JEFF HESSINGER

FBC, Winter Haven, FL

2012-01-02T22:29:00.003-05:00

Youversion Bible

New Testament Picture of Your Pastor

www.bible.us/e/Fzn

The Partial Cure for Men's Lust

2011-08-19T10:34:00.002-04:00

This video provide a genuine and kind-hearted message to women. As ministry leaders, how can we do a better job helping young ladies peruse godliness and modesty in a culture that puts tremendous pressure on them to conform. Guys, we even get a few tips on diverting our attention away from temptation in the video.

SEE YOU AT THE POLE: September 28, 2011

2011-08-18T10:11:00.003-04:00

See You At The Pole is is September 28th!

The See You At The Pole site has all sorts of videos and resources to assist you with a SYATP strategy for your student ministry. Student pastors need to lead their students to develop a plan to mobilize believers on their school campus. Don't expect someone else to do it, as student pastors, we need to take the initiative in providing students with a game plan to pray for their friends and school campus. Check out all the great stuff at www.syatp.com

Praying for Our Schools—2011

2011-08-01T20:33:00.002-04:00

Each year at this time Rick Shepherd, Director of the Prayer and Spiritual Awakening Department of the Florida Baptist Convention, prepares us to put prayer in motion by prayerwalking schools located near our churches. I encourage you to consider using this brief guide to mobilize students, parents and other believers to prayerwalk area campuses. As you get stories of God's activity please send them to jhessinger@flbaptist.org so they can be shared with others.

Dr. Shepherd states...Last Fall, we encouraged churches to pray for their local schools… to Prayer Walk each Elementary, Middle, and High School near the church property or the church meeting place. Out of that praying we have seen much fruit in many places. Many testimonies tell of open doors for ministry, partnerships to help children and families, schools experiencing greater peace, wisdom for the administrators and teachers… God has answered prayer in many ways.

I encourage you to consider Prayer Walking the schools in your area as the School Year Begins. Some will choose a Saturday coming up—perhaps August 20 or 27—as the Lord leads. If you have further questions, contact us (800-226-8584, ext 3098).

Add to that the student ministry of “See You at the Pole” coming September 28, 2011. The theme for 2011 is “Converge,” coming together in prayer… confident He is with us (Matthew 18:20). Students will pray at the flagpole that morning. Consider ways to pray during the week before—Prayer Walks, Prayer Partners with and in Children and Student ministries, etc. For more info go to www.syatp.org.

With this E-MEMO I am attaching “Guidelines on Praying for Our Schools,” a guideline adapted from Transform Northeast Florida (with their permission). It is focused on practical ways to pray for the needs of the schools in your area. In more and more places, we are seeing lives touched and more fruitful ministry arise out of this simple activity of Prayer Walking.

Here’s How—Every School Prayer—In preparing for the start-up of school and in preparing for ministries this Fall, consider ways to cover each school and the new school year in prayer.

1) Prayer Walk the schools near you—Elementary, Middle, High School, Community College, Vo-Tech School, University. For info on prayer walking go to www.flbaptist.org/Prayer/PrayerResources.aspx, then scroll down to and read or download Prayer in Motion. It gives the How-to’s of prayer walking.

2) Prayer Talk—Talk to the Father about the schools, the needs, and potential open doors to serve them. NOTE: This does not require special permission or a permit. It is simple. People walk around schools all the time for exercise. This is simply adding focused prayer.

As a help and to be more specific in prayer, Contact Administrators and Teachers of your local schools and ask—“We want to pray for your school. Are there specific needs for which we could pray?” Look for ways your church could help them. There may be an open door for some kind of partnership to help the school. Then, pray for those needs specifically and join God where He is working. Focus on the schools near your church and ask the Lord for ways to bless those teachers, students, and their families this year. Ask God to show you what HE wants you to do in ministry in your community.

