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Each year early in the fall, Summit Christian School offers a week of awesome praise and worship music, 
fun games and anointed speakers during Spiritual Emphasis Week.
 

M o n d a y - F r i d a y ,   S e p t e m b e r   1 5 - 1 9 ,   2 0 0 8
Special Chapel Services will be held each day from 8:30-9:45am.
Parents and visitors are welcomed to attend. ALL VISITORS: Please check in at the MS/HS Office.
 

Monday, September 15 - A vibrant, very energetic group of SCS secondary students seemed anxious for chapel to begin as Mr. Rios and worship team members finished setting up the gym, waiting for the launch of Spiritual Emphasis Week. Mr. Whiteheart welcomed students and announced the theme for the week. Miss Williams, seniors Cary Bible and Chris Crerand then took the floor, grabbed some microphones and as the seniors rapped, Miss Williams 'beat-boxed' Mary Had a Little Lamb. Seems their senior retreat was quite fruitful! Senior Nick Simes opened in prayer and introduced the Life-Saver game. The Seniors turned out to be the victors after a rather intense battle to be the class to finish first! A picture slideshow was presented of secondary students behind This is Your Life and Meant to Live by Switchfoot before holy hip-hop guest artist/speaker Urban D was presented. "Let me hear you say, 'Unorthodox'..." pleaded Urban D as he immediately got the students on their feet and involved in the lyrics to his music through the song Unorthodox. "Your image doesn't make you - what you wear, what you drive, etc. It's what's on the inside that counts. I am on the hustle... I am on the grind for Jesus Christ!" he proclaimed with the students actively participating in his next song, Hustle. "I Push, hustle and grind / Tryin' to get the culture just to open up their mind / I Push, hustle and grind / I split my heart and my passion up in each and every line...

Once the students were settled back in their seats, one of his music videos Home was played, and then Urban D began his testimony. Although he was a Christian, he grew up an average teen as one of the tough and hard guys from Philly. It seemed through the year he got mixed up in some wrong things, but every summer he would head off to youth camp for a week. By the end of that week of camp, he would be on-fire again and living right... for about another week, once he returned home. He wasn't living it out. This pattern continued year after year until just after high school, he realized that the Enemy wanted to keep him off track. It was then that he realized he needed to truly devote himself as a Christian. He needed to come home. "Anyone got dreams?" He asked. "You submit yourselves to God 100% and He will take you beyond your dreams. He's gonna lead and guide you." From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:11-24), he portrayed a modern day version of the story of the Prodigal Son that genuinely related to the crowd. "You know what? It's not perfect... it's not easy, but God loves us unconditionally. When you are not in an active relationship with Jesus Christ, you are just wasting it all away, just like the Prodigal Son. He says this to you and me: follow Him. It all comes down to this: Guys, where's your walk with Jesus? Coming to a Christian school, I understand it's sometimes easy to get numb to it all. This year can kick off different." He implored them further. "You feelin' what I'm sayin'? You coming home? Maybe God's tugging at your heart, telling you to come home for the first time. Maybe He's telling you it's time to make it real. Say 'yes' to Jesus Christ; get connected with God today, September 15, 2008. Ask Him into your life, to show you His plan and purpose so you can represent Him wherever you go." For more information on Urban D and his ministry, visit his website.

Tuesday, September 16 -  The second day of Spiritual Emphasis Week started with a wild roller coaster ride led by the seniors. (Seriously - ask your secondary school kids about it.. it was fun!) The game that followed required two members from each class to tape a chair to the wall in a limited amount of time. The chair that would hold the most weight would ensure the win. Believe it or not, the Junior's chair actually held Kyle Courtright for about 2.5 seconds!

