July 6, 2023
Dear Central Church,
The alarm went off at 2 AM on Wednesday morning. I, along with 60+ other families at Central Church, had an early wake up call so we could get our kids to the airport to go to Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC). Central Church was first in line followed by several other churches to board their 5:10 AM flight from Kansas City to Tampa Bay.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Nazarene Youth Conference, you’re probably thinking, “This must be a REALLY big deal for parents to get up at 2 AM to take their kids to the airport.” Let me assure you: it is a really big deal! In total, the Kansas City District will send 450 students, who will join almost 10,000 others from the USA and Canada. These young people will experience dynamic worship services, hear from an all-star lineup of speakers, and serve the community of Tampa in a mission project.
As a parent, I want my child to have a good time, build memories, and be safe. More importantly, however, I want my child to have an encounter with God.
That’s my prayer for all of our students at NYC. These are some of the most formative years of their lives. They’re thinking about the future, asking important questions like where they will go to school, what will be their major, or what kind of vocation they would like to have.
Last Sunday we had a special time of prayer for these students, and the Lord invited me to think about these young leaders in front of me. He reminded me that they are our future pastors, teachers, police officers, social workers, business professionals, builders, nurses, and bankers. What God is doing in their lives today will have an impact on who they are tomorrow. I’m praying that something that is shared or experienced at NYC would be memorable for them and sustain them as they think about their life surrendered to the mission of God.
The theme verse for our youth ministry is 1 Timothy 4:12, which says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” These students are setting an example for us by giving up a week of their summer to think about the Lord and his plan for their lives. As you pray for them this week, let’s renew our commitment to Jesus and surrender our lives to his mission in the world. One thing young people continually remind me of is that you are never too young or too old to be used by God for what he wants to do in the world.
Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark