My Experience as Youth Pastor

I use that word quite often, but I really don't use it right. The word is based on "awe" and should convey the idea of inspiring awe. If something is literally "awesome" then there should be a moment of awe struck staring involved. Imagine the best finale to a fireworks show ever. The kind of display where it takes a moment before the crowd can actually say "ooohhhh … aaaahhh"." That is a truly awesome firework display.

I think church should be more like that. Not necessary some over the top display that leaves people unable to speak, but rather the fact that we are coming together as one to worship God in itself should be awesome. It rarely is though.

This isn't God's fault. It isn't like he gets too busy and forgets to plan this super experience then throws something together at the last minute when He remembers that it is Sunday. The reality is that we are the ones that get too busy. It takes the special alignment of circumstances to get us into the place where we experience the God of the universe that is always there.

In fact, we should be able to have the awesome experience with God anywhere anytime. He is always there and always over the top, unbelievably, awesome. Check out the video "Awe Factor of God" here: http://www.crazylovebook.com/. Francis Chan goes into detail about the immensity of the universe and all of the detail put into as well as the amount of work in a single caterpillar. IF that doesn't do it for you consider the detail of the minutia. The really does it for me. I love work that can be done quickly. When it comes to construction I like demolition, framing, and drywall work because I can see huge change at the end of the day. If I am writing I love outlining and draft work. I have detail work because it can take forever to mud a wall out perfectly or to proof a document correctly and there is so little change in the end. God, though, does the huge and visible stuff as well as the tiny invisible stuff. Consider the hydrogen atom. It is the simplest and most abundant element in the world. It contains a single electron and proton. These are made of a total of 3 quarks. These structures, when viewed under the most powerful electron microscopes, have an incredibly textured surface that results in a significant surface area relative to the size of the particle. All of this is done in such a way that these particles can actually be forced together releasing a significant amount of energy as atomic bonds break and reform into helium. This process is what drives the Sun and gives energy to our world. God focused on all of those details for us.

Start thinking about that and how much God has done for us. Now consider how we come to Him and you will get why we miss out so often. We get to church and think that is the only place we can experience the God that is riding with us in the car ride too church. We are distracted by a million things and forget that God is waiting patiently for a relationship with us. We give God a specific amount of out week and think that we can cram an infinite being into this little time slot. Then we wonder why we don't experience those awe inspiring moments with God more frequently. We blame the music or the pastor or anything but the real cause. The truth is we get between us and God more than anything else.

Try focusing on God and get out of your own way. Don't wait till church, do it right now. Let God leave you speechless.