3) Prayer Touch—In looking for ways to pray specifically, get the names of teachers and other personnel connected to your local congregation. Put Prayer Partners together to pray for a particular Class, a Team, etc. connected to the school. Look for ways to Touch those nearest you—ways to minister in the year ahead.

This Prayer Walk of the schools is also a great opportunity to get your Student Ministries and Children’s Ministries geared up for the start of the School Year and the start of some new ministry involvement.

One other thought—In Acts 17:23, Paul testified of “passing through” the streets of Athens. He discovered an old lifeless altar and built a bridge from what he discovered to Who they needed to know—the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:23-34). We can build bridges, too—from what we discover as we pray and interact to ministry in Jesus’ Name. Connecting people to the love of God and to a personal relationship to Jesus is what we are about. Prayer Walk. God may give you some new ideas for your church and area. See what God is up to. Join in prayer for the Harvest!

Super Summer Update: Thursday

2011-07-14T09:39:00.003-04:00

We are having an amazing time at Super Summer. It's been "all hands on deck" as usual this week, for the leadership group as we sacrificially serve students. We have an amazing group of student pastors and ministry leaders leading the way as Team Leaders, Rec Staff, Worship Leadership, and much more. The adult volunteers who came with each church group have had a fantastic (not an over statement) attitude all week. Its amazing how adults enjoy very little sleep, working hard all day, being dirty and sweaty, and living 24/7 with students for the sake of the KING.

Last night during the invitation nearly 30 students and a few adults responded to God's call to vocational ministry. Young men and women surrendered their lives to the gospel ministry as pastors, missionaries, youth pastors, worship leaders, and more. Dave Edwards clearly communicated what God's call is, how to know you're called, what to do about the call, and the cost of the call. Many churches now have the most incredible privilege to guide young people in preparation to serve in His Kingdom. Oh I pray our churches will be good stewards of God's work in all this.

Your prayers a felt and being answered. Right now praying for us is the most loving and meaningful thing you can do. Take a moment and intercede for us.

Super Summer Update: Wednesday

2011-07-13T11:49:00.003-04:00

I'm making a quick stop here in my room to provide an update on some of the good things occurring at Super Summer. I'm on my way to another delicious camp lunch....can't wait :)

We had an incredible night of worship last night. The students are very responsive to those leading us in worship. They seem to have a genuine appetite to hear God's Word. One of the Middle School students stopped Dave Edwards and told him he could hardly wait until the evening Celebration service to hear him preach!

During the invitation 67 students stood in response to receive Christ as Savior! 10 more students joined them when they stepped forward, 77 in all. Thanks for praying for all of us at Super Summer. We are sensing the outcome of your faithful intercession. Stay on your knees, there is much more to be done.

Super Summer Update

2011-07-12T09:21:00.003-04:00

All the churches arrived safe and sound as expected. Yesterday we had an exciting Super Summer Kickoff led by the Hello August Band, made all the introductions, and gave everyone the lay of the land. The evening Celebration was much more than any of us expected. The Lord used the band and Dave Edwards in a powerful way. The entire room locked into Dave as God's presence was so evident to all. These young people seem so open and tender towards the things of God. Certainly a tribute to their church leaders.

In the past 30 minutes we've launched 4 ski boats for tubing, turned the first set of students loose on the paintball fiend, and have finalized our preparation for the high rope elements. Others are in Bible Study giving attention to what it means to live intentionally on mission. This is going to be great day in the Lord as we give him the details of our lives.

2011-07-11T07:02:00.002-04:00

Today is the start start of Super Summer Florida! Students and adult leaders will arrive this afternoon about 1pm for a week of encouragement, inspiration, and being loved God's way. Last night one of the adult leaders who arrived early for training told me they have a student who is in NAMB's Sojourner's program serving in Kentucky. Over the past 15 years of Super Summer stories similar to this one have been repeated over and over. God uses the Super Summer experience to get ahold of student's lives (and adults) and uses them in powerful ways across the world. I don't believe it would be overstating the impact Super Summer to say, it has had global impact over the years.

