Blog
"I Felt Something Like Fire Going Through Me." My First Preteen Mission Trip
In the spring of 2004, I felt led by the Lord to train and prepare the preteens for our first mission trip.
We taught them to lead the worship songs, teach an evangelistic Bible study, and counsel lost children.
When I shared with my church staff what I was going to do that summer, they thought I had lost my mind.
It Was As If a Veil Had Been Removed From My Eyes
My greatest joy throughout the past 33 years has been working with children in the local church.
I have loved seeing their lives transformed by the power of the Gospel working in them.
What I did not know was God’s greater plan for their lives.
During my first 14 years of ministry, I was working at an adult level.
Pouring my life into my adult leaders and equipping them for works of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13).
I knew that if I spent time with them, it would pour over into the lives of the children of my church. It did, and it did not.
I AM GUILTY!
“Bow your head, please. If you would like to accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, pray this prayer with me, ‘Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I know that You died for my sins and rose on the third day. Please forgive me for my sins. I ask You to come into my heart to be my Savior and Lord.’”
I led many children in this prayer in my first 13 years of ministry.
Remember, I am a child evangelist at heart, and I want children to come to Christ and accept Him as their Savior.
But my greatest sin was what happened afterward—NOTHING!
Shifting to True North
If you hold a compass in your hand, the main needle will point true north.
People have navigated the seas and crossed countries with a compass.
Our true north in the Church is Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2).
He is our Focal Point for the body of Christ, our True North, our Commander and Chief. He has given an order, and He promises to empower those who obey that order (Acts 1:8).