How deep are your roots?

Your ability to withstand tough times or to flourish is directly related to how deeply you’re rooted, students at Smithville Christian High School were told at this week’s chapel.

Building on this year’s spiritual life theme of “Thrive,” Park quoted Jeremiah 17:7-9 and told students they are like trees.

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Park said a tree’s roots are important in four ways:

1. They anchor the tree.
2. They draw up water.
3. They store strength for the future.
4. They promise new life.

Anchor

A tree’s roots anchor it and give it stability, no matter how strong the winds might blow, Park said, quoting Ephesians 6:13. If you are rooted in your identity in Jesus Christ, “You may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

But God does not force us, he does not pull our roots out of us, he invites us to dig in, Park said. When we are rooted in the Word of God, when we read the Bible, when we worship, when we pray and when we think about him “with purpose and desire, not because we have to, but because we are compelled to, we desire it,” that’s when our roots go deep. Then, when bad things happen, our minds will be able to think about the promises of God because those promises will be an ingrained part of our identity.

Draw

In Scripture, water imagery is powerful, Park said, such as the image of Old Testament priests pouring water over the altar, or Jesus offering living water to the Samaritan woman at the well. Just as a tree’s roots will automatically grow towards water, we should also seek out living water, he said. Jesus said “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Store

A tree with deep roots can survive a drought and so can we survive tough times if we have deep roots, Park said. Spiritual Emphasis Week or an exciting Serve project or a good church service can serve to nourish our faith, but dry times will inevitably come and that’s when we need to have deep roots. “What a blessing it is to have the word of God impacting you every day,” he said, but in addition to experiencing it now, we know that “a day will come that what is getting stored in your roots right now will come back to you when you need it.” When trouble comes, you can pray that God will bring it to mind, “and he will, because he loves you that much.”

New Life

When a neighbour’s landscaping crew cut down a flowering bush on Park’s front lawn by mistake, Park and his wife were devastated, but within a short time, that bush had sent out new shoots and was flourishing again. “At least there is hope for a tree,” Park said, quoting Job 14:7. “If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.”

We all mess up, we say things we shouldn’t say and fail to say or do the things we should do, Park said. It’s like we are chopping off our own branches. But if we are deeply rooted, and especially if we are deeply rooted with each other, like the roots of sequoia trees, we will revive, he said.

How deep are your roots? Are you digging in? Are you going after the water of life?

 * * *

The “Jesus Jammers” student praise team also led in worship with “I Surrender,” “Brokenness Aside,” and “Holding Nothing Back.”

Park said when we thank a praise team with applause we are commending the talent and dedication of the student musicians who are leading us, but we are also thanking God that the words we are singing are true. “We’re not just thanking our praise team, we are thanking God it’s true.”

Christ creates unity in the midst of diversity

This year’s student council theme at Smithville Christian High School is “Unity.”

Based on Ephesians 4:3, the theme encourages each of us to work toward a unity that honours God, said Hailee Boks, a member of student council. That means laying aside our pride and selfishness and honouring each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We need to look beyond what sets us apart from each other and look to who calls us together,” Boks said, challenging each person to think of someone who we find difficult and “try to be nice to that person, be kind to them” this week. “Find what is good about that person and hang on to that.”

A student praise team led in worship with “The Stand,” “This is Amazing Grace,” and “Brother.”

This year’s student council leadership is:

Noah Boks, president

Christine Vermeer, secretary

Gemma Ricker, secretary

Brendan Masselink, vice-all

Hailee Boks, media guru

Owen VanHuizen, athletics liaison

Mark Sharobim, activities liaison

Ephesians 4:3 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace."

This week's chapel also featured team Welcome Week cheers.

Coming soon, more Welcome Week photos on Facebook! Thank you, student council, for organizing such fun activities!

No one wants to grow up to be an addict

Addiction does not discriminate against Christians, students at Smithville Christian High School were told at this week's chapel.

John Kowtecky, a chemical engineer and a manufacturing management consultant, told students his impressive credentials aren't the reason he was qualified to speak to them. Rather, he was at school, he told them, because he is an alcoholic "with a story to tell."

Kowtecky, who, in addition to running a successful company, also works with support agency Family Outreach Ontario, said alcohol addiction is "a terrible horrendous experience to live through" and even if we aren't alcoholics ourselves, most of us have or will have a family member or friend who is.

Kowtecky said he wants to prepare students to be able to talk about addiction with their family members, friends, "or people God has placed in your life."

He described his childhood, growing up in a Bible-believing, church-attending family, his leadership in his church and his success as a student — both in high school and at the University of Waterloo.

"From the outside looking in, you would say I had my act together," he said. "But inside, I was very much a scared and insecure person, and my pride would not let me expose those doubts to anyone."

He experimented with alcohol as a high school student, but didn't drink much. As a university student, he began drinking more because he "liked the escape it gave me from the pressures of performance. It allowed me to relax and forget about the pressure."