Please Pray For:

1. Camp Pastor, Dave Edwards

2. Camp Worship Band: Hello August

3. Students

4. Adult Leaders

5. Our response to God's Word

6. Our Follow through to God's call

7. Student ministries to continue to fan the flame after Super Summer.

Thanks!

True Love Waits

2011-07-08T13:13:00.005-04:00

By Jimmy Hester

TLW Coordinator

Welcome to the first True Love Waits newsletter for our cooperating ministries and state convention representatives. We value your partnership in helping us promote the True Love Waits’ abstinence-until-marriage message, and we’re looking forward to keeping you updated on the latest news and trends in the youth abstinence movement.

True Love Waits has often been viewed as a one-time event rather than a spiritual process, yet God calls each of us to walk the path of purity in all aspects of our lives. That’s why we launched a major new emphasis called True Love Waits 3.0, which broadens our scope to include a variety of markers or special occasions students experience from childhood to young adulthood. The centerpiece of this new emphasis is Path of Purity: A Family Guide.

This new emphasis came about from input we received at a summit with youth workers and student ministry leaders in the sexual abstinence movement to consider the future direction of True Love Waits. The summit’s sessions focused on better understanding specific challenges students are facing, needs leaders have in meeting them and ways in which True Love Waits can remain effective for future generations.

One of the biggest needs that surfaced was for more emphasis on parental participation, specifically to support them in their role as the primary spiritual developers of their children. While the message in society today is one of encouraging teen sex, these leaders emphasized that many parents are in denial as to the scope of the problem and the ways their children are affected. True Love Waits 3.0 was created in response to that need. http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/True-Love-Waits

FIRST PRIORITY......Share Christ with others

2010-09-19T10:34:00.003-04:00

Praying For Schools

2010-09-02T11:31:00.000-04:00

In more and more places, we are seeing lives touched and more fruitful ministry arise out of a relatively simple activity. This potential for ministry is known as Prayer Walking, specifically Prayer Walking the school(s) in your area. I am sending this eMEMO to encourage you to take advantage of this ministry opportunity—however you choose to do it, with the creativity of your ministry where God has placed you. We have seen Prayer Walking the schools open doors of ministry and significantly touch communities, helping many people.

Let me give you a testimony. On August 22, 2009, over 30 churches of the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association prayer walked all 51 schools in Escambia County. Let me be quick to say this was no “instant grits” for easy ministry, but within a few short weeks they began seeing open doors of service to the students, their families, teachers, and others. Great relationships began to form and now many connections are providing much needed assistance to families and children in many ways. They will have another Prayer Walk day this year, August 21.

What if the churches of your community or Association prayer walked every school in your town or county? I believe we would see significant ministry in the days to come. This kind of prayer is part of Prayer Saturation—churches can also add prayer walking the neighborhoods and communities surrounding each church.

Here’s How—Every School Prayer—In preparing for the start-up of school and in preparing for ministries this Fall, consider ways to cover each school and the new school year in prayer.

PLUS—Get ready for “See You at the Pole” coming September 22, 2010. The theme for 2010 is “Reveal,” seeking the Father to reveal Himself and be honored this year (Matthew 6:9-13). Students will pray at the flagpole that morning. Consider ways to pray during the week before—Prayer Walks, Prayer Partners with and in Children and Student ministries, etc. For more info go to www.syatp.org.

This Prayer Walk of the schools is also a great opportunity to also get your Student Ministries and Children’s Ministries geared up for the start of the School Year and the start of some new ministry involvement.

One ministry possibility is for several churches to have a One-Day-to-Pray Prayer Walk of ALL the schools in your area, for example, on a Saturday before or right at the start of the school year—perhaps August 21 or August 28. Then, Prayer Walk the neighborhoods around each church—even setting a goal to Prayer Walk the entire county—gridding the county so that EVERY street is Prayer Walked by some local church. We have attached a guideline on the how-to’s of this entitled “PrayerEveryWhere.” If you have further questions, contact us (800-226-8584, ext 3098).

