On Our Knees

One of my old volunteers was in town for a doctors appointment.  He’s one of my favorite people on the planet, and always a huge encouragement.  A few months down the road, he will take his entire family across the ocean to help start an online degree program to train pastors in a post-Christian culture.  Did I want fajitas with this guy?  Enough to pay for both of us.

An hour later, the drinks are empty and the cheese dip has cheese-skin so thick I could take a nap on it, but we’re still talking ministry, academia, and family.  I told him how discouraged I’ve been over the past few months; “just one of the parts of being in ministry.”  He prodded, and I shared how inadequate I feel – if I’m doing my job, if our ministry is honoring Christ and being strategic and intentional, we should see growth.  Not necessarily numerical growth, or growth in width, but at least spiritual growth in the students, growth in depth.  This season?  I’ve seen neither.  It may be I’m too critical or expect too much, but I told him I felt we were stagnant in both directions.

His response?  ”How much do you spend each day praying about that.” 

“Well forget you, I don’t need your criticisms,” was my first thought.  It lasted less than half a second, and then reality hit like a ton of bricks.  I prayed regularly for my students and ministry…every Wednesday afternoon.  That’s the youth pastor equivalent of praying right before a test.

When was the last time I closed my door, shut off my computer, and fell on my knees on behalf of my students?  MONTHS, if I’m being honest.

My question for our little community of people burdened and called to shepherd their generation is this: how influential is prayer in making your calendar each week?  Even more so, what have you found the most personally rewarding prayer methods (for students specifically? Journalling? Art?) in light of your own personal makeup?

It’s something I’m deeply convicted by, especially having called my students to live a life of prayer.  I have the head knowledge and know it’s vital, but it gets lost in my day.  I could write a multi-volume book on “valid” excuses, but at the end of the day, I haven’t been intentional.  God is bigger than my mistakes, but that doesn’t mean I keep making them.

As a side note, he challenged me, in light of all the work, school work, and family plates I have spinning, to read through The Kneeling Christian.  If anyone else wants to take this adventure with me, hit me up on Twitter.  We will go to our knees for our students together.