So I just got back from our Wednesday night service at church, and I am praising God for how awesome it was.
A little background, our youth program at church has always been fairly large, but it started shrinking not long ago. Around that time, our youth pastor decided to go back to his old church. For a while, the youth services were very small. Well we recently (around two months I guess) hired a new youth pastor, and he has come in and really turned things around.
Tonight he began a new series on world missions. He preached a short but powerful message (he usually doesn't talk long, but is very good at it). Afterwards, there is usually some sort of response time. It sees a scattered group of people praying at the altar, and the occasional decision, but not like this. The first call was for those who know God wanted them in full time missions. A fairly large number went up to the altar for this. Then he asked for those who weren't sure, and the first group began praying for the second. Shortly after, he allowed people to walk up and speak into the microphone, as they felt led to. This was the great part. I watched one of the "group clowns" (you usually expect something odd with him) walk up and pray seriously for missions and the people who had gone up to the altar. One of the middle school girls walked up and shared about one of their friends who had died a year ago, and how that affected their group of friends and helped her walk with God. I saw numerous others walk up and say something like "if you need some prayer or help, we are here". One of the high schoolers shared his calling to be a youth pastor. To top it off, one boy accepted Christ tonight. Watching him walk out of the room and be accepted into this group of believers was really cool. It was just amazing watching the group open up and talk like a family of Christians.
I just wanted to share this with you all, as it really blessed me tonight.