...about knowing who each was.  

In our Small Groups, we discussed many things about John the Baptist and Jesus.  We learned that Jesus went to John to be baptized, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and that Jesus performed many, many miracles.   We were introduced to the twelve disciples who were selected by him to go and preach His word.   This really is the beginning of Jesus' Ministry.  While this week contained a lot of information, we hope that you have an even better understanding of Jesus and who He really is, what he is capable of and how he can impact your life if you simply seek to have a relationship with Him.   

Have you seen miracles in your own life?   They may not be the turning of water into wine or multiplying the fish and loaves to feed a multitude, rather the small stuff that we take for granted.  Challenge yourself this week to look for the small miracles that you are blessed with.  In doing so, it will help you to appreciate more of who Jesus really is.   

Have a great week!   

411 September 2

411 August 26

rbcstudents Small Groups 8.26.12

Yesterday was Promotion Sunday and what an amazing day it was!   Students moved into their new classes for the new school year.   We have some new teachers in place and we are certain it's going to be another fantastic year.    

Yesterday began with somewhat of a "non-traditional" opener as students arrived to find Christmas decorations, Christmas music and an opportunity to decorate sugar cookies complete with red and green sprinkles!     Our lesson from the story was about the birth of Christ.   We learned of the angel speaking to Mary telling her God found favor in her and her unquestionable obedience.   We saw the impact Jesus had as a young child in the temple demonstrating his wisdom among the teachers.   It was a great day to be reminded of what his birth means to each of us.   

The lesson was a good reminder to celebrate His birth every day, not just once a year.   Challenge yourself this week...be thankful for His birth and celebrate!   

Back to School Bash!

Do you know what today is?  It's Tuesday... which is the day before the Back to School Bash!    Make plans to come hang out with us in the parking lot tomorrow night at 6pm.  There will be the MCU, Hot Dogs, inflatables, games and fun!   It's gonna be good!     

Church to Go Podcast for August 20, 2012

Be sure to check out our Church to Go Podcast!  A new episode is up now --->>>http://rbcstudents.podbean.com/2012/08/20/church-to-go-august-20-2012/

Or, you can subscribe to the feed at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rbcstudents/id423557011?mt=2

We provide weekly updates on rbcstudents, info, and details about whats going on!

411 August 19

rbcstudents small groups, 8.12.12

We had a great day in small groups yesterday.  We studied lesson 21 of The Story Curriculum, which is the final portion of the Story from the Old Testament.  We are excited to move into the New Testament now that we have a strong foundation of the Old Testament.

Story 21 was all about Nehemiah, and how he obeyed God's prompting to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  This was a big deal, because it showed how God was rebuilding a city as well as the people of Israel.  There was opposition to the building, and yet, it was rebuilt in 52 days!  Nehemiah showed great leadership in the process.  At the end of it all, Ezra the priest stood and read the book of the law in its entirety, with all the people listening.  The people rejoiced, and made a fresh commitment to follow God.

How about you?  Are you listening for God's prompting?  Are you obeying God's prompting?  Are you staying faithful to what God has called you to, even if there is opposition?  Take a chance to read the book of Nehemiah...its good stuff!

411 August 12

411 Aug. 5

411 July 29

Winter Retreat Music Downloads

Hey All,
Remember Winter Retreat?  It was cold, but we had a great time.  Sean Lea led us in worship, and recorded all of it.  Now, you can download a set of worship songs from Winter Retreat!  Go to rbcstudents.com and click on "rbcstudents audio."  Enjoy, and tell a friend!

Packing List and Info for the CAMP Reunion on July 27th

rbcstudents CAMP REUNION – Friday, July 27th, 8pm - 9am

PACKING LIST AND INFO:

What to Bring

    Sleeping bag and pillow

    Toothbrush (and any other personal care items you need)
   
    Gym shorts and tee shirt

    Modest Clothes to sleep in

    Money for ice cream at Braums

    PREGNANCY CARE CENTER DONATIONS
(Please bring at least one item)

Diapers:  Newborn size 1
Clothes (sizes 12 months to 18 months), Onesies would be great
Wipes
Gift for moms (example:  lotion, hand sanitizer, etc.)


