I remember the days when I first started doing ministry. I was nineteen years old and I had a fire that seems to be almost unquenchable. I started in ministry as a small group leader at a local youth ministry. My passion for youth grew into a passion for worshiping God. At age twenty I became the worship leader at the Lakewood Youth Center. God had brought me out of the darkest of pits to put me in front of eighty wound up, angry, and broken students. Time went on and I began to work more and more along side the youth pastor, and I soon learned that ministry is not all fun and games. I learned that ministry can be very messy, even ugly at times. However, there was an heir of oneness with the ministry team that we had.
Now that I am the leader of a youth ministry I want that same heir around this ministry. I want people to look at Xplode Student Ministries and see one of the strongest youth ministries ever. In order to get to that place we first need to lay down our pride and self want and let God form this ministry into what He wants it to be.
Youth ministry is constantly shifting and being transformed and I know our ministry will continually have to change. There are times when I find myself wishing that everything could stay the same, however, I know that not changing could mean death to a youth ministry. Change is the only thing that keeps youth ministry relevant. However, the core never changes.
God, help me to continually find new ways to keep our youth ministry on the cutting edge. Don't let my enemies triumph over me as I fight to minister to the youth in our world and when it seems that the evil one is trying to crush me on every side; oh God be my strength. Help me to speak only graciously of others and to be an encouragement to those who are down and out.
