May I share some good news with you? God is blessing our youth and children's ministries!
Yesterday, Troy Kilpatrick, who leads our youth ministries was sharing with me about their regular Sunday evening youth worship. They had about sixty teens! And at least one made a profession of faith following the service! I believe in youth ministry, and I believe in our youth ministry here at First Baptist Heath. When I was seventeen and lost, a youth ministry much like ours here, reached out to me and shared the good news of Jesus. God saved me, and my life has not been the same since. I believe that same thing is happening almost every week as Troy and his leadership team lead our youth.
May God continue to bless that ministry and safeguard Troy and his fellow leaders.
Well, what about our children? We have a new children's ministry director, Sam Smith. I am very excited about what God is going to do through Sam's ministry. We already have a good foundation and some excellent children's ministries from Awana's to Upward Basketball to Kid's Choir to Praise Kids to Vacation Bible School to Bus Ministries to Christmas for the Kids... We have a good foundation, and we have had superb leadership, but there is so much more that we can do.
I believe our children's ministry can be on the cutting edge of how we are reaching our community for Christ. Be on the look-out for new ways this ministry will shine in the days to come, and pray for Sam, that God will give him wisdom and strength as he leads.
By the way, a little plug for our prayer ministry (and God, of course). I felt certain that Sam was the one for the position, but it couldn't really happen unless he could change jobs. We prayed that God would give Sam the job he needed to be able to also handle this new responsibility. We had faith that God would provide so we went ahead with the announcement on Sunday. Monday after lunch, Sam and I were walking through Harmon Hall discussing children's ministry possibilities and his cell phone rang. It was a company in Columbus calling to offer him a job! Sam and I stopped what we were doing and thanked God right then for His goodness and provision. Our God is so good!
Pastor Noel Dear
