Mission NewThru30 Accomplished

What an experience it has been reading through the New Testament in 30 days. NewThru30 was very challenging but at the same time the most helpful reading plan I’ve ever followed. Before I followed the NewThru30 reading plan, I would try to read 1 chapter a day. And the funny thing is, I thought that that was hard to do. Now I’m not saying that you’re a horrible person if you only read one chapter a day of the Bible, what I am saying, though, is that when you are on a daily/challenging reading plan, it can stretch you out to reading a lot more of God’s word than what you believed yourself to be capable of doing. These past 30 days of reading for about 45 minutes each day has really stretched me and given me the desire to read more than a chapter a day. Now I am used to reading 45 minutes a day, and I want it to stay that way. Most of IC:Youth also read (or still are) reading the New Testament using this same reading plan. It’s been very beneficial for us to read more and more of God’s word, and this is only the beginning. If you’re interested in following this reading plan, or any other plan, click here.

Coldplay Night

Our IC:Youth Launch

Today marked the first of many impacting services for young people at IC:Madrid. Me and other students planned and prayed all week for an unforgettable first service for our students. One thing I realized is that you can’t lead a service on your own, especially launching the first one. You need people and their ideas. We got together twice before service and disscussed the best ways for how the service would best flow. We were very pleased with the results of our first service. There were exactly 20 students, and they were very interactive in the entire service. I love what God is doing through IC:Madrid’s young people. Here are some pictures:

My New Website

Ladies and gentlemen, I have joined forces with one of the best designers of our time, Awaken Design Company. This guy is my awesome cousin who loves designing websites, shirts, and whatever else you want him to design. He did a fantastic job with my new site as you can see. So browse around, and let me know what you think of my new site!

Coming Soon To A Computer Near You

Hello, everyone. I know it’s been a while since my last update, but I have some great news: I’m getting a new website!!! I’ve decided to join with Awaken Design Company and he’s creating me a new website. I’m super excite about this. So this page won’t be updated anymore! Instead, go to www.anthonysantiago.org to follow my blogs. Thanks! Here’s the link:

Give Gold And Silver To Your Church

1 Chronicles 29:35

“Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by craftsmen. Now who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?”

David is a huge example in how much he gave to have the temple be established. He gave silver, and gold to support the temple. We find it hard to give 10% of our income. If you go to church, no matter what church, you should want that church to do well. And in order for that to happen, you have to give over and above of your treasures. In order to establish a strong church, people need to provide financial support. Give over and above if you want to see your church succeed. If you don’t want your church to succeed, then don’t give.

The Best Future Requires…

     2 Kings 2:3 “and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.”

     The Law of Moses is obviously referring to the ten commandments. Many times we don’t see the importance of obeying those ten laws. We think it’s just a good sunday school passage to speak about. But as the scripture states, when we’re obedient to God, we’ll be prosperous and successful in our future, and in all that we do. Don’t take obedience lightly. When you’re obedient to God, He’ll make all of what you are to further His kingdom. And who doesn’t want that? Rob Bell said it like this: “When you’re obedient to God, you won’t want anyone else’s life.” The reason why these great speakers such as Billy Graham, Rob Bell, and many others are so successful in their ministry, is because of their obedience to God. But don’t look up to them as if they were some king because you too can become successful in your ministry. It just takes obedience. 

Leadership Meeting #1

Each year at my school, we have leadership meetings. Tuesday was the first meeting that took place for this year. Here are some thoughts we had to share about leadership:

- You can be a great leader but not a good one. - We took Hitler for an example. He was an incredible leader! He encouraged an entire nation to follow him, but what he was leading them to do was horrible.

- You are constantly looking up to someone, and someone is constantly looking up to you. - We remembered how as elementary students we would look up to middle school students, and as middle school students, we looked up to high school students, and as high school students we look up to parents, pastors, teachers, and the chain continues.

- Just ’cause you’re a leader doesn’t mean you get to make all the choices. - When you’re given a position of leadership, you aren’t there to call all the shots. You’re there to hear from other people, and to get ideas of what can be brought into your ministry, and then lead them in that direction.

- When you enter a church as a leader, you don’t ask what this church can offer you, rather what can you offer the church. – When we go visiting churches, we shouldn’t be looking as to if the music is good, if the preaching is good, or if the facilities are nice. On the other hand, we, as leaders, should serve, and be helpful to the church with service, and increasing ideas.

When Your Rich, Your Lost

     I don’t think Jesus was kidding when He said that “It is harder for a rich person to enter Heaven, than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”

     Don’t let your money take over your life like this guy. There’s a huge problem with being rich, and not giving back money given to you. Check this video out.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ljWL4xrGo&hl=en&fs=1&]

Running To The End

Last week must have been one of the most faithful experiences of my life. It wasn’t a spiritual faith, it was a physical one. My coach on my soccer team decided to take my team out for a run up in the mountains. When we got to the top, there was a flat dirt road. He said he had done this before, and we were going to run until we reached the end of the road. The problem was, none of us could see the end. It was an endless road. We started running, and it got harder because we never stopped and we went forever without being able to see the end of the road. Our coach knew that there was an end to it, but we couldn’t see it until we got there, and we had to trust him that there was an end.

I think our Spiritual faith applies the same way. When life becomes a routine, even when it’s a good routine, there are always times we lose faith. We get so bored of our lives, and we lose hope in life. We treat life as if there is no end to it. It’s so easy to wake up and say that there’s no point in living. But even when we don’t see or feel like living because there seems to be no end, we still need to live like Christ. Even when we get up, and don’t feel God during our devotional time, we still must have faith and continue to be consistent. Even when we get to church and don’t feel God, we must still worship. Even when we don’t feel like witnessing, we must still be witnesses.

This is the most encouraging song I’ve heard about faith. Elevation worship is awesome.