Preaching Availability

Pastors and Youth Pastors, I have a few weekends still available if you are looking for a guest speaker for your Spring Disciple Now or other event.  I would love to preach at your next event or help you in any way that I can.  I love the opportunity to challenge students, adults, and leaders. Feel free to email me at jnottingham@fbcba.org.  Here are the dates that I am already booked.


Dec. 31 - Jan. 1  - Speaking at Siloam Springs Camp, Arkansas - New Year's Event
Jan. 3 - Jan. 6  - Family Time

Feb. 1 - 3 - Speaking at FBC Van Buren, Arkansas - Disciple Now
Feb. 16 - 17 - Speaking at Biltmore Baptist Church in Arden, North Carolina - Student Event
Feb. 22 - 24 - Elevate Weekend in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Mar. 8 - 9 - Family Time
Mar. 15 - 23 - Mission Trip to Cambodia

April 21 - 26 - Metro Youth Pastor's Conference

Youth Ministry Resources

I'm always looking for new ideas and ways to stay fresh in Youth Ministry.  I wanted to pass along a few blogs that I read all the time.  These guys have great insights and incredible ideas that will help you succeed in Ministry.  Plus it's free which is even better. Check out these great Student Ministry blogs:

morethandodgeball.com
brianmills247.blogspot.com
jordaneasley.net 
michaelhead.org
revolutionspeaks.com

Fresh Start

With summer events coming to a close and students starting to talk about the dreaded day of school starting back, I start getting pretty excited.  It means a new year is about to begin for our teenagers, a fresh start for our ministries, and new hope and excitement about what lies ahead this year.  I'm dreaming big, praying hard, and putting in some extra hours of work to do my part in reaching students that desperately need Jesus.  Student Pastors if you're reading this I'm praying for you.  I pray you have fresh vision, fresh fire, fresh passion, and a fresh heart to reach the students in your city.  I pray that you will dream big and kick Satan to the curb this year.  Lets go for it and go after students like never before.  Teenagers  today need Jesus and they also need you, their Student Pastor.  Keep loving on Students and pushing them toward the Light Jesus Christ.

Soul Detox

I just wanted to recommend this book Soul Detox by Craig Groeschel.  I'm half way through it right now and it has been one of Craig's best books.  Craig Groeschel is the Pastor of Lifechurch.tv one of the fastest growing churches in America.  Great book, I highly recommend it.

Student Leadership University

The past 2 weeks we have sent some of our strongest Student Leaders to Student Leadership University. This is my second year to be a part of it and I just wanted to use this post to highly recommend this program to every Student Pastor and Youth Worker to consider for your students.  It has been life changing for my students. Dr. Jay Strack and Brent Crowe are leading the charge in raising up Student Leaders to make a Kingdom Impact by raising the bar on what it means to be a Godly teenage leader.  Check out their website at www.studentleadership.net 

Lost Sheep

The other day I was looking at our small group records for my new Senior Class.  As I scanned the list of names I was overwhelmed by the number of Students on that list that I didn't recognize.  These students are members of our church but somewhere along the way have dropped out of being an active part of the ministry.  Around the same time as I looked at the list I was reading Luke 15 where Jesus gives the Parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Prodigal Son.  Jesus' challenge was to leave the 99 and go after the 1.  God used that passage to put in me a deeper burden for those that we have lost or those that have always been lost.  He has moved my spirit to pursue them like I never have before.  So I began this mission to track these students down by email, facebook, and phone calls.  Student Pastors don't give up on the ones that have strayed away, be willing to leave the 99 and go after the one, and when that one returns Party it up and give praises to God like never before!!!

Our Last Great Hope

I just finished reading this book titled "Our Last Great Hope" by Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Pastor of Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas.  I highly recommend this read to everyone.  It will inspire you to look differently at reaching the world for Christ and it will bring you to your knees begging God to send revival that we so desperately need.  I just saw that you can get the book on Amazon for less than $7 right now.  Definitely worth the read.

Falls Creek Camp

Well Falls Creek Camp is just a little over a week away.  Students we still have a few spots for guys left.  Unfortunately right now we are full on the girls' spots but we can put you down on a waiting list.  Please be in prayer for our camp this year.  We are looking forward to a great week. We believe God has some great things in store for us.

