Category Youthmark Stuff

Refuge, Resource and More… Get Networked!

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Back in 1995 a postcard awaited me as I began unpacking my boxes for my brand-new Youth Pastor position at Melrose Community Church. The postcard was a simple invite to the Youth Pastor Network meeting Tuesday morning at Mom’s Cafe.

I had barely even met the people in my church let alone anyone else in this town, but I decided to risk and go–if nothing else, I figured the bacon and eggs would be worth it. I walked into the upper floor of the cafe and immediately heard the distinct sound of group laughter down the stairs. “This must be the youth pastors” I thought to myself. The 90 minute gathering felt much more like family than a meeting. At the conclusion of our time, Kirk, one of the guys in attendance handed me his business card and said, “call me anytime in the next week and this card is good for a free lunch.”

I remember saying,”yeah, I’ll check my schedule and see if I can make that happen.” Internally I was rejoicing and thinking, “I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING going on, but I’ll wait at least two days to call…”

Today, Kirk is one of my good friends (and actually works with me at Youthmark). His simple invite was an invitation that has led me to a life-long commitment. A commitment that says that we are better together.

You may not feel you need a Network. In fact, many of you may have a great circle of support already. However, you may be the perfect “Kirk” for a Youth Leader in need. Or perhaps you’re the “Brian” of yesteryear and really do need to have someone surrounding and supporting you.

I have the privilege of being involved in several network circles and two local networks that I coordinate. Though no longer a Youth Pastor, I am heavily involved in Student Ministries. I am excited to serve alongside these great brothers and sisters. The younger among us teach us much about current youth culture, whereas the older among us offer up our mistakes as things to avoid as well or our triumphs as things that may be worthy of repeating.

The National Network of Youth Ministries has existed for many years and is committed to better-networking Youth Leaders with one another. They too believe that we are better together! In order to better understand what is and what is not happening in the world of the youth leader and networks they have put together a survey they’d like all youth leaders to complete. I’d love to help them get the information they need. I just took the survey and it took me eight minutes. Would you support the network in a similar way? Here is the survey!

I hope you’re involved with a network, it truly is a resource, refuge and much more. Know that you have gifts to give and gifts to receive from others! If you have questions about a local network, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask, I can probably point you in the right direction.

Grace,
Brian

The Tale of Two Stages

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Sunday it was “set” for church. By Wednesday it was rocking for Youthmark’s LIFT event and by Saturday it was decked out for Stephen and Jenny’s Wedding.

Thanks Faith Church!

LIFT was all it was billed to be- concert :: training :: worship

Fun to see friends get hitched!

Grace,

Brian

SMS: Back from Mission, Camp or Retreat? Now What?

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NOTE: This article/blog was originally written by me for youthworkers.net (click here to read it there).

I’ve read some amazing stories on blogs and Facebook of the things God has done at camps, retreats and on mission trips this summer! I believe youth ministry is alive and kicking and God is at work, but was it just there (on the trip) that the Lord moved? Of course not, but for some reason growth and change there seems more obvious, practical and tangible. I’d love to see these things here (at home) become just as evident.

Imagine with me some of the first century Tweets we might have read had the technology existed then …

From Luke: As @saulpaul was preaching I saw a snoozing teen @eutychusrocks fall from 2nd floor 2 his death! PTL the dude was healed and now lives! #paulkeptpreaching

A ReTweet: RT @weddingcrasher Just saw the strangest thing, Mary’s son Jesus changes water into the best wine I ever tasted! #whoisthisguy

Of course a status update didn’t happen in real time back then, but rest assured, news did travel quickly. Praise God for people like Luke and John who recorded these amazing acts.

The wonderful reports of what took place on your mission trip have landed on the hearts and ears of parents and friends back home. Students have Tweeted about how great the camp was and they have become fast-Facebook friends with those they met at the retreat.  But is that it?

How are you handling the transition off of the trip and into the next 51 weeks? This is a question I grappled with as a youth pastor. I got tired of students living for the “camp high” or the “mission trip great feeling.” But the bottom line is that those feelings produced are the things that often bring kudos from parents, other pastors and/or the board.

I believe a plan is needed to merge your students onto the freeway of life that has been flowing back home. We can help students navigate from commitment there to commitment here.