The SCS Praise and Worship team led everyone with the favorites Beautiful One, Amazing Love and Your Grace is Enough. Seven year Summit Christian Bible teacher and Flag Football coaching legend Wade Gill took the microphone and opened in prayer. A short video clip was shown from the "My Super Sweet 16" to segue his message "Living in a 'My Super Sweet 16' World with Character and Integrity. He read Proverbs 24:19 and queried, "Are we envious of the wicked?" Mr. Gill relayed a story from his elementary years about an overweight, dirt poor boy that was ridiculed by other kids. This destitute boy eventually gave into buying the lie of our culture that it's what you have that makes you acceptable. He wanted to fit in so badly, he concocted elaborate lies and even once convinced his father to rent a red corvette to take him to school in one day. "Bye, dad! That's my dad!" he called across the schoolyard. What a fake! He didn't realize that there, on the back of that Corvette was a Rent-A-Car sticker. The boy was trying to show off what wasn't real. "Let me tell you what," Mr. Gill chided, waving his hands in grand gestures. "God doesn't look at all that. He knows what's real about you. But, do YOU know what's real about you? I've had most of y'all in the classroom over these last seven years, and I can tell you when you're real and when you're trying to be fake. I knew y'all when you still thought each other had cooties... yeah, before and through all the pimples an passing gas in class and everything!" The kids chuckled with the recollection of some good memories. "You know, I don't know what's happened with some of you, though. It's like you've reached a certain point, and I don't know whether a switch has been flipped on or off in you. What's wrong with this world, guys? I challenged you about this last year. Some of you ladies, rollin' your skirts... some of you guys with trashy mouths..." He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in and reflect on his own conviction. "When I was a kid in high school, I was known as 'Jesus' around campus. I had a big John 3:16 on the back windshield of my black Camaro. Man, that car had some really kickin' speakers. You could really hear me coming! Boy, I loved music, too! If you heard my car pumpin', folks would say stuff like, 'Yeah, there goes Jesus!' Then one day just hanging out, someone said, 'Here, Wade. Put this CD in and play it.' It had some really messed up words in it, and I thought about it for a second, but the guys said, 'Hey, so what? Just listen to it for the beat - you know just for the music.' So, I did. Later on I'm driving down the road with this junk pumping out of my speakers and people are turning their heads at me - even the non-believers were surprised at me." He hung his head. "I was so ashamed. I had lost my integrity. My sin destroyed my character." He soberly continued. "If you know that there is something that you're doing that isn't honoring God, it's hindering your walk with Him. Is there something affecting your character and integrity? If there is something that's bringing you down, hurting you and affecting your life in Jesus, be 100% real. Be real with me right now." Looking up into the crowd he addressed the men. "Men - stand up. Men of God... stand up. If you are not ashamed to say you are a real man of God, and I mean it... no messing here... stand up." Giving the men a moment to make their stand, he pressed on. "Now it's time to be real. 100% real. Only you and God know if there's something in your life you're struggling with, keeping you from Him. If you are struggling right now - take a seat. Now... look up. See those you can count on to help you through - keep you accountable and walking right." He did the same with the ladies, challenging them to be seeking the heart of God.

"My intention today is not to bring you down - I just want us to be real. You know, I am so tired of Christianity that's 'wishy washy'. When I meet up with you, whether it's now in school or 10 years from now walking through a WalMart... I want to see a change, a difference in you, a light from your face. I want to see you lifting up your brothers and sisters that are hurting. If you see my 'ole bald head hung down, I want you to come up to me and say, 'Hey, Mr. Gill - can I pray with you?' " He closed the chapel with a prayer for the kids to get practical, to seek the face of God and get the junk out of their lives so they could live lives of character and integrity.

Wednesday, September 17 - Eleven representatives from each class came down out of the bleachers to participate in the game for the day - a crazy toilet paper nose pushing relay that ended with one student totally wrapped in a whole roll of paper. While the battle was close, the Junior class was again victorious!