One other thought—In Acts 17:23, Paul testified of “passing through” the streets of Athens. He discovered an old lifeless altar and built a bridge from what he discovered to Who they needed to know—the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:23-34). We can build bridges, too. Connecting people to the love of God and to a personal relationship to Jesus is what we are about. Prayer Walk. God may give you some new ideas for your church and area. See what God is up to. Join in prayer for the Harvest!

Prayer and Spiritual Awakening—Florida Baptist Convention

SEE YOU AT THE POLE: September 22, 2010

2010-08-17T11:12:00.002-04:00

See You at the Pole is just around corner, are you ready? Here are 5 easy steps to help you plan and carry out a successful day at the pole.

1. Pray - start praying for your students now!

2. Prepare - strong student leadership is crucial, offer
your guidance and support in advance.

2. Publicize - order your resources (www.syatp.com)

3. Plan - have a pre-pole planning meeting; provides a time to discuss what will be done at the pole, singing, scripture reading, giving testimonies, etc.

4. Post SYATP - Celebrate your success

Help Students Impact Their School For Christ

2010-08-10T22:39:00.003-04:00

As students in your church return to classes this fall, consider how they can impact the mission field of the their campus with the gospel. Through campus ministry your church can make an eternal impact – igniting a passion in your students to reach the world and potentially a movement of God in your community. Here are some ideas:

Campus Missionaries– Students are still free to share Christ as school. Send them to this mission field with your full support.

See You at the Pole– Encourage your students to pray for their schools around the flagpole on Sept. 22.

Campus Prayer Journeys– Churches conduct prayer journeys on elementary, middle and high schools.

FiSH! – This four-week cycle provides an ongoing model for how campus Christian clubs can be evangelistically focused.

EverySchool.com – Your church can adopt a particular school in your area and act as a sponsor of a variety of campus ministry efforts, including campus missionaries, clubs and prayer efforts.

LEARN HOW TO ENGAGE YOUR STUDENTS IN EVANGELISM AT:

http://www.studentz.com/site/c.ijJYJdMPIqE/b.3812985/k.AFA0/Youth_Resources.htm

2010-07-19T07:57:00.002-04:00

This morning I was reminded about an excellent resource to help us better understand the spiritual lives of students. I encourage you to pick up the book, SOULS IN TRANSITION: The Religious Lives of Emerging Adults by Christian Smith. You can order it on amazon.com for $22.

Free Video Editor

2010-06-24T08:59:00.002-04:00

So many of my student pastor friends are shooting video of their events, especially camps in the summer, to encourage, inspire and remember how God is working in the lives of student. If you are looking for a free video editor check out the YOUTUBE CLOUD-BASED VIDEO EDITOR at:

http://www.switched.com/2010/06/16/youtube-introduces-simple-cloud-based-video-editor/

Google recently added a cloud-based video editor on YouTube. It's not super-advanced, but the YouTube editor does allow users to trim videos they've posted, and to stitch together multiple clips from their collection into a single film. When holding the mouse over a thumbnail, a scissors icon appears that lets you cut parts of it you don't want. You can also add music files from the site's audio library. Then, just click and drag the thumbnail to a location on the filmstrip running across the bottom of the screen. When you're done editing, you can preview a lo-res video of your work, and save it to your YouTube collection. Since all this is done "in-cloud," saving is a fairly easy process, too -- although it can take a minute or two for the site to process the video.

