It's A Wrap

Each year I write a "wrap up" to conclude the ob ministry. Here is this year's edition...

So what do I say in conclusion of an unbelievable summer of ministry training and ministry experience? Here are some concluding thoughts as I have had almost a month to gather my thoughts regarding Operation Barnabas 2008:

I am grateful for faithful young adults who know and seek God. These leaders laid themselves on the line for the good of the kingdom and for the spiritual development of the next generation. This summer was what it was because of 16 young adults giving all they had. Action Point: Youth leaders, parents or ob teens—if you appreciate specific ob leaders, past or present, why not take a moment and thank them for their investment? Be specific. Use your cell, Facebook, texting, or e-mail to share a God-honoring word.

I am thankful for parents who trusted God to protect their young person and then allowed their most valuable possession to travel from CA all the way to Ohio (or Indiana to Cameroon…) in order to stretch and grow in Christ in challenging and unique ways. Acton point: Have you thanked your parents for their investment in your life as well as for the opportunities they allowed you?

I am grateful for a CE National Board of Directors who gives our staff freedom to dream and attempt the “impossible”. These folks are some of our biggest encouragers. Their words are wise and their perspective is a blessing. Action Point: Do you need to agree to take a leadership position that you have been asked to fill? Adding your elders or Board Members of a specific ministry to your prayer list would be a blessing.

I am thankful for Ed Lewis, who not only thought up the idea that teens could be trained in ministry like this 35 years ago, but who continues each year to pour into the lives of ob students during orientation. Action Point: Have you ever said anything to Ed in appreciation of his vision, passion, godliness, and heart for people? Here’s your chance: edlewis@cenational.org

I am grateful for teachable teens. Far too often we hear from the media and even too many adults about “those teens”. OBers—I am grateful for your desire to follow Jesus and be obedient to Him. As we talked about numerous times, ob is merely a step in the process. Too many treat it as a final goal or something. Now that you have experienced the ministry of ob first hand, what will you choose now that you are now (and each day will be) “at the crossroad”? Action Thought: Who have targeted to spend time with this year who need Jesus?

I so appreciate church and ministry leaders who worked hard in conjunction with our senior leaders to use these teens appropriately. Action Point: Who has shown you hospitality that you should thank? To whom do you need to show some hospitality?

I am thankful for donors who gave financially to offset the huge additional cost for fuel as we ministered across the country for the first time. Action Point: Who have you blessed recently, in a tangible way, in appreciation of God’s work in your life? (If you don’t know where to start, $800 is still needed for the ob fuel fund to end in the black! )

In conclusion, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit need to be honored. Maybe I should have started here at the beginning, but how can acknowledging the Godhead be anything other than a perfectly fitting conclusion to it all?!

I do believe that these teams—the leaders, the teens, the buses-- were prayed for more than any other teams in the 35 year history of ob. Traveling across most for the entire country in ob buses and sending our first international team to Africa will do that!

ob is only a program-- it could die tomorrow and God’s work will go on. But I am grateful to be a part of something, along with many ministry partners, that continues to touch lives now as well as influence many towards godliness and service for the future. Please pray with us for the continued development and growth of all involved in ob 2008 and for those who will be impacted by this ministry in 2009.

Blessed and honored to have been a small part of this summer’s ob ministry,

TK

Maybe Things Happen in Threes...

Don't know if it is really true or not, but my wife Dana says that bad things happen in threes. I'm not sure there is a scientific study to prove her right or not, but she is a pretty smart lady. Today I am grateful to report that good things also happen in threes.

Got an e-mail today. In fact, I got two of them. The first was from a youth pastor friend talking about the way God is working in the youth group. Students are sharing their faith and deliberately looking for ways to do that. Students are ministering to the needy. 5 of the students were baptized as a step of obedience to God. It would be easy and prideful to say that all this happened as a result of the group going to the Momentum conference last month. But the truth of the matter is that, yes, it was at Momentum, but God decided to move in significant ways that were not orchestrated by human hands. Yes, there is the importance of good planning, but the result was God ordained in the evidence of changed hearts. It was awesome to read about the things the teens in this group are doing for God's glory.

I then was forwarded an e-mail from an ob parent. Probably the most encouraging e-mail I have ever received from a parent. Here is a young man who is applying things at home with an unsaved sibling, in his church, and in his school. This young man is ASB president and looking at how to serve God and love people through that responsibility. He and another Christian friend are making plans to start a Bible study on campus too. Awesome. He gets it.

I just found out that we went way over the fuel budget for the ob teams this summer--even after some serious adjustments and a large percent of the budget given to that. Some dear friends have graciously forwarded on to us some financial gifts, so the verdict at this time is that we are still over the ob fuel budget by an additional $780.85.

So where is the third piece of good news in this? God didn't bring us this far, with an incredible summer of ministry training and experiences, to leave us short. I'm excited to see how God is going to meet this need and bring more glory to Himself (Matt. 5:16).

That's three good things in one day.

WOW

Wow is not a very academic word. Quite descriptive in nature though. As I think about the unfolding of this summer, WOW is probably the best word to use.

I can say that as I have seen what tni students have done in their internships, the accomplishments of 99 teens and 16 adult leaders on the four Operation Barnabas teams, the results of the two Momentum conferences, and even our involvement at the FGBC conference in Florida this past week--the word of the month has to be WOW.

While there was a lot of human preparation and planning for these events, the way God moved in unique ways was amazing. Seeing youth group members get right with each other and confess to God and one another during a feet washing opportunity on Friday night was a sight to behold. When there is confession and a CHANGE--that's REVIVAL. While it didn't show up on the stage with everyone looking on --it was going on in individual youth groups.

At the two conferences, teens and adults gave over $125,000 to assist the poor and needy of this world. Wow. I have never seen that before. And lest someone think that all we are saying is that we can free our guilty consciences of the needy in the world by giving some money and moving on--well, they weren't a part of the Momentum conference and didn't pay attention.
Out West, all wre a part of a rally for the homeless at Skid row in LA. That changed a lot of peoples perspective. Over 1500 people left Cedarville University on the Friday to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the greater Dayton area. They learned throughout the week, gave (some gave everything they had with them), and then went and served. 300 stayed on campus to pray and prepare meals that are for Feed My Starving Children with the foods being distributed in either Nicaragua or Haiti. They were Jesus to a lot of people. I feel sorry for those who missed out on seeking
(Side note: God has done incredible things at these two Momentum conferences. Encouraging people to be a part of these is not self-serving--it is an invitation to all to join in and see God at work in hearts and lives. Don't miss out.)

Teens will understand all of this more than we adults do. II Corinthians 8:13-18 is a humbling passage. I am impressed with the teens who are now home (after ob, after Momentum) and are continuing to serve the needy in the name of Jesus. I have heard countless stories of teens praying with people after serving them. One group, the weekend they returned home, headed to Washington DC to feed the homeless on Sunday night. Our youth group at Community Grace today partnered with the Salvation Army and Combined Community Services to put on a carnival and supply school goods for the financially needy. Individuals from these groups will understand the statements from the Lord that are recorded at the end of Matthew 25 while others have to hear "go away into eternal punishment".

Wow.