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"The will of God
will never take you
where the Grace of God
will not protect you."
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Here is the theme for this coming year's CIY
Tennessee 6
Date: July 27-31(Sunday-Thursday)
Location: Lee University
Director: Nate Karnes
Program Coordinator: Alex Gandy
Worship Leader: Aaron Pelsue
Celebration Speakers: Nate Karnes, Kevin Ingram, Bryce Hansen, Jeff Walling,
Jayson French
Encounter Speaker: Mark Christian
CIY 2008 theme
The gospel is the most important thing we can know. It is what Paul preached “as
of first importance” in 1 Corinthians 15. It gives us hope in that God took action
while we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were helpless, hopeless and separated
from God, but God did not leave us there. In love He has moved. The gospel is the
story about God coming near through Jesus Christ. It is because of this action—the
life of Jesus—that we can enter God’s presence, draw near to Him, and encourage
others to do the same.
God is the first to MOVE…and because He has, we can.
Starting this spring, over 30,000 students on 5 different continents will follow
His lead and MOVE. You’re invited to one of over 24 five-day events being held all
over the nation. MOVE is even held world wide to call the church to MOVE and tens
of thousands of high school students to live for the sake of the gospel. Our goal
is not just for you and your students to attend an event. Our goal is to be a part
of God raising up 250,000 students to live for the sake of the gospel. We want students
to reach out in their community for the sake of the gospel, to choose where they
will work and what they do for the sake of the gospel. We want students to look
NOW for opportunities to serve locally and globally for the sake of the gospel.
Our hope is that students will look at their homes, high schools, and even where
they go to college with the gospel in mind.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him,
though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and MOVE and have
our being’ (Acts 17:27-38).
Daily Themes
Day 1: Jesus
Texts:
Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-25
Bottom Line: Jesus is the way we MOVE toward God.
We can move because HE already has. When we were dead in our sins, God moved. He
has always been on the MOVE, planning to redeem and planning to save. Jesus is the
way we MOVE toward God. Because of His Move, we can now Move. Through Him, we can
MOVE confidently before His throne. We can draw near and find grace and receive
mercy in our time of need.
Day 2: Holy Spirit
Texts:
Acts 1:1-11 – The Holy Spirit is promised by Christ.
Acts 2:1-13 – The Holy Spirit comes as promised.
Acts 2:14-36 – Peter preaches at Pentecost.
Acts 2:37-41 – People respond to the Holy Spirit and the gospel.
Acts 10: 44-48 – The Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles.
Bottom Line: The Holy Spirit gives us the power to MOVE.
Jesus promised His Spirit. His Spirit is what ignited the church in Acts, and the
same Spirit is what comes in power in His church today. The Holy Spirit gives us
the power to MOVE. When the Holy Spirit MOVES the church follows, causing people
to reach across lines of gender, race and economy. The church exploded when the
Holy Spirit did things that couldn’t be attributed to mere men. When the Holy Spirit
MOVES, we Move.
Day 3: Community
Texts:
Acts 2:42-47 – The fellowship of the believers.
Acts 4:32-37 – The believers had everything in common.
Acts 5:1-11 – What true community DOESN’T look like.
Bottom Line: In community, believers MOVE toward one another.
Community in the book of Acts was more than what we see in most churches today.
They had everything in common, and there were no needs among them. Community in
the church is what tore down and rebuilt governments and societies. When everything
was divided along race, economy and gender, it was the community of the church that
turned it all upside down. It was the community of the church that called people
to MOVE. This community moved in service, moved in worship, and moved in sacrifice.
They shared everything…with everyone. God is calling His new community to MOVE.
Day 4: Boldness
Texts:
Acts 4:23-31 – The believers pray for boldness.
Acts 5: 17-42 – The apostles cannot stop teaching about Jesus.
Acts 6 & 7 – Stephen chosen, serving, preaching, and being murdered.
Bottom Line: The Holy Sprit gives us boldness to MOVE against fear and apathy.
Our current culture seems to be becoming more and more ashamed of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. We fear what people might think if we speak the name of Jesus. We
fear getting in trouble at work or at school. We fear governments, and we fear for
our reputations. We fear being persecuted or ridiculed. If we want to see the gospel
MOVE, then we must get rid of that fear. Over and over in the book of Acts, it was
the boldness of the church that caused the gospel to MOVE into new territories.
Even in the midst of persecution, the church MOVED with boldness. When you look
at the book of ACTS, time and time again we hear of the people speaking boldly.
So many students have a spirit of timidity. They don’t know how to make a defense
of their faith. They don’t know how to always give an answer for the hope that they
have with gentleness and respect. While service is the basis for worship, acts of
kindness can never be a replacement for the communication of the gospel. Both must
walk hand in hand. God has called His church to MOVE in service and in speech.
Day 5: MOVE
Texts:
Acts 1:8 – You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Ends.
Acts 9:1-19 – The conversion of Saul. Ananias told to MOVE to Saul.
Bottom Line: Where is God calling you to MOVE?
God always has a plan. He is always on the MOVE. Too often we are content to sit
on the sidelines and be a spectator. We want every student who comes to MOVE this
summer to have a game plan for ministry in the next year. We want students to MOVE
“for the sake of the gospel.” What would it look like if every student left with
a written plan for ministry the next year of his/her life? We want students to begin choosing jobs for the sake of the gospel. We want students to be willing to choose
clubs and sports in school for the sake of the gospel. We want to see students choose
where they go to college for the sake of the gospel. We want to see students who
would be willing to mow the yard and do the dishes just to earn the right to speak
truth to a family who doesn’t know Christ. We don’t want students to simply attend
an event but MOVE beyond the event to what Christ is calling them to.
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