"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," Jesus said to Paul three times in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
"'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty," Zechariah recorded message for Zerubbabel states in Zechariah 4:6.
It's not because of brilliant leadership, or fine-tuned systems and strategies, or engaging activities and messages. Those can be helpful, but it's because of God's Spirit meeting with us; it's because of a personal encounter with the risen Jesus; it's because of God being made real. That's when people come alive in their spiritual walk with God.
That's what's been happening in the youth group at Chauvin Gospel Centre in the past month. The youth have been growing in leaps and bounds in spiritual interest and initiation. They have opened up in conversation with each other about God. They have prayed with and for each other of their own accord. They have tried to convert Siri to Christianity. This is definitely not something that I, in my weakness in some areas of youth ministry, have been able to manufacture. The community between them has taken a leap forward in the building stages because they've been drawing closer to God and their conversation can stem from that.
I took a group of Sr. High youth down to Briercrest College and Seminary over the Valentine's Day weekend for YouthQuake (YQ). God began to do some amazing things in them at that retreat, opening them up to His love, giving them vision in purpose to work for Him and beginning conversations on all different spiritual topics. As a leader, I was ecstatic coming back from that weekend having seen them coming alive, meeting with Jesus and having been used by God to speak into their lives.
A week later, we held our first February Fiesta, a fundraiser for the youth retreats. I made sure that the youth took key leadership roles in this event so as to take ownership and so the church and community could see and hear from them. The church was packed as the youth were the MCs, lead activities and spoke about what God has been teaching them and especially how He met with them at YQ. I was bursting with pride for them, feeling some of the love that God has for them. The youth took part in the dessert auction (led by a real auctioneer - urban Ontarians: it's intense!) and I heard and passed on much encouragement from the church about the youth and how God is evident in them.
The teens in CGC's youth group tell me how much they enjoy playing Bible roulette (seeing what God has for them as they randomly open the Bible and read the first passage they come across). They're hearing from God. They're encouraging and challenging one another. They're asking how to be God's light in their schools. It warms my heart to see God at work in their lives and their embrace of Him!
It's not because of anything I've done that this month has seen such growth. Leaders only create opportunities to meet with God. It's their willingness to step into those moments with an open heart. It's the Holy Spirit speaking to them and through them.
It's all because of God. To Him be the glory forever and ever!
Friday, 4 March 2016
Thursday, 11 February 2016
Being the Light in the Darkness
Before I went back to Ontario for Christmas holidays, my senior pastor and I laid out our vision for 2016. We had both thought about and prayed through where we felt God was leading our church and then shared our ideas. At the top of both of our lists was evangelism, sharing God, living out our faith missionally.
Since the beginning of January, we've been intent on focusing on just that. We both spoke on it from the stage, we've started a four week seminar called LID (Light in Darkness) that gives and practices tools for being God's ambassadors everyday, we've talked about it at prayer meetings and Bible studies and we've had people share testimonies about how God is using them in their families, work places and neighbourhoods.
One lady in our church shared last Sunday about how she has recently formed an unlikely friendship with a coworker. When asked what she was doing on Tuesday night, she gulped, stepped over her fear and said that she was going to Bible study. There was no sudden break in the friendship, as possibly feared, but simply interest. A seed is planted.
Another lady felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit and invited her nominally atheist neighbour to Bible study. She would invite any one of her other friends to attend, so why not ask this one, too? Her neighbour didn't automatically shut down the invitation, but asked at what time the study is held. A glimmer of hope.
While in the Dollar Store this past week, another of CGC's ladies got an important phone call from her son. She ended the conversation by saying, "I'll be praying for you." Her younger daughter, one of the kids in my Kzamm Sunday school, was in the store with her and heard this. When they reached home, she confronted her mom and reminded her that we're not supposed to say, "I'll pray for you," but that we should pray with them right then! A generation rising up in faith.
One of my Kzamm kids put in a prayer request that they would be able to invite more of their classmates out to Sunday school. A step in boldness.
Don't try to throw out the darkness; light a candle. Focus on sharing about Jesus, rather than the darkness, sadness, pain that abounds in this world. Show people that He knows your name! He knows their name! How can you reach your world with the Kingdom of God today?
