Last Night at Common Ground, my message to the students was from the Old Testament.
Habbabuk was one of the "12"minor prophets. So little is actually known about him as compared to the other 11. But his "wrestling with God" is an amazing story. Just before the service started, I had the opportunity of talking to a student who is really struggling right now. Many worldly issues seem to be bombarding students MINDS these days and as I get older, I see and hear it more and more everyday. In this student, I see an amazing child of God. I see it in their eyes, in their smile. I can see a light glowing in their eye when they just don't feel it in their soul.
Being in student ministry as long as I have and having the responsibility to cover 6th grade through college can be very challenging to say the least. "Overwhelming" is the best word that I can think of but it doesn't even come close to what I am looking for. But thru the never ending phone calls, text messages, emails, myspace messages, facebook messages, IM's, notes, verbal conversations, school visits and whatever means I can find to stay in communication and build relationships with each student, TWO THINGS come to mind. We live in a very broken world where Satan has won WAY TOO MANY BATTLES, BUT in the end WE WIN in our struggles because of Jesus. Broken families, Broken relationships, Broken Friendships and Broken LIVES seem to infect each student these days.
I read something a few days ago that I shared with the students last night. It was a short story about a girl named Kate. Kate grew up in church, she accepted Christ at the age of 11. Kate never missed coming to church. Each time the doors were open, she was there. She never missed going to camps and retreats. Kate and the church were inseparable. Now Kate is now in her 3rd year of college. Her grades are slipping away. She hasn't been to church in over a year. She has few friends. She hasn't picked up her bible in over 2 years. She is living wih her boy friend. Katie is looking into scientogolgy. This story totally blew me away.
With me saying all this, I guess that's why I am passionate about my ministry. I know for a fact, from my own personal experiences, that MY GENERATION did a lousy job of instilling TRUTH in students and at the first sign of a struggle, they abandon their belief in Jesus and look elsewhere seeking something new that "feels good" or something that the ears like to hear.
What I am getting at is pastors, preachers and or ministers who have watered down the Gospel so much that a ONCE raging river is now a trickling stream just about to dry up. That is something that I will just not do. The Gospel should be an "IN YOUR FACE" intersection of good verses evil, aka: accept or reject.
I just pray that my passion for ministry never fails or faulters. There is just too many students that have yet to told about Christ.
till next time
peace I leave with you
tc
romans 5:1
