Momentum 2010
30 Mar 2010
I frequently tell my team that they have the hardest job in church life. Being involved in youth work is tough, it’s a lot of hard work; late nights, difficult pastoral situations, setbacks and disappointments litter the life of a youth leader. And yet serving in youth ministry is brilliant and I love it! Why? Well the highs seriously out weigh the lows and last Friday was one such amazing high.
I have the great privilege of being part of the Momentum team and as a result get to be involved in the planning and running of the Momentum events; some of the highlights of my year. For the past three years we have been running Momentum, gathering hundreds of young people from across South East London once a term for nights of passionate live worship, a whole bunch of fun and the proclamation of the gospel.
Here at New Community we get to host Momentum once a year and (if I can be really honest without sounding big headed) I think we do a good job! Last Friday was, in a word, amazing. I’ve said it before, but I am more than delighted to say it again, seeing young people engaging with God, giving it their all in worship and enjoying themselves in the process is a serious high point in youth ministry.
The band sounded great (cheers guys) and it wasn’t long before we were dancing (well jumping) with enthusiasm but it wasn’t just enthusiasm driving us, a passion for Christ and a celebration of the freedom found in him was more than apparent, the words of the Simon Brading song were being sung (more like shouted) loud;
“What can the world offer now?
This is life, this is hope, I am free”
the anthem of the evening.
With only a few days before he leaves the country to plant a Church in The Hague, we were very fortunate to have Chris Taylor speaking and he did a great job. I don’t think I’ve seen such an attentive audience before, Chris had us captivated with the good news of Jesus and spoke with clarity and good humour. And then came the amazing part.
Every youth leader prays for salvation, every youth leader knows that God is mighty to save and faithful to His word and every youth leader desperately wants to see their young people come to know the Lord and yet when it happens it can still be a shock! Every time I see young people respond to the gospel I get excited, emotional and shocked at the miracle of salvation; God at work in people’s lives is amazing!
At the time of writing this I still don’t know the final numbers of those who responded (there were at least six) but this I know, when God moves He changes people’s lives in a miraculous way. There were some young people who came in through the door “knowing with certainty” that there is no God and yet the very same people went out through the door knowing with certainty that there is a God and that they just met Him. That’s amazing, shocking, hugely exciting and the reason we all serve on the youth team.
Unbelievable night,
amazing night. Unbelievable God,
amazing God.
James
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