Since the beginning of January, we've been intent on focusing on just that. We both spoke on it from the stage, we've started a four week seminar called LID (Light in Darkness) that gives and practices tools for being God's ambassadors everyday, we've talked about it at prayer meetings and Bible studies and we've had people share testimonies about how God is using them in their families, work places and neighbourhoods.
One lady in our church shared last Sunday about how she has recently formed an unlikely friendship with a coworker. When asked what she was doing on Tuesday night, she gulped, stepped over her fear and said that she was going to Bible study. There was no sudden break in the friendship, as possibly feared, but simply interest. A seed is planted.
Another lady felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit and invited her nominally atheist neighbour to Bible study. She would invite any one of her other friends to attend, so why not ask this one, too? Her neighbour didn't automatically shut down the invitation, but asked at what time the study is held. A glimmer of hope.
While in the Dollar Store this past week, another of CGC's ladies got an important phone call from her son. She ended the conversation by saying, "I'll be praying for you." Her younger daughter, one of the kids in my Kzamm Sunday school, was in the store with her and heard this. When they reached home, she confronted her mom and reminded her that we're not supposed to say, "I'll pray for you," but that we should pray with them right then! A generation rising up in faith.
One of my Kzamm kids put in a prayer request that they would be able to invite more of their classmates out to Sunday school. A step in boldness.
Don't try to throw out the darkness; light a candle. Focus on sharing about Jesus, rather than the darkness, sadness, pain that abounds in this world. Show people that He knows your name! He knows their name! How can you reach your world with the Kingdom of God today?
Thursday, 24 December 2015
Taking Time
Merry Christmas all!
It's a busy season. Many people have been telling me lately how they still need to go out and get those last minute gifts, how many family Christmases they are scheduled to attend and how busy the parking lots have been at the mall. So much for peace on earth. (Good thing Jesus brought a very different kind of peace that undergirds all visible chaos!) My busy season with programs and events has actually come to an end. As the leader for various church events, November was full of planning, prepping, packing, practicing and praying. It's not a complaint, it's a fact: I hardly had an evening to rest at the apartment.
As I finished up what I needed to do at the church one evening in late November, with time ticking down on a trip to Calgary with the youth, the community Christmas banquet looming ahead and the KZAMM Christmas musical needing attention, I drove home down the pin-straight roads to a cozy evening alone. Maybe I'd read a book; maybe I'd watch a movie; maybe I'd get a long night's sleep!
In the dark, my phone buzzed in the cup holder beside me. Very illegally, I picked it up and read the text. It was a young woman (we'll call her Jackie,) from Manitoba who had recently moved out to Alberta and had hit a very rough patch. She had come into the church just a couple weeks before looking for work. We'd helped her out a bit, gave her some janitorial work as our regular janitors were on vacation, and prayed with her. Her text this tired evening was a request to spend the night on my couch.
There are usually two typical responses to a request such as this: 1) No way; who knows what kind of person that is and how long they'll want to stay and what problems they may cause, etc. etc.; 2) Of course; that's what any Christian should do, help out someone in need; it's biblical, etc. etc. Asking Jesus which response I should give, He placed it very strongly upon my heart to take her in for the night. There went the opportunity of curling up in pillows and blankets with my journal, but here came the opportunity to have some meaningful conversations and point her again towards Jesus.
Jackie came, we ate some pizza and she proceeded to tell me her life's story. Let's just say that God is gracious and faithful and she's learning to lean on Him. He's definitely been there the whole time. She talked and talked and I listened and asked questions. I grew tired; still she talked and still I listened. It didn't matter how busy I had been. It didn't matter how busy I would be tomorrow and how much I desperately needed sleep. It didn't matter the programs that I was putting on. This was front line ministry - a time when God was listening to dear Jackie and responding to her through me. He gave me an opportunity to speak truth and hope into her life as we talked about God.
Jackie talked for three hours. I was exhausted by the time I sunk into bed, but my soul was smiling deeply. In all the busyness of the season, I had allowed Jesus to use me for something that was probably much more important and impactful than any of the events that were going on.
Take time, not just this Christmas season, but all year round when life is so busy that all you want to do is lie down and rest. Pay attention to those requests from people who may seem to take away from your planned schedule, but who are really the schedule that God has laid out for you. You'd be surprised at how many people we can impact with God's love when we just take the time to ask Him what His will is for our today.