Three Tips for Merging Back Home

  1. Give them a Practical Way to Remain In The Word! I believe God’s Word and God’s Spirit were key in the things that took place there. Hopefully your group was consistent in God’s Word on your mission trips; the Bible was teaching and challenging students, life was lived together in fellowship, service and witness; and students were responding to the Spirit in obedience: crucial components for life-change were merging together in amazing ways. And it doesn’t have to stop when your kids come home! Give them a practical way to remain the Word. I’ve seen it work, through our MERGE resources for returning home from the mission, retreat or camp (or other experiences). Of course I’d love to see you use our resource, but at minimum, give them a one or two week outline of passages to study, journaling questions and some practical questions to go through as they merge back home.
  2. Throw a Better Than A Reunion Party! There’s nothing that can kill a youth group faster than a holy huddle. Because your students who were at camp together came home with great inside jokes and other shared memories they usually think that these stories are funny to all, but we all know THEY AREN’T! As the leader, you should throw a “Summer End Celebration” to celebrate all that God did in and through the ministry as a whole, not just one specific event. Give ample opportunity for stories from those who went to sports camp (rather than the youth group camp), or those who shared Jesus at their summer jobs, for instance.  Invite them to share their stories of what God did in and through them, in their varied settings. This can be organized with specific testimonies chosen so that all participants can see and hear the collective work of God through the summer!
  3. Invite them to the next Mission! A body of water like a lake or pond becomes toxic when it becomes stagnant. So it is with a body of believers. The camp, retreat and mission were exciting and active because there was movement! The mission-high ceases to exist if the mission is complete. Help students to know that there is a new mission ahead as they return to their campus, engage in their clubs and reinvest in the community! This is something we at Youthmark coined Mission51–the 51 weeks beyond the mission or camp!

As summer comes to a close, perhaps you already sense that the momentum has been lost, but I urge you to jump back in now, it’s not too late! Your students are cause-oriented, give them a cause greater than reliving memories. Challenge them to get back (and stay) in the Word through something like MERGE, reunite them so they can testify and remember His faithfulness, and above all, invite them to fully invest in their new mission field at home!

Grace,

Brian

Worth more than $5!

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I’m finishing up another week of speaking at a camp; this time in my beautiful home state of WA! It’s nice to not have to go “over there” to share the best news ever. Sometimes “over there” is a lot of fun, but I’ll tell you, it’s a lot of fun to be sharing with teens right now who get to share “right here” with their friends and family!

In a few short weeks, teens will be heading back to their “mission” on their campus, at their clubs, building into their community and probably participating in the new programs at their church… I am praying RIGHT NOW for this mission.

However, I am not just praying, I am doing my part to actively train them (and I hope even more importantly, participating with them by pursuing any opportunity I have to share the good news too)!

If you are in the Northwest, I’d love to have you participate with me in a training event we have at Youthmark. It’s not just a training event, it’s a concert  and also will have a time of wonderful worship through song! My friends, Everfound, will be there as well as soon-to-be-friends, Kye-Kye! I can’t wait. LIFT takes place in just one week (Wednesday, August 17, 7:00 PM) at Faith Church in Kent. It’s only $5!

Here’s the promo materials.

Whether you’re young or old, this event will entertain and equip! Mission51 exists, let’s reach our community now!

Grace,
Brian

Got Grads?

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Hey Youth Pastor and Youth Leaders!  Do you have some students who are still struggling with “what’s next?” I remember each summer as a Youth Pastor, the mission trips, camps and retreats were coming to an end and I was in the planning stages for the fall program. The “Jordan’s” and “Taylor’s” who hadn’t decided what to do next were still attending (and probably planning on attending) Youth Group even though they had graduated already.

There wasn’t anything wrong with Jordan or Taylor, they just didn’t know if college was what they wanted to do next, or even if it was, they wanted/needed a community to be a part of while they commuted to the local community college.

As a Youth Pastor, I wanted to see these grads have the opportunity to grow and be a part of a community but I also didn’t want them to be in Youth Group anymore. I wish a place like Adelphia Bible School were an option back then.

Over the last four months I have been able to lend my voice to Adelphia and I’m excited about the one-year program they are offering. Not only will the students receive a year foundation in the Scriptures (22 different weeks of teaching, with best-practice teachers coming new each week), but they get to practice what they’re learning NOW, not just later.  The Cohort program that I’ve been able to help develop will give students the opportunity to intern or apprentice at a local church (perhaps even their own “home” church). I love this, because I know a number of young adults who think they want to go into full-time ministry, well now they can find out at a very affordable cost, instead of the $35k some schools charge per year.