Parent Ministry

2010-04-22T15:14:00.006-04:00

Our recent online video conference with Jeff Pratt from LifeWay uncovered some excellent suggestions to assist student pastors in the development of their parent ministry. Jeff has a healthy biblical perspective on how student ministries can effectively assist and encourage parents as they seek to raise kids who love God. Here are few suggestions I picked up during our time together:

Hold a quarterly parent meeting to encourage and resource parents.

o Discover new resource to pass along to parents. See: www.flbaptist.org/studentministries

o Provide a youth culture update. Research significant topics to inform parents regarding what their student faces on a regular basis.

o Ask parents for 5-10 issues they are dealing with in their home so you can find resources and training to help them by providing solutions.

Encourage parents to have one spiritual conversation with their student every week. The number of spiritual conversations per week will grow over time.

As student pastor lead a small group class for parents of teens. This could be a Sunday School class or a class that meets at a different time.

o Use the Indelible Parenting (4 weeks) resource from LifeWay as a guide for the class.

Provide the magazine Living With Teenagers by LifeWay. The magazine follows the KNOWN Curriculum by LifeWay.

Jeff Pratt has lots of great ideas, insight, and wisdom on the parent ministry topic. Over the past several years he has been navigating the teen scene with teenagers in his own home. To learn more go to: www.lifeway.com/known

Worship Media Resource

2010-04-13T09:25:00.000-04:00

I was recently sent a new website (http://worshipvj.com/) to take a look at that has great video background and more on it. You may be able to add this site to your resources for creating dynamic worship experiences. Let me know what you think. Do you have any resource suggestions to pass on to help ministry leader's effectiveness?

Praying we can meet online

2010-04-13T09:01:00.004-04:00

Today will be an interesting day. I am working on a project to connect student pastors into Dr. Richard Ross's classroom at Southwestern Seminary. This morning we are working out the tech glitches so the meeting goes well Wednesday at 9am. Guys from around the Florida will join the class using an online meeting app. This is a great way to get Florida student ministers before one of the most influential student ministry architects of our day. I'm so grateful to Dr. Ross for his willingness to take time and make the effort to connect with Florida Student Pastors.

MISSIONAL STUDENT MINISTRY WORKSHOP

2010-03-28T23:16:00.002-04:00

Greetings Friend,

Perhaps you have experienced the struggle of putting together all the pieces for a solid ministry. Knowing you have the right pieces to the ministry puzzle and putting them together can be a challenge. I am hosting a workshop that will be a hands-on experience to think through and build evangelism strategy for your student ministry. The workshop is:
MISSIONAL STUDENT MINISTRY WORKSHOP
First Baptist Church of Brandon
April 20th
10am-4pm
Cost: $25/person

The workshop was officially announced and made available at the YOUTH EVANGELISM CONFERENCE this weekend, March 26-27. I have enlisted an incredible cast of leaders to guide us through the day. I encourage you to bring a few key leaders from your ministry who can work and think with you throughout the day. We will be guiding you and your team to create an effective evangelism system for your ministry. What you and your group develop will be unique for your ministry. We will discuss evangelism principles and offer resource suggestions for powerful implementation.

We will give attention to:
Creating an evangelistic environment in your ministry
Leading students to pray for the lost
Serving, caring and loving those with out Christ
Training students to share Christ with their friends
Implementing a guest friendly ministry
Using outreach events strategically
Connecting students to the church (Baptism)
Sending students into the harvest field

If you need hotel accommodations my office can assist you with lodging suggestions. The registration cost will provide your meals, meeting facilities, and resources to assist you throughout the day. To register for the event just reply to this email. Let me know how many will be in your group. You can make the check out to:
Florida Baptist Convention Mailing address, 1230 Hendricks Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32207

If the registration fee becomes a serious issue in your decision participate please speak to me regarding your concern. I know the economy has affected us all. Feel free to call me, I’d be happy to discuss the workshop with you if you have questions. My cell phone is: 813-390-8260

Facing Our Giants

2010-03-03T11:19:00.002-05:00

This is a slideshow for a conference entitled, FACING OUR GIANTS. I have been presenting this conference to student pastors, youth volunteers, and pastors throughout Florida. The response has been tremendous! Not only do we look at the issues facing us in student ministry we spend time discussing biblical solutions to create a ministry environment that is missional, champions missional activity and focuses students on reaching the lost.

