Sunday is for Students

I am going to start giving a little time on Sundays to note what a blessing students are and to highlight some key students with whom I minister.  This weekend I had the joy of being with current and former students Justin and Nicole Arbuckle (I taught them both before they were married) and current DMin student Nick Colton.  The guys serve (Justin as youth pastor and Nick as missions pastor) at Hocutt Memorial Baptist in Clayton, about 45 minutes from home.I did their missions conference this weekend, highlighted by a youth emphasis Saturday night with Finding Madison and my whole family there.  I am doing more and more missions conferences as church leaders realize increasingly that the US is an international mission field and that we can no longer draw a sharp line between evangelism and missions. Pastor Nick has taken 10% of the membership on mission trips in his time there from Kenya to Central Asia, and from Nome, Alaska to Knoxville, TN.  He has sat in my office in tears, so broken is he for the lost.  I love spending time with students like him!  I love our Doctor of Ministry program. It has just been revised and I am convinced is second to none.  In the missions/evangelism track you study with me (oh well), and some really sharp guys too , Ed Stetzer in particular.I so love students. I love current students. I love former students. Justin and Nicole just had their first baby, and Kate just turned 2 weeks. She is adorable. I spoke to the youth in Sunday school at Hocutt this morning about urgency.  Over the weekend I spoke from the book of Acts regarding being part of a movement (that topic is a real surprise to people who know me haha). I met some hungry folks who want to do something for God.I will normally include pictures but my blasted digital camera somehow got smashed this weekend. I break things–my kneecaps, my hip, electronic devices, you name it.  I was also about as tired this weekend as I have been in a long time. This morning I was so sleepy, I just asked the Lord for strength, and once again He worked.  A man in his thirties trusted Christ today, and scores upon scores of people took up the challenge to make this week an unofficial mission trip to Clayton.  People want to be missional, at least many do. But they need a guide.I am rambling in my normal ADD manner, so I will close.  Thank you Jesus for the privilege of working with students, current and former. What a blessing!