Faith in action
By Patti Smith | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
High School youth leaders in Kentuckiana want to help students put their faith into action.
They hope a gathering Sunday, Aug. 29 at the Block will offer students a night of encouragement, equipment and inspiration.
“We want them to take what they know and live it out in their schools and in their lives,” said Matt Allman, student minister at Northside Christian in New Albany, Ind. Allman is one of many youth leaders who will participate in the event, which is called Creation Waits.
The name comes from Romans 8:19: “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.”
It’s a biannual event—the first one was held last April—that was created to help build unity among students in the area, regardless of the congregation to which they belong.
Speaker, writer, teacher and musician Mark Moore, professor of New Testament Studies and interpretation theory at Ozark Christian College, will encourage students during this session.
Jesse DeYoung, student minister at Okolona Christian Church, brought his students to the spring event. He said they left thinking about the things that hold them back from sharing their faith with friends or being the person they want to be in Christ.
They were part of a crowd of more than 800 students who gathered at the Block. DeYoung believes that made an impact on the teens and made them see that they are not alone.
“It’s important for students to see that there is a sizeable amount of Christians in their schools that they didn’t know because they don’t go to church with them,” he said.
Students left empowered for Christ, which Allman believes is invaluable. He wasn’t always on fire for the Lord, however.
“I was more lost than lost can be in my high school years,” said Allman, who grew up in Illinois. A friend kept inviting him to church, and he finally started going. Matt Reagan, now Student Ministry Leader at Southeast, became Allman’s high school minister. He invested in Allman and showed him the love of Jesus.
“We’d work through stuff, and he’d answer my questions. I was at his house until 2 a.m. many weeknights,” Allman said. “I really discovered grace.”
Reagan reminds students that their love for one another is the thing that will help others see to Whom they belong. Through Creation Waits, he joins youth ministers in calling their students to unity and action.
Allman is just one example of creation that was in waiting. And he knows there are more like him today. He gets fired up about the possibility of students winning an entire region to Christ.
“We want them to step out and take action, and hopefully become the person that was there for me,” he said.