What Happens When You Obey God

     After discovering what I felt was God's will, I turned away from the youth ministry norm of entertainment and quick devotions.   When I did, everything changed.  It took some time and serious prayer.  The overhead projector did not seem to matter anymore.  It was cool; we would project the lyrics on a wall and play contemporary worship music over the sound system.  The youth would sing as if they were in a live concert.  The quick devotions became 20-30 minute sermons.  The sermons were always what God placed on my heart and not what I thought needed preached.

     After several months of the same old routine with 9-12 youth, God began to move.  The more I surrendered to His will the more youth He was drawing in to our youth service.  Literally overnight, we went from an average attendance of 9-12 to 20-25.  Over the years, God has continued to bless His youth ministry in our small town.  Most people may think 20-25 kids is really not impressive, and maybe it is not for most towns. For our town it is.  What is more impressive is the number of youth who continue to come every Wednesday night and worship the Lord in a way that is not normal for today's youth ministry. 

     Since May of 2009, God has taken the network of Youth that I have been blessed to minister to from 9-12 to now an average attendance of 50-55.  Actual number of youth that I have been ministering to is over 100. 

     My point is not numbers, numbers mean nothing if all you are doing is entertaining.  What I really want to bring out is the faithfulness of the youth to worship in the way God has called us to worship Him.  When we are within God's will and His plan, He moves.  We should never think that our plan is greater than His is.  We simply do not have in mind the things of God nor could we ever predict or plan His heart's desire.  We simply must come before Him in obedience and submission.  We seek His desire if we are to truly be an ambassador for Christ. 

Flippin FBC YOUTH Group!
some of them at least.

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

May my life be the proof and evidence of His love!