Youth Ministry

For the Kingdom of God
is not a matter of what we eat or drink,
but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit.
If you serve Christ with this attitude,
you will please God,
and others will approve of you, too.
So then, let us aim for harmony in the church
and try to build each other up.
Romans 14:17-19

This passage (and actually the whole chapter ) is a great heart-check for Christ followers. We really need to examine ourselves often against this truth, because it is so vital to the cause of Christ that we do what we can to live in harmony with one another. It reminds me of John 13:35, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." If we aren't showing love to each other, how will anyone know we have the hope of Jesus in our lives?

I think that looking at recent events in Washington, DC can show us how not to act. It seems like all we see in our nation's capitol is fighting and bickering. Sadly, that is what the world often times sees when it looks at the Church. Competition among churches, church "hoppers," and congregational splits over small issues seem to headline the community as much as bickering among politicians does. How are we showing seekers and the lost that we are Christ followers?
When I read things like what Paul wrote here to the church in Rome, it reminds me that I need to check my heart and make sure that I am doing all that I can to live in peace and harmony with my fellow Christ followers. It is imperative that we, the church, are seen as the "light on the hill," completely different than the culture around us, while loving that culture out of the grips of Hell.


We hope that over 300 students, parents, and volunteers will go out into the community to repair homes, work with the shutin elderly, and serve this community in a way that we are noticed, not for the negative, but for the mission of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in helping find homes and families with needs, volunteering to serve beside and with these youth ministries, or helping in food preparations or transportation, please email me (austin@fbcmcdonough.com) or stop by and let me know how you would like to make a SPLASH here in Henry County.