Sweaty palms, nausea, cotton mouth, irregular breathing and dizziness. No, you don’t have the flu — you are simply experiencing the symptoms that often accompany the leading of God’s Spirit to share the gospel. I like to call it Evang-a-phobia: the fear of sharing our faith. I can’t tell you how many times these flu-like conditions have suddenly overwhelmed me after hearing that “still small voice” of God’s Spirit directing me to approach someone and talk to them about spiritual things. What’s the deal? It’s probably a combination of several things but at the core, it’s usually fear that keeps us paralyzed when it comes to sharing our faith. Fear of rejection, embarrassment, humiliation, ignorance of scripture or other religions and the perception others may have of us. God has designed us with a deep need for love and acceptance and it goes against everything inside of us to betray those instincts and put ourselves in a place of possible rejection.
If we feel this way as adults, consider how much more difficult it must be for our teens. The teen years are a time when our kids are desperately seeking community and acceptance. To live according to standards found in scripture usually puts them on a fast track to rejection and social or emotional suicide. That’s why it is critical for them to have proper support structures in place, like a family that encourages their walk with Christ and a church family that edifies and validates their faith. Living their faith is hard enough, but sharing their faith can be terrifying. This is like our “evang-a-phobia” times ten! And yet, that is exactly what God is asking them to do.
As petrifying as it may be, our students need to allow the love of God to swallow their fears and “Go and preach the gospel to every creature” — that includes their peers. Today’s teens are the largest population segment in America, and only four percent of them claim to be born again! Our high school campuses are one of the largest mission fields on the planet and one of the most closed off. Outside of Christian gatherings like FCA or Club 121, pastors, parents and even teachers are not allowed to share their faith or teach the Bible on school grounds. This leaves the evangelism of our nation’s youth to the students themselves. Studies have shown that the greater percentage of conversions take place before the age of 20, after that, the odds of a person coming to Christ drop off considerably. So, who will go into the fertile fields of our high school hallways, locker rooms and cafeterias bearing the precious seed of the gospel? Are our kids up to the task? As parents we place a lot of emphasis on grades, sports and extracurricular activities, and rightly so. But what about reaching the lost?
This month we are starting a new series in the High School Class on evangelism. In addition to messages on Sunday morning, students will be given specific training in personal evangelism at our home groups that meet in various locations during the week. We will be using the “Way of the Master” DVD series as the vehicle to do this. If you have never seen this material, it is a very powerful tool in equipping the church to effectively share our faith. I have been through the course and found it to be incredibly enlightening and encouraging. I believe it will make a huge impact on our students, and as a result, in the lives of the lost in our high schools. They will learn to deal with their fear of evangelism and be emboldened to share their faith with confidence. If your student is not involved in a home group, this would be an excellent time to get involved. Not only will they be instructed in the area of evangelism, but they will also find an atmosphere of godly community and acceptance. Make sure your student doesn’t miss out on this opportunity. My prayer is that by the end of this series, we will have laborers going forth into the fields of our high school campuses and gleaning the Lord’s harvest.
New Student Ministry Assistant
Pastor Jim Lee and Pastor Kent Liles have a new administrative assistant beginning this month. Janet Harding will take over for Kristy Perry as the student ministries administrative assistant beginning October 1. Kristy is leaving her position to stay at home with a new baby, due in early December. Parents can reach Janet Harding at jharding@kcbt.org or at 816-358-0988 ext. 2006.
Key October Dates
Jr. High Sold Out will meet on Wednesdays in October except Wednesday, October 31. Sold Out dates include: 10/3, 10/10 and 10/24.
High School home groups will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays in October except for Wednesday, October 17, and Wednesday, October 31. October home group dates include: 10/1, 10/3, 10/8, 10/10, 10/22 and 10/24.
Worship Wednesday for both Junior High and High School students is October 17, at 7 p.m. at the Point.
Main Service Sunday is October 21. Junior High and High School students will meet in the main service at 9 a.m.
The Junior High Halloween Party is Friday, October 26, at the Jim and Kelly Lee’s home from 6-9 p.m. Their address is 5415 S. Stillhouse Road, Oak Grove, Missouri 64075. Students will receive more details as the date approaches.
The High School Halloween Party is Wednesday, October 31, from 6:30-10 p.m. at Craig and Lorie Rookstool’s home. Their address is 1050 NE Blackwell Parkway, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64086. Home groups are cancelled this week so students can attend this annual fall party at the Rookstools. Students will receive more details as the date approaches.
Our annual high school and college ski retreat is January 16-19, 2009. This trip is about so much more than skiing or hanging out; we will be spending time together each night in worship and hearing some excellent preaching. Pray seriously about coming and ask the Lord to use this trip to do a great work in your heart. Make this trip about seeking the Lord, and watch what happens! The base cost for this year’s trip is $235.00; lift tickets, equipment rentals, lesson, and meals are additional costs. Sign-ups will begin mid-November.