Young Guns (Part 1)
I’m jacked about this week. Yesterday, I got to hear Jake (not the worship intern) lead some worship twice! He’s a young gun. Today I got to sit with one of my favorite young men in ministry. He’s a young gun named Reed. Tomorrow, I get to place a stole on the neck of my younger brother, Stephen. He’s a young gun too. I’ll also get to hang with Andrew Erwin this week. Let me tell you about Reed.
When I first arrived in Snellville circa 2002, I quickly learned about this kid named Reed. To be honest, Reed was a lot like me when I was in high school. He knew all the right church lingo, but he was so immature in his faith. Like me, his arrogance kept him from experiencing all that God had for him at that age and stage of life. That’s why I wanted to disciple and mentor the kid. I thought I could straighten that joker out in a way that no one attempted to straighten me out. The only problem is that discipleship requires both a willing rabbi and a willing disciple. There was one, but not the other. Over the course of time, it became obvious that it wasn’t the right time.
God eventually got a hold of Reed. At that point there was no looking back. In fact, on one occasion, I felt as if God gave me a word that Reed would one day be a teaching pastor. He is, sort of. He teaches youth and occasionally at the 9:30 a.m. service at SUMC. He pastors middle schoolers. I know he’s passionate about those kids that God has entrusted to him, but I also know that God’s has and is going to use him mightily in the lives of adults. He’s the type of young man that when he’s simply telling a normally mundane story, it fires you up! When he tells you God stories, it’s like he poured lighter fluid on a flame.
Check-out the story he shared with me today: He recently did a prayer walk in Discover Mills. Before he entered into the mall, God gave him a word of knowledge with four bullet points.
- Pray against fear and stress
- Tight jeans
- Purple shirt
- Josh
So, he told that to the folks he was with and began walking the mall. They came across two guys in the mall. One of them had tight jeans on and a purple shirt, but he didn’t look like a Josh. Reed, however, approached him and asked his name. Guess what? His name was Josh. Reluctantly, the guy let Reed pray against fear and stress. Apparently, this dude went from keeping Reed at arms length to embracing Reed as they finished praying. It was bulls-eye shot too. Josh just lost his job, and was stressing over how to pay the rent!
He’s a young gun forcefully advancing the Kingdom of God, and I’m proud to know him.
Tomorrow, I profile Stephen!
June 16th, 2009 at 4:31 am
what is it we are afraid of . . . is it us or that our God isn’t BIG enough?
June 16th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Sebren,
Say more. I’m not sure I’m following you in connection with the story.
DW
June 17th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
DW,
Missing a line . . . “What if we all chased after the call of God like this . . . ” then add what I said before “what is it we are afraid of . . . is it us or that our God isn’t BIG enough?”