Musician, songwriter, minister and special speaker Michael Tyrrell was welcomed to the floor. In his hands was one of the Spiritual Emphasis Week t-shirts. "These shirts are really cool! It says, 'This is your life? Are you who you want to be?'. But you know, before you know if you're who you want to be, you have to know who you are." In a every energetic and enthusiastic manner, Mr. Tyrrell began dropping lots of interesting biological facts. "Did you know that every day, 500 million skin cells of you will die off and stay behind. That's about 1.5 pounds of you! Ever wonder why the gym always smells so bad? Now you know!" He continued his brisk barrage of facts as he continually paced the length of the gym, stopping only to pause and involve some students along the way. One particular fact was that our ears never stop growing. "I guess that's God trying to tell us we should never stop listening! Believers, you know the bible tells us that we have the power of speaking life or death. Sounds that are emitted never end." Once he relayed a few more facts about the auditory nerve and our sense of hearing, he played the most amazing recording of crickets - just crickets - that sounded like a symphony! He related to several verses in scripture including Psalm 139:14 and John 4:23-24 that are all connected with worship. The crickets worship, and even the rocks cry out in praise!

Mr. Tyrrell told of how he felt God leading him to build a butterfly garden and just watch them. "I thought, geez, what will my neighbors think? This some kind of Field of Dreams sorta thing? They gonna think I'm nuts! But, I was obedient, even though I couldn't see what God wanted me to learn by watching some butterflies. So, I planted the right stuff and made sure I had the right kind of food for Monarch butterflies, and before I knew it, I had all kinds of caterpillars to watch. They'd eat and poop, eat and poop, and grow and grow... and you know, you should be careful - that could be the story of your whole life!" After the laughter subsided, he continued. "It was amazing that your game was exactly like what I wanted to talk to you about. You wrapped yourselves up, just like caterpillars do. Once they get big enough, they latch onto a leaf, hang into a little 'j' shaped thing and just start to wiggle. This green stuff starts coming out of them until they're completely covered. Eventually, their head just kinda pops off and sits on top of the chrysalis. After a while, it turns clear and you can see the stuff inside. Then it turns black and looks like it's dead. That's a lot like life. When everything gets black and looks like the worst, you're ready for the breakthrough. In a butterfly's case, that means within 24 hours, a total change will have taken place. Isn't that awesome? What comes out is not what went in to the chrysalis. It was blind - just like we are - but that life had to end so another one could begin. What once was blind can now see. What used to be bound can now fly! Romans 8:18-19 says, 'I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.' You know, if you have Jesus, you already have all you need right inside of you! Those who live without Christ are only limited to living within their five senses - not living in their spirit. If you've already given yourself to Christ, like the caterpillar, you've already died to yourself." He played his song Butterfly...

Hey you, what could you possibly do / You're going nowhere fast /
Stuck to the ground, a victim of circumstance / I've got news for you /
Change is coming on strong / Right before our eyes / Hold on, baby, it won't be long /
til you're free from death's disguise

Butterfly, spread your wings and fly  to the other side, where love is waiting / Butterfly, light up the sky /
This is your season to shine, like a diamond in the dark / Butterfly, release your freedom to a world in chains /
You carry the key, its your destiny / Butterfly
 

Mr. Tyrrell asked three students to come down to the floor to illustrate the war that rages between the body and spirit over your soul (your thoughts, will and emotions) and stated that as long as you're alive, you'll always have flesh that will be continually at war with the spirit.

In conclusion, he prayed for the students, asking God to bring the light that brought him out of darkness to shine for everyone in the room, asking Him to bring the changes in their lives to make them holy. Mr. Whiteheart made an invitation to the students that were touched by the message to come to the floor to be prayed over. The final lyrics to Butterfly seemed to still be echoing in the room...

Today you're outside in / tomorrow you're inside out / Just close your eyes /
Believe it or not you're in a sacred place. Just realize...

How does it feel to never touch the ground? Flying around, now you've got the Lion's share
Death becomes you...
Your season is here, apple of God's eye / there is nothing to fear, when daddy hears you cry...

 

www.michaeltyrrell.com   www.myspace.com/michaeltyrrellmusic and www.myspace.com/michaeltyrrell777

Thursday, September 18 -  A chaotic Triathlon involving a human wheelbarrow, a basketball cup and paper airplane relay race really got everyone out on the floor and involved this morning. Members of the SCS Praise and Worship team performed several songs and finished with a beautiful, a cappella version of Give Us Clean Hands. Andrew Cain prayed "Let us be the generation that seeks your face. Help us come to you for everything. Renew our walk and bless our family in you, God." Then SCS Bible teacher Mr. Richie Vasquez came onto the floor to speak. He, too, prayed that God would continue to have His way in this place and allow everyone present to surrender their heart, mind, will and thoughts to who He really is.

