What have you done to build a Gospel Advancing volunteer or student leadership team?
Over the past two years, I’ve observed several other youth ministries, listened to podcasts, and read books to help create our student leadership team. We call our student leaders Students Of Service, or S.O.S. They help with any and every aspect of the ministry where they feel called to serve.
We divide them into squads that align with their interests and spiritual gifts. Twice a month for 90 minutes, we get together to plan our Wednesday night gatherings. Most importantly, we spend intentional time in prayer, asking the Lord to move in powerful ways.
It’s been awesome to watch as S.O.S. has become a “youth ministry within the youth ministry.” It allows me to disciple those students even more intentionally. And I get to teach them what it looks like to be active members of the church now, not just someday when they become adults.
These students are hungry to share the Gospel with their friends. It’s been exciting to increase their momentum by more intentionally Gospelizing them through the LI6W app and focused training.
Do you have an example of a Bible passage that doesn’t seem Gospel Advancing but is? How does it tie into the Gospel?
Last summer, I changed my life verse from:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
to:
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I proclaim your might to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.
This verse may not seem like the strongest example of Gospel Advancing, but I think the message is actually quite clear within it. I want to take a moment to encourage anyone reading this: Even if you have a few gray hairs (or only gray hairs), you’re still called to share the Gospel. Period.
We’re all called to proclaim the Gospel to the next generation and to anyone who will listen. What an incredible privilege that is!
Tell us about a moment in ministry where you couldn’t help but say all hope felt lost, but God did ___.
There have been so many moments in the past 4.5 years of youth ministry when things seemed discouraging or uncertain. But God has consistently shown up in ways that remind me He’s always at work, even when I can’t see it.
The biggest example that comes to mind is our most recent youth ministry gathering. I had a clear plan for how the night was supposed to go, but the Lord strongly convicted me to make some significant changes to my plan and step into an area I wasn’t confident in. In the moment I felt uncertain, but He showed up in a powerful way.
That night, three students who didn’t know Christ trusted in Him for the first time. On top of that, God spoke clearly to both our students and leaders. The Holy Spirit challenged us to be bolder in our faith and to have a clearer mission and vision for sharing the Gospel. The room was noticeably buzzing as people left. Many of those in attendance left excited, encouraged, and challenged to share the Gospel personally.
It was truly a supernatural moment that I won’t soon forget.