Launching A Missional Student Ministry Workshop

On April 20th FBC, Brandon Florida is hosting a workshop for student ministry leaders to equip them to design a missional-focused ministry. The workshop is designed to provide immediate solutions for implementation. For More information contact my office: 800-226-8584 Extension: 3096

Learning and Connecting Together

2010-03-01T07:45:00.006-05:00

It has been a serious effort lately to develop strong ministry relationships among student pastors throughout Florida. As a result many emerging leaders are connecting into learning clusters and networks across the state. Veteran student pastors are investing their time, experience, knowledge and wisdom into others who want to learn. These new networks have great potential to impact the quality of ministry by learning from others.

By learning from others we increase our leadership capacity at a quicker rate which in turn increases our effectiveness. All ministry leaders, regardless of ministry tenure and experience, need a mentor/coach for encouragement and counsel. These relationships add value to our lives, ministry and increase our potential effectiveness in the near future. Many are going on a meaningful learning journeys together.

I believe over the next couple months more student leaders will connect together in different venues/forms to go deeper and further in their ministry by building lasting relationships to make a more significant impact on the lostness of the iGeneration! If you are interested in learning and connecting I look forward to hearing from you.

Tonight at the Florida Caleb Connection Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando and later in the month at the Youth Evangelism Conference (March 26-27) student pastors will have the opportunity to connect with learning clusters throughout the state. I hope you will prayerfully consider joining the network as we learn from each other.

A Big Hit!

2010-02-17T21:09:00.002-05:00

Scratching an itch or identifying a critical gap in our ministry effort that has caused us to fall deathly short of our very best for the glory of God. Last night I provided a conference presentation entitled, "FACING OUR GIANTS" to 15 pastors in the Florida panhandle. It was the same conference material I presented on Florida's west coast a couple weeks ago to 60+ student pastors and youth workers. We dealt with the issues we are facing in student ministry.

61% of today’s young adults had been churched at one point during their teen years but they are now spiritually disengaged.
The 60+% of the evangelical kids who choose to leave the church look pretty much like the 40% who stayed outside the church.
95% of the 20-29 year olds who no longer attend church did so regularly in their elementary years.
55% attended regularly during H.S

We need to deal with APATHY! Students need to be given a vision, equipped for a missional lifestyle, and encouraged to live as the authentic and radical presence of God on our planet.

Both groups, pastors and student leaders, received the solution to our dilemma with affirmation. We need an evangelism strategy in our churches/student ministries that leads students to pray for lost people and equips & directs young believers to engage the lost in spiritual conversation. We must create evangelistic climate where the unchurched and dechurched are valued and young believers who venture into the harvest field are celebrated as heros in our ministry. There is much more to be said, that's why we are having an EVANGELISM STRATEGY FOR STUDENT MINISTRY WORKSHOP on April 20th at FBC, Brandon, Florida. We are going to wrestle this bear to the ground and provide solutions for student ministry leaders who are serious about the great Commission and desire to challenge students to live the exciting Christian life.

We have a tremendous faculty for the workshop. Call our office for more details: 800-226-8584 Ext: 3096.

