"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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)