Last week I received a facebook message from one of the young people that attends LIFE, this person has recently become a Christian and is totally sold out for God. They have already got involved in different areas around the church that are outside of LIFE and is a true inspiration to me and many other people.
In the facebook message the young person describe a problem that they were having and wondered if they could talk to me about it as they were really struggling and needed some advice. They asked if we could talk at LIFE but then the young person said that she understood if i couldn't meet with her or help her because she knew I would be busy.
The words in the message struck me, I am a Youth Pastor and what does a Youth Pastor do? Pastor Youth. after reading this message my mind only had one question in it....."Have I made myself to busy to be a real Youth Pastor?" My time should be filled with helping young people and pointing them closer to Jesus, in the excitement and growth of LIFE have I lost the reason why I started this.
When you look at the life of Jesus you read a story of one of the most famous man on planet, both at the time he lived and also today, however you also read a story of one of the most personal men on the planet. Jesus spent a lot of his time speaking to large crowds but he also spent time round peoples houses eating meals with them, Jesus saw some of the craziest miracles but he also sat an listened to people in need and Jesus could of made everyone fall to their knees and worship him because of the power he had but he decided to wash the feet of his followers instead.
There is nothing wrong with speaking in front of thousands or praying for the impossible however we must never lose the personal touch that Jesus demonstrated. I must make myself available for young people to talk to, I must do my best to remember the names of the young people I meet and I must be willing to serve them with whatever they need even if that means at some point I will have to wash their feet.
Monday 27 September 2010
Monday 20 September 2010
Project 125
"You know your mind has been renewed when the impossible seems logical" - Bill Johnson
A problem has recently been brought to the attention of myself and about 400 young people that attend LIFE. The problem is this, that girls aged around 15 who live in Serenje, Zambia are struggling to finish their school education, in fact only 2% of them are making it through the entirety of their schooling life, which is 3 years. You may be thinking that maybe their isn't enough money for them to go to school or maybe that their families cant afford it or even that maybe there isn't enough teachers but no all these things are in place. The school is ready to have them, the teachers are ready to teach and the families have made sacrifices to ensure that the girls have some accommodation during the schooling term. The reason that 98% of girls aren't making it through school is because when they live away from their families during the school term they are beaten and raped by men living in the surrounding area. Most of the girls fall pregnant or catch HIV/aids and if neither of these things happen to them well they just run away out of fear....wouldn't you?
However there is solution. A youth group in Bracknell. This youth group go by the name LIFE and they don't like the fact that 15 year old girls are getting raped so they are going to do something about it. This inspiring, motivating, trend setting youth group have decide to raise £125,000 to build these girls a dormitory, a safe place that they can live during term times so they can focus on their education and be free from fear of abuse and rape. They have given this task a name Project 125! The young people of Bracknell see themselves as world changers! mainly because they are and they have decided to change the world of 100's of girls in Serenje. LIFE has taken on this challenge and some say that it is impossible.....hmmmm seems logical to me.
A problem has recently been brought to the attention of myself and about 400 young people that attend LIFE. The problem is this, that girls aged around 15 who live in Serenje, Zambia are struggling to finish their school education, in fact only 2% of them are making it through the entirety of their schooling life, which is 3 years. You may be thinking that maybe their isn't enough money for them to go to school or maybe that their families cant afford it or even that maybe there isn't enough teachers but no all these things are in place. The school is ready to have them, the teachers are ready to teach and the families have made sacrifices to ensure that the girls have some accommodation during the schooling term. The reason that 98% of girls aren't making it through school is because when they live away from their families during the school term they are beaten and raped by men living in the surrounding area. Most of the girls fall pregnant or catch HIV/aids and if neither of these things happen to them well they just run away out of fear....wouldn't you?
However there is solution. A youth group in Bracknell. This youth group go by the name LIFE and they don't like the fact that 15 year old girls are getting raped so they are going to do something about it. This inspiring, motivating, trend setting youth group have decide to raise £125,000 to build these girls a dormitory, a safe place that they can live during term times so they can focus on their education and be free from fear of abuse and rape. They have given this task a name Project 125! The young people of Bracknell see themselves as world changers! mainly because they are and they have decided to change the world of 100's of girls in Serenje. LIFE has taken on this challenge and some say that it is impossible.....hmmmm seems logical to me.
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