Report 7

This week body shop was really good. I sat down for lunch at 5:00pm with the guys I lead the discipleship group with. We took an hour discussing what would discuss for our discipleship group and we prayed about the night and the kids we would be working with. We went to body shop around 6:00pm just in time for me to supervise the prayer room until 6:15pm. There I prayed with the kids before service. When the service started I prayed around the spots where the discipleship groups take place while everyone worshiped through song. Worship lasted about 30 to 40 minutes and then we were dismissed into our discipleship groups. As everyone went to their groups I went to the office to discuss future ministry and my future messages with Matt Beck (Body Shops Pastor). After we talked for about 10 to 15 minutes I joined the discipleship groups. I helped lead the discussion which lasted about 30 to 40 minutes. When everyone was done with there discipleship groups we all played one big game together lasting about 20 minutes ending out the night. Once the majority of kids were gone by 8:00pm I stayed after and hung out with the kids that were still there for about 30 minutes. That ended the full night of ministry.

The ministry went really well tonight. The numbers were down but the kids seem to understand the focus of these nights. They appeared to worship God through music in a more passionate many than usual. When we were finishing up in our discussion for our discipleship group a boy shared that he was thankful that the discussion from everyone else truly helped him and it helped him a lot. That truly blessed us as leaders. Also, some new kids really seemed to enjoy the game afterward and it really looked like they were comfortable by the end of the night due to that game. The ministry really seemed strong tonight.

My spiritual life has been a huge improvement since last week. I feel like I am finally standing outside of a hole I dug myself into. This week I have had healthy conversations that have truly encouraged me and strengthened me. I have been able to focus strongly on prayer and I just finished reading through Proverbs. I was prepared and ready for this week’s ministry and I had a lot of great support and prayer from friends. This week I felt very strong spiritually.

Report #6

This week I met with my discipleship group leaders for supper at 5:00 pm and discussed what we anticipated for the ministry that night. We had great discussion on how to lead the discipleship group after the introduction message. We then headed to Body Shop around 5:45 pm. When I arrived I supervised the prayer room until 6:15 pm, when service starts. When service begun I worship along side the teens and led by example while sitting through the introduction message. We then headed into the gym with our boys and led a discussion on our identity in Christ as a Christ like follower. The discussion went well; I think the boys really understood it clearly. We ended around 7:45pm and we played games in the gym until 8:00 pm. I then rode on the bus that took some of the teenager’s home and supervised. When we returned back to Body Shop I talked with Matt Beck for a good hour or so about the ministry and where our hearts were in it.
I felt that the discussion we had in our small group was solid with information. We have had our rough times with communicating the topic well to the teens but tonight it was clear and understandable. The Lord set on my heart something really personal and important to share with the group and I really felt it was beneficial for everyone to hear. The games we played afterwards really seemed to make the kids happy, I think it helped them enjoy their time much more. The prayer room in the beginning was encouraging to me because I saw how seriously some of the teens took the night through their sincere prayer. The only downside I saw out of this service was that the worship music seemed so slow and quite that it was awkward for the kids. It brought an awkward feeling to the environment and it seemed to confuse the teens on what the attitude of worship was attempted to be set at.
This week I have been full of joy. I feel like I have been fresh in the Spirit every day. I keep in my word every morning when I wake up and sometimes get strong prayer time in. I felt more than ready for this week’s Wednesday night at Body Shop. I have been praying with others more than normal and I feel like that’s been making a huge difference in my ministry and in my actions. It was great because I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to share what I did with our guys at Body Shop this week. That allowed me to feel incredibly sensitive to His Spirit. This week I felt very fresh.

Report #5

This weeks Body Shop activity was amazing! Sunday we had the Barn Bash from 5 to 8pm. Within those 3 hours I supervised and played with the teens that came. With so many individaul teenagers present it was constant check ups one areas of the building and making sure those running certain areas were ok with their responsibilities. I mainly helped out with the sound system and announcing on the microphone for games and skits. That night was very fun and active!
For Open House this Wednesday I showed up at 5pm to praya round the building, rooms, and prayed for the kids who were to come. At 6:15 the students came in and we started the Open house service. I helped run some games and keeping the kids entertained on the microphone. After that I worshiped and had fun with the kids during the rap concert/message we had for the night. The night ended with a powerful alter call where, at the end, I supervised the new prayer room with recently decorated. I waited in there until all the kids praying were done. After all the kids left around 8pm, I brainstormed and discussed important details about our ministry with some other volunteers in the office for about 20 minutes. I did a total of about 6 1/2 hours of ministry in walls of the Body Shop building this week and they were very good experiences!

This week I felt that the Barn Bash was super successful! Every individual that came in the doors appeared to have a blast. By the end of the night everyone was belly laughing. We involved every kid with the games, and with the large number we had thats really good. Through that I felt like every kid, in middle school and high school, felt like that was their second home and it made them that much more comfortable walking in our doors. This Wednesday we switched up some things and had Damon, our monthly rapper, give the message along with his performance. That different, out of the ordinary, experience for us showed us a creative way of using others within our ministry. I was unable to speak this week because of the rough week I had. I was unable to prepare a well put together message so Damon took over. It was wonderful to see a different approach to the ministry. We had an amazing time to reflect, kids found the Lord and many made cmpletely knew commitments! It allowed me to see that, as a monthly speaker, there are more gifts than what I know among those I work with. My eyes were opened to how the rest of the ministry would happen without me as a speaker.

My spiritual life this week was rough. I went through a pretty intense vally. I struggled strongly with feelings of loneliness, tiredness, and sadness. I still don't have any individual that can meet with me and talk about spiritual stuff. I still dont have a bible study. Without these things I felt incredibly alone and asked many people for prayer. So when I was at the Barn bash I helped a little less active as what I usually would. I truly didn't want to be there. I actually wasn't going to show up but, through the encouragement from a friend, I did. The past week I was weak but the Lord has pulled me through thanks to the prayers of others. This weeks Open House was great because I was delivered from all of my empty feelings from the past week. It's been a rough week for me but I have seen, once again, the importance and affective power of prayer!