Passion. As I look around our youth ministry, the church as a whole, and hear stories about other ministries – a common theme occurs: lack of passion or full of passion. You can tell when young people are passionate about something and when they are not. They don’t hide it as well as the adults do!
Webster defines passion as: intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction. WOW. Take a quick look at your ministry (regardless if you are a plumber, pastor, teacher, or door salesmen) and ask the question is it lacking passion? We all have different vocations that God has put us in for a reason and I wonder if we are fulfilling the calling that He has for us IN THE NOW. It’s easy to get passionate about TOMORROW, because tomorrow never comes. It’s harder to get passionate about the now, because that would mean you would have to roll up the sleeves and go after it…now. What if you did? What if you lost control of yourself and went after it 100%. No looking to the left. No ducking to the right? Not turning around to see what’s behind…but looking forward, aiming straight. Turn your passion into reality!
As a youth pastor I am constantly examining myself. Am I passionate about the next big event? Am I passionate to bring numbers in and filling the seats? Am I passionate about making sure the lighting works for the stage? Am I passionate about ending on time? STOP. Those are great CONCERNS but it’s not what I should be PASSIONATE about. My passion should be: meeting the needs of every student that walks in our doors. I am not full of myself and think that I could and would meet every need, but I should be the one that tries…to stand in the gap for our youth. But as I write this God is convicting me…that isn’t big enough…what about the youth that aren’t in our doors? How can I reach them? Hmmm…any suggestions?
My prayer for you and for myself is that we would become more passionate for God and for His people. Examine your motives, your dreams, your visions, and see where your true passion exists. Are you rocking out with the passion that God has burned into your soul? Do you lack any passion today? Ask God for a RENEWED PASSION today!
I pray that you would dare to dream, and live the vision that God has given you today!
