He uses us all~ Renovo 6/24/07
June 28th, 2007 by Renovo Ministries
Amy and I had the pleasure of presenting Renovo to a group of teenagers who will be joining us in service in a few weeks. And I would like to share a bit of the message that God spoke through us that day.
I grew up in a small rural community about an hour and a half south of Bloomington called Jasper, Indiana. Jasper was a great place to grow up; great schools, great sports, and, of course an awesome band program ☺. But one thing God has been revealing to me as I am ushered into a deeper yet simpler understanding of my personal relationship with Him is that the spiritual life in that small town is lukewarm. I committed my life to Christ as a seventeen year old returning home from my first Young Life camp. But, my walk never really left the baptismal until I came to IU.
Amy grew up in a suburb of Connecticut. You could say she grew up in the Christian bubble- a passionate Christian family, reared in a Holy Spirit-grounded church family and went to a Christian school. She was involved in mission trips, outreach initiatives and worship teams. She never doubted her relationship with God…until she came to IU. Unlike her childhood, Christian fellowship wasn’t spoon-fed any longer. She began pursuing fellowship, but found the Christians she knew to be cynical, judgmental and unkind. So she began hanging out with people who didn’t necessarily agree with her faith, but didn’t support her in it either. Though she was involved in a church, she found it easier to hang out with these new friends-simply because they required nothing of her. Nonetheless God had work for her here.
God has called us to lives of worshipful service in His kingdom. And He also equips us for these magnificent works. In Luke chapter 12 verses 35-36 we are challenged to stay dressed and ready for action. So, whether you’re Joe Schmo from Nowheresville, or the executive pastor of a spirit-filled church, God wants to use you.
~Andrew Hughes, Director
