I'm still giving thanks for how God worked at our weekend services. We are in a series about Influence, and this weekend was focusing on the potential of the next generation to make a powerful difference - how God often uses young people to do his best work!
I came up after the worship set and began talking about how young I was when we began the church and when I started using my gifts for God. Then I explained that when I look at my teen-age daughters and their friends, I too often see them as younger than they really are, and fail to entrust them with major responsibility. As I was speaking, my 15-year-old daughter, Johanna, came up and asked for the microphone, suggesting I entrust her with the rest of the announcements. She delivered them beautifully and even instructed me to go sit down, saying, "This isn't that difficult!"
Darren Whitehead delivered a powerful message about the potential of the young, featuring a teaching about King Josiah who was only 8 when he led the people of God. But the major moments of the service were still to come. Darren described a young man now in his twenties, a guy named Joe, who grew up in a terribly difficult home which led to foster care. From the time he was 5 years old until the age of 7, his first foster care parents brought him to our church, to the ministry of Promiseland. Later the state moved this kid all over the place, and he completely lost his way. He got into a serious drug problem and was arrested for assault in his early 20's. When Joe hit rock bottom, he called that first foster mother, sobbing and threatening to take his own life. She pleaded him to return to God, to turn his life over to the Father he had learned about years ago. And Joe made that decision! He also went to AA, and began a process of healing that ultimately led him to 4 years studying at Moody Bible Institute to be a pastor to the young. At that point in the service, Darren called Joe up front along with those original foster care parents! Our church just went crazy. To see how the seeds sown in a child's life two decades ago ultimately bore fruit and brought him home to a relationship with God was hugely inspiring.
As if all that wasn't moving enough, the service came to a rousing climax when the adult worship team began leading us in the song, How Great is Our God. One by one, the adult instrumentalists were replaced by junior high students, starting with the drummer, then the guitarist, bass player (a young girl!), and keyboard player. At that moment, three young vocalists took over for the adults, and noone over 18 was left on the stage! When Bill Hybels came up to close the service, the congregation could not stop applauding. And best of all, hundreds of new volunteers were recruited to serve in our ministries for the next generation (we had to take advantage of this golden opportunity).
All of us were blessed with a vivid picture of what it means to pass the baton of the church intentionally and enthusiastically to its future leaders. I hope this rather long blog post will inspire others to consider doing a similar kind of service, and most importantly, to reflect on how we can mentor, develop and give responsibility to the young people who must advance the kingdom of God in the 21st century.