OTHER INFORMATION:

No showers available at Ridgecrest
We will be at Ridgecrest Baptist Church the majority of night but with one off campus activity. (Braums)
Students will need to have a signed Travel Consent Form and rbcstudents Medical Release Form.  All students will need to have a new Travel Consent Form.  Students only need a Medical Release form if they have not already been on a trip or to an event with rbcstudents.  A notary will be on hand at check-in on Friday night. 

Contact info:

Nate (417-569-7888)
James (417-880-9112)

411 July 15

CAMP Details

In case you missed the CAMP Parent Meeting (or lost your packet)... Here are all the details!

Let us know if you have questions!   Otherwise, we will see you Wednesday at 4pm.

411 July 8

CAMP Parent Meeting

Hello, Students

Just a reminder:  Our last CAMP Parent Meeting is Sunday, July 8th, at 6:30 pm in the FC.

Please bring a parent and come get the scoop on the CAMP Schedule, what to bring, and the guidelines for the week. We'll double check paperwork and have you sign one last form for your student!  If you haven't signed you yet, you can also do so at that time!

If you absolutely cannot make it to the Parent Meeting, please email or call Jessie at 417.885.5275 or jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org by Tuesday, if possible, to sign paperwork and get the details.

Thanks!  See ya Sunday!

Jessie

411 July 1

July Calendar

New York City Mission Trip Day 7

Today (Sunday), we enjoyed a great time of worship and teaching at Hillsong NYC.  It was so great to join with other people passionately worshiping the Lord.  During the afternoon, we spent time with our team hanging out at the beach.  In the evening, we had an awesome worship time at the beach.  It was awesome to be able to sing and worship and enjoy the beauty of the beach.  As we sang, we began to pray and sing over this city, and the people we have encountered while here.

This morning (Monday), we are packing up, cleaning up, and heading to the airport for our trip home.  We plan to be in Springfield by about 6 or 7pm.

Please keep praying for safe travel and a smooth trip home!

Project SGF: June 27

Are you interested in serving in the Springfield area this Wednesday, June 27th?  If so, check out the Project SGF tab at the top of this page for all the details.  To join us in our day trip to Joplin, please follow the instructions at the Project SGF page and sign up by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 25th.

If you've got any questions, please contact Jessie at 417.861.8143.  

Hope to serve with you this week!

-Jessie

New York City Mission Trip Day 6

Long full day of being tourists in Manhattan.  We saw a ton of great stuff, and had a lot of fun.  I'm sure we will tell you all about it, and show you all the pics.  Everyone is doing well, and definitely ready for bed!  We will be going to church in the morning, and then having a worship time on the beach tomorrow evening.  Pray for a great day at church, and another day of safe travel.

New York City Mission Trip Day 5

Day 5 in NYC was a good day.  We spent the day at the Lighthouse Inn, which is the place where we are staying.  We spent the morning serving their ministry by painting, cleaning, hanging sheet rock, moving a fridge, and a host of other small projects.  Urban Impact is seeking to plant a church here in the area of the Lighthouse Inn, so in the afternoon, we went to the beach to talk with people and invite them to play volleyball and have a BBQ.  Urban Impact has seen people show a lot of interest in the Lord through the relationships built through playing volleyball and inviting people to BBQ's.  As we were inviting people, it started to storm, and the beach cleared off.  So, we ended up having to cancel our plans in the afternoon.  We continued to do some small projects, as well as spend time with the urban impact staff team.  Although we would have loved to spend time with people from the community, we are trusting the Lord to continue using us a leading us.

Today will be a sightseeing day for the team.  We will spend the day in Manhattan, seeing all of the typical tourist stuff of NYC.  We are looking forward to a fun day!

New York City Mission Trip Day 4

What a great day here in NY, NY.  This morning, we journeyed out into the record setting heat, to see what God had in store for us.  We started out working with a man named Pastor Boto in Queens, near the South Asian Center.  We went to an area where people tend to congregate, and we started sweeping the sidewalks and cleaning up trash.  Through this, we were able to start many conversations with people, and share the Gospel with them.  Many of them were very interested and responsive.  One man said, "I have never heard this before...it makes my heart glad."  He is from India, and he is planning to attend Pastor Boto's church this Sunday.  Each student did an amazing job at interacting with people and doing ministry today.

