Getting Out of the Boat

Recently, I was teaching a lesson on courage and posed the following question to my students, "What would you do for the Lord if you knew your attempt couldn't fail?"  After listening to their answers, I blurted out my own... "I'd plant a church!"  I didn't really give it much thought at the time.  I  simply continued with the lesson, and challenged students to live with reckless abandon in following Christ no matter the command and no matter the cost.

Later, as I thought about my answer, the Holy Spirit brought another question to mind, "Do you really believe what you're teaching your students?"  Of course I do!  Why would I be teaching it if I didn't?  The Holy Spirit asked again, "No, do you REALLY believe what you're teaching your students?"  Now, things were beginning to make sense...

For a while, we, like many of you, had been frustrated with the country club mentality that cripples so many North American churches today.  We thought God was using us to build a healthy church by teaching students a better way.  After all, some of the students we've ministered to over the years had become missionaries and pastors, and over time, churches all over the world were going to look different because of these students' influence!  For years, that had been good enough, but it seemed that things were changing.

I never thought I would see the day that God moved us out of Student Ministry.  Kathleen and I have been involved in Student Ministry in one way or another for about 12 years.  For most of our adult lives, we have eaten, slept, and breathed student ministry.  Doing anything else seems completely foreign, and is, quite frankly, frightening to think about.  Then again, that's probably a good place to be...

Time to get out of the boat,

Jason