Welcome to the Colorado HSLT 2008 blog. The theme for this year is "worldliness." No one wakes up in the morning wanting to think about worldliness or about how it may have crept into our lives. But if we are going to be a disciple of Jesus, then we must ask serious questions like: "What does it mean to follow Christ in this world?" and "How can I be effective in building God's kingdom in this world?"

All of the important information for this year's HSLT will be posted on this blog so be in the "know" by visiting often for all of the latest updates - or better yet, sign-up for email delivery of new posts. And feel free to "join the discussion" by posting your comments to any blog post.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

We Need Your Help!

If each church could do 2 things, it would really help us out:

1) Confirm that you are coming as a church
2) Give a first estimate of how many might be in your group

(if you haven't already weighed in)

Please turn these into Tim Carr by Monday June 2nd.

Week #6 Letter

The HSLT Week 6 letter can be found here.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Memory Verses

All of the memory verses for HSLT 2008 can be found here.

Week #7 Letter

The letter for Week #7 can be found here.

Week 7 Memory Verse

Week of May 19

1 John 2:15-16 (NIV)
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Week 6 Memory Verse

Week of May 26

Romans 12:2 (NIV)
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Giddy Up - Let's Ride

Check out this video from last year's HSLT!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Promotional Resources

If anyone would like to promo HSLT Colorado 2008, you can download the promotional resources found in the HSLT Promo Kit that can be downloaded from here.

Inside this zip file you will find images and a snippet of HTML code that you can use, making adjustments as necessary to fit your environment. For an example of the HSLT promo on Summitview Loveland's web site click here.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

HSLT Guidelines

The HSLT Guidelines document is meant to set appropriate expectations related to HSLT.

HSLT Training Guidelines

The HSLT Training Guidelines document can be used to prepare, brief and train HSLT leadership.

Week 8 Letter

The week 8 HSLT letter can be found here.

Memory Verses

Memory verses for this year will be posted starting next week. One verse will be posted each week. Check back weekly for the weekly verse or subscribe to the blog and receive the verse each week in your email.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Check Out This Video

Check out the video below to get an idea of what to expect at HSLT.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Servant Evangelism



If you look at the schedule for this year's HSLT you will notice that there is a slot on Saturday morning for "Servant Evangelism" and you may be wondering, "What is that?" Servant evangelism is simply showing the love of Christ to others by simply serving them.

Jesus would often ask people, "What do you want me to do for you?" They would often reply with a physical need and Jesus, knowing that every physical need is also a spiritual need, would meet them right where they were at. He would address their physical needs which would also address spiritual needs in their life.

One of the ways that we can follow Jesus is to simply meet people right where they are at - to love and accept them by meeting their physical needs and then let God use that to address their spiritual needs. It's just a lot of fun to bless others!

And the cool thing is, that in the process of letting God use us in that way, we are not only serving others but serving God at the same time - and that is a definite KA-CHING in the spiritual relams!

Matthew 25:37-40
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Week 9 Letter

Nine Weeks and Counting!

The letter for week #9 can be found here.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Worldliness: What Is It?

The term worldliness can be a little hard to get our minds around. So let's start with the following definitions in Webster's Dictionary:

  • World: The earth with its inhabitants and all things upon it. People in general; humanity.
  • Worldling: A person engrosssed in the concerns of this present world.
  • Worldly: Devoted to this world and its Pursuits rather than to spiritual affairs.
  • Earthly: characteristic of or belonging to this earth

For a Christian, a Chirst-follower, a disciple, worldliness is anything in the physical world that is causing war against our spiritual soul. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier to be a 'physical being' with 'spiritual interests' but God has made us as spiritual beings that live in a physical world with all of it's enticements that can appear very attractive.

Paul put it like this when he wrote a young pastor named Titus (Titus 2:11-13):
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

It is only by God's amazing grace that we can live as spiritual beings in this physical place called earth.