my mind has many wrestlings today. It's all good wrestlings, but wrestlings none e less.
for example: I was in a staff meeting with the leaders of the CEC (Children's Equipping Center) today and we were discussing the conference that we just completed. It was really good, all of us were positive and excited about what we saw God doing. But that is where the wrestle began.
Before I left Winnipeg, I really felt that the mission statement for the Kids ministry there was "To build a generation that STANDS UP and STANDS OUT in their pursuit of Jesus". What I have come to realize is that is MY mission statement for my life. As I sat there in the meeting, I was wrestling with myself and with God "How do I do that?" That is the question and the wrestle of my heart today.
how do we teach kids to stand in a world that is increasingly walking away from the things of God? How do we teach children to stand out in their pursuit of the Holy in a world bent on pleasure alone? It has been a bit of a paradigm shift for me as I have had the honour of working with the real little ones. I see them and I am rocked with the knowledge that God will and does speak to these ones. I am amazed at the way they are so open and ready to hear. How the kingdom belongs to such as these.
But how do I equip them? How is it that God would use me to minister his love to them, how is it that I, who is just beginning to understand how to STAND myself teach these vulnerable, little ones a confidence in their king, and an assurance of his hand walking with them through all that will come at them.
How do I teach that we are NOT of this world but still in it. How do I teach that the Idols of North America are just as real as the idols of false religions, and that we are called to stand apart and not be like the world? How do I teach that holiness means more than going to church.
And then I start thinking about what is coming this spring and summer and beyond. As I step into the outreach and the core area of Kansas City, how do I teach these kids that only know the name of Jesus as a swear word or as some crutch their grandparents use to get through life, how do I teach them the truth of the gospel?
Well in some respects the answer is simple... I don't. Jesus does. I am struck again by the passage that promises that God will give us the words to speak when we stand before those who would challenge us and even kill us. He gives us the words. That is what I must trust.
I am sitting in the prayer room right now, and they are praying for the word of God not being hindered in the city of Kansas City, that it would run "swiftly and with power". "Many would come, and many would see and many would trust the Lord" That's how we do it, we pray for power on the spoken word... we go, speak and we see God bring transformation. "Let there be power like we have never seen" (for those of you who know how the prayer stuff works here, the quotations are actually antiphinal singing in response to the prayer)
"When the world is shaking and nothing stands, I will hold on to your hand, my refuge."
for example: I was in a staff meeting with the leaders of the CEC (Children's Equipping Center) today and we were discussing the conference that we just completed. It was really good, all of us were positive and excited about what we saw God doing. But that is where the wrestle began.
Before I left Winnipeg, I really felt that the mission statement for the Kids ministry there was "To build a generation that STANDS UP and STANDS OUT in their pursuit of Jesus". What I have come to realize is that is MY mission statement for my life. As I sat there in the meeting, I was wrestling with myself and with God "How do I do that?" That is the question and the wrestle of my heart today.
how do we teach kids to stand in a world that is increasingly walking away from the things of God? How do we teach children to stand out in their pursuit of the Holy in a world bent on pleasure alone? It has been a bit of a paradigm shift for me as I have had the honour of working with the real little ones. I see them and I am rocked with the knowledge that God will and does speak to these ones. I am amazed at the way they are so open and ready to hear. How the kingdom belongs to such as these.
But how do I equip them? How is it that God would use me to minister his love to them, how is it that I, who is just beginning to understand how to STAND myself teach these vulnerable, little ones a confidence in their king, and an assurance of his hand walking with them through all that will come at them.
How do I teach that we are NOT of this world but still in it. How do I teach that the Idols of North America are just as real as the idols of false religions, and that we are called to stand apart and not be like the world? How do I teach that holiness means more than going to church.
And then I start thinking about what is coming this spring and summer and beyond. As I step into the outreach and the core area of Kansas City, how do I teach these kids that only know the name of Jesus as a swear word or as some crutch their grandparents use to get through life, how do I teach them the truth of the gospel?
Well in some respects the answer is simple... I don't. Jesus does. I am struck again by the passage that promises that God will give us the words to speak when we stand before those who would challenge us and even kill us. He gives us the words. That is what I must trust.
I am sitting in the prayer room right now, and they are praying for the word of God not being hindered in the city of Kansas City, that it would run "swiftly and with power". "Many would come, and many would see and many would trust the Lord" That's how we do it, we pray for power on the spoken word... we go, speak and we see God bring transformation. "Let there be power like we have never seen" (for those of you who know how the prayer stuff works here, the quotations are actually antiphinal singing in response to the prayer)
"When the world is shaking and nothing stands, I will hold on to your hand, my refuge."
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