This year’s experience at NYWC for me is much different from any other year. Several factors contributed to this: we were all very tired from the long drive here, wer’re sleeping off-site at a friend’s house, and I was responsible for six other youth volunteers that attended with me, just to name a few. However, the biggest difference for me this year came from the fact that the most significant input into my service to the Lord came through discussions and conversations with other people, not through speakers or seminars. One such conversation took place earlier this afternoon.

Every year at YS I have this problem of not making the time for the exhibitor’s hall until the very end of the convention. Just like previous years, I found myself quickly running through the isles before it all closed down. As I glanced up and down the isles watching vendors trying to make last-minute connections with youth leaders, I came to ZJam’s display and stopped to talk with John. I wasn’t really planning to stay and talk for too long, but we got into a good discussion about family ministry, ZJam, and other related topics. Then he asked me a question, “If you could do anything in ministry, what would it be?” Since I love dreaming about ministry potential, it’s a question I was prepared to quickly and easily answer. However, the question he asked next was one I never considered and left my mind kinda spinning. He asked, “If money was not a restraint and you had no limitations, what would you do in ministry? And would you do that in church ministry or para-church ministry” Man, I have never given myself the freedom to dream outside of all restrictions like that. I’ve always dreamed within the normal everyday boundaries of time and money. The church or para-church ministry thing was something I used to have an opinion about, but now I’m not so sure. Maybe it just doesn’t matter to me where my dream takes place, or maybe I need to rethink all this again. Regardless, by removing the self-inflicted limitations in ministry, I am, in a way, removing limitations from what God wants to do with my dream. God knows no boundaries, limitations, or restrictions, and since He’s the one I serve, there’s no reason why He couldn’t possibly work through the measly “limitationsâ€? that I naturally perceive. He can accomplish something 100 times bigger than what I’m currently dreaming. I need to start shaping a new dream, one bigger than I’ve ever dreamed before, one ridiculously impossible in human terms, and give the Lord the freedom to work. I’m nervous about where this might lead, but excited to see God expand my potential for serving Him in youth ministry.

What’s your dream?

Posted on November 21, 2005