Each afternoon at Adelphia is intentionally “open” so students can be in a job, get ahead on credits through local or online schools, and/or serve in a local church (Cohort program).  All this is done within the context of a great community on the campus of Lake Retreat.  The year ends with a two-week mission experience to one of three places the students will choose! Adelphia is all about Mission51 as well!

On top of this… a free iPad2!  They’re going green (plus I think it just adds to the “cool” factor).

Because I’ll get to be involved I am biased, but I really am being serious when I say that if you are a Youth Pastor or Youth Leader (or parent) and have some recent (or even not-so-recent) grads/young adults in your sphere of influence, please check out what Adelphia has to offer! I believe this is going to be a top-notch experience!

Adelphia will be at the LIFT event that I get to speak at, I’d invite you to this event as well (bring your group). You can meet with an Adelphia representative as well. Here’s the info!

Grace,
Brian

LIFT… Worship :: Training :: Concert

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Two years ago I had the hankering to invite all the Western WA participants from Youthmark Missions to sort of a reunion and “ReLaunch” into their mission field that is their campus, club, community and church. We rented a coffee house and thought we’d have 50-75 people show up to watch some videos, hear some testimonies and be challenged to “live it out” as they head back to school.  Well, it was a success. Nearly 175 people showed up that evening.

The idea has now expanded! Along with co-sponsor Adelphia Bible School, we are hosting an event entitled “LIFT.”  This event will take place on Wednesday, August 17 from 7:00-9:30 pm at Faith Church in Kent. It’ll include an opening concert from Kye Kye (many of you saw them at Creation) and a practical challenge/training session from me (I can’t wait!). In addition LIFT will include a few testimonies, video’s and a closing concert (performance) and worship concert (lifting praise) by Everfound (I’ve spent four weeks over the last two years with these guys, so genuine in their heart for the Lord and passion to serve Him).

I’d love it if you could spread the word, I’d love to see the place packed. It only costs $5!  Here’s the promo materials.

Whether you’re young or old, this event will entertain and equip! Mission51 exists, let’s reach our community now!

Grace,
Brian

 

Some Great Stuff Happening

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Every now and then my blog takes an unannounced vacation. This was one of the times.

Over the last couple weeks we were able to take “Speak-ation Meet-union!” (one part speaking, one part vacation, one part Youthmark meetings and one part family reunion).  Good times.

I’ll be posting more about this in the next few posts, but wanted to give the ever-decreasing audience a little heads up as to what’s been going on (it’s funny to see the reader-ship dwindle when you don’t post).

Here are few little highlights (with some pic-posts to come as well):

WA (on our way east): Met with the Spiritual Life Director of a Christian school; Elisabeth and I are speaking together this next year during s Spiritual Emphasis week at an eastern WA Christian High School.

ID: We blinked during the panhandle portion of I-9o, so we completely missed Idaho.

MT : Spent 5-6 days with Elisabeth’s sister and husband. Did some sites and sounds, but mostly enjoyed the pool and family time.

WY: Yellowstone and some long open roads.

CO: Spoke at Summit Camp again, awesome time.  50 people trusted in Jesus for their salvation. So fun to have my family at one of my speaking gigs. In addition got to see family and friends and celebrate our 15th anniversary (July 20) at the place we got married (Colorado Springs). Mission51 has begun.

NM/UT/CO/AZ: We did the 4-Corners thing. Really ugly area, but fun place to take our kids and say that “we’ve been to 4 corners.”

AZ: Great price on a 4-star hotel (thanks Priceline). Saw friends and had a very good meeting for Youthmark (more later)

CA: Elisabeth’s folks live in SoCal! Always great to see them!

I’ll be posting some pics and more stuff about the actual events that took place soon!

Grace,
Brian

SMS: An Open Letter to Parents

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

Dear Student Ministry Parents,

Hi! Let me introduce myself, my name is Brian Aaby, I have been involved with Youth Ministry for about 20 years, 16 as a Youth Pastor and now I serve as the President of Student Ministry related organization (Youthmark). I want to write this letter to you, parents of students involved in Youth Ministries across the country, just to give you a quick heads-up.

A few weeks ago I walked in to a very familiar setting, the coffee shop that some of my best friends meet in each week. This group of friends represents 5-8 different churches each week (depending on who is able to attend). I love this youth ministry network, but on this particular day, I grieved for this group!  They had the look.

