Walking With Jesus: A Study Through Mark

Walking With Jesus: A Study Through Mark
What follows is what I feel Jesus is teaching me as I read through the Gospel of Mark


Lesson 1: The Gospel is about People (Mk 1:15, 17)

As I sat at my swivel chair behind my two-tiered desk and widescreen computer monitor, I stopped for a minute to check out my post-it note below the keyboard, scribbled and scrawled all over with dark black ink. it was full, as it should be, because very soon the storm is coming: Fall ministry a.k.a. program after program after program:

(you can skip this paragraph) High School Youth Night program. High School student ministry teams including drama, music, vision, greeting, and more. A high school mentorship program. High School Sunday School. High School events: party, SYATP. Middle School Youth Nights, Confirmation, Middle School Sunday School, Middle School fall camp, service project, fundraiser, the list goes on and on and on and on.


Ministry for me, had become a program.

and then I read Mark 1, and in it I read Jesus proclaiming the good news not about a self-help 10-step program, but of a kingdom (v. 15). I read in Mark 1 Jesus telling people to follow Him not to a classroom, not to go to a synagogue and stay there, but to follow Him everywhere, to become people that seek after not things, and not programs, but be taught how to seek after people (v. 17).

And it hit me. Jesus walked out of the page and reminded me softly: "Justin, the gospel is about people, not programs. The Kingdom of God is near. Follow Me. And I will show you how to be a fisher of men." The only thing I've been fishing for lately, is for adults and students to sign up for my programs. a different ministry strategy then say, Jesus had. The Gospel is about people, not programs. 

A great reminder, for a hopeful good start for student ministry. I'm excited to get back into the game of high school and middle school ministry (now that unpredictable summer is over) and get back into investing relationally in students. in getting to know them. as people. and having the relationships that i build with the adults and the students be the bridge to them not only hearing the gospel, but applying it to their lives.


I ran into one of my students at Wal-Mart, and I realized how long its been since i'd seen them! it's been too long.  it's time to do youth ministry again. it's time to minister to the youth, with the youth, alongside the youth.