LEGACY

A couple weeks ago, we had the funeral for Kristin’s grandma Bev Kraft.  She was a geat woman and so much fun to joke with. I don’t think I ever thought I would come to know and love one of my grandmother-in-laws as much as I did her.

When I started dating Kristin she was so accepting and loving from day one. I like to think it is because she is  good judge of character (arrogant joke) but the truth is that I was just a high school tool and she loves people.

As with any funeral it was a bittersweet day.  It was a great service to look back and remember and great to be with family and hear stories.  There was lots of laughing and crying. 

I went and visited her in the hospital when she first went in. she had some tubes in but she was coherent and could mouth words. I prayed with her spent some time with her.   I thanked God for her decision to follow Christ and begin that legacy to her family.

If she hadn’t decided to follow Christ her daughter wouldn’t have, and her daughter wouldn’t have.  And if that daughter hadn’t I would have the wonderful wife I do.  I hope I can leave a family legacy behind of a family that loves and serves Christ. I hope that I can look at my kids and my kids’ kids and see that they know God and are seeking his will.

I am living in Bev Kraft’s legacy.

 

 

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MY OB TEAM…9 YEARS LATER

I have been doing a lot of posts lately mentioning Operation Barnabas.  Yesterday we had all three teams at Grace Church to run the morning services.  To say that it went well or was an encouragement to our people would be an understatement.  It was a great morning that I know will serve as a springboard to our church taking ownership as we host OB orientation next year and students going on OB for years to come.

All this OB talk got me thinking about my OB experience in high school. I went on OB 9 years ago as a 17 year old.  At the time I thought my team was the best ever and still do.  I remember the leaders telling us that we would know what kind of OB team we were in 10 years.  I know it is only 9 but I decided to cheat a little and stack up some things. 

I know that being in full time ministry doesn’t make you any more special or spiritual than others, but I am just really proud of my team and many I still call friends as they serve God and try to live out there faith and calling.

Check out this list from my OB team and if anyone has updates just let me know

1. Jeremy Byng-Worship Pastor-Grace Community Church-Goshen, IN
2. Bethany (Liston) Solyntjes-Worship Director-Western Reserve Grace Brethren Church-Macedonia, OH
3. Bob Steiger-GBIM Missionary-Africa
4. Travis Turk-Director of Byer Home-Lifeline Youth and Family Services
5. Caroline (Gorham) Edelen-Indonesian Missionary
6. Tony Livigni-Pastor of College and Young Adults-Grace Church-Akron, OH
7. Connie (Friddle) Pumphrey-Just finished leading the 412 Commission and heading to Virginia Beach to plant a church with her husband Mike.
8. Rebecca Holbrook-serving as a missionary/christian school teacher in the Dominican Republic.

And last but not least…

1. Mark Artrip-High School Pastor-Grace Church Powell, OH
2. Kristin (Black) Artrip-serving alongside Mark at Grace Church in Powell, OH

MOMENTUM UPDATE 2

• My “man crush” on Steve Fee is strong as ever
• I taught a Sponge session (1-time, 1 hour elective)  this week.   They happened on Tuesday-Thursday before lunch.  Mine was called lovedatingsexmarriagelust!   I am pleased with how it went.  I have never taught that many people over three days so “welcome” to any new visitors from those sessions.
• If I haven’t mentioned it yet you can check out buildmomentum.org for updates of what is going on this week and picture galleries or this blog too.
• Got some positive feedback from the pre-session crowd openers that Dave Nicodemus and I have been doing. Wasn’t quite sure at the beginning of the week how these would be received  so it has been really encouraging.
• Speaking of compliments, I got one today that made me blush and speechless…I hope I am affirming those younger than me like that.
• I am super excited to get home and ramp up HSM for the fall.
• I am super excited to get back to my soccer program.
• I got to talk to Jeff Bogue tonight. He is speaking at Kalahari this year and I know it is gonna be sweet.  He is one of those guys I have been observing since I even realized I was going into ministry. I remember him speaking at camp before I was even in junior high when he was a young redheaded youth pastor like me.
• I am leading worship twice next month while Phil is away and I am getting stoked with all the influences and ideas from this week.
• Well time to go get not enough sleep to go and do it all over again.

