EPIC (Experiencing Passion in Christ), the week-long high school youth event here at St. John, is in process even as I write on this the afternoon of June 23.

 

It started Sunday night, with over 40 teens and a host of adult leaders and mentors. About half the group is from St. John, with youth from churches in Pennsylvania and South Carolina also represented. Our youth and young adult minister, Corey Paxton, worked with a planning team to design and lead the week, and the hand of God has obviously been on them. Monday I spent the day with the group at their mission site for the week, the Roanoke Rescue Mission's Camp Jubilee. It's an oasis in the mountains for homeless, inner-city kids. The teens amazed me with their love, laughter, and heart-felt sensitivity with the children as they interacted with them. The youth also amazed me by their focus and attention during the breakout study sessions I led. Then last night, I stopped by the church at 8 to check in on the event and be supportive around the time of their evening worship service. But soon I found myself swept up into the power of the Holy Spirit in one of the most meaningful and moving worship experiences I've ever had. I've been to a lot of youth events over the years, but honestly, not one of them has been as powerful as the one this week, right here under our roof.

 

It all has helped remind me again why it is that God loves teens so much. They're open to truth, possibilities, and change. They're willing to take risks. Their minds and hearts are still in formation. They're not afraid to seek the Lord and open themselves to vulnerability. So they're just perfect, ripe for the picking, for God to make sold-out disciples of Jesus Christ out of them.

 

Now, since the Lord loves them so much, let's all of us work and pray harder to love them, too.

 

Pastor Mark