5 reasons not to quit

Had the chance to process ministry with some great friends last night. All of us serve kids and teens. All of us have been doing this for years. All of us have seen God do some amazing things in our family ministry here at Grace Community Church and Relevant Student Ministry. All of us still sat there, looked at the messiness of people and found ourselves asking...what are we doing wrong and why don't we see more people embrace the call to follow Christ? We all face those moments when we look around at our efforts to reach kids, teens, and families and wonder if what we are doing makes any difference at all. After an hour long conversation with my friends last night I was reminded that we simply can't give up. What we do in serving kids and teens matters too much. Reaching people is always messy, difficult and demands we walk with them through the mess. It's the mess that's hard and as long as there are people who need Jesus we have to keep waling through the mess. For all those who are tired and wonder if what they do matters here are 5 reasons not to quit...5 reasons to keep pushing through the mess...

1. You are partnered with parents // I'm a dad and in 3 years my little girl will be a middle school student and I want mentors in my girl's life. As a parent I may not tell the small group leaders of my kids thanks but I am thankful. Parents need and want us in their kids lives. As you invest in teens and kids you are being another needed voice parents long for.
2. Kids and Students need stability not more chaos // The next generation needs consistent leadership and when you stay focused your ministry helps create a safe place for them to confront the call of Jesus. In a world of chaos create a place of stability that can give kids and teens a safe place to grow and question.
3. God changes lives, not your program or strategy // We know this but we often forget it. Our God changes lives. Jesus makes what was dead come to life. Our programs and strategies are not life giving, God is!
4. You believe in your mission and calling // You believe in what you do...don't quit on the dream. God has plans and Satan would love to throw you off track. Don't quit.
5. Your volunteer team experiences the same feelings, unite and keep serving // When you look around and wonder if you are making a difference just know you are not alone. Your volunteers are asking the same thing and I think it's healthy. When we question we evaluate and when that happens the only thing to do is trust God.