NEW LIFE = JOY

Last night at SOUL, our High School Ministry, was seriously one of the best ever! Yes, in the 3.5 years I've been here it was a top 5.  A ton of things happened that I had nothing to do with.
1- God has lined us this great relationship with Chris Elliot from Biola to lead worship for our High School Ministry.  He is a gifted man with a pastor's heart that is allowing our student ministry to grow because we have another caring leader who wants to help teenagers embrace the reality of Christ!
2- God has moved in students hearts to engage with friends who don't know Christ to begin spiritual conversations with them.  Because of that many students have connected to SOUL and last night in my office one of those students before our evening even started shared with me the desire to take a faith leap with Jesus for the first time.
3- After SOUL was over a student shared with me the reality that they've known of God, but until last night never really had the personal relationship with him.


I got to watch all this play out....but the moving of God's Spirit in people's is why this is so exciting!  I echo what Brennan Manning says in THE FURIOUS LONG OF GOD on page 129 

"Perhaps the gut issue is not how much Theology we have studied or how much Scripture we have memorized.  All the really matters is this: Have you experienced the furious longing of God or not?"

These students have experienced the furious longing of God, and when anyone encounters that, you cannot ignore it or deny it's existence in your inner being!


Dang I love my job & am excited to watch the new life these students have!