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Tyler YWAM – Youth With A Mission

January 9th, 2010

Tyler YWAM Youth with a Mission is located in Lindale, Texas. For those of you who don’t know what YWAM is or what it stands for I will tell you. It is a christian organization that loves God and wants to make God known through out the nations.

YWAM Tyler has a variety of schools you can choose from. Their philosophy is to know God and to make him known. It has over 15 schools you can choose from depending on your interests. It is a place where you can be temporary or long term depending on your choosing. It is a place where you can go and learn about God, his nature and character.

You learn how to hear His voice and how to cultivate a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. I know that there are some people out who are slandering this ministry. The way I see it there will always be people who choose to see and believe the things that they want to about a particular place or person. The truth of the matter is that in YWAM you can only find people who love God and want to do His will above all else.

It offers Discipleship school where you learn who God is and who you are in Him.

You have about five months for this school. Three months you spend in class having lectures and the rest you spend out on mission teams ministering to people who need help in all nations depending where you feel that God called you.

It also provides for you S.O.E. which is School of Evangelism, English as a second Language, School of Arts, Mobile Teams. Living alternatives is also a YWAM ministry which offers help to pregnant women or teens that need help and don’t know the next step to take. It is the most loving place where you can be. I know that because I myself went there 10 years ago when I ended up pregnant and alone and nowhere to go.

Father Heart helped me make the best decision for my baby. I also did a D.T.S. which is a discipleship school with YWAM and loved it.

My outreach was in Japan. So I got to go see another culture and share God’s love with them at the same time. I also went and did School of the Bible through YWAM which changed my life. I have forgotten about the Father Heart of God. For awhile I backslid and decided that being out in the world was more fun than being tied down to some religious thing. Boy was I wrong, it only brought me a world of pain.

In the end, YWAM was the safest and most loving environment I have ever been around. People there care for your well being and their goal is for you to know God and have a loving relationship with God. I know that there are alot of hings people are saying about YWAM which are not true. Either those people have never been there or they have and got in trouble and are angry at the ministry for having to leave because they would not comply with the rules. You can always find people that have something negative to say.

The truth is that YWAM is a place where people love God with their whole heart and then made it their life’s mission to make God known and to win souls over to Christ. But just like any other ministry of course, you are working with people that are not perfect and things won’t always go your way. In fact you can bet that things won’t go your way. But it’s worth leaving things behind to find out God’s heart for you and others. I would encourage everyone who has not visited YWAM Lindale, Texas to do so and discover for themselves that it is a place where people gather together to serve God and learn more about Him and make Him known to the world.

There is so much more I could say but I will choose to end now so it won’t get too long and people decide not to read this article.

Youth With A Mission Ministry

January 8th, 2010

If you’ve ever wondered what there is to get involved with to make your faith based in something big, here is an answer. YWAM is a Christian organization that focuses on discipling people to be able to profess who they are in Christ in their every day actions and attitudes as a testimony to the true changes of Christ.

There are over 166 bases like this one all over the world, this is one of MANY. This base is located in Lindale just off of HWY 16. It is split among two locations. One in Lindale and one more directly in Tyler Texas. There are about 400 people working with this ministry currently and many many students.

There are many opportunities to get involved with this ministry, they organize several functions you can be a part of if you would like. Take Action is an event for Youth that takes place every year, the production is done here, then travels to Houston and Chicago. This is a whole day event that focuses on bringing real issues to light in a teens life and offers support and discipleship to begin a new work in their lives. It’s a production of music, dancing, acting and media. Such a sight to see and is well worth the investment to go to or send your kids to.

The location in Lindale also dedicates part of its time to facilitating Dwell nights. A Dwell night is a night were people gather, from YWAM and friends in town, to dwell/soak in the presence of God. The gym is cleared of chairs and tables, rugs and pillows laid about, lights dimmed and stations placed around the edges of the room that highlight prayer needs or art inspiration. There is a time of worship together and waiting on the Lord, sometimes there are speakers but its mostly worship.

These times have proven to be so rich and full of Jesus. A time of being ministered to and ministering to others. Anyone is welcome to come, they usually happen about once a month. The YWAM web page will have dates of these particular events.

Something else you might be interested in getting involved with are SST’s. These are camps held in the summer for teens. Hard core spiritual time with God, adventure challenges and outreach to Mexico (depending on which week you go, other options are available). Its basically three weeks of awesomeness. If you are looking for an intense and real Christian experience near Tyler, TX this summer then this is what you need to look into.

SST stands for Summer of Service and Training. Hundreds flow in every summer and hundreds flow out and most of them leave with a flame still burning with the desire to know God more and to make him know. There are stories after stories of teens leaving and coming back, going into missions, transforming their schools and transforming their families. This is something real! Anyone is welcome to apply and come… you are invited!

Any of these events listed are listed on the YWAM Tyler website with tons more information and videos to watch and testimonies to read. Please go check it out.

Lifeway Christian Store in Tyler

January 8th, 2010

I recently visited Lifeway Christian Store, something I’d not done since before the name was changed from Better Books Christian Center. In the past several years the store has undergone a makeover. The inside is quite large and very well stocked.

Lifeway is something like a Christian Barnes and Noble. They carry any literature, music or movies currently in demand in church circles. The store also offers all kinds of support materials for pastors and youth ministers. They carry a full selection of vestments and choir gowns as well as supplies for administering the Eucharist.

The children’s section in particular, is excellent. There is a corner equipped with a television showing the latest cartoons where kids can sit while their parents shop. The book selection is current but not real deep; meaning that I expected to find more classic Christian literature than I actually did. The store carries a huge variety of Bibles; however much of the theology and commentary has a fairly narrow target audience. Baptists, or something closely akin will probably find what he or she is looking for, but the more orthodox among us may find it necessary to special order what we need, something the staff will gladly do. All this being said, Lifeway is a beautiful Tyler Texas book store, and the staff is helpful and very friendly.