It's a busy season. Many people have been telling me lately how they still need to go out and get those last minute gifts, how many family Christmases they are scheduled to attend and how busy the parking lots have been at the mall. So much for peace on earth. (Good thing Jesus brought a very different kind of peace that undergirds all visible chaos!) My busy season with programs and events has actually come to an end. As the leader for various church events, November was full of planning, prepping, packing, practicing and praying. It's not a complaint, it's a fact: I hardly had an evening to rest at the apartment.
As I finished up what I needed to do at the church one evening in late November, with time ticking down on a trip to Calgary with the youth, the community Christmas banquet looming ahead and the KZAMM Christmas musical needing attention, I drove home down the pin-straight roads to a cozy evening alone. Maybe I'd read a book; maybe I'd watch a movie; maybe I'd get a long night's sleep!
In the dark, my phone buzzed in the cup holder beside me. Very illegally, I picked it up and read the text. It was a young woman (we'll call her Jackie,) from Manitoba who had recently moved out to Alberta and had hit a very rough patch. She had come into the church just a couple weeks before looking for work. We'd helped her out a bit, gave her some janitorial work as our regular janitors were on vacation, and prayed with her. Her text this tired evening was a request to spend the night on my couch.
There are usually two typical responses to a request such as this: 1) No way; who knows what kind of person that is and how long they'll want to stay and what problems they may cause, etc. etc.; 2) Of course; that's what any Christian should do, help out someone in need; it's biblical, etc. etc. Asking Jesus which response I should give, He placed it very strongly upon my heart to take her in for the night. There went the opportunity of curling up in pillows and blankets with my journal, but here came the opportunity to have some meaningful conversations and point her again towards Jesus.
Jackie came, we ate some pizza and she proceeded to tell me her life's story. Let's just say that God is gracious and faithful and she's learning to lean on Him. He's definitely been there the whole time. She talked and talked and I listened and asked questions. I grew tired; still she talked and still I listened. It didn't matter how busy I had been. It didn't matter how busy I would be tomorrow and how much I desperately needed sleep. It didn't matter the programs that I was putting on. This was front line ministry - a time when God was listening to dear Jackie and responding to her through me. He gave me an opportunity to speak truth and hope into her life as we talked about God.
Jackie talked for three hours. I was exhausted by the time I sunk into bed, but my soul was smiling deeply. In all the busyness of the season, I had allowed Jesus to use me for something that was probably much more important and impactful than any of the events that were going on.
Take time, not just this Christmas season, but all year round when life is so busy that all you want to do is lie down and rest. Pay attention to those requests from people who may seem to take away from your planned schedule, but who are really the schedule that God has laid out for you. You'd be surprised at how many people we can impact with God's love when we just take the time to ask Him what His will is for our today.
Saturday, 21 November 2015
Go After the One
What's our purpose? What has God called each of us to do with the life that He's given to us? It's interesting that this topic has come up in a variety of places of late, including with my youth. We've been talking about identity lately and what our identity in Christ looks like. Purpose has arisen from this series. What does God want us to do?
In first year university, we all thought we'd know the exact direction of our life's goal by the time we graduated, and perhaps, for a moment, we did know, as a job fell into our lap and our horizons broadened from school life to work life - real adult life. It's luster was soon gone as challenges called to question our vocation and the path we'd taken. Was I really meant to do this? Was this my life's career purpose? (Because, let's be real, our purpose is not wrapped up entirely in what brings in a paycheck.)
This was why I wanted the lightning bolt moment from God in making the decision to come out to Chauvin Gospel Centre. I wanted that unmistakable, punch-you-in-the-face-with-the-answer moment to look back on when I began to question why I was out here in this vast prairie. God saw, in His goodness, not to give me that undeniable moment, but saw fit to have me piece it together. Sure enough, those voices of doubt quickly began to rear their false heads.
This past week, I sat in the Black Pearl (my appropriately named car), wiping away tears and stifling the accompanying sounds of crying. God, WHAT ON EARTH is my purpose out here? I know it's only been a couple months, but no one has come to accept Your gift of salvation through my work and no one has started to come to church to even seek You out because of my work. It's all well and fine to receive encouragement from my brothers and sisters in Christ who already know You, but I want to see this region changed because they love You! I want to see people falling in love with You for the first time and to see those who already know You go out and work with You to bring people into Your Kingdom.
