D*NOW 2011

Sign ups are going on NOW!

This year our speakers will be Brent Crowe and Darren Whitehead.

Worship will be by Rush of Fools.

You will not want to miss this great weekend!

Click here to go to the Student Ministry Website to sign up!

Praying for Nations: Brazil

Join us in praying for Brazil this week! Below are facts and updates on Brazil and also ways you can pray daily.

• The world's 5th largets country in both land size and population (195M).


• Literacy rate is 88.6%.


• 181 indigenous languages; only 6 complete Bibles.


• 58 unreached people groups in Brazil.


• Average income/person = $8295 (almost $23/day)


• 91% of population claims to be Christian; of that, 72% are Catholic


• Brazil is becoming a "sending" country, sending almost 2000 Christian missionaries in 2010.


• 36,000 unchurched river communities along the Amazon River that are accessible only by boat.


• 600,000 girls reported that are involved in prostitution

Prayer Points:

Sunday: Pray that God would raise up Brazilian men, women, and students who would share the Gospel with their lives and their lips amond undeserved and unreached people.

Monday: Pray that God would spare Brazilian children from injustice; that He would sustain them in their suffering; that He would raise up people who would care for them.
Tuesday: Pray that God would raise up Brazilian pastors who would lead their churches to have a heart for people and a vision for the world.

Wednesday: Pray for authentic unity among Brazilian churches and denominations that, fueled by the Gospel, would erase prejudice, racism, and cultural arrogance.
Thursday: Pray for the continued work of organizations like Campus Crusade, who use the JESUS film in 25 different languages.

Friday: Pray that God would raise up North Americans who would come alongside Brazilian leaders to provide theological and financial resources for more effective work.

Saturday: Pray for revival and reform among Brazilian Catholics, who make up 73% of the population.

For more info on Brazil and how to pray visit: http://www.operationworld.org/.

Snow Day!

Snow men, snow ball fights, snow angels, snow cream...what is your favorite thing to do on a snow day? Leave us a comment below!

Praying for Nations: Afghanistan

Each week Bellevue Student Ministry will join together and pray for a different country. We will study this country on Sunday mornings in Connection, and there will be a prayer pointers on the Ink each week for that country. Today we began by praying for Afghanistan, and here are ways you can pray each day this week:

Facts about Afghanistan:

• Afghanistan is one of the least reached countries in the world.
• There are over 48,000 mosques and not a single church building.
• #1 country with the lowest Christian population (.05%).
• 71 different unreached people groups.
• 78% of the people do not have access to clean drinking water.
• 38 indigenous languages; only 1 full Bible and 1 New Testament.

Sunday: Pray for the small number of Afghan believers who risk their life in reaching out to other Afghans disillusioned with Islam and open to the Gospel.

Monday: Pray for the Pashtun people, who make up over 40% of the countries' population and have very few known followers of Christ.

Tuesday: Pray for the endurance and encouragement of Afghan believers who suffer persecution because of their faith.

Wednesday: Pray for the widespread use and publication of the Dari Bible, which can be understood by about 70% of the population.

Thursday: Pray for Afghan students here in the U.S. to see and hear the Gospel accurately and be able to take it back home to their friends and families.

Friday: Justice, opportunity, and freedom from fear for the women of Afghanistan, many of whom are subjected to inequality and even violence.

Saturday: Pray for courageous men and women who will be willing to spend their lives demonstrating and declaring the Gospel among the Afghan people.

Thirst starts back January 16th!

Thirst discipleship groups start back Sunday, January 16th!

7-8th grade @ 4:00pm

9-12th grade & Girls Council @ 5:00pm

Come prepared! With your Bible, book, pen, & teachable heart!

We will all meet on January 16th in the Upper Room.

We meet for a total of 10 weeks: Jan 16, 23, 30; Feb 6, 13, 27; Mar 6, 27; Apr 3 &10

Questions? Contact Jennie at jmckay@bellevue.org

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

To be crushed in spirit is the most painful journey ever taken by man, traveling to every part of you mentally, emotionally, spiritually, even physically. A pain so deep you don't know where it stops and what it's connected to. To crush: to press or squeeze with a force that destroys or deforms. Deform: to make ugly, ungraceful, or displeasing. A deformed soul conforming to all things absurd, formed to what is unnatural: insecurity, fear, pride, hatred, bitterness, anxiety.

What form has your soul taken?

Conformed to the pattern of this world, transformed by the renewing of your mind, or deformed by inexpressible anguish or brokenhearted experiences? Luke 3:4-6 says, "As it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" HE SAVES those who are crushed in spirit, deformed, disillusioned. When? Salvation according to our own time would not be salvation at all, for it would require our control, and if we had control over it God would not be all powerful, and Jesus would not be adequate for our damaged souls. To deny this is to accept the unbelief hidden deep in our wretched hearts, the sin that amazes God.

Do you believe him over your feelings?

No matter how high or low. The Lord is near the brokenhearted, but what will it take for Him to dwell IN your heart? (Ephesians 3:17) Faith. Salvation is established through faith. Do you believe in Emmanuel God with us?

Do you believe He is good no matter what your circumstances declare?

~Jenny Clark

Year of the Bible

On January 1, 2011, Bellevue students will join with the entire church in reading through the Bible chronologically in a year. How neat it will be for all of us to be reading the same passages every week and discussing what the Lord is teaching us individually and as a church family.

In order for all of us to be on the same reading plan, we will follow the plan of the NIV Chronological One Year Bible. We will be making these available at the Student E.R. for $10. A student journal is also available for $10, or you may buy both for $18.

It all begins in just a few weeks on January 1st!

Singing Christmas Tree

Girls, you are doing an incredible job in the Singing Christmas Tree this year! It is a joy to see you sing, worship, and present the gospel with smiles on your faces and joy in your hearts. May the Lord use these performances to draw more people to Him and to remind us all of the incredible gift God has given us - Jesus!

Let us worship and praise our God for his righteousness, love, faithfulness, and mercy!

"I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." Psalm 89:1 (The entire chapter of Psalm 89 speaks of God and how there is no one like Him...I encourage you to read the chapter!)

*If you haven't seen the Singing Christmas Tree yet this year, there are 4 more nights of performances (today through Wednesday). Just go to http://www.bellevue.org/ for more info.

Friday Favs

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust." Romans 13:14

Your flesh is simple. It desires devotion to anything other than God, but what does it mean to provide for lusts of the flesh? Provision is defined as providing for, making available, or supplying the needs of. To help us understand, think of it in this way... If you decided you would abstain from ice cream because of your obsession, would it be smart to go and sit in TCBY by yourself for an hour? Obviously you wouldn't do that, but when we hear the voice of God telling us to abstain from certain things because of your increasing devotion to this particular thing, why do we get as close as possible only to give in to temptation? Pay very close attention to your thoughts. The more you dwell on something the more likely you are to act on it. If you know you are not supposed to tear someone down verbally, is it helping to think those things? This is provision for your flesh. In order, thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become strongholds, and strongholds become idolatry (higher devotion for something other than God). How are your thoughts ultimately providing for the lust of your flesh?

~Jenny Clark

Becca's Closet

We are so excited to share this opportunity with you! Regan Perkins, a Senior in high school, is the President of the Memphis-Area chapter "Becca's Closet." "Becca's Closet" is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to providing formal dresses to high school girls wanting to attend their prom but not having the resources to purchase a dress. If you would like to donate accessories, dresses, or shoes, you can contact Regan at bobbieperkins31@yahoo.com. For more information on Becca's Closet, you can click here for the website. We will also have information sheets available this Sunday at the Student Events Registration. What a great way to get involved in helping our community!