If you gotta start sometime, why not now-ow-ow? Good song.
If I had to choose; Redemption would be my favorite “r” word.
I find certain things amazing, but what really makes me tick is when other people go from 0-60 really fast! Last Monday, I had it on my heart to challenge a leader with ownership and “leader voice activation.” Monday night I had the chance to encourage her to step up to the plate. After ten minutes of generating discussion, she had a plan for Friday! I looked at her and knew that God had birthed something in her eternally, and now he was about to unleash it to us. What a blessing! I walked away confidently that night, knowing that our time Friday was in the hands of a leader that had jurisdiction on that campus, but also a vision, and a voice. That combination cannot be stopped!!! I was so excited, that I almost forgot to inform the other leaders that I had made a descision, without them, to give this girl the ball in her hand. Fortunately we have grace, and when God makes a plan, he gets everyone on board… and so, everyone was on board. As Friday rolled around, we all knew that, we as a team, were gonna hit a homerun, because our teammate had the potential and influence to do so. She did! People were impacted.
Here’s what a lot of people miss out on, but what we were blessed with.
1. Redemption…
This girl came to our rush club months earlier, and walked out never expecting to come back. But she did, and months later was leading the group. That is a turnaround that most people never expect, and fewer people ever see.
2. Jurisdiction…
Many “youth ministers” see them selves as the ministers and the youth as the ministry. This is an incorrect view of Christ’s body. The “youth ministers” are coaches, there to equip the students for ministry! Wait? Students minister? HEAVEN YES!!! We have it all wrong. How dare we, from outside, from “CHURCH”, come to a campus and try to give people a message that WE THINK is worth hearing. Who are we? We are people… the best way is to enable and equip students to do the ministry, not be the ministry. This is how you raise leaders, and effectively target your harvest. Also, you have to reach your harvest with the right harvesters… preferably someone already within the school. Me, as a college student, I do not have jurisdiction at a highschool… but highschool students do! Enable them to be the carriers… because when they carry the message, they have the power and authority to exercise it. This will break walls in your ministry…. and in your thinking! It did to me… embrace it!!!
For the joy set before me,
Pete
I love the song