It was early June, too early for the look, but I saw it nonetheless.

Parents, you know the look, because you often have the look.  Metaphorically (or perhaps for real), your feet are sore from all the running around at your job. Your legs are cramping from lifting your own load and carrying the burdens of your family and friends. Your back is tight from the stress the economy has placed on your budget. Your brain feels fried from the bombardment of questions that need to be answered by anyone and everyone. Your hands are calloused due to the constant cleaning, straightening and fixing of everything in your house. And unfortunately, it’s not just your hands that feel calloused, but your heart too. Sometimes you feel unloved, under appreciated and certainly unnoticed.

Yeah, you know that look. Tired. Weary. Questioning.

Yet, like you, most of these youth pastors in my networks (and around the nation), will keep going, because it is their passion, their calling and their love: Your children! They do it not for the money (’cause rarely is there much), they do it not because they couldn’t make it in other careers (unfortunately, we have too many good Youth Pastors leaving because they no longer can afford to be in youth ministry) and they do it not because they NEED the affirmation (because, as mentioned above, it’s just not always there).  They do it because they love to see LIFE!

Youth Pastors (and I’ll expand it to Youth Leaders, many of whom are you–parents), live in the lifestyle of Youth Ministry because they love to see lives changed. They long to see Jesus change hearts. They live to see your students reach out to others with the gospel of Jesus. They pray, plan and produce, so that your children can learn, love and lead!

Parents, youth pastors need to do much more to include you, inform you and appreciate you, NO DOUBT. But as a former youth pastor, I so appreciated when parents went out of their way to draw me in. Youth ministry was such a balancing act, I wanted to pour into students, develop a volunteer team, look good in the eyes of the elders and THEN try to keep parents happy. It was an endless cycle and one that I had NO CLUE about when I was in my lower to mid 20’s (the age of most youth pastors).

That look in June is dangerous, because the summer season hadn’t even begun. Mission trips, camps (i.e. “time away from family”) VBS, fall planning, filling the pulpit for the vacationing senior pastor, weekly studies & programs and all the impromptu events haven’t even happened yet. It’s a look I expect to see in mid-August, not in June. But it is something YOU CAN HELP! You can help GIVE LIFE so that in turn, youth leaders can do the same. Here are a few quick suggestions:

  • Prayer partnership. How cool would it be to have a couple/family take a month to love on and pray for the Youth Pastor (or other pastors for that matter)? 12 couples committed to taking a month… wow! A weekly phone call, a text check-in and an occasional note just reminding them that you’re praying for him/her.
  • Be the last parent to leave. After the mission trip, retreat or camp, as the parking lot empties, the Youth Pastor always remains to pick up the leftover sleeping bag, suitcases and the lone-sock. Yep, there is always a single sock that somehow makes it way out into the parking lot.  What if you volunteered to stick around and clean out the van and let him/her get home to his/her family?
  • Date Night. We longed for this (still do). A night in which a trusted family volunteered to come to our house and watch our kids (even for an hour or two) so that we (as a couple) could reunite. The 10 days of the mission trip being away from my wife/kids was very hard, but then to try to re-engage in the midst of chaos at home made it feel like the 10 days extended to 30 (she needed a break, I wanted a break, etc.). Your willingness just to give these youth ministry couples even two hours will lead to a healthier marriage and ministry.
  • The Simple “Thank You.”  This is by far the least costly, but often the most-rewarding. A specific thank you from a  parent (and student) is often the Gatorade of the youth ministry marathon. It tastes great and refuels.
There are so many more that I can think of and plan to implement even now as a recipient of a great Children’s Ministry at our church. I want to be aware of the look in every ministry.
Parents, thank you for allowing youth leaders to have influence in the lives of your students. We count it an honor to impact lives  (and be impacted by you and your family as well) and the more healthy we are as youth ministers the better impact we can have. We know it goes both ways and we truly do desire to improve the relationship with parents!
My hope is that this open letter will lead to even one step toward unity in the body (1 Cor. 12). I long to see our youth pastor network feeling refreshed because of the refuge they have not just in each other, but in the parents in their ministries. My prayer is that even one parent will read this and respond with an action. I long to see that look even less! Love well. Others will know us by our love!
Grace,
Brian

Auto Maintenance and Mission Trips!

