As many know, I am Director of Jr High Ministries at a local church in Wheaton, Illinois. Like many ministry leads (I know not all), I believe that I have the greatest group of volunteers.
Unlike many youth leaders, I love having adult volunteers on my team, who for the most part are all 10 years older than I am. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to work with a few college age volunteers, as well, because they help bring balance and often students are drawn to them very quickly.
This brings me to say that I have the best volunteer staff that I could ask for. They consist of those who can (and enjoy) teach, play guitar, sing, come up with creative games, artists, generious with time and resources, and are just consistent at showing up. Many of them have also served as elders and teachers in many different ministries. This is a great group who want to love upon jr high students and see them grow in Christ.
For me this has led to some tension in how I approach the ministry. With a team like this I would think to find a ministry of 50 plus students; however, we hoover between 12-20.
I often find myself strategizing about creating structures for the ministry that will sustain a much larger group than we have. It is my desire to see more students. I want to see more students loved upon by this great team and more students being exposed to God's Word. I believe that God's Word is powerful and accomplishes what it desires. Therefore, bring on the students. The group remains.
So what is God trying to teach me? I believe that He is trying to teach me to simply love the students that He has given me. To be faithful to that body of students. 1 Corinthians 4:2 states, "that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
Yes, I can plan for the possibilities of more ministry and I am convinced that I should. But this should not be what I focus on. My trust is those students that have been given and I must prove faithful to them first. I know that my team would love to see more students, as well, but I must first prove faithfull to love those who we see on Sundays and Wednesdays.
It is my prayer and longing to prove faithful in the ministry that I have been given.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Invitation of a lifetime
It has been a LONG, VERY LONG, time since I have written anything. In fact it would be accurate to say that I have not truly become a blogger at this point. Not that I feel the need to be categorized as a blogger but I do believe in the importance/benefit of jotting down thoughts. Since I am not a big fan of doing so in a paper journal, this seems to be a medium that should work for me.
Maybe I should think of it as taking "baby steps." I can be like Bob, in one of my favorite teenage movies What about Bob, and baby step out of the room, then down the hallway, next into the elevator, and finally baby step out of the building. So, I will try to write shorter more regular posts.
Last night at youth group I touched briefly on 1 John 1:1-4 and ended up meditating on it this morning. This is an incredible passage of Scripture. As you read the passage you can almost hear John's enthusiasm. Listen to it:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us- that whcih we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so the our joy may be complete.
Now read it again, this time a little more slowly. Can you hear the excitment in his words? His thoughts may seem a little circular to us, may it be excitment and passion.
It is hard for us to think about, in person, hearing, and seeing with our eyes, and touching with our hands the person of Jesus Christ. Touching the eternal God, the creator of all things, to whom all things hold together.
Then we hear John say that he writes so that we may have fellowship with him, and that his fellowship is with the Father and our Lord Jesus. This is an invitation of a lifetime. Is this not an invitation worth accepting? Is this not an invitation worth sharing with other? It is my prayer that I may live my life, every day, in away that brings glory to my Lord Jesus.
Maybe I should think of it as taking "baby steps." I can be like Bob, in one of my favorite teenage movies What about Bob, and baby step out of the room, then down the hallway, next into the elevator, and finally baby step out of the building. So, I will try to write shorter more regular posts.
Last night at youth group I touched briefly on 1 John 1:1-4 and ended up meditating on it this morning. This is an incredible passage of Scripture. As you read the passage you can almost hear John's enthusiasm. Listen to it:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us- that whcih we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so the our joy may be complete.
Now read it again, this time a little more slowly. Can you hear the excitment in his words? His thoughts may seem a little circular to us, may it be excitment and passion.
It is hard for us to think about, in person, hearing, and seeing with our eyes, and touching with our hands the person of Jesus Christ. Touching the eternal God, the creator of all things, to whom all things hold together.
Then we hear John say that he writes so that we may have fellowship with him, and that his fellowship is with the Father and our Lord Jesus. This is an invitation of a lifetime. Is this not an invitation worth accepting? Is this not an invitation worth sharing with other? It is my prayer that I may live my life, every day, in away that brings glory to my Lord Jesus.
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