Christ's ambassador to the lunch room.

Pray for me as I spend two lunch periods a week with kids.

As some of you may or may not know I have been given a terrific opportunity that allows me access to the schools and it is perfectly legitimate. I do not want to put too many details up on the web just because I want the organization I work with to be able to keep a low profile. If you ask me in person I will tell you all about it but for the purposes of this blog the best description is that I am a glorified volunteer. When the school needs people for logistics they call us. When they do their activities based around character days, they call us.

This also means that twice a week I get to go to lunch at the school and be around young people. Of course I am not allowed to share my faith unless the kids ask direct questions about it. It gives meaning to the often quoted “Witness to the Gospel always, and when necessary use words.” Some of the kids there know I work for a church and they ask great questions but many do not know and may never ask.

This is going to be an exciting adventure to learn how to have what I believe about Jesus be obvious to the people around me by the way I handle myself. Pray for me!

40 Ridiculous photos and God's special revelation.

You can see me suddenly realize a picture is being taken.

I have about forty more equally ridiculous looking photographs on my cell phone from where it got taken from me by a Junior High Student. The student then proceeded to go nuts with the camera and just take photo after photo of me and others when we didn't know that we were on camera. You may be asking why I see this as significant enough to share with the web.

The venue is what makes this special. This is not an afternoon Bible study and we are not stopped at a McDonald's on the way to a mission trip. In fact we are right down the street from the Middle School were the students attend.

When we get together and just hang out, we create space. Safe space to invite others to join us. To see us interact as friends who love Jesus. It is a witnessing opportunity. Even yesterday as they ran into people they knew we invited a couple of them to Youth Group. Our hope is that they would come and get to hear the greatest news ever carried by man.

In the first chapter of Johns Gospel there is this phrase, “And the word became flesh and made its dwelling among us...” Jesus puts on skin and comes here to spend time with us. He gets into man's stuff and lives as man. One of God's greatest revelations of himself is...himself, walking on the earth interacting. It is my hope that this can be a value of Grace UMC's youth ministry. That we put on our Jesus skin and walk among our friends. We let the overflow of Gods goodness splash all over our friends and family so that they too can experience the Glory of God in the flesh revealed through us.  

The Other Debate...

There was a great debate last night. This one was not televised nor will the media talk about a winner. There were no policy discussions or talk of taxes and deficits. But in a small city in a small church, a small gathering of pilgrims talked about the tough questions of the Christian faith. Is the message real? Is the Bible anymore or less important than other great works of literature? If I cross over from “Egypt” to the “Promise land” what awaits?

These are tough questions. I have significant experience in the field and I would admit to you I rarely feel like any answers I could give could conclusively win the day. Ill tell you what I can do, I can love young people more than advertisers. I can be more convinced the Gospel leads to true life than Apple can be convinced small devices leads there. I can tell them that Jesus love for who they are is greater than Cosmos commitment is to there need to wear a size 1.

There is a battle that takes place for every human heart. Young, old, rich and poor. Although conversations last night can feel a little like World War ones Battle of Verdun, were much was sacrificed and little gained, the good news is that our King reigns victorious over all creation. He is worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. HE has my full devotion and this morning I kneel in prayer to get my orders, to better serve my king.

Grace and Peace

Andrew

Kidmin

Singing out

You didn't see me around the church the weekend for a reason, I was out of town. I was attending a conference in Chicago called Kidmin and I was highly affected by it. First off let me say this, children's ministry workers are some of the kindest most passionate people working in the kingdom. They love God and kids in a way that could inspire the rest of your congregation if they could just see it in action.

Me in a cape

Kidmin was put on by Group Publishing. I say that because often I am skeptical of vendors. If you have spent any time in youth or children's ministry you have received the glossy post cards peddling this or that. This weekend I got to look into the hearts of the people who make this stuff, and there is the fingerprints of Jesus all over them. They love my kids almost as much as I do.

I am excited for next year to invite my volunteers to join me in Columbus to experience what I got to experience first hand. In the mean time I am inspired to pray for my fellow worker. Those of you know the power of God and the sensation of finger paint. Those who have sat on chairs so small your knees ache so you might have the opportunity to tell kids the best news ever told, emmanuel, God is with us.  

More on this one later...