First Priority held its second City-Wide Youth Pastor Network Meeting of the year on Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at the Hoover Met. Nearly 100 youth leaders across the Greater-Birmingham area attended for a time of equipping, encouragement and fellowship. Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by Chick-fil-A.
Our special guest speaker Evangelist and Author Dave Edwards, brought an inspirational message about “The Invisible Giant of Effective Ministry.” Dave said there is a giant that will rip the joy out of your ministry. “It is easy to be defeated by it,” says Dave. “It is the invisible giant of comparison.” Dave read from Numbers 13 and 14 of the Bible. He told the story about Moses sending Israelite leaders to explore the land of Canaan. When the Israelites returned from the land and reported back to Moses, they said the city was fortified and very large, and the people were powerful and strong. They said they felt like grasshoppers compared to the people they saw. They were comparing themselves. Dave gave three answers to the question, “How do we defeat this invisible giant?:”
1. We have to be alert to the two symptoms:
– We distort other people’s success – We think they’re more successful and we compare up.
– We discount ourselves – The Israelites compared themselves to the people of the city calling them giants. But, they aren’t bigger than God. We are all in different places and everything we do counts. Life is for completing the Word of God, not competing. Did you serve and give it your all?
2. We have to be aware of the strategy:
– Numbers 14:3 ~ “Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” Israel thought God was trying to kill them. The enemy creates distrust and then we pull back.
– The strategy is to keep us out of the plan. In your youth ministry, be thankful for who is in the room, not worry about who isn’t.
3. Apply the safeguards – Psalm 36-37
– Defer the role of God to God. He leads us, not us lead Him. Trust in the Lord.
– Delight in your uniqueness. God has given us certain strengths and weaknesses. He gifted you a certain way; you’re not like anyone else and neither is your ministry.
– Deny your right to compare.
Dave closed by encouraging everyone to pray a simple prayer: “Dear Jesus, no more. I’m not giving away any more time worrying over what I don’t have, but I’m going to focus on what I do have and maximize it.”
We would like to thank Dave for his words of encouragement and the challenge to defeat the invisible giant. We would like to give a special thanks to our vendors who helped make this event a huge success: Spring Valley Beach Water Park, Interlinc and Life Bible Study. Representatives from these organizations provided youth leaders with educational material about their programs and upcoming events. These groups also gave away several nice gifts and youth ministry resources. Please take time to visit their Web sites. And, don’t forget to order your 2013 ConGRADulations! Music and Media grad gifts from Interlinc!
We would like to thank all those again who attended and joined us for a great time of growth and fellowship. We would like to give a special thanks again to Dave Edwards for an amazing message and words of encouragement. Be sure to check out pictures from City-wide below!
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