He said, "Pastor Pat, I need one of those relationship thingies with God."
First of all, this comment just shows the innocence and realness of teenagers. Secondly, he was wanting to make Jesus Christ his personal Lord and Savior. Right there, I led him in the sinners' prayer.
When I reflect on moments just like this, John, Chapter 4, comes to mind. In this set of Scriptures, Jesus is teaching his disciples about the spiritual harvest. The questions that is asked is, 'What is the spiritual harvest?"
It is simply that people who are ready to hear the good news are ready to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. These Scriptures were evident this past week as Capital Christian Center put on the drama "Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames."
During the three nights it was performed, the pews were packed with the exact people Jesus was talking about. They came from all walks of life and church backgrounds. I was reminded that when we go after the harvest, the kingdom of God is expanded. The harvest is ready; they are just waiting for you. The task is huge, but if we all work together it can and will be accomplished.
Let me leave you with one more story of one of our students and the two little girls she watched. One evening when this particular student was baby-sitting, the girls started to ask questions.
She saw the opportunity placed before her and went after it. They began to talk about Jesus and the Bible, and by the end of the conversation, both girls wanted to ask Christ into their heart and have that promise of eternal life.
The harvest is ready, what are you going to do about it?
The Rev. Pat McConville is youth pastor at Capital Christian Center in Carson City.