Today is September 1st which means it’s the first day of my 30 day series called “30 Days of Qeptember”. If you want to know what the 30 Days of Qeptember is please click here.

Todays question comes from a good friend of mine who is currently serving as the youth pastor at KBCC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His question is:

What is the one thing that God told you, that you feel led you to youth ministry and not just led you there but motivated you to stick it out?

Awesome question! I shared the story of how I was called to the children’s ministry a couple weeks ago although it’s such an awesome story that I have no problem sharing it again. The story actually dates back 16 years ago (Thursday, July 1st, 1993).

I was attending Family Camp with my girlfriend and her parents at the United Pentecostal Church Campgrounds in Shawano, Wisconsin. We were staying on site for the week of services and while my girlfriend’s intentions were to spend a lot of quality time with me … my intentions were to find out everything God had in store for me.

I went to Family Camp that year for one reason. To find out where God wanted me and what His plans were for my life. I didn’t care about anything else that week. That was it. My girlfriend didn’t appreciate that but it was what was on my heart. (Trust me … I am not mean and selfish … really. LOL) I prayed for direction during every service that week, both morning and evening. I grew closer to God during those services but wasn’t getting the information that I was requesting. Finally Thursday afternoon I decided it just wasn’t time for me to know and so I decided I wasn’t going to service that night with the intent to petition God. Instead, I was going to worship God with everything I had (Whew … there’s a message here). We got to service and God came in a mighty way. The presence of God was so powerful. All I did all night was worshiped God.

An hour after service was complete I was still at the altar worshiping God. Speaking in tongues and growing closer. I was in the throne room and didn’t care what was going on anywhere else. Finally my girlfriend came and got me. She really wanted to spend time with me and I hadn’t given her much time during the week, so we started to walk around the campgrounds but I couldn’t stop. I continued in worship, speaking in tongues and giving God everything. She got frustrated and so we ended up going to the campsite. Some how I ended up in the back seat of the van however God was there and I didn’t want to let go. And then it happened. I heard God as plain as day. He said “Look up …”. I looked up and out the front window of the van there was a playground filled with kids and God said “They need you .. all of them.” Finally I broke. I literally felt like I broke. My body was under such pressure that it became unbearable. I sobbed liked never before. At that moment my girlfriend knew something happened in the spirit realm she looked at me and immediately broke and began interceding for the ministry God had birthed in me. We sat in the van for a couple hours just crying out in worship. Is was a night I will never forget.

What has kept me motivated to stick it out? That’s an excellent question. I believe that the motivation comes from several areas but I think the biggest motivation for me is seeing lives changes. Seeing kids with a dedicated relationship with Christ. Seeing them changed for ever. Seeing them grow and develop into powerful men and women of God. That’s what motivates me.

I think every minister has went through seasons where they have felt like giving up. Where they just didn’t think it was worth it. I went through such a season a couple years ago when I found out I was lied to for 10+ years by my pastor. To be honest it was a hard time in my life and I was kinda angry but all it takes is God showing you that you are important, that you are needed, and that you are making a change. That’s all it takes for me. Even during a recent struggle in ministry God kept reminding me … that I am changing lives and that I am needed to change the world. To take back this world for Christ.

I guess, my final motivation is that while God could do it all Himself, He called and chose me. He chose this no good rotten sinner and has used me to reach thousands of kids. It an honor to serve the King. To change lives. To change the future.

So what about you? Do you serve in ministry? What is the one thing that God told you, that you feel led you to the ministry you are serving in and not just led you there but motivated you to stick it out?