KEEP THE MAIN POINT THE MAIN POINT!
Many of us are so busy that it is hard for us to remember what we ate two days ago or what we are going to do a week from now. Most of us live from day to day in our focus. But I want to challenge us to remember an important thing this Summer. We have been called by God to rescue this next generation. Let me share with you an important concern that the Mayor of San Jose shared with a group of pastors. I have the previlege of being a part of a group of pastors who have been given the opportunity to pray with the Mayor of San Jose, Mayor Chuch Reed, every other month. During our prayer time with the Mayor three weeks ago, we asked the Mayor what he would have us to pray for in regards to our City. The Mayor simply asked us to pray for the youth of our City. He was deeply concerned for them this Summer because their was no Summer School for them, no jobs and little parental supervision during the day times. He felt this could be a serious Summer of youth getting into trouble. When a top elected official expresses such a concern, I try to take this very seriously because I believe many times God is speaking through them as a God ordained leader.
Please understand that God has given to NVCF a clear call… as a church family we are to go after the youth and children of our community. Yes, we all have jobs, and families and things God has assigned us to do. We are truly busy people. But let’s keep the MAIN THING THE MAIN THING!!!! As a Church please be aware of this…..(1) Your spiritual leadership have heard God speak clearly to them about this vision and focus of going after the next generation, (2) God had given a variety of our people dreams of the future of our church and I would say 50% of them are filled with crowds of young people and children coming to NVCF (3) When we went to our City Leaders three years ago, God spoke through them to focus our efforts to help our city by beginning with the children of our city. God is speaking to us, we must hear him and join him where he is working and not ask him to join us where we want him to be working. So, I am asking you to do several important things this Summer:
1. Please Pray for our Churches youth and children and those of our community. Pray protection over them, for parents to pay closer attention to their children this Summer and specifically for neighbor children you know and see during the week. This Sunday I am going to recommend we start praying for youth in our church and community each Sunday up through Sam Camp.
2. Pray specifically for our coming SAM CAMP (Science, Art and Math Camp). We have almost 220 children already registered for this Camp with an average of 5 registrations a day coming in. Praise the Lord for this but at the same time we are falling way behind in finding teachers and class helpers to work with this many youth and children. We are finanically off target with ony about 35% of the money raised that we will need. Please pray every day for teachers and for the money to come in. WHAT A GIFT GOD IS GIVING US! Everytime we aim and step in this direction… GOD BLESSES US! We are being held responsible by God for this opportunity.
3. The last thing is please understand the war going on for this Sam Camp and our children. I can not possibly tell you in this blog all the spiritual attacks that the enemy is brought against the Sam Camp leaders, teachers and helpers. There are job changes trying to happen, sickness, family issues coming up and emotional upheavels. Why would we think we could simply go out and gather in 200 to 300 children with 80% of them unchurched and not be challenged by Satan? Please, pray specifically for our Sam Camp team to be covered and have God heal them, work out their schedules and cover their emotions with his peace. Also pray for many many of these children to come to faith in Jesus Christ during the camp and that we will reach their parents through our follow up efforts after the Camp is over.
Also, please don’t forget, we have two youth church camps (Sr. and Jr. High) in July and a youth missions trip in August. Pray for our youth director, Albert Alcorn jr. and his team and the children going to these camps and the mission. Pray for safety, for the leaders schedules to stay available to help and for God to move on the hearts of the youth to be responsive to God as he works in their lives.
As you can see, we are making a concerted effort to reach out to the youth in our community as a church family. We are reaching out according to God’s leading and in a time in which our youth need us the most. Please commit to pray and where you can volunteer to help, please do! If you can give, please do! let us find ways, creative ways, in all we are doing to become God’s hands, feet and mouth to the next generation. Again, Keep the Main point the Main Point this Summer!
Blessings;
Pas.Dan