The Gospel in a Word

Love. It's the most mentioned word in the whole Bible. It's also the way Jesus shows us and tells us to live. The greatest way. But God's version of love and the world's version don't really measure up. In this issue of The Well you'll discover some truth about love -- what it is and what it isn't. You'll hear it from Sevenglory's drummer Gabe Johannes, from teens struggling with issues of sex and purity, and from the words of Jesus himself. Live richer. Live fuller. Live right with God and others. All you need is love.

News @ SpringHill

The great Adventure Race, climbing in the Rocky Mountains, going deeper with God and others through Rivendell, serving on a missions team in Trinidad or Spain, serving (and playing) on a Team Service Team at Camp 44° or Camp 39°. This could be the greatest summer of your life. Have you registered for it? Get all the details on our website or call 231-734-2616 and we'll send you a SpringHill Summer 2006 registration packet.

If you know SpringHill is the place to be this summer and you want a great way to show and tell your friends, throw a Blast in a Box party! Sign up to host and we'll send you great stuff, like S'more fixings, balloons, streamers, wristbands and more, to help ensure that your party is a blast! (In the box, you'll also find details on how you and your friends can enter to win a free iPod. Don't miss it!)

In February and March at Camp 44°, we have Winter Retreats! Experience life-changing messages, live bands and loads of wild-and-crazy, snowy fun. Get your youth group on board and get out here! Or, how about one of your parents? Participate in a Parent/Child Retreat this spring and get your mom or dad down our zipline. Now, that's something to see!

Up Close and Personal with Sevenglory

Check this out! Many of you know of the band Sevenglory from their numerous appearances at SpringHill. Well, this month we caught up with Gabe Johannes, Sevenglory's drummer and overall cool guy. Here's some of what we chatted about...

The Well: Thanks for sitting down with us, Gabe. We caught you during a busy spell. Want to explain?
Gabe: Actually, yes. The guys and I just moved into a new house in Valparaiso, Indiana, and we're in the middle of painting and doing the usual move-in thing.
The Well: Sounds like fun. A smart time to do it, too, huh?
Gabe: For sure. Winters are usually slower for bands like ours. No private jets and all.
The Well: Maybe someday! But in the meantime I hear there's a particular camp you guys like to frequent.
Gabe: SpringHill has been an awesome opportunity and ministry for us over the years.
The Well: How did Sevenglory discover SpringHill? Was it love at first sight?
Gabe: More or less. Those old-school SpringHillers will remember a band called Fishers Net (now AM Drive) that played SpringHill back in the day. We heard about the camp through them.
The Well: Why keep going back? I mean, aren't there a ton of other things an up-and-coming band like yours has to do?
Gabe: Sure, life is busy, but SpringHill is a highlight for us. There is something almost indescribable about the place. We've made many good friends over the years, so going to SpringHill is like playing at home. We see many of the same campers and staff every time we go. The community is strong and exciting.
The Well: Spending so much time on the road, it's probably a relief to be in places where people know your names and want to spend time with you, huh?
Gabe: Definitely. One of the biggest challenges for us as a band is staying grounded. SpringHill helps us do that. We're involved with the Vineyard church in Valparaiso, which is key for us. Staying in the word and involved with our church helps us focus and grow spiritually as a group. There's a lot out there that can rip apart those important commitments.
The Well: Being involved in the music industry, you probably wrestle with what God wants for you and what the world wants. Would that be a fair assumption?
Gabe: Definitely.
The Well: With that in mind, what ways does the band see God's love at work as opposed to the love the world offers?
Gabe: I suppose the most tangible way to explain it would be this: even if a gig goes incredibly well and we are well received as a band, even if we sell a lot of records or meet famous people, later on we find ourselves thinking, "That's it?" The excitement of being successful as a band eventually fades in view of the fulfillment that is ours in Christ. God's love surpasses the world's: it is deep and constant and unconditional.
The Well: That's awesome. Thanks for talking with us. Good luck with the new album and all things musical. We'll look forward to seeing you again at SpringHill sometime.
Gabe: No problem. It was a real pleasure. Rock on.

The Greatest of These Is Love

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus replied: ??'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ?Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
-Matthew 22:34-40

Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees give us a wonderful glimpse into the will of God concerning love and relationships. Notice that Jesus calls our commitment to love him the number ONE commandment in scripture. Everything else rides on this one command. Yet Jesus doesn't stop there -- he adds a very insightful piece about others. Since God created us to live in community with one another and to share his love with those who don't know him, he also added that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Jesus establishes a priority for us: before we can demonstrate true love for ourselves and for others, we need to be in a right relationship with God. To love him with all our heart, soul and mind. To allow him to influence our everyday lives, like praying before a class or a conversation, journaling to God the desires and confessions on our hearts, and sticking up for the underdog.

Think about this: What is your relationship with God like? What about your relationship with others in your life? Is your love for Jesus spilling out into those relationships? Most of us find that it's the other way around -- our dedication to ourselves and to others (family, friends, etc.) pull us away from that important first commandment: to love God with all that we are. God's intention was for us to thrive in a loving environment -- a community that would love both within and without.

In order to be truly loving people, we must save our number one passions for the God who loved and redeemed us. Look at your relationship with your Creator. What are your relationship priorities?

Websites Well Worth It

www.randomshirts.com: For the t-shirt fanatic, this site is a must! Take your pick from all kinds of random designs and logos such as "This Tee Is Carb Free" and "Chopstix Are For Germans." Reasonable prices, great retro gear.

www.americasupportsyou.mil: Many of us forget about American troops serving our country in different parts of the world. This is a great site with easy ways to help support our military. Send a card or a care package. Check out one of the many ways you could show love and support to American soldiers!

In The Real World

On Love: How Far Is Too Far?

Christian teens are faced with an extraordinary battle -- living lives of purity. Among Christian teens, however, there are still many differences of opinion about physical purity and what purity looks like in guy/girl relationships. In light of this month's theme of love, take a look at this article on sex/physical intimacy from Campus Life: How Far Is Too Far?

Presented are different views held by Christian teens today. Once you've read the article, think about your own views on purity. Then email us and let us know what you think. How far is too far? What should a Christian teen avoid or commit to in a relationship and why?

What You Said

While 55% of you said you need a fresh start a few times a year,  25% say you could use one every day.

Over half of you agree that it's usually hard to leave sin behind.

What is love? 55% say misunderstood; 30% say joyful; 10% say action.

70% agree that "all you need is love."

An overwhelming 95% disagree that attending a Christian college is a must for a Christian student.