This afternoon, we handed out a few more flyers for the afterschool program, as well as prepared for the program.  There was one cute little African boy that came, and he had a great time.

This evening, we continued teaching English.  This has been a great opportunity for us to share Bible stories and interact with the people.

The team is doing great, and ready yet again for a nice shower and a good nights sleep!

NY Mission Team Day 3

Hello, All!

Well, we've completed day 3 of ministry here in NYC.  We are just getting settled from a long, hot, and awesome day! This morning we spent quite a bit of time at the West African Center, painting and helping with other fixer-upper type projects.  After lunch, we took the subway to Manhattan, where we toured the Islamic Cultural Center for a couple of hours.  We had quite an interesting lecture from the Imam at the ICC, and it was an educational experience.  We are so grateful for the hope that we have in Christ and eager to share that hope with those we meet.  After our time in Manhattan, we headed back to Brooklyn for dinner and then to the West African Center for more ESL classes.  The West Africans that we've been working with are so eager and enthusiastic about learning; they make are job exciting.  :)  Overall, our team is doing great.  We have had no issues, thus far.  Today was HOT.  Like 98* kind of hot.  That was a good stretch for our attitudes and actions.  James and I were both proud of the students and how well they've done working without complaining. We are blessed!

Please pray for these things:
*Cooler weather
*Continued physical health
*Positive attitudes
*Endurance and strength
*Ministry opportunities and boldness to act on them :)

Here are a few photos from today's adventures.

We hope you all are doing well and having a great week!  Thanks for all of your prayers.  We will continue to update you again tomorrow night.  On Thursday's agenda:  neighborhood evangelism around the South Asian Center in Queens, After School Kids Club at the West African Center in Brooklyn, ending with more ESL classes at the West African Center.  Talk to you soon!

Blessings,

Jessie

New York Mission Team Day 2

Great day in NYC! We stayed busy traveling to different parts of the city and getting acquainted with the ministry sites. This morning, we toured and observed a Hindu temple. Very interesting, and we learned a lot about how to interact with Hindus. This afternoon, we prayer walked in Brooklyn, and handed out fliers for the after school program we will be working with on Thursday. This evening, we helped in the English teaching classes with W. Africans. It was a ton of fun, and a great way to interact with and share the Gospel with people. Pray for another great day tomorrow. We will be doing some painting in the morning, then doing more ministry with the W. African center. The team is doing well, and ready for a good nights sleep!

New York Mission Team Day 1

We are safely in NYC, and excited about all that God is going to do! Our flights and travel went well, and we are settled in to the Lighthouse Inn, our lodging for the week. There is another mission team here, and we are quickly making new friends. We will begin our ministry and work tomorrow, and we are ready to get going. Pray that we will be able to get in the swing of things quickly, and that God would use us in a powerful way. The team is doing very well. You'll hear more from us tomorrow!

411 June 17

Essential Nate - From June 10, 2012

CAMP Info!

Hello, Students!

We wanted to make you aware of our CAMP Parent Meeting.  CAMP is coming up oh so soon!  Have you signed up yet?  It's not too late!  In fact, if you sign up by Sunday, June 17, you can receive the discounted price of $210 per student.  After June 17, the price goes up to $230.  To sign up for CAMP, click here.

If you attend CAMP, we need your parent or guardian to attend one of two parent meetings.  

Choose between these times:

-Sunday, July 1, at 5:30 p.m.

-Sunday, July 8, at 6:30 p.m.

We will make sure all of your paperwork is up to date and also go over some very important details with you.  We promise to make the most of your time though, and get you in and out as quickly as possible!

Please let us know if you have any questions regarding CAMP or the CAMP Parent Meetings.

Thanks!

411 June 10

411 June 3

June Calendar

Essential Nate - Week of May 27, 2012

411 May 27

Project SGF, Yo

Hey, Students!

What are you doing to make your summer meaningful?  Maybe you can't afford a big trip because of money, or maybe your work schedule won't allow you enough time off to be part of i-70 or NYC.  Fear not!  Project SGF could be the perfect way for you to serve God and others this summer.

Check out all the details for Project SGF here or by clicking the Project SGF tab at the top of the page.

We can't wait to see what God has in store for you this summer!

411 May 20

411 May 13

Essential Nate - May 6, 2012

411 May 6

May 2012 Calendar