Embracing New Ministries

Nathan and I have felt deeply the need for God's grace and sufficiency this fall as we have taken on new responsibilities, Nathan with the university and national children's ministries, and I in trying to help him with many different aspects of these ministries.

One of the primary issues we face is how to continue to inspire, train and support the young leaders through whom these ministries are being implemented. These leaders have already grown in maturity and experience under the leadership of Fr. Luke and Faith Veronis, but their responsibilities are expanding and they need to deepen their faith and maturity to keep pace with their broadening duties.

We need to learn how to encourage our leaders so that they will "commend themselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships . . . by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God" (II COR. 6: 4-7), and train them to work effectively with the children and university students that come to our programs. We need to help them develop effective and captivating programs that aren't just a diversion, but that actually facilitate change in the lives of the participants. These are the critical issues confronting us.

Nathan has formed a discipleship group with these leaders in an effort to deepen their knowledge and experience of Christ, so that all they do and say will come from hearts that are filled with Christ.

       We would deeply appreciate you prayers for these young leaders and also for the many volunteers who help with the weekly children's programs.