Looking back, Kowtecky now knows that's when the desire for alcohol became embedded in his soul.

He got married to the sweetheart he had met in Sunday school, graduated from university, got a good job and embarked on a career that saw promotions and advancement. His children were born, his family was churchgoing and everything seemed to be going well.

But Kowtecky was drinking more and more, consuming hard liquor from a mickey in big gulps to get through the day. He denied that he was doing it, telling "creative stories to hide the truth,"  reassuring himself he could quit at any time. But actually he was caught in a downward spiral of hypocrisy and denial.

"I fooled everyone, and myself," he said. "But I had crossed the invisible line — I was totally dependent on alcohol."

By 2000, when he was 45 years old, he had "hit bottom." He was drinking 26 ounces of hard liquor a day, 40 ounces on the weekend. His marriage was "all but over" and his children despised him.

"I couldn't get drunk and I couldn't get sober."

He had prayed for willpower many times in the past, but this time, his prayer was different.

"I totally surrendered," he said. " I admitted I couldn't manage my life anymore. And with that prayer of submission my journey of recovery began."

The next day, his boss confronted him and told him that if he didn't stop drinking, one of three things was going to happen. He was either going to die young, or worse, he would die old, but be alone and estranged. Or he could choose to join Alcoholics Anonymous and live a normal life.

Kowtecky joined AA and spent three months dealing with the tremors and pain of withdrawal. His family was loving and supportive and "by God's grace I was given another chance."

Then, at Christmas, he thought it would be fine to have another drink, "and within three months I was drinking as much as before."

That spring, his wife and boss confronted him again. His boss said he was going to lose his job and "this time my wife really was going to leave. My kids were disgusted with me and never wanted to see me again."

He entered rehab again and this time, through counselling, he learned that his mistake had been relying on his own strength. If he was going to make it, he had to "give control back to God."

He has been sober since May 27, 2001. "Jesus Christ was my higher power and did something I could never do for myself," he said. "He replaced the desire for alcohol with the desire to know him better." Through Bible study and prayer, Kowtecky says he has been healed.

"Jesus healed my marriage, my wife is now my dearest friend," Kowtecky said."He restored my relationship with my children. I had to accept the fact that I am an alcoholic in nature but not in identity. Today my identity is in Jesus Christ and I thank God every day."

Kowtecky said he doesn't like telling his story, "because it exposes more of myself than I prefer. But I am doing it to give you permission to talk about it," he told students. He said they are almost certainly going to have to make decisions about alcohol use, if they haven't already.

Kowtecky said 83% of Grade 12 students in Ontario admit to drinking, with 49% admitting to binge drinking.

43% of college and university students are binge drinkers, while 81%  of students living in college or university residence are binge drinkers.

Heavy drinkers are two times more likely to die of heart disease, two times more likely to die of cancer, 12 times more likely to die of cirrhosis of the liver, three times more likely to die in a traffic accident and six times more likely to commit suicide, he said.  "A lot of people are affected by alcohol," and the Christian community is no different, he said.

"If something you are doing hurts you or hurts someone you love, there is a good chance you are addicted to it," Kowtecky said. "No one desires to grow up and become an alcoholic. It happens slowly and it happens without you knowing it."

Principal Ted Harris said he hoped students would talk about this topic among themselves.

"Many of you are already confronted with questions about alcohol and drugs," Harris said, urging students to make good decisions and to support each other in making good decisions. He encouraged them to "shine the light of Christ."

Kowtecky said Family Outreach Ontario's website has information about alcohol and drug addiction and a toll-free number to reach out for help or more information for yourself, a family member or friend.  Visit familyoutreachontario.com,  call 1-888-809-0464 or email info@familyoutreachontario.com.

How much does God love you?

Q. How much does God love you?

A. Jesus.

You might be having a bad day, and, when your mother tells you that she loves you, not even that helps, said Smithville Christian High School's spiritual life director, Gord Park.

"Because that's her job," you might retort.

That's true, Park told students at the Thursday chapel of Spiritual Emphasis Week. But there is one friend who loves you because it was his choice: Jesus.

Park quoted Jesus from John 15:15: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends."  

Park told a story of an 11-year-old boy who was undergoing chemotherapy, and whose classmates all shaved their heads to match his.

"They identified with their friend, they chose to be with their friend," Park said. In the same way, Jesus becoming human was God identifying with you, choosing to be with you, he said,

"He didn't have to do it, but he chose to take on my sins and my shame. Why? So we could have atonement, so we could be at one with God."

Jesus atoned for all our shortcomings so we can stand in perfection before God for all eternity, Park said, but it's not just about what happens after we die. It's about who sits enthroned in your life right now.

"We don't become Christians to go to heaven, we become Christians to bring heaven to earth," he said.

The point of Jesus' resurrection is to change your life right now, "so you can live in the resurrection power today, to experience all that joy today. He wants us to know his joy, to live with creativity, whatever you do.

"You were created to live and love this life, to drink deep and seize the day."