Students were asked to open their bibles to Matthew 8:6 and they followed along with the story of the Centurion man who trusted Jesus to simply speak a word of healing to his servant. "This man had so much faith in Jesus' authority. This is your life, and the question is, are you who you really want to be? The one thing the centurion said will bring you life, healing and salvation. This Centurion also understood Jesus' authority - the authority of his word." Holding up his bible, he commented, "This is your life. I pray that you will develop an appetite for the daily word of God. This word has to be the authority that you learn to filter everything through." He turned to 1 Peter 1:23, read it aloud and continued. "When you put the imperishable world of God into your life, it will give you satisfaction, direction and fulfillment. We dive into work and sports and we feel that the success of life is from what we have ourselves accomplished. But that is perishable! You can't plant an apple seed and expect it to grow oranges! Plant the imperishable! Peace and strength that passes all understanding is found in the word. THIS is your life!" he  emphatically stated, and read aloud Hebrews 4:12. "God's word causes you to see the motives of your spirit. You know, after surgery, even though you know you probably will be going through some pain, you have the understanding that healing will take place. There are times when God's word may hurt, penetrate and divide things up, but it also provides healing and understanding. Healing will take place when you take in his word from day to day."

He relayed a story of a 13 year old boy who had suffered with diabetes and whose mother had cancer. He decided to stop taking his medication and died. He felt he had no hope - no one to turn to. "Where were the people in his life?" inquired Mr. Vasquez. "I understand - some of you are really hurting. Let me tell you, it doesn't have to be that way for anyone. All you have to do, to anyone here, is open up your mouth." He read James 1:22-24. "Look at scripture in the light of a mirror. When you look at yourself in an mirror, it shows you how you really are. You can't just glance in a mirror are really see something about yourself. No! If you just ate something, you've got to get a closer look and see you don't have something stuck between your teeth. That's just like the scriptures! You can't just glance at it, you've got to come in tight to get the little things that are stuck in between! Your life and everything you want it to be is right in front of you. Come in tight every day and know the things God wants to do in your life! See your life in the mirror of God's eyes - how you view yourself, others, your circumstances. If you have questions about life, it's always been right here!" he said, holding his bible high. "Let the Holy Spirit teach you and guide you into all truth."

Arielle Cacopardo came down to the the keyboard and softly played as Mr. Vasquez concluded in prayer. "Do you know that you are living life in God's eyes? Do you know that you can choose today to live a life with Christ? Choose today to allow the Spirit of God to create in you an appetite for the word of life. If you want to receive Christ today with no shame, come down."

About ten middle school students came down to the floor and prayed with Mr. Gill, and about a dozen high school students came down to reclaim the identity that only God could give them with Mr. Vasquez. He prayed, "Ignite a fire in them, Father. A passion for you and a hunger for your scripture. Raise up a mighty and powerful generation that will boldly proclaim your truth and show a real life in your word. Thank you for your unconditional love and mercy."

God let us be / the generation that seeks your face / Oh God of Jacob

Friday, September 19 -  The final day for Spiritual Emphasis Week began without a game, but rather a picture slideshow of the senior class during their retreat. Alumnus Praise and Worship team members Chris Twohill (bass) and Shamir Shiraz (drums) joined Mr. Rios (acoustic guitar) for a few songs, finishing with a very stirring offering of Wrap Me In Your Arms before Chris closed the music set with the prayer, "You always allow us to enter your throne room at any time. Thank you for being a God that loves us and takes us into Your arms no matter what we've done."

