The Thoughts of a Young Preacher

Resonate: To evoke a feeling of shared emotion or belief.

This weekend my wife and I brought several teens from our church youth group to a youth rally in Jennings. We went on this journey in order to help strengthen and encourage our youth group and came away with much more then I expected.

The speaker at this youth rally was Dr. Patrick Mead. I was surprised that a man with a Ph.D. that is a preacher in Michigan would take the take to come to a fairly small youth rally in the middle of Louisiana.

What happened at this rally is hard to describe. The word that keeps coming to my mind is resonate. Patrick preached the gospel in such a way that he truly resonated with my heart. God used him to really touch my heart. His classes caused me to reflect on so much of what I am doing as a preacher.

You see I have to admit that I have been frustrated. I have been discouraged. I have allowed myself to lose some of the passion that I have for Christ. I did not grow up in church and so I became a Christian in my late teen years and that journey has led me to full time ministry. I am a preacher because I want to spend my life teaching people about the Good News of Jesus Christ. I want to share with them the joy of knowing the amazing love of Jesus. I want all people to know Christ. To understand the depth of His Love.

So how did Patrick Mead resonate with my heart? My wife said it best, "He preaches true freedom in Christ." That is it, he preaches the gospel with no fear. He boldly and gladly preaches in a way that makes each person understand that Jesus offers you freedom from your sin. Freedom that only Christ can provide. Freedom without the restrictions that are put in place by man.

Patrick preached tonight at a small church in DeRidder and several of us from DeQuincy made the trip to hear him. I had the chance to talk with him and I tried to explain to him how thankful I was for his messages. I am not sure I got the message across because I was emotional yet I wanted him to know that I was so moved by his messages.

He also told of the ministries that his church in Michigan takes part in. I told him that I would love to make the trip up there and spend some time with his church and with him. He told me that it would not take a year to learn all that he knew. Yet I have been so encouraged and touched by 3 or 4 hours of teaching time.

I praise God for men like Patrick. Who have been given a great gift and yet chose not to have a huge ego. Who has a deep intellect and yet chooses to teach the truth of God to teenagers across the country.

I praise God for this reminder of why my wife and I chose the path of full time ministry. To teach the truth of Jesus Christ to all that will listen. To spread his love to all those who are hurting and in need to strength and encouragement.

I thank the Lord for Patrick Mead who has evoked the deep rooted passion for reaching out to all people. Especially those who are not typically welcome in the church.

Let us be people who reach out and be Jesus to others by loving them as Jesus did.