I was reading a book written by John Maxwell today entitled "The 360 Degree Leader." In a part of the book he talks about leading down and lists all these principles on how to lead down in order to be an effective 360 degree leader. One of the principles he instructed was to "walk slowly down the hall." The point of this chapter was that relationships are the foundation of leadership like they are for so many other areas of life. He said in the book that many leaders replace relationships with more tasks and competence. If they are more competent they could get more done than if they take time out for people, etc. This was a great reminder about leadership as I read this chapter today but I was also reminded about my walk with God right in the middle of this lesson. I do this same thing a lot when it comes to my relationship with Jesus. I replace my daily devo's for more tasks and competence. Instead of picking up my Bible to get to the know God's Word better I open up a Relevant Magazine in the name of ministry. Instead of talking to God, I get on Facebook to talk to friends and students in the name of ministry. I was challenged today to be a better leader but also more challenged to become a better follower, a close follower of Christ. In the end better leaders know how to follow.

I heard my Pastor say many years ago, "next level living requires present day abandonment." Remembering those words I have been asking myself, "what in my life do I need to abandon to take my relationship with God to the next level?" "What do I need to give up in order to pray more? What can I sacrifice to give more? What do I need to forgive to love more?"
To go to the next level in youth ministry, "what is not working that is holding us back? What do I let go of in order to grab on to?" I am not content with where I am. It is so critical to to always remember that if you are not growing daily you are dying gradually. I am ready to go to the next level but I know it requires some abandoning. "Jesus tell me where."

Hello everyone out there in verticalife.org land. I am back in a routine now after camp. All those that went to camp are all in agreement that it was off the chain. If you didn't go this year, you will have to go next year. We are believing God for over 100 students for camp next year. So go nex year. Be 1 of the 100!

I want you to check out a link on our website-overflow. It will take you to a website called overflowexperience.com. Overflow is a movement of teenagers that have decided they couldn't stand by and watch millions of people from all over the world die each year from starvation, disease and genocide. It's a movement of teenagers that are tired of listening to stories of young girls being exploited and sold into slavery for the sex trade industry. It's a movement of teenagers that have to do something to reach people with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. I really believe there are ready to join this movement and make a difference around this world. Coming soon I am going to talk to our students here at Vertical about this movement and what we can do to make a difference. Will you join me in prayer about Overflow and soon we will see what God wants us to do. I can't wait.

Be sure and check the link out. I think you will be inspired and better equipped to create change around the world.

Camp Organic is here and I am pumped. This is my 22ND straight year to go to camp. Camp is fun because of walking tacos, staying up late, the mud pit, great Mountain Dew in the Cafeteria, One Accord and this year Robert Madu. But more importantly than all that is the tangible presence of God that invades our lives every night during the altars. What makes camp so special? Why does God seem to touch my life there? What is the difference? I don't know all the answers to those questions but I believe there are some key ingredients that gives us the breakthrough that we experience at camp. The main ingredient is that while at camp we have eliminated a lot of the things of this world. We are not watching stuff on TV, checking our facebook, playing X Box 360 all night or Twittering. We are going after God. In Psalm 42 David was in trouble and in exile and he was fasting. In that Psalm he replaced his thirst and hunger for the things of this world and replaced with a thirst and hunger for God. "As the deer pants for water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God." When we eliminate worldly stuff from our lives and focus more of our time on Jesus our spirits become uncluttered and we become amazingly sensitive to his presence and our souls start to cry out, "deep calls unto deep." This happens at camp. The deep parts of our spirit calls out to the deep parts of God. I don't know about you bur I am ready for that level of intimacy with God beyond camp. Well that's a little bit of my thoughts about camp. Have fun. I love you faces.

Deuces,

Pastor Anthony

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