Bible teacher Mr. Tim Whiteheart walked out onto the floor and asked the kids to make note of what the back of their t-shirts said Are you who you want to be? and asked them to turn to the scripture verse Ephesians 2:10. "Everyone has been created by Almighty God, and we are amazing! Did you know that if you took all the blood vessels from one human body and placed them end to end, they would wrap around the world several times? Did you know that the greatest computers have been around since man was created? We're still using them today, and it's right up here" he said, motioning to his head. He retold the story of how Adam and Eve were created and given the most perfect place you could ever live in, capable of being face to face with Almighty God. He created man and woman for one reason - to bring Him glory. After all, we are the only thing in all of creation stamped with His own image. Along came Satan in the form of a serpent. "Why, God? Haven't you ever asked that? Why would you allow him to mess it all up? I believe God would say that we were created in His own image, and that we are the workmanship of His hands, but the choice to worship Him and honor Him... that is your choice. This is your life!"

Mr. Whiteheart explained how in our fast-paced lifestyle, the world is constantly trying to grasp our attention and tell us how to live, what to buy and what brings us happiness. What this has done has created in us a dissatisfied, complaining nature. "What we all need is an attitude check. Know why? Because how you respond to things in life is a reflection of your attitude. Whatever is in the glass is gonna spill out when it's bumped, right? If you fill a glass to the brim with iced tea, if you bump it, is orange juice gonna spill out? No, tea is what makes a mess. Got a glass of milk? Bump it, and you get spilled milk. So, Christian, what happens when we're bumped? What's filling your heart up? The only way to know what spills out of our life is what comes out of your mouth."

He told of a funny story from his college days visiting an amusement park in North Carolina with some members of his touring vocal group. There was a teenager who was on one of the rides with them (the Frenzoid) that got sick all over them. (Ask your kids to tell you the story - but NOT at dinner time!) "The moral of this story is: it's better to go through life with your mouth shut!" Once the laughter subsided, Mr. Whiteheart continued. "That was a funny story, but the truth is we spend too much of our lives with ungrateful hearts and a bitter attitude spilling out whenever we're bumped. It's a wonder God doesn't lose his temper and do away with us all. Have you ever thought that? None of us could make it if is wasn't for the mercy of God. With intense love, He showers His mercy and grace on us all."

Through the telling of a few stories of how he fell in love with his wife he was able to parallel being in love with Jesus Christ. When he fell in love with his wife, he went through some pretty drastic measures just to be with her. Friends asked what had happened to him. He was changed forever, and the same thing happens to us all when we're in love with Jesus. "Oh, I'm just a teenager," Mr. Whiteheart said, "God can't use me yet. Look into the word! It's filled with story after story about teens that were used by God! David and Goliath, Daniel who would not defile himself by worshipping an untrue god, Joseph... all teens that had a passion and heart for God." Continuing on the subject of passionate teens he spoke of a 13 year old girl named Lydia he encountered on a mission trip to Peru. She was set on fire for Jesus and came home to share it with her family. This 13 year old was forced by her family to denounce this new faith or leave her family. Through heartbreak and tears and tremendous cost to herself, she left her family. "Don't tell me teens can't take a stand for Jesus! If you love God, don't be afraid to say so or take a stand! Don't take this for granted! Be thankful!"

Choking back tears, he told of a time in his own life that God allowed him to go from being on top of the world to a time of deep regret, powerful enough to allow him to attempt to take his own life. God saved his life through the merciful, understanding act of kindness from a brother in the Lord. "Let me tell you... I know that there is no heartache that you can't handle. Through the mercy and grace of God, He says 'I'm not through with you!" Showing a picture of a bloody and battered Jesus hanging on the cross, he played a song he had recorded telling of how he saw God run to him. He concluded this very special chapel with an invitation. "If you want, you can come and thank God that he has given you life. The best way for you to make a stand is through your daily walk. This time is for you. You can come and give it to him now."

Many students came to the floor to pray and worship again with Mr. Rios.

There is a God who loves me / who wraps me in His arms / that is the place where I'm changed /
and that is the place where I belong / Wrap me in Your arms
Wrap me in your arms, wrap me in your arms...

Scripture Verses - New International Version

Proverbs 24:19  Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked

Psalm 139:14  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

John 4:23-24  23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

1 Peter 1:23  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

James 1:22  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.