They say church would be a great place if not for all the people. And sadly right now that seems true. In the past few weeks I have seen so much of what we have worked to build fall apart. We have taught these kids a lot through the years about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and living a Christ-centered life. This summer they have learned about the nasty nature of church politics. This breaks my heart.
The saddest part of my split with my church is what I have seen these past few days. Students come into my room with this absolute look of defeat. You can see it in their eyes. Their way of worshipping is gone. The way that they feel connected is robbed from them. They came and tried to save it but to no avail. They witnessed what was said. They were there. They tried to speak up. But it was shut down.
It would be very easy to just throw my hands in the air and move to another church and start a new youth group in a new town. There is an appeal to this. It would be nice to not have to deal with the same faces and their tactics. But then I come in and see the look on the faces of these kids and I am reminded of the vision we started out with three years ago. I just can't abandon that mission. Megan Mardesen and I talked about a youth service for us by us. Ashley Danner and Dan and Drew Christensen were there too. We talked it out. We worked it up and we started Generation Genesis. It was a service for them with their kind of music and their kind of worship. It is sad to think of it uprooted from EHLC, the place where it started. But when I see the look in their eyes I realize that it can't end. This is only a beginning.
I don't know what the ministry of my band will look like over the next nine months. But I have decided not to abandon these kids. They have stuck by me. They have supported me. They came to my defense. They have followed Thrown through thick and thin. I will continue to serve them however they want me.
I have gotten some anonymous criticism lately. These brave souls who hide behind unsigned threatening letters seem to think I am a disgrace. This puzzles me. When a sixteen year old testifies that because of my guidance for the first time in their life they felt connected to Jesus is that a disgrace? When an eighteen year old boy says that they will seek out the same worship environment as G2 because there they feel alive is that an embarrassment to my church? When students turn to me with serious life problems and we work it out using the bible and Christian music is that acting like a teenager?
I must throw off these invisible jeers from the dark. I know in my heart what is right. I know in my heart what I am called to do. I will move along fighting the good fight. Just as I worked hard for the Lord when times were good I must also keep on plugging away now that times are bad. These are just the trials of this world.
The saddest part of my split with my church is what I have seen these past few days. Students come into my room with this absolute look of defeat. You can see it in their eyes. Their way of worshipping is gone. The way that they feel connected is robbed from them. They came and tried to save it but to no avail. They witnessed what was said. They were there. They tried to speak up. But it was shut down.
It would be very easy to just throw my hands in the air and move to another church and start a new youth group in a new town. There is an appeal to this. It would be nice to not have to deal with the same faces and their tactics. But then I come in and see the look on the faces of these kids and I am reminded of the vision we started out with three years ago. I just can't abandon that mission. Megan Mardesen and I talked about a youth service for us by us. Ashley Danner and Dan and Drew Christensen were there too. We talked it out. We worked it up and we started Generation Genesis. It was a service for them with their kind of music and their kind of worship. It is sad to think of it uprooted from EHLC, the place where it started. But when I see the look in their eyes I realize that it can't end. This is only a beginning.
I don't know what the ministry of my band will look like over the next nine months. But I have decided not to abandon these kids. They have stuck by me. They have supported me. They came to my defense. They have followed Thrown through thick and thin. I will continue to serve them however they want me.
I have gotten some anonymous criticism lately. These brave souls who hide behind unsigned threatening letters seem to think I am a disgrace. This puzzles me. When a sixteen year old testifies that because of my guidance for the first time in their life they felt connected to Jesus is that a disgrace? When an eighteen year old boy says that they will seek out the same worship environment as G2 because there they feel alive is that an embarrassment to my church? When students turn to me with serious life problems and we work it out using the bible and Christian music is that acting like a teenager?
I must throw off these invisible jeers from the dark. I know in my heart what is right. I know in my heart what I am called to do. I will move along fighting the good fight. Just as I worked hard for the Lord when times were good I must also keep on plugging away now that times are bad. These are just the trials of this world.
Move Along
The All-American Rejects
Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone stands
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold
Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
Move along
Lord, give me strength to serve them.
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