Dodgeball and Changed Lives

It's crazy but Dodgeball Tournaments are sweeping the Student Ministry Nation by Storm and are just as effective as ever. Last week our Dodgeball Tournament brought in more students than any other student ministry event I have put on in my 10 years of Student Ministry. It was easy to put together and surprisingly cheap. Youth Ministries across the country are using this event and I haven't heard of a single one yet that has flopped. Not only is attendance high but God is using this to transform lives. If you're a Student Pastor give it a shot and see what God does. If you want to know how we put ours together shoot me an email at jnottingham@fbcba.org, I would be happy to help.

Cory Enloe

God has done great things here quickly and has brought us Cory Enloe now to join our Student Ministry Staff as our new Associate Student Pastor. Cory has most recently served in Fort Smith, AR at Eastside Baptist Church. Cory is a dynamic preacher, has a heart to reach sports teams, and is highly gifted in campus outreach. Cory will be here tonight on the Broken Arrow Campus at our Amplify Service. Please come out and welcome him here and please keep him in your prayers as he begins his ministry here.

Laura Stephens

I'm Very Excited today to announce that Laura Stephens will be joining our Student Ministry Staff as our new Girls' Ministry Associate.

Laura has served with Revolve Tour the last 5 years running all of their social media, blogging, marketing and event planning.

She has also served at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas and Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, Texas.

Laura is a blast to be around and absolutely loves God and loves life. She will officially begin January 29th. Please be in prayer for her as she moves here and takes our church to new heights in Girls' Ministry.

Perhaps our Last Shot at an Awakening is Now!!!

As I write these words there are over 40,000 college students worshiping Jesus Christ with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength in Atlanta, Georgia. As I write these words there are over 40,000 churches in America that are about to miss what could be our last chance for a Revival and true Awakening. As I write these words there are Pastors that will quench the flames of revival because they won't give up the platform this Sunday.

The Passion Movement has been around for years, and through God's working has been a tool to shape thousands of lives. Many leaders of our churches today met Jesus at Passion or were called into ministry there. God has used Passion greatly over the years but in my opinion, the church that these students come back to, has failed every time. The winds are blowing, it's time for the church at home to finally set the sail.

In all honesty I can't hold back the tears right now as I make a bold and prayerful plea. I can't help but think of members of my own family who still do not know Christ. I'm broken over those who I sat next to at Passion years ago who are now so far from God. I'm so in awe of God as I think about the lives that have been saved from torture, abuse, starvation, and traficking through the generosity of those at Passion. WE NEED REVIVAL!!! CHURCH WAKE UP!!!!

As we look through our history, revivals and awakenings came from God working through a movement of young people. This is our chance, here are 3 things the church at home MUST do when these 40,000 return.

1. Let them share their story!!! - If your church has students at Passion this week, some of them better be on your platform this Sunday morning sharing what God has done in their life. I don't care how big your church is. In 1970 a revival broke out at Asbury College. Churches embraced it and begged for some of the students that experienced it to come speak in their churches. Dying churches were instantly revived. Some churches spoke of jumping from 200 people to 2,000 in a matter of weeks. It spread through numberous states, why? Because the church at home let them share the story.

2. Leaders must fan the flames!!! - Thousands of Pastors and Leaders of churches will pat these students on the back when they return and say "Glad you had a good trip" and will move on to the same ole usual. Leaders you must show humility and listen, leaders you must encourage, leaders you must disciple, leaders you must love. If you're a leader and you in anyway discourage this passion for God that these students will be coming home with, it's time for you to get a new job. Embrace this and fan the flames so that this fire will spread.

3. Get on board and Pray!!! Beg God to move like never before and beg God for one last Great Awakening before His return. You can watch the Passion experience now at www.268generation.com/passion2012 They still have a couple of days left. The best way to get fired up about what is taking place there is to go along for the journey with them. Watch now, get involved now and definitely pray now.

I have never seen a true revival or awakening in my lifetime. Most churches in America today are old, dry, and dying. I grew up a portion of my life in Namibia in a desert area. We wouldn't see a drop of rain for 8 months at a time some years. When a spark hit that old, dry, and dying grass, it lit fast and in minutes you would have an unstoppable Fire that would burn up miles of land. Most of our churches are old, dry, and dying...the sparks are on their way, make sure the fire spreads.