Student Ministry - September 2005

08.30.2005

Back to School. This ranks highly among the worst three-word phrases in the English language. Thankfully, this is the first semester that I have not been in school in some form or another in twenty-five years. One of my goals in life is to be retired longer than I was in school. The irony of it is that my son begins his schooling even as I end mine. I walked Caleb to his first day of school this morning and tried to think back to mine. I couldn’t remember it. Another irony is that even though I am not in school, I still spend my weekdays behind a desk. I feel like I’ve spent my whole life behind a desk. I think as a joke I might leave instructions for my body to be buried sitting at a desk six feet underground with a tombstone that reads, “Here lies Gene Washburne: Whether it was at school, work or the grave, when it came to sleeping at his desk, nobody was more accomplished than Gene.”

The students of our church start another school year. Please join me in praying that the youth will impact their spheres of influence for the kingdom. Pray also that they will resist the myriad temptations that are part of being a student in junior high or high school. I am very pleased to share with you that in addition to a good youth group our church has a growing number of college age people who are attending. Candy and I have been leading a bible study for college age singles at our house on Thursday nights and we have had a wonderful response. The years immediately following high school are challenging and crucial. Quite often people who attended church regularly throughout their childhood and adolescence leave the church when they go to college and do not return until much later in life, if at all. It is important for a church to have a strong ministry for this age group to help shepherd them through that transitional phase of life. Together with Jeff and Elaine’s class, I believe we have the beginnings of a strong college ministry. I would certainly welcome your prayers as we seek to minister to the needs of the college age people living in our community.

Posted by arbc at 09:45 PM