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Family Ministry Moments - January 2024

Can you really change?  New Year’s is a time of reflection.  We think about what we dislike about ourselves and what we need to change.  Often those changes revolve around bad habits.  The top resolutions according to a Forbes article are: improved fitness, improved finances, improved mental health, lose weight, and improved diet.  In the past I have also seen people resolve to drink less, meet certain career goals, travel more, and be more spiritual. What do all these resolutions have in common?  They all have to do with change.  

The desire to change and improve is a uniquely human experience. I believe that this desire is fueled from deep within our souls.  Even if we refuse to acknowledge it, people know they are flawed.  They know they are imperfect and in need of something better.  Christians know this to be true because the Bible reveals the truth to us. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23.  God is the standard of perfection.  He is just, righteous, and holy.  Since this is the case and we are His creation, created in His image, I believe there is an innate desire to be better.  We want to overcome this sin-sick world and be perfect.  This is why we have a desire to change.

The question remains: can we change?  The pessimist says that we cannot change, that people virtually remain the same and that change is temporary.  The optimist says that change is surely possible provided one is willing to work for it.  What does the Bible say on the subject?  The Bible is a proponent of transformative change through the power of the gospel.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” 2 Corinthians 5:17.  In Christ we can change; we go from dead to alive, from sinful to righteous.  This is the only true and lasting change.

This is the change that I have experienced in my own life, as I reflect on my life before Christ and realize how much I ran from God.  I also realize how offensive my sin was to God.  This is not to say that I still don’t struggle with sin despite being freed from it.  The battle with the flesh continues to rage even for the new creation.  This is why we need to continue in our transformation of becoming like Christ.  The work of sanctification (becoming like Christ) is not completed until we go to be with the Lord.  Christians should be people that believe in change and strive to develop throughout our lives. 

The way we change, however, is not through trying, but rather through faith driven surrender.  We must continue to strive for greater and greater faith.  Jesus continually challenged His followers to have faith. “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” Mark 11:22-23.  Notice that Jesus tells us to have faith in God.  Faith in ourselves gets us nowhere, only faith in God means anything.

The beginning of true change starts with faith and continues as we surrender daily to the Lord.  There is no amount of trying that is going to bring us lasting change, it is only when we stop trying and start surrendering, we truly find hope. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2. When we submit to the Lord we can be transformed.

This new year, take time to reflect on where you are personally, physically, and spiritually.  It is a great time for self-assessment and, as you reflect, remember to take your deficiencies to the Lord.  God cares about all the concerns in your heart.  Whatever you are struggling with, ask God to help you.  With faith driven surrender to the Lord we can change to become more like Christ!

Student Life - January 2024

I wanted to take the time for this article to explain to you all my heart for ministry. In my last article I explained a bit of my walk and testimony leading up until now but did not dive too much into why I seek to serve in ministry. And with that being said, I would like to direct you to the end of a verse in Nehemiah. In chapter 8 verse 10, it says: "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength". 

For most of my life, I overlooked this verse and never gave it that much attention. This was the case until I had breakfast with my family pastor from the church I attended in
college. While at a Waffle House in New Albany, I was explaining the joy I get when serving in ministry, especially during my time at Crossings Camp. I told my pastor about the amazing times where I would have long Gospel conversations with students, staffers, church leaders, and many more. These conversations gave so much life to me and I was constantly reminded at times that this is where I needed to be, and I was right where God wanted me to be. To be growing in faithful community and growing more like Christ with each interaction. Additionally, I explained to my family pastor that there were a few times where during worship at camp, just listening to the congregation of a thousand students, leaders, staffers, adults, and faithful band members worshipping our Father gave me an incredible sense of joy, happiness, and peace. It is honestly hard to explain this intense feeling into words. But it was during these worship services and intense feelings that I would jokingly call "little glimpses of Heaven". I use this analogy because, honestly, it truly feels like the gap of space between this worship service and Heaven is paper thin. And that little gaps begin to form in this paper to show us the glory of the Father and of His Kingdom. And, when I'm in these worship services and my spirit is moved this far, I am so content with life and thankful for the Gospel. It's at this time that I truly desire nothing else in life and could not imagine spending my eternity doing anything else. To try and explain this further, if this already overwhelming experience and stirring of the Spirit inside of me is available in this sinful world and limited by the fact that we are not yet able to see our Savior face to face, then could
you IMAGINE what eternity with our Savior would be like? Sign. Me. UP.

After explaining all of this to my family pastor, he just smiled as if he agreed with me and reminded me of Nehemiah 8:10. He explained to me that it’s during these conversations, worship services, or intentional time with the Father that give Him such joy! And when I had heard this, it absolutely clicked. During all of my time as a Christian and also serving in ministry, the one thing that always gave me tremendous life was the joy of the Lord! And let me tell you, now that I have experienced that joy, I'm chasing it. I hope you can hear my heart through the words on the screen here - It is not my intention nor my desire to serve in any ministry to put myself on a pedestal or for any personal gain; I serve in ministry because I believe the Lord has called me to it and because I want to serve Him with everything I have. If He called me tomorrow to become a farmer in the middle of nowhere and would never have human interaction with anyone again, as long as He remains with me as He already has promised, then I would be alright. His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

So, to bring it around full circle as I close, my heart for ministry is the joy of the Lord. The strength and joy I receive from His joy is absolutely life-giving. And it reminds me of how thankful I am for the Gospel and my eternal relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. And now I seek to share this heart for ministry with the church and with our student ministry. I seek to grow in relationships with our students and lead them well in this ministry, but always desire to point them to Christ and to seek an eternal relationship with Him.