So whether you’re looking for a particular item or are just seeking a cool place to spend a summer afternoon, Lifeway is a great place to take the family. For more information, see their website: www.lifewaystores.com . Located in the Old English Village on South Broadway, in Tyler.

Green Acres Baptist Church Library

December 8th, 2009

After having been so disappointed by the Tyler Public Library and vowing never to return, I was stuck in a quandry: How do I relive the joy of childhood library visits and impart an enthusiasm for literacy in my own young preschoolers when I dread the thought of returning to the library? (Trumpets blare. The hero has arrived.) Another mom passed on a secret source for hours of golden literary adventures: The Green Acres Baptist Church’s (GABC) library. What? They have a library? I knew about the bowling alley, the Early Education Center, the roller coaster, (What? It doesn’t actually include an amusement park?) but I wouldn’t have thought to look for a library.

This little library is tucked away by door #1 in the Worship Center and includes a nice gift shop. As you walk in, you’ll see on one side, a smaller version of the Scroll Christian bookstore, and on the other, a modest, well-organized library of literary gems, DVDs, and audiobooks/dramas for young and old and in between. You may not find every resource you might need for a research paper, but they pack quite a bit in this small space.

The biggest relief for me as a mother, was that there was nothing I had to steer the kids away from (no Goosebumps, no No David) and very few Disney reworks. Everything we encountered was uplifting and positive if not blatantly Christian. As well as providing hours of quality read-aloud snuggle time, these books were an excellent springboard for discussions on handling difficult situations, our values, theology, Christian character, and all kinds of educational themes.

The staff at the Green Acres Baptist Church Library was always very friendly and helpful. I felt comfortable hanging out to read a few books with my two preschoolers and infant in tow. Because of the small size, I could even look for an inspiring craft book and woman’s devotional for myself just a few rows over while my kids perused their selections at a small table nearby.

If you’ve read my earlier review of the Tyler Public Library, you will undoubtedly figure out that part of what thrills me about this library is that it’s free!!! Whether you live in Tyler TX, or in a different county altogether, you will not have to purchase a rental punch card here. All I had to do to receive a card was fill out a little information paper, and I received three cards, one regular card, and two smaller ones to place on our key rings. How convenient!

Don’t forget there’s a great little bookstore in there too! It’s a convenient place to pick up a gift, or try (in the library) before you buy to find out whether your child will enjoy a video, audio, or book series before you make the investment!

After a year of going to the library almost every week, we had not yet exhausted the GABC Library’s selections, and the kids were still just as excited to head to the Library (snow, sleet, or hail)!

So, if you, like me have been disappointed by the Tyler Public Library, or you just want a more welcoming, less overwhelming space to let your kids’ nurture their love of books and explore positive, fun, life-shaping materials, I recommend that you check out the Green Acres Baptist Church Library.

The Scroll Christian Bookstore

October 12th, 2009

The Scroll Christian Bookstore is a nonprofit organization, here in Tyler. The Scroll is a great place to find an inspirational gift for friends or any Christian music, books and children literature.

If you are looking for a Bible the Scroll has all version, NIV, New King James, King James, or The Message, and much more. You can also find woman study Bibles, men study Bibles, student Bibles, children and teen Bibles and much more. You could also get beautiful leather Bibles and, for a small fee, get your name engraved into the cover.

Find beautiful paintings and woodcarvings to display an inspirational message in your house or give to your friend. Get a beautiful carving to hang on your wall with your favorite scripture. Frame a beautiful painting that moves you.

Find the newest CD by your favorite Christian artist, or find some of the best of the oldies. Pick up your favorite worship CD or fun children’s worship CD. Find all artists that you hear on the Christian radio such as Leland, Newsboys, Toby Mac and so much more. You will always find what you want at great prices.

If you need to do some shopping with your frustrated little children, let them play in the kid’s corner and watch a fun movie with a great lesson. Also you can find all your kid’s favorite books and stories. Find some great movies for your children, such as “Veggie Tales” and “3-2-1 Penguins.” you can be sure your children are watching good, clean and educational movies. And you will be certain that your children will learn good Christian morals. Let your kids learn through great books and fun toys and Biblical stories on sale. Also find stories on CD; let your children travel through life lessons while listening to “Adventures in Odyssey”. So come and let your children have some fun shopping!

You can pick up some of the most inspirational movies such as “Passion Of the Christ” and last year’s “Fire Proof” (the book and “the Love Dare” also available). You are always going to find these great movies and many other Christian movies at great prices.

If you are a home schooling parent you can find all the curriculum you need, from math to Literature. You can be sure that all you science books are Biblically based and teaches that we are all created by God in His image. Be sure that you children are getting the best education.

The Scroll offers all the Christian literature that you are looking for. You are able to find books on relationships for newly weds, couples married for 50 years, and couples preparing for marriage. No matter how mature you are in your relationship the Scroll has great books. You can find the most recommended books on both marriage and sex. You also can find great devotional books for whoever you are. Look through the great Christian novels and fiction novels, by some of the most know writers, such as Francine Rivers or C.S. Lewis.

The Scroll is a nonprofit organization that supports many different mission organizations here in East Texas, such as, Living Alternative, a home for pregnant teen mothers, and Pine Cove, a Christian Camp for children, and 89.5 Christian inspirational radio station, “The voice of encouragement”.

Remember to sign up to be on their mailing list to receive coupons and booklets to see what is new. Also you can order online and have it delivered to your house. So shop either from the comfort of your sofa or come visit the Scroll Christian Bookstore in Tyler TX and be inspired.