You may have noticed that I am extremely laid back lately. Well, I started feeling guilty about it until I looked back at some old journal entries and realized that is normal for me in December. This is generally a pretty low impact time for me. One thing I have learned to accept is that it is OK! It is healthy to know your rhythms and know when there are typical down times for you and to actually enjoy them. Lord knows January is going to be crazy with new programs being implemented and new focuses to give energy to. Then, I have spring break mission trips and Breakaway will be here before you know it. So, right now I am enjoying my down time. I try to help out in the creative dept or read a bit more or just have a few more conversations.
When is your down time? Do you take advanage of it?
BTW on a side note…all down time is not voluntary, many of my friends have lost jobs recently and some of them have miraculously gotten new jobs right away. You may or may not know Bobby Webster. He lost his job about a month ago and has recently started a freight company. If you know someone in the shipping/traffic line of work that could help him get this off the ground email him at webster2r@yahoo.com. Otherwise keep him and others who are without work right now in your prayers.
Psalm 20:4-5 “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.”
One problem that I have whenever I attend a youth ministry conference is Youth Ministry Guilt. This is a condition that comes about when people who are smarter than you question what you are doing and how you are doing it. Or they point out the NEW way of doing ministry which is really the OLD way of doing ministry. All I know is that I often feel like MY way of doing ministry is wrong.
The prevailing thought from many of the speakers is that numbers is getting to much attention and discipleship is getting the shaft. On that note I totally agree. However, I am not ready to throw the pizza out with the light machine just yet. After months of praying and weeks of fasting I believe that God gave me the vision called “HALF”. This vision was not to bring attention to our numbers rather more to spread our tent of influence throughout our community. I want God to be Glorified throughout Moncks Corner.
We are year 2 into our 5 year campaign and all goals have been met. That leads me to the purpose of this blog. The cure for youth ministry guilt is to point out that this is not about me, my numbers or my plan. this is about giving Glory to God. So, if you will allow me to share with you some victories.
Every year for the last 3 years we have doubled. 2006 = 50, 2007 = 100, 2008 = 250
We had a young lady at Breakaway thought she was pregnant and considering suicide and now is on fire for God and meeting regularly with one of our leaders.
I meet with 2 young men every week that very well may be future pastors, they are hungry for God and his Word.
We have a presence on 2 of the campuses every week. ACTS at St Johns and Teen Extreme at Berkeley Middle
Students are engaging in worship more and more every week.
Our student ministry was able to provide hope and comfort to 4 tragedy stricken families
We have students serving in the tech team, worship team, children s ministry, nursery and service teams.
We took up over $150 for a family whose home burned down
We took up over 150 care kits for the homeless
We collected over 10 bags of groceries for Salvation Army
We take up a monthly offering to support an internet radio station ministry called radiofree.cc
We have baptized over 50 students this year
All of these are Victories that belong to Jesus. We lift up the banners in the name of Jesus. We have a long way to go but I believe that we are on the right track. Thank you God for allowing me to be a part of your work.
Saw this on Josh Griffins Blog…yeah, I haven’t even begun to be creative. This is amazing…great song, great use of visual arts, great way to connect to the Creator God.
Now that Obama is elected there is plenty for James Dobson and others to scream about. However, coming off of a great weekend at National Youth Workers I have come to one realization. Jesus matters. More than our programs, more than our understandings of politics, more than our attitudes, visions or plans…JESUS MATTERS. That is what I want to be known for. Not a republican, not a southerner, not even a Christian…as much as a lover of Jesus. Michelle shared in staff devotions this morning a sobering scripture that is timely. Romans 13:1-7 look it up.
This past week I heard some of the greatest communicators in Church and Youth Ministry and all of them had a theme. Don’t hold on to your programs, numbers, or suppositions to what is important but lead people to Jesus. Lead people to do ministry, to share the Good News, to love one another. I know that I personally have to concentrate less on the programs and numbers of Alive Youth Ministry and focus more on bringing Life to the teenagers I interact with.
These are great times…people need Jesus and we have him! People need love and we have it! People need hope and we can offer it! People need life and we know the giver of life! What an incredible time we live in and what an incredible task we have before us. Walk in freedom knowing that God is in control! Leave the panic to the talkshow hosts…”Some trust in horses, some trust in chariots but WE trust in the name of the Lord our God” - Psalm 20:7
Okay, well according to the pundits tomorrow will be a route. That does not mean you should not go out and vote. I will be there in line exersising my right and privildege as a citizen. However, if Obama does win…everyone needs to take a breath and remember we do not serve a republican or a democrat we serve the King of kings and Lord of lords. I also believe that if Obama should win we need to relax and assume that
1) there will NOT be abortion clinics in every McDonalds
2) Marriage and 1 Corinthians 13 will not be voided out of conscienceness
3) The seals of the apocalypse will not be opened…
you know how I know that…I was working in a Christian bookstore when Clinton was elected and Christians were up in arms then too…there was even a book that called Clinton the anti-Christ…(giving him way too much credit). Yet God was still God and managed to do his work from the throne.
So, just in case we do have Obama as president everyone just chillax.
I am not a big Worship guy…I know that is heresy but music has never really been my thing. I get bored in concerts and after the third verse of a song I am done. Besides I still don’t get why we have to stand to sing anyway?
That aside…you may have noticed that my blogs have been pretty thin on the spiritual side. To confess, I am tapped. So, this morning rather than do my usual reading, I did something different…I put in a song that just gooses me. Come to my rescue, by United. I am at a place where I need God to rescue me, my ministry, my home.
I am going to Pittsburgh this Thursday with my wife, Nancy and Bobby to the National Youth Workers Conference. I love this conference. It is 4 days with thousands of youth pastors, praying, worshiping, talking and learning and resting. I can’t wait.
God is really giving tons of vision for Alive Youth Ministry 2009, But I am going to get what I need most of all. Him.