I asked God for one thing: That at least one person would come to know and love and follow Jesus because of God working through me here.
It's not any talent or "specialness" of mine that causes that, but following God in my ministry. It's not about what you can do, but about listening to and obeying what God wants you to do. God, may we seek out the one; the one person whose name You have called and who is on their way to You; the one who You love and for whom all of our work of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ is worth it.
Luke 15:1-7
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
In first year university, we all thought we'd know the exact direction of our life's goal by the time we graduated, and perhaps, for a moment, we did know, as a job fell into our lap and our horizons broadened from school life to work life - real adult life. It's luster was soon gone as challenges called to question our vocation and the path we'd taken. Was I really meant to do this? Was this my life's career purpose? (Because, let's be real, our purpose is not wrapped up entirely in what brings in a paycheck.)
This was why I wanted the lightning bolt moment from God in making the decision to come out to Chauvin Gospel Centre. I wanted that unmistakable, punch-you-in-the-face-with-the-answer moment to look back on when I began to question why I was out here in this vast prairie. God saw, in His goodness, not to give me that undeniable moment, but saw fit to have me piece it together. Sure enough, those voices of doubt quickly began to rear their false heads.
This past week, I sat in the Black Pearl (my appropriately named car), wiping away tears and stifling the accompanying sounds of crying. God, WHAT ON EARTH is my purpose out here? I know it's only been a couple months, but no one has come to accept Your gift of salvation through my work and no one has started to come to church to even seek You out because of my work. It's all well and fine to receive encouragement from my brothers and sisters in Christ who already know You, but I want to see this region changed because they love You! I want to see people falling in love with You for the first time and to see those who already know You go out and work with You to bring people into Your Kingdom.
I asked God for one thing: That at least one person would come to know and love and follow Jesus because of God working through me here.
It's not any talent or "specialness" of mine that causes that, but following God in my ministry. It's not about what you can do, but about listening to and obeying what God wants you to do. God, may we seek out the one; the one person whose name You have called and who is on their way to You; the one who You love and for whom all of our work of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ is worth it.
Luke 15:1-7
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Monday, 26 October 2015
God at Work
A few dear friends came to see me in my moving-box-filled apartment before I left Hamilton to move to Alberta. One of them brought me a little notebook, for it's a well known fact that I enjoy writing. If you were to open this little notebook, you would see the words, "God at Work" at the top of the first page, followed by a handful of pages full of words.
These pages and this book is dedicated to recording the works of God - how I see Him move and speak and breathe through me to bless others and how He uses others to bless me. After I began to do this, Pastor Fred mentioned in a staff meeting the importance of writing down the things that God does. It's telling the story of God's power and presence to remind us in those dry, desert places that God is still alive and active and working powerfully across this world.
A couple weeks ago, I went up to Edmonton with one of my KZAMM leaders for Upswing - a conference dedicated to children's workers in ministry. We were encouraged and poured into by the speakers, being reminded of the vitality of rest. "Be bold and stand up if you need some extra encouragement and strength from God," we were told in the Saturday morning keynote session, "And those around you will lay hands on you and pray." I sat and prayed, as did my lovely companion.
I've heard from God often enough to recognize the quick, sure way that He speaks to my spirit and He told me to lay my hand on my companion's shoulder to pray for her. Sounds simple enough. Sounds riskless enough. And yet I tarried. Why? Who knows. God reminded me a few times before I finally turned and laid my hand on her shoulder.
As the session wrapped up and we moved off to the morning's workshops, my leader wiped away a few tears and told me that she'd prayed that, even though she wasn't standing, God would send someone to lay a hand on her and pray for her. I just smiled. God knows.
Do you deny the power of God? Keep a notebook about even the little ways of how God is at work and you won't be able to debate with the experiences of seeing Him ebb, flow and flood through your life.
These pages and this book is dedicated to recording the works of God - how I see Him move and speak and breathe through me to bless others and how He uses others to bless me. After I began to do this, Pastor Fred mentioned in a staff meeting the importance of writing down the things that God does. It's telling the story of God's power and presence to remind us in those dry, desert places that God is still alive and active and working powerfully across this world.