 

MOMENTUM CATCHUP

 

• Francis Chan. I have never seen him when he was anything but amazing. 
• It is great to see our 9 OB students again.
• It was even greater to see them huddled up with our group tonight and hear their hearts together.  We touched on the tip of the iceberg how we can take Micah 6:8 home.
• Micah 6:8 is a passage that can really kick your butt when you look at some situations around the world. I am trying to decide what it means for me and HSM to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.
• Aaron Shust is a manly worship leader.  He has a different refreshing quality than most guys these days.
• Having said that I am waaaaay to excited for Steve Fee to be here.  Like Francis he is gifted at putting the emphasis on God and it is exciting to be around.
• I have a man crush on Steve Fee.  I also have one on Albert Pujols.
• I taught a sponge session called lovedatinglustsexmarriage!  today.  I think it went well. I heard positive things. Had around 250 so I was happy with the turnout.
• Dave Nicodemus and I are doing the pre-session openers this year. So far we have done “what would you do for a Monster?”, singing bee, and stupid human tricks. It has been tons of fun to get to interact with the conference. I would say the tricks one tonight was the most fun.
• Sorry Mom, still haven’t put the pics up of Malachi or vacation.
• Fighting a cold of sorts.
• Love my new backpack and having my mac at my fingertips all day.
• Went for a late nite milkshake run last night with some OB leaders.
• I took a nap today. I never take naps. I think the last time I took a nap was like April.
• Spent some quality time with my friend Doug today. Good conversation.
• So many people here who I want to talk and catch up with….so little time.
• Off to bed. Kristin and I are in bunk beds.  It’s like we are back in the I Love Lucy Era

TO JOSH ATKINS

Because Josh Atkins asked for a hip hop update. I thought I would share with the world that I am really digging the song Get Like Me (Stuntin’ is a habit) featuring Chris Brown by David Banner. I will post pics and a momentum update tomorrow after I sleep. 

5 THINGS I LEARNED FROM THE OB TEAM VISIT

Here is that Operation Barnabas update I promised.

 

1.     There is a 40% chance that an OB team visiting your church will have to go to the emergency room.  We hit the lottery with Jacob’s ankle.

2.     McDonalds is still an option

3.     They really do love everything just like their motto says.

4.     White Grace Brethren kids still can’t and never will be able to dance

5.     When students and leaders sacrificially give up their summers to encourage others and share Christ they catch fire and it is great to be around.

THAT GUY WHO ALWAYS PLAYS GUITAR

I think everyone has heard of the site Stuff Christians Like by now. I saw this post on their the other day and I loved it. I pretty much went into guitar playing/worship leading hibernation in college because of guys like the one mentioned in the post. Not that I am so awesome but it is good to be able to play and lead worship once in a while without fear of being “that guy”. 

OPERATION BARNABAS

Tonight we had an Operation Barnabas team arrive at our church.  I have been excited for this team to arrive for a couple of reasons because….

1. I went on OB in high school
2. I met my wife on that team in high school
3. I met 4 guys in my wedding that summer
4. I led OB in 2005
5. HSM and Grace Church have 9 students on OB teams this summer
6. I haven’t worked at a church when an OB team visited.
7. We have some awesome ministry planned including a special needs camp, an inner city FCA camp happening at our church, and of course manual labor.
8. I have some great friends who are leaders on this team. (It was so encouraging to hear of their summer already and see what God is teaching them and doing through them).

 

We are hosting OB orientation next year at our church and I am honored to train, assist, and send off 100 ministry minded high schoolers for the summer.

Stay tuned for an update of how this week goes.

SAYING GOODBYE TO 2002

To make room for being a dad I have had to part with some things.  My turntables got sold and my music gear is now kept in a closet so we could have a nursery.  Below is a picture of me throwing some old clothes out a couple of weeks ago.  In 2002 when I was at the peak of my ghettoness and Eminem and 8 Mile were huge I rocked this velour suit to death.  Before I gave it to goodwill I took one last pic with Malachi in his velour suit that he is quickly outgrowing.  You can take our suits, but as the pic shows we will always be thugs.

Goodbye 2002.

REDHEADED POP-HOP?

I had the chance to bring a little hip-hop to the service at Grace Church last week.  Pastor Rick interviewed me and let me share my testimony in the service and to close, I got to do “content”.  It was fun for me and honestly worshipful even though it was not your fun of the mill thing in Powell, Ohio. I am so blessed to be a church where I am not only invested in and loved but they even let me pretend I am ghetto from time to time:)

You can check out the sermon in full here (July 6^th Got Stress) or download it at this link.

It is also still on my markartripmusic myspace.