The Youth Pastor’s Sixth Sense

Guest blog from Pastor Ben Higgins – Youth Pastor at Life Church in Brisbane.
Follow him on Twitter

In 1999 Bruce Willis starred in a movie that grossed over $293 MILLION, and for the first time, didn’t involve him jumping from moving vehicles, firing machine guns or exploding helicopters.

The film was called The Sixth Sense, and told the story of Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist and a young boy named Cole Sear, who could basically see and talk to dead peeps (Cool movie, but FYI not a family flick). Probably the most famous line from the movie is when the young boy says to Dr Malcom, “I want to tell you my secret now.
*long silence* “…..I see dead people.” (This was his “sixth sense”)

Now before you rush out to your local video store to hire out a Die Hard movie and re-live some classic Detective John McClane memories, let me share a one thought with you, and this is that;

THE YOUTH PASTORS SIXTH SENSE IS….TO SEE THE “GOD POTENTIAL” IN PEOPLE!

Have you noticed that great leaders have the ability to see what God see’s in people? Often times this will be totally contrary to what others may see in them, and may contradict with the way they are currently living.

One of the main reasons I am following Jesus today and serving in full time ministry (besides the grace of God) is because someone saw and “called out” the God potential in me. I can remember attending youth group as a teenager, sitting in the back row distracting my friends during the message time, and one night the guest preacher calling me out the front and prophesying over my life that I would be a leader & a preacher one day. Those words changed my life forever (although unfortunately my teachers didn’t see the results until after I finished school.)

GOD WANTS TO USE YOU

I love the story of Samuel anointing David in 1 Samuel 16. David wasn’t even invited to attend the “pick a king party”, yet, God had a plan and purpose for him. In one moment, Samuel anointed him to lead and called out the God potential on his life.

“So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David.”
1 Samuel 16:13

I thank Jesus every day for the “Samuel’s” in my life, past and present. I am also thankful for the responsibility I’ve been given to bring through the next generation of “King David’s”.

Often times in our youth ministry we schedule an extra 10 minutes into our youth program to pray and prophecy over our students. Remember – God wants to use YOU!

GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU A BIGGER PERSPECTIVE

I’m penning this blog from the 62nd floor of the Q1 on the Gold Coast. The view from up here is RADICALLY different to the view from the ground floor (check the pic).

I believe the Holy Spirit wants to RADICALLY shift our view of life, our challenges and our young people. Prayer allows us the Holy Spirit to bring a BIGGER perspective to our leadership! Bring it on!

So this week, let’s speak to the God potential in our young people, and we’ll be amazed at what God does!