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Hey everyone! I’m sitting in an auto-shop getting my oil changed, which got me thinking… I need my oil changed every 3000 to 5000 miles, or so they say (I think we ALWAYS push it beyond the 5k). We do this to keep the engine running smoothly, to get the junk out and to get a new filter.

This week, I believe God is going to do some needed changes in many hearts! Not just in the hearts of the lost (though I pray many people come to trust in Christ), but God is going to be doing some major changes in the lives of our team members out this week. Some of our students and staff need this week to get rid of the junk. A week away from bad relationships, temptations and sometimes just the apathy that the “norm” provides.  This week will provide a new-flow of challenges and opportunities that will ultimately equip our teams for Mission51, the 51 weeks after the mission trip back home!

Maybe, just maybe, this week can be about life-change for us, the people back home praying as well. As we pray about life-change for others, I believe God will show Himself in MIGHTY ways to us. We’ll get the maintenance on our hearts that is so needed as well!

If you click here you can see each of our teams who are blogging. Would you pray for one, two or possibly multiple teams this week? Even when the “red-dot” doesn’t show up, read and re-read previous posts and continue to pray for the listed requests.  Here are the teams we have out right now:

Calvary Chapel Silverdale to Petersburg, AK

Cascade Community to Ocean Park, WA

Faith Church to Pincher Creek, Alberta

Faith Church  to Fort MacLeod, Alberta

Grace Church to Shasta, CA

Lake Sawyer Christian to Nicoya and San Jose, Costa Rica

Lake Sawyer Christian to Cascade, ID

Lake Sawyer Christian to Cambridge, ID

In addition, I am aware of at least one team who used Youthmark Curriculum to train students who are out this week as well. Boulevard Park Church is serving in Lincoln, MT.

I’m appreciate your faithfulness to these teams. Your prayers are being heard and answered!

I’m excited about getting into my car, knowing that this small maintenance item goes a long distance. My hope is that my small prayers will go a long distance in the lives of many as well!

Grace,
Brian

One Week In Evangelism

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WARNING: The following is a longer post, but will have you standing an applauding Jesus if you take the time to read through a one-week window of what He did!

Some say “social justice” is the new “evangelism.” I say some are wrong. Don’t get me wrong, social justice (which I think should be re-named acts of compassion) is needed, but I believe most of the time it can/should be accompanied with evangelism (sharing the Gospel with actual words).  I believe EVANGELISM is alive and is life giving! In fact, I tracked the role of evangelism over a one-week period in my personal life and in the life of the ministries I am associated with. Quite a one-week period! Praise God.

Friday/Saturday, June 24/25: Simultaneous launches of several Youthmark Mission Venture (YMV) teams took place in Northern California and the panhandle of Idaho. All told, 11 churches were starting their missions.

  • I personally was able to share Christ with a family who was gracious enough to host a mission team prior to the launch beginning. 

Medford, OR "Friends helping Friends"

Sunday, June 26: After the launch in Redding I drove to Medford, OR for my flight to Colorado. While in Medford, on Sunday morning, I took a long walk; here I witnessed a homeless ministry at a park in Medford. I was greatly encouraged in conversation by a team member who reported to me about the ministry. This “Friends Helping Friends, Medford” (they have a Facebook page) meets in this park EVERY Sunday (rain, sun or snow)! Every week the Gospel is presented (in Word and deed). This was a divine appointment.

