The Road to the Theater: Prayer Guide Day 5

From Michael's Blog:

Before moving to Cartersville to start Oak Leaf Church, I worked on the staff of four different churches as a youth pastor. In fact, my first job at a church came as an 18-year-old freshmen at Florida State University. I worked in this small Baptist church, which was comprised of about sixty senior citizens and four teenagers. I was in charge of the four teenagers.

I had no idea what I was doing, and I made a ton of mistakes. But throughout college and into my twenties, I gave my life to reaching and teaching middle school and high school students.

On more than one occasion, I heard an adult say something like, “You know, we need to invest in these teenagers, because they are the future of the church.” While the sentiment is good, the statement is false. I don’t believe that teenagers are the future of the church…I believe they are the present.

Throughout Scripture, God used young people to accomplish His purpose. David was a teenager when he brought down Goliath. Josiah was eight years old when he became an Isrealite ruler. And Mary was probably a teenager when she was entrusted with the baby Jesus.

Spiritual maturity is not measured by age. I’ve met 14-year olds who were better Christians, more in tune with the message of Jesus and more passionate about serving him than the deacons who ran their church. There’s no little Christian cagegory in the Bible. You don’t become a pre-follower. No…teenagers can and should be fully devoted followers of Christ.

This fall, we are kicking off a new student ministry. It will have a new name (Fuel). It will have a new location (The House of Rock). Middle School and High School students will meet together every Wednesday night and I will be teaching. Matt Moody is going to lead worship. I’m excited about giving some of my time to this important ministry and teaching students truths from God’s Word in a way they can understand.

Pray for the student ministry at Oak Leaf Church.

1. That the best leaders and volunteers in our church would serve in this ministry. (By the way, I’m leading a meeting on Wednesday night, July 23, for anyone interested in helping with the new student ministry this fall.)

2. That students far from God in Bartow County would be radically saved.

3. That later this fall, or early next year, God would bring us the right full-time youth pastor.