But there's more, he said.

"Love Jesus in such a way that you are empowered to love others."

Park read 2 Cor. 13: 4-7.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Park said he doesn't get very high marks for succeeding at that kind of love, "and most of us are not going to get a gold star." But the point is Jesus loves like that, and when we have Jesus in us, we can love like that, he said.

"My goal to is to be committed to Christ in such a way so that I can live out his commandments.

"How great is our God? He chooses you to take it all on the cross and he chooses you to live in love. Receive all the benefits of his marvelous grace and then share."

In friendships, in dating relationships, in family relationships "don't just give your love, give His love."

"How great is our God? He chooses you, he loves you, he identifies with you.

"Believe it.
"Receive it.
"Share it."

A student praise team led in worship with "Not Ashamed," "The Stand," "Holy Spirit" and "Build Your Kingdom Here."

Love sacrificially

Students at Smithville Christian High School were challenged to "love sacrificially" in order to demonstrate God's heart for the poor and vulnerable.

Alumnus Devon VanHoffen (Class of 2012) was this week's chapel speaker, sharing an account of his experiences living and volunteering in Zambia for the past year with Hands at Work in Africa — a Christian non-profit organization that helps local churches care for the neediest people in their communities.

"Inside each one of us, God us calling us to care for the poor," Devon said, sharing some of the 300 passages from Scripture that speak of God's compassion for the poor. "Trust in him and give of yourself, just as he gave to you."

Devon said he was profoundly moved by the suffering of the people he met, many of whom were sick or orphaned by HIV, and who were struggling in the midst of great adversity to care for those around them. He joined other volunteers from local churches to help feed and care for sick people, sometimes able to only "listen to their stories and pray with them," but other times called to do things "that you are not comfortable with."

Devon said he was inspired by his colleague, Reuben, another volunteer, who worked tirelessly feeding and caring for the sick in his community.

"We do this, not because we want to earn salvation, but because we have received salvation," Devon said.

Referring to this year's spiritual emphasis theme, "Going Deeper," Devon urged students to "go deeper" in their relationships with God and with each other.

"Love above all," Devon said. "Love sacrificially, as I have seen people love like this, in ways that both break my heart and give me hope."

Here is a video of images from Devon's work.

Devon first visited Africa in 2012, when he travelled to South Africa as part of a team from Smithville Christian High School. It was on his first visit there that "God grabbed his heart," said spiritual life director Gord Park, who said he had the privilege of being part of Devon's team.

Devon will be returning to Zambia, but is currently raising money to fund his work there. You can support his efforts by attending a praise and worship event October 18 at Rose City Kids in Welland.

To support Devon financially, download a giving form.

To read more about Hands at Work in Africa visit www.handsatwork.org.

To read more about what God has to say about caring for the poor, here are some of the Scripture passages cited by Devon:

• Psalm 68:5
• Leviticus 19:9-10
• Isaiah 1:17
• Ezekiel 16:44
• Job 29:11-16
• Job 31:16-23
• Luke 3:9
• James 1:27
• James 2:14-18
• 1 John 3:16

A student praise team led in worship with Desert Song, Mountaintop and I Will Follow.

Being radical

What does it mean to be a radical Christian?

This year's student council theme at Smithville Christian High School is "Be Radical" and it's based on the theme verse of Hebrews 10:24, said Sophie Bradbury, a member of the student council executive.

Bradbury said it's easy to "fall into the habit of listening to a message, reading a devotional or attending a big youth event and coming out inspired — but not doing much about it."

Instead, we can choose to live radically every day, she said, "by starting with prayer." God opens doors and the hearts of others when we approach them in his name and with his purpose, she said. "Every morning, take a few minutes to ask God to provide opportunities to love someone."

Hebrews 10:24 in the New Living Translation is "Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds," she said. "We are called to put our faith into action by loving others and doing good deeds to glorify God." The good deeds aren't a burden or a way to earn a reward, but rather are a joy.

"It can take only 20 seconds to step out of your comfort zone and show someone the love of Christ through a kind action," she said. "Imagine that you could be a part of how God could change their day, or even their life.

Bradbury said the word radical originated in "of the root."

"To be radical Christians, we need to be rooted in Christ," she said. "Let's not be satisfied with the status quo. We need to go all-in and all-out with God. Let's encourage each other and be active followers of Christ!"

Student council treasurer Joseph Falzone explained how the annual activities budget of roughly $40,000 is earned and allocated, and urged students to take advantage of the banquets, ski trips and other events that take place throughout the year. Roughly 75% of students take part in extra-curricular activities such as athletics, intramurals, choir, yearbook, and more, he said, but 100% of students can get involved in the all-school events.

Members of a student praise team led in worship with "By Faith," "Grace Like Rain," and "Not Ashamed."

It was a dress-down day for Welcome Week, with students dressing in team costumes and playing team challenges during an extended lunch hour, which included free lunch for everyone!

Praise team video is coming soon; check Facebook for Welcome Week photos.