YEC: Saturday Breakout Sessions

2010-02-04T14:43:00.011-05:00

YOUTH EVANGELISM CONFERENCE

March 26-27, 2010

FBC, Orlando

Saturday Breakout Sessions

STUDENT SESSIONS

This Generation Leadership: Guys Only

Dr. Calvin Carr

Pastor, North Central BC, Gainesville

Sharing Christ by Memory

Nick Stoyer

Student Pastor, Eastside BC, Orlando

My Christian Rights at School

Brad Smith

Student Pastor, FBC, New Port Richey

Learn How to Tell Your Story

Jeff Dye

Student Pastor

Northcliffe BC, Spring Hill

Sharing God's Activity on the Planet

Natalie Kenney

Student Pastor's Wife, Reflections Church, Citrus Springs

Creatively Sharing Your Faith

Heath Woolman

Student Pastor, FBC, Frostproof

Transitions: H.S. to College

Becky Crandall

BCM Director, U. of Miami

Get a Little Crazy for God

John Evans

Student Ministry Communicator, St. Cloud

Sharing Christ with Skeptical Friends

Chad Reeves

Student Pastor, FBC, Orlando

MySpace to HISpace: Social Networks

Brian Brijbag

Student Pastor, FBC, Brooksville

Stay Clean Online

David Staples

Co-Founder of Defender Ministries, Tallahassee

Called to Vocational Student Ministry

Dr. Charles Havey

Theological Education, NOBTS, Orlando

ADULT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Evangelism Strategy for Student Ministry

Dr. Jeff Hessinger

Student Ministry, Florida Baptist Convention, Tampa

Online Witnessing Resources for Students

Dr. Jimmy Kinnaird

Director, Personal Evangelism, NAMB, Atlanta, GA

Vision & Purpose: Connecting with the Mission of God

John Sanders

Student Pastor, FBC, Tampa

How a Pastor Can Ramp Up Student Ministry

Pastor Bob Block

Senior Pastor, FBC, Tampa

Parent Ministry: A Worthy Partnership

Jeff Pratt

Student Ministry Team Leader, LifeWay, Nashville

Investing in Students

Jeff Stockdale

College Pastor, Hibernia BC, Jacksonville

Juggling: The Role of the Bi-Vocational Student Pastor

Shane Kenney

Reflections Church, Citrus Springs

Student Evangelism Workshop

2010-01-12T23:34:00.002-05:00

I'm interested in hosting an EVANGELISM STRATEGY FOR STUDENT MINISTRY WORKSHOP (so much for an eye-popping title). I think we have a lot to learn from each other as to how we can be more effective and intentional in reaching students with the gospel. I see the workshop as a tool to help student pastors develop a strategy/plan that would create an evangelistic climate in their ministry where students would be focused on identifying and praying for their lost friends, sharing the gospel with them and connecting them in ministry community.

The plan participants develop during the workshop would fit their ministry context and include many/most of the programs and events they are already doing. The plan would change ministry values, expectations, and behaviors (spiritual transformation). Such a strategy would prevent haphazard ministry with little results. I believe a student revival in the local church context would be very possible as a result characterized by increased first time guests, professions of faith and student baptism!

I'd like to hear from you. Would you be interested in such a workshop, when and where?

Billy Graham

2009-12-17T16:24:00.002-05:00

This is a great question asked by a young person and answered by Billy Graham.

Q: I know God has forgiven me for all the bad things I did when I was young, but will I ever forget them? They haunt me all the time because I know my life would have been much different if I just hadn't chosen to go down the wrong road. — A.J.

A: Dear A.J.,
Have you ever stopped to thank God -- really thank Him -- that you're no longer on that wrong road? Yes, your life would have been different if you'd never gotten on it in the first place -- but what if you were still on it? The Bible says, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I often say in this column that you can't change the past -- and it's true. But you can change the future, and that should be your focus. And one of the things you can change -- with God's help -- is your habit of constantly dredging up your memories of the past. The Apostle Paul did terrible things as a young man, imprisoning Christians and doing his best to stamp out the church. But all this changed once he became a follower of Jesus: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on ... to win the prize for which God has called me" (Philippians 3:13-14).

Ask God to fill you with His love, and with the truth of His forgiveness in Christ. Then ask Him to help you to be grateful for your life right now, and to guide you in the future. Don't yearn after the life you might have had (but never will), but "be content with what you have" (Hebrews 13:5).