So, it's late but I'm not tired. I slept for about 3 hours this afternoon to make up for time lost this weekend. The D-Now weekend went very well and I was blessed to spend my weekend with 9 beautiful high school girls. I knew all but two of them before the weekend but I got a chance to really get to know them all and listen to their hearts. They desire to know God more and let Him use them to influence others. I'm not that old and high school wasn't that long ago but I am guilty of doing what many adults do and that is underestimate young people. The girls that I lead for the past two days are amazing and all they need is someone to give them a little nudge of encouragement and direction and they're good to go. Their enthusiasm is beyond refreshing.
I don't know a lot of statistics but I'd be willing to bet (not money, maybe just jelly beans :) that the vast majority of dying churches are filled with older generations and few youth. Most new churches I know of are being attended by young people desiring to be a part of something amazing and untraditional. I may be out of line, seeing as how I'm only 24, but what does time do to us that keeps us from following our dreams and believing that God can do amazing things?
I want to stop here and point out that I believe that my church, Mountain Creek Baptist Church, is an exception to this phenomenon. I've never been surrounded by so many loving, intentional, godly, and encouraging people/families and I thank God for placing me in a church that understands the importance of discipleship and accountability.
That said, I do fear that we don't realize the full potential of young people. With God on their side, they are just as capable of bringing others to know Him as anyone else. This weekend just made me really think about that and consider just what God can do through us if we let Him. I also realized how old I am. Oddly enough, when I'm hanging out with the youth and college students, I forget that I'm older than them. They bring out a fun side of me that I don't want to ever loose. I pray that God will make me a wise and godly woman that seeks to die to self and continually become more like Him. I want to have faith like a child's.
4 comments:
i think the fact that so many adults in churches underestimate young people and loose their child-like faith is a reason why so many people think that you have to start a new church for God to move, like we had talked about last week. the younger people and the people who really have a passion to spread the gospel cant do it in a place that underestimates and forces them down, so they move on and go somewhere else. what is left behind is a church with nothing left to do but die because those with a passion have left. i just hope that people at MCBC can realize this and see the power that the youth have and become an old church with a new revival.
Great post Jeni! I'm so glad you had a good weekend!
Glad your weekend with the youth for Disciple Now went well and I am thankful for your leadership and
support with these girls. You surely enjoyed many weekends of
Disciple Now during your high school years and now it is so wonderful that you are helping make it happen for these girls. I am so proud of you and know God will continue to use you to share
His love and bless other's lives.
I'm thankful that there are churches, like yours, that are not the "norm". I think that that has been my "problem" with the church lately. I still consider myself "young" and I get frustrated when my ideas and passions get pushed to the wayside because of the "that's not how we've done it" mentality. Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling. I'll send you an email. Lots going on. Love you.
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