Structure, what a wonderful thing!
Who says that? Me! One of the Project Leads during Encounter's April trip to Johnstown, PA.
I am someone who enjoys "the system", guidlines, and process. I like systems because they provide a reliable assurance of excellence and allow for a high probability of successful results. With that being said, I am someone who God often challenges to release control and my own agenda for HIS Kingdom.
During my Encounter trip to Johnstown, PA God used our ministry contacts and the children I was leading to show me what HE can do when plans are released and His will is done.
Josh – Life Over Death Skate Ministry & Crucified Church
Josh had just graduated from Liberty university when he returned home to Johnstown, PA. His time at home was meant to be a short season of preparation before a career elsewhere in youth ministry. Before long, all doors to ministries outside of Johnstown started to close and he started to see a need for kids within the skate community to have a place of encouragement, family and safe stability. As someone who didn't skate Josh questioned God's call for him to start a skate ministry. Being the faithful and bold man that he is, Josh decided to give it a go and start a skate ministry.
That was several years ago, today, Josh has a credible skate ministry that tours around the country ofering churches and skateparks outreach and skate demos. For years, Life Over Death skatepark has been offering kids, who are often ostrosized, a place to go and feel accepted and loved.
Along with his skate ministry, Josh is also the pastor of Cruicified Church. This too was an unexpected job title. A few years ago Josh was in the process of purchasing a house when the realator told him there was an odd second property that came with the sale. The house came with the large church next door. It didn't take long before Josh put the peices together and realized that God was asking him to expand his ministry and become a pastor.
Thanks to Josh saying yes to the titles God asked him to try-out, he is getting the chance to live out his call in a radical and unique way.
Jeremy- Clover Youth Center
Jeremy has a passion for youth, anyone who meets him is soon to find that out. He has a passion and faith that is contagious and encouraging. Jeremy seeks God, he seeks him for all things and in all things hands the reigns of life over to God, it is so incredible to see. This is something that is evident when you hear his story and goals for the future.
A few years ago Jeremy was looking for a home to turn into a youth community center. Jeremy wants to help break down the discouragement that so many children face at home through investing time into them and providing them with a space they can retreat to and call their own. While looking for a fixer-upper Jeremy came accross an old hospital for sale. As he walked through the rooms, still filled with beds and machinery, he heard the Lord explain the vision for each space "that is where someone is going to come to know me"…. Jeremy knew he had found his community center.
It has been three years and he is still in the process of converting the old hospital. From an outside perspective, everything that could go wrong has. Neighbors are creating trouble, his construction material was stolen, permits has been tied up, the list goes on…With so much set-back Jeremy is still an example of faith and perserverance. He sees God's reasons for things still being in-process and he is comforted that even though his timeline has been altered, God's is right on track.
To me, Jeremy is an example of doing faith right. He has not gotten in the way of God's plans and lives each day to it's fullest. The Lord has given him a dream and he is as passionate about it today as he was three years ago, if not more. He is faithful and ever constant to his obedience in letting the Lord have control, from that he lives a life of fullness and happiness that is not earthly.
I am so thankful to Johnstown, PA for showing me passionate abandonment to the Lord. For allowing 140 children to see what can happen when you allow God to take the reigns and paint your dreams.
While I still love structure, I have been given yet another reminder that God asks us to do everything with open hands.