A couple weeks ago, I went up to Edmonton with one of my KZAMM leaders for Upswing - a conference dedicated to children's workers in ministry. We were encouraged and poured into by the speakers, being reminded of the vitality of rest. "Be bold and stand up if you need some extra encouragement and strength from God," we were told in the Saturday morning keynote session, "And those around you will lay hands on you and pray." I sat and prayed, as did my lovely companion.
I've heard from God often enough to recognize the quick, sure way that He speaks to my spirit and He told me to lay my hand on my companion's shoulder to pray for her. Sounds simple enough. Sounds riskless enough. And yet I tarried. Why? Who knows. God reminded me a few times before I finally turned and laid my hand on her shoulder.
As the session wrapped up and we moved off to the morning's workshops, my leader wiped away a few tears and told me that she'd prayed that, even though she wasn't standing, God would send someone to lay a hand on her and pray for her. I just smiled. God knows.
Do you deny the power of God? Keep a notebook about even the little ways of how God is at work and you won't be able to debate with the experiences of seeing Him ebb, flow and flood through your life.
Saturday, 26 September 2015
Practice What You Preach
There's a story called "Along the Path" by an unknown author that describes two pots designed to carry water. One pot is perfect and holds all the water that it's supposed to carry. The other pot is cracked and leaks out half of its water on the way back from the stream. The water bearer realizes this failure and plants flower seeds along the cracked pot's side of the path. Each day, the cracked pot waters the seeds until beautiful flowers grow.
I shared this story with the youth this week and told them about my own failures - specifically related to being social and the small talk of getting to know people. Blame my introversion, or lack of social graces, or whatever, but I find it most challenging when I'm supposed to be in random conversation...especially with 12-17 year olds...especially since I'm an alien from another planet being from urban Ontario. Youth is not my area of expertise. Why I have been placed in the position of leader for CGC's youth is something only God understands. Sure, I have a heart for them to love Jesus and have a dedicated, life-transformative relationship with Him and sure, I can teach and I love leading devotions and such, but I'm not a social person.
I shared with the youth my life verse, 2 Corinthians 9:12, where God says to a struggling Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you; my power is made perfect in weakness." I told the youth straight up about my failure, where I feel I don't measure up to what is expected of me, where I don't carry the amount of water that I'm designed to carry. They then broke into partners to talk about their own perceived failures and what they thought about the story and the verse - even if they didn't really believe it.
It's funny - God gave me some good conversations with a few of the youth through this, which made my day. It's funny - God sometimes touches us and reminds us of exactly what we need to remember as we teach others a lesson. It's funny - God always works through our weaknesses and who knows the flowers that are able to grow because of it.
I shared this story with the youth this week and told them about my own failures - specifically related to being social and the small talk of getting to know people. Blame my introversion, or lack of social graces, or whatever, but I find it most challenging when I'm supposed to be in random conversation...especially with 12-17 year olds...especially since I'm an alien from another planet being from urban Ontario. Youth is not my area of expertise. Why I have been placed in the position of leader for CGC's youth is something only God understands. Sure, I have a heart for them to love Jesus and have a dedicated, life-transformative relationship with Him and sure, I can teach and I love leading devotions and such, but I'm not a social person.
I shared with the youth my life verse, 2 Corinthians 9:12, where God says to a struggling Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you; my power is made perfect in weakness." I told the youth straight up about my failure, where I feel I don't measure up to what is expected of me, where I don't carry the amount of water that I'm designed to carry. They then broke into partners to talk about their own perceived failures and what they thought about the story and the verse - even if they didn't really believe it.
It's funny - God gave me some good conversations with a few of the youth through this, which made my day. It's funny - God sometimes touches us and reminds us of exactly what we need to remember as we teach others a lesson. It's funny - God always works through our weaknesses and who knows the flowers that are able to grow because of it.
Saturday, 19 September 2015
No Less a Part of the Kingdom
My education says that I'm a teacher. That $100 000, 5-years-in-the-making piece of paper that says my name under "Bachelor of Education" declares that I have spent quality hours around children - teaching them, being relational with them and guiding their curiosity and energy. We have arrived upon the completion of one full week of work as Associate here at CGC and most of what I've been thinking about, planning for and working with are kids.
KZAMM, our children's ministry, stands for "Krazy About Meeting the Master"...I didn't make it up... That's exactly what I want the kids and the youth here to be - committed to a relationship with Christ, meeting Him and seeking after Him and listening to Him. I'm trying not to reinvent the wheel here in KZAMM, since some really good things have been set down already, but we finished our Super Church Sunday School this past Sunday splitting into three groups to pray. Each child was given a turn to share requests/praise and then given the opportunity to pray out loud. Children's prayers, as innocent and simple as they can be, are incredibly powerful!
CHILDREN ARE NO LESS A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BECAUSE THEY ARE CHILDREN. They are no less equipped for spiritual battle, no less able to hear God's voice, no less in tune with the Holy Spirit as adults. This is the vision that I have for both children's and youth ministry.
Which is exactly what I said to the youth on Friday night. We'd all gathered to have a bonfire, eat some homemade goodies, play some games and have some lighthearted conversation to kick start the year of youth. For me, this was the first time meeting most of the jr. highs/teens. (It's combined at CGC.) If you know me and know much about my previous ministry, I may be a teacher, but my education and comfort level only goes up to grade 6. These lovely people are older than grade 6. I thought I wouldn't have much to offer to these teens, simply because I know myself and my lack of expertise in this area. However, I do know one thing: TEENS ARE NO LESS A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BECAUSE THEY ARE TEENS. As part of my little introductory "Hey! This is me; I'm your new leader. I'm messed up, so don't expect perfection," shpeal, I told them that their relationship with God - a two-way communicative relationship - is most important. You can't just talk to God and not listen to Him as He listens to you. That's a dysfunctional relationship.
We left time at the end for questions. A young girl, no older than grade 8, asks, "How do you know that it's God when you listen?" I just smiled as I gazed into the dwindling embers. I got to talk about how the sheep know the voice of the shepherd, how God speaks to each of us differently, just as we'd speak differently to our parents vs. our friends, how God speaks through the Bible, through thoughts and visions and other people and prayer. Teens can hear from God just as well as any adult can. Some of the time I've heard from God the clearest was when I was a teenager. These youth need to know that and walk in that.
They are no less a part of the Kingdom.
KZAMM, our children's ministry, stands for "Krazy About Meeting the Master"...I didn't make it up... That's exactly what I want the kids and the youth here to be - committed to a relationship with Christ, meeting Him and seeking after Him and listening to Him. I'm trying not to reinvent the wheel here in KZAMM, since some really good things have been set down already, but we finished our Super Church Sunday School this past Sunday splitting into three groups to pray. Each child was given a turn to share requests/praise and then given the opportunity to pray out loud. Children's prayers, as innocent and simple as they can be, are incredibly powerful!
CHILDREN ARE NO LESS A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BECAUSE THEY ARE CHILDREN. They are no less equipped for spiritual battle, no less able to hear God's voice, no less in tune with the Holy Spirit as adults. This is the vision that I have for both children's and youth ministry.
Which is exactly what I said to the youth on Friday night. We'd all gathered to have a bonfire, eat some homemade goodies, play some games and have some lighthearted conversation to kick start the year of youth. For me, this was the first time meeting most of the jr. highs/teens. (It's combined at CGC.) If you know me and know much about my previous ministry, I may be a teacher, but my education and comfort level only goes up to grade 6. These lovely people are older than grade 6. I thought I wouldn't have much to offer to these teens, simply because I know myself and my lack of expertise in this area. However, I do know one thing: TEENS ARE NO LESS A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BECAUSE THEY ARE TEENS. As part of my little introductory "Hey! This is me; I'm your new leader. I'm messed up, so don't expect perfection," shpeal, I told them that their relationship with God - a two-way communicative relationship - is most important. You can't just talk to God and not listen to Him as He listens to you. That's a dysfunctional relationship.
We left time at the end for questions. A young girl, no older than grade 8, asks, "How do you know that it's God when you listen?" I just smiled as I gazed into the dwindling embers. I got to talk about how the sheep know the voice of the shepherd, how God speaks to each of us differently, just as we'd speak differently to our parents vs. our friends, how God speaks through the Bible, through thoughts and visions and other people and prayer. Teens can hear from God just as well as any adult can. Some of the time I've heard from God the clearest was when I was a teenager. These youth need to know that and walk in that.
They are no less a part of the Kingdom.
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