If you know me, you know I love students and love to see God move among them. I also love my students and love to see God use them. A student I taught for some years who became very close to me is Matt Lawson. His wife Laura, who finished at our college, has been very close to our daughter Hannah.  Matt has been student pastor at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock for a year or so. He sent this email sharing what he sees God doing at the beginning of the school year. It is very encouraging!

Friends,

I want you to know something and to be praying for us.  God is moving on our campuses and in our students lives.  These are some of the things that have taken place in the last 2 weeks:

This morning, I spoke at Etowah high school’s First Priority.  There were nearly 200 students in attendance singing their hearts out in worship to God.  I then went over to Woodstock High School’s FCA where last year we were running maybe 50 students on a good morning.  This morning, I counted over 100 students jammed into the technology room with 8-10 standing outside because they couldn’t get in.  I’ve yet to see this much excitement at Woodstock’s FCA.  There were some 10-15 football players that came this morning as well.  Most of these guys I’ve never seen at FCA before but the quarterback (who genuinely loves Jesus), has really been encouraging them to come.  After I left there, I joined with a group of parents of football players at a coffee shop for a time of bible study and prayer for our coaches and players.  This coming Tuesday night I’ve been invited to lead a players prayer time and bible study at one of the parent’s houses.  We’ve got several student leaders at Lassiter FCA who told me that last week the auditorium was nearly packed with students at their first meeting of the year.  Just this week, I’ve had a conversation with a girl who was weeping over doubts about her salvation and the time that she’s lost in not loving Jesus.  I saw her this morning, and she had a glowing smile.  I asked how she was doing, and she said, “Much much better now!”  One of my small group leaders told me on Wednesday of this week that one of her girls who’s been coming to church for years confessed to her that she’d never really been saved and in talking with one of her friends who’s also been raised here at church became very nervous during the conversation.  Both my adult leader and student believe that this girl has also been living a lie and under heavy conviction.  Two weeks ago, a girl involved in Wicca got saved on a Wednesday night.  She’s been coming occasionally this past year b/c of the invitation of another girl that got saved last fall.  I was told last week that there are a group of 9th grade guys that have responded to a challenge to be personally accountable to each other and are beginning to meet weekly.  We started a new series at Epicenter this past Wednesday titled, “Join the Movement”  that was birthed in my heart from a book that I’ve read several times this year with the same title.  Attendance was as large as we’ve seen for a regular Wednesday night since I’ve been here and there was a fervency in our student’s worship.  The stage was flooded with students during the invitation time, praying for themselves and each other.

Most of all, I’ve been sensing a fresh move of the Spirit in my own life.  I want you to know that I’ve been praying for an awakening of my own heart but also for our students, families, and community.  I believe God is in the midst of stirring many hearts.  Please pray with me about a great movement of God among our students.  I love you dearly, and Laura and I are so very thankful to serve such a wonderful group of people!

<>< Matt Lawson
High School Pastor
First Baptist Woodstock

Can we all join together and seek God personally for a similar stirring in our hearts? I can tell you similar things are happening with some FCA students I know around here, and at some churches where I have been in recent days. The band who ministers with me and I will be back at Madison Street Baptist Church in Starke, Florida, where we saw God move greatly at camp in July. I spoke to youth pastor Jeff Stockdale yesterday and keep up with many students. They are serious about making an impact in their schools!  They are about a movement!  The same can be said in Houston with my friend and former student Matt Setliffe  and many youth at the Sagemont Church there. God is stirring.  Do we sense it? Do we long for it?

About Alvin Reid

Hi and welcome! I am Alvin Reid, a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Michelle, father of Josh and Hannah, and minister of the gospel. I teach at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern College at Wake Forest in NC. I love people and have been blessed to meet a lot. I live to equip a generation of young men and women to change the world, to advance the great movement of God in our time.For the Christ follower, life is a mission trip-take it!