Friday, June 24, 2011

The Kingdom

It has been a powerful week at CIY Move for me, but in a completely different way than ever before.

Now that I am no longer working directly in youth ministry, I came to the Move conference without leading any youth. I was here as the campus pastor for the week with the responsibility of ministering to the adult leaders. My entire thought process and spiritual emphasis wasn't based on the group of teens that I was with. It was about finding opportunities to engage adults in conversation, to bring them encouragement, to share resources and let them know how valued they are.

I had many thoughts coming into the week, but can say that it surpassed all that I had imagined. My soul felt alive as I was able to be thoroughly consumed with the ministry of serving other Kingdom workers. I could feel the Holy Spirit guiding conversations and providing a level of trust that should not have been accomplished in such a short span of time. I was able to talk with several leaders through shared experiences of woundedness and hopefully help to bring some healing. The entire week felt as if I was serving and ministering right in the middle of my spiritual gifting and it was an incredible blessing.

I am grateful for a wife and children that supportively understand my calling and are willing to endure such time away. I am also grateful for a church leadership that values the investment we are making in God's Kingdom-even if we don't ever see any direct earthly benefit.

I am eagerly anticipating the blessing God is going to bring to His Church as we all continue to invest in the Kingdom.

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful. You just pastored a group who probably rarely gets fed into, encouraged, and lifted up.

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  2. Pattie-it was an incredible blessing to me as well. God certainly guided conversations with so many different people. I have had some incredible years at Move leading youth groups, but this one ranks right at the top.

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