Now that we are home...

We just returned from Momentum in Southern Mississippi and concluded the Operation Barnabas ministry teams that I get to direct. Incredible opportunities all summer long as well as doing hurricane relief for some people who really needed it.

Below is what I wrote for the final entry on the OB blogs for the summer. We are grateful and I hope it captures my heart that I really do believe that these teens can change the world for Christ:

We praise God for an absolutely wonderful summer of ministry on Operation Barnabas. We started out with 90 teens and 16 adult leaders on three teams and I am thankful to report that we returned with that exact same number!

Being a part of OB is one of the most challenging summer a student is ever going to face, also, it is typically the best summer of that young person’s life. The opportunity to learn from God’s Word, apply it every day –with Christ followers and those who are not yet Christ followers-- is an exciting way to live!

I’ve heard some cynics say, “Yeah, that’s fine for a while—but OB is an artificial world and you can’t really live your life that way all the time except on a tour like this.” Really? Who says you can’t? Personally, I think those who say these kinds of comments don’t live with the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. And they usually have no desire to verbalize their faith and that’s a lousy way to live the Christian life.

I know that it isn’t reasonable that you live with 35 other people and keep up the same pace during the rest of the year that OB goes during the summer, but the rest of it? I beg their pardon, but I think one can. And should. And that is the only reason that the adult leadership and vision casting team at CE National spend so much time preparing and investing in teens through OB.

To live to share Christ, and encourage others, and to serve anyone who needs it? That’s not a goal of CE National or Operation Barnabas for just a summer—but rather for a lifetime.

Thank you for your interest in an OB 2008 team. It was an incredible experience and we trust these 90 teens are never the same. If you know of any high school student who loves Jesus, has leadership potential, and is active in their youth ministry/ church, encourage them to consider Operation Barnabas in 2008 or in the future by checking out www.cenational.org and clicking on the OB logo.

Faith

I remember the picture vividly. It was taken during OB orientation--the night before everyone got started on their OB tours. The photo is of the 2007 OB teens having their hands on their bus, praying for protection, safety, and vehicles to run well all summer. And if God had something else in mind, that we would be open for the opportunity He provided through that.

God answers prayers. And we have had three buses and three luggage vehicles travel from PA all the way to MS and LA and not missed any ministry along the way because of a vehicle! Now some of the leaders have had to deal with a bus issue, and we will have a $1,000 bill tomorrow to totally repair what was not allowing bus 7 to "restart", but all of our buses are in the south--incredibly close to the University of Southern Mississippi where over 2,000 of us will gather for "Extreme Makeover: Heart Edition".

And it all started with teenagers, in faith, praying and believing. Oh, that there would be that kind of faith and revival for old people like me!

Each Member Doing His Part

Well, it has been about four weeks since I wrote my last blog and I should feel worse about that than I do... I've had all kinds of good things I could write about, but there are only so many hours in the day!

In my last entry, I shared about people who have served Jesus and others. Since that time, the OB teams have done incredibly well and I am thankful to the Lord for His blessings upon these teams and the churches and communities they have visited. None of them will ever be the same. I could write countless stories about this summer's ministry and I wasn't even on one of the teams this year. But I hear great things for the leaders every few days.

One thing that blessed my heart as we were leaving orientation to have the teams begin their tours was a conversation with Craig and Alana Groff, the couple that has been so helpful in getting our newest OB bus on the road.

After Craig did all of the prep work and the new bus was painted, we kept having a persistent problem with the vehicle overheating and none of the solutions we were trying were working. Finally, after numerous efforts, replacing the water pump did the job! PTL--four weeks later and there have been absolutely no problems.

I went back to their shop to thank Craig and Alana once the teams were on the road. They had invested a lot of time, energy, and resources into getting this large ministry tool ready and on its way. When I said, "I want to thank you for all of the things you have done to help with this bus," Craig's response was the kind that showed me a servant's heart and the kind of attitude with which I want all OBers to leave their summer tours: "That's nice of you to say, but I really didn't think I did that much to help you."

Hours and hours spent, finances invested, effort, and caring about 30 high school students on this bus, and the response is "I really didn't think I did that much..." As I write these words, I am still touched by a brother's sincere desire to help, in his own unique way, to allow people to be involved in kingdom work.

No, Craig, the only thing you did was be your part of the body of Christ that allowed other parts to do what they have been called to do. I find that personally challenging. It should be a tangible lesson to which no less than 30 high school students trying to follow Christ should be able to relate.