  • I personally got to minister/witness to a hurting girl who sat next to me on the plane from Medford to Colorado. Amazing how a tearful “I miss my friend” comment can turn into a conversation about Jesus.
Monday, June 27: Reports begin pouring in on the blogs of successful starts to the ministries of Youthmark Mission Ventures. Meanwhile I started my speaking in Colorado at Summit Camp (Ponderosa). 200+ teens in attendance, many whom do not know Jesus.
  • While at Starbucks in Monument, CO (near the camp), I was asked about the uniqueness of my Sbux card (it’s an old Seattle card). Through sharing that I was from Seattle and being asked about why I was in CO, I was able to turn the conversation with three Baristas into an evangelism opportunity where I was point blank asked “what are you going to speak to these teens about?”  AHHHH, love those set-ups!
Tuesday, June 28: I was drawn to tears as I read a few of our blogs, reading about evangelism opportunities our Youthmark students were taking advantage of in CA, ID, MT, OR, WA and Alberta. I received an email from one Youth Pastor who asked specifically for prayer for the town in which his group was serving. The students who were attending their outreach had backgrounds that included parental abandonment, parental abuse (one student was burned by his parent’s crystal meth pouring out on him) and one teen showing up at the park who was dealing with his dad’s recent murder of his girlfriend (and this teen saw the act).
  • My Tuesday was a spiritually intense day; while playing putt-putt with a few students at camp, I mentioned to a couple middle-school students, “you guys are a lot of fun.” One boy stopped, looked up at me and said, “you’re the first adult to ever say that I was fun.”  From about 2:00 to 4:00 that day, the Holy Spirit worked on my heart and changed the message I was to speak that evening; the coolest part, the passage I had already outlined fit the theme so well… God had me speak on the Bleeding Woman and the theme of “burdens”
  • Immediately after my message I drove to a restaurant to meet my Colorado friend, Steve for some wings. While at the restaurant, we were able to talk to Harold and Dan.  These two guys have served in Iraq three times each, have killed too many people to count (including women and children who were deemed “a threat”). The guys were desperate for escape. They both were on four different Post Traumatic Stress Disorder drugs and said, “but they don’t help.”  Steve and I shared the Gospel with these guys for about two hours! They believed they deserved hell and couldn’t do anything to make up for the stuff they have done. THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND GRACE! They were receptive and I am praying for their souls!
  • I believe that God gave me a great spiritual birthday present this day, it was 21 years ago, June 28, where I placed my trust in Christ.
Wednesday, June 29: More amazing “God” things were happening out and about through YMV teams. My favorite report came from Bangor, CA; Jeff Clabaugh the Youth Pastor serving there that week reported about two young men (one the Pastor’s son and the other a non-Christian friend) NOT showing up for the morning Teen-time like they had been showing up each morning. They were late because the Pastor’s son was personally sharing Jesus with his friend. Upon arrival the friend announced, “I am a Christian now!” Later that evening, the new believer showed up at the park for evening outreach, only he didn’t show up alone, he showed up with his brother, whom he had shared the gospel with during the day, the brother trusted in Christ as well! INSTANT evangelism!

  • Glad I didn't wear my Soul Surfer shirt today!

    Though it was “evangelistic,” in terms of sharing, I took the time to travel up north to the home offices of Dare2Share and was able to attend their mid-week chapel. Afterwards, Jason Lamb and I had lunch together. Jason is headed back into a Student Ministry pastor position; it was great to hear his heart for getting back to direct student ministry.

  • Again, the Holy Spirit threw me a few curveballs and tweaks to my planned message. While I preached on Wednesday the Lord made it known that I was to clearly share the complete GOSPEL. However, He also made it clear that I was to NOT do an “altar call.”  Instead, I challenged any/all students who wanted to place their trust in Christ for his/her salvation to talk specifically with a youth leader during the closing worship set that EVERFOUND was leading. We know of at least 9 of these conversations that took place that evening! Praise God.
Thursday, June 30: By mid-afternoon I was blessed to read a report of a baptism taking place up in Alberta! I was rejoicing with Wescott, the Youth Pastor from Westwood Baptist of Olympia as his team was seeing the fruit of the ministry in Picture Butte and Raymond!
  • As I spoke on Thursday I was able to clearly communicate not just the gospel, but the call on the Christians to share the good news with their lost friends. That evening we saw at least another 16 students trust in Jesus and another 150+ make a commitment to share Christ with an unsaved family member or friend! What a night!
Friday, July 1: The week at camp came to a close, but the good news was about to be preached to over 1000 people on Friday evening. I received an email about my Young Life students at camp from our team leader. He reported that over 100 students placed their trust in Christ at the end of the week at camp! WOW! In addition to the salvations from YL camp, I was reading about scores of students in each of our 11 locations we had teams. I think when it was all said and done, over 100 students trusted in Christ in our YMV communities!
  • Friday evening brought some great “evangelism encouragement” as Greg Stier and I were able to grab dinner together. I love being with a like-minded person. The ministries of D2S and Youthmark have so much common DNA; I believe we’ll be able to cross-polinate a lot as both organization move forward.
One week. In just one week I was able to see THIS MUCH in the area of evangelism. I thank all of you who prayed. I thank all of you who participated by actively pursuing the lost and I can’t wait to see more and more respond to the call! One week is just one week, Mission51 has begun, the 51 weeks after camps, mission trips and retreats matter all the more! Back in my Jerusalem the harvest is JUST as plentiful!
Grace,
Brian