Filed under: Religion, Youth Ministry | Tags: bartram trail high school, ben geiger, creekside, jacksonville, motocross, motorcross, st. augustine florida
Last night at 9:45 pm one of the guys in the band I led bible studies for last year gave me a call. Landon told me his friend Ben, age 17, had died in a motorcross accident during some practice time.
Since 1995 I’ve gotten calls like this…. and I don’t think we’re ever ready for any of them. Kelly Hawkins died that year as I had just started working as a youth minister. That crushed my life beyond recognition. In the years since… Grandpa, Aunt Joyce, Emilio, Johnny, John, …the list just goes on.
Ben was a student of mine back in my high school teaching days. As a freshman and Junior, I got to know this kid…and during his junior year, he started coming to Celebration Church with his friends on Wednesday nights.
Today he’s gone. On September 16 of his senior year, he died tragically. The phone has not stopped ringing. I can’t finish one text without receiving another. Myspace is melting down with heartache. We hit both high schools today in our area, and both almost ran out of tissues. His family called back this afternoon, I spent some time with them, and I can’t find any words to describe one bit of this.
I love you Ben. You’re a trickster and quite possibly the funniest kid I ever met. Your friends are just ruined today. I lost count of the number of kids who cried around me at both schools-not to mention the middle school kids that look up to you. A days like a thousand years in heaven, so this earth is far behind you. For us, this day has been a long day too. See you on the other side.
For friends of Ben, feel free to leave a comment here with a story about Ben… I’m going to share a few at his funeral and others with his family. thanks so much.
Big John
Filed under: Youth Ministry | Tags: bartram trail high school, blocking, class of 2008, graduation, president reagan, st. augustine
one of the best feelings in life and ministry is to make a big block.
President Ronald Reagan said it best, “There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” don’t go political on me, that’s a good quote and an honorable montra.
graduation was always my favorite day of the year as a teacher. you can feel the potential, finality, and relief rising together like some magical mixture making the air thick with with pure emotion. last night was no exception when we went to Bartram Trail High School’s class of 2008 graduation.
for the offensive lineman, the big block is what you dream of- that block you make that springs the running back for a big play touchdown. it doesn’t even matter if you get acknowledged for springing the block. hearing the crowd cheer…seeing the scoreboard change….. watching your teammates celebrate in the end zone…. few things compare to it.
it’s a feeling i’m getting pretty often. at our church, in our youth ministry alumni, and with former students like those we saw last night. besides….we are all where we are because someone ‘blocked’ for us right? Feel free to comment here or share who’s helped you achieve your end zone moments.
Filed under: Popular Culture, Youth Ministry | Tags: bartram trail high school, it's all in your mind, jesus, lies, Mel Gibson, shyamalan, st. augustine church, youth ministry uses for aluminum foil
Just got back from our Friday St. Augustine jail ministry. Awesome times! Wednesday, we were in part 3 of the “It’s all in your mind” series (produced by our ARC partners at Lifechurch.tv ), and I just happened to see M. Night Shyamalan’s movie ‘ Signs ‘ on TV on TNT last weekend. It all started to click.
We showed the short clip of the kids telling their dad why they put aluminum foil on their heads… to protect their brains so the aliens couldn’t read their minds. As we studied about ‘Truth or Snare’, it just flowed. Its’ so important not to let lies seep into our brains and affect our lives! I wore the helmet at various times in the night (our students did too…check the bottom of this blog to see the activity we did with them) and at different points in the night, I’d randomly yell ‘Lies! All Lies!’ .
