Warrior Generation (Leaders) 2026

A Warrior Generation

I'm going to start by uh praying and then asking you guys a couple questions, all right? Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this group in this room for the hope they have represented this week and on an ongoing basis for the young people who are here who came with them and for others who have seen them. Lord, we just pray that you'd give us a great time together and a guide our conversation. And we just ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

What God Did This Week

All right, so some words that would describe your week. Let's go with this, your youth this week. Some words that would describe your youth this week. Coming out of their shell, I like that. Okay. Unless it's in a bad way and they're causing just terrorizing people, but all right. Coming out of their shell, all right. Yeah, you've really come out of your shell this week. It's been really good, Dad. We've been waiting for that time. Um so all right, other words that would describe your youth this week. Encouraged, very good. Anything specific that you feel they've been encouraged in?

I think this is our theory on fire or felt like that. Oh that's fantastic. I love that. I will say that we've noticed I was talking even with our Our production team in the back, they uh well the Lord, they're actually it's a ministry that um uh I they don't do it for free, but uh they they're outside the box ministries and Um, they've even been commenting just even some of the sharing when they asked kind of what did you get out of battle councils, what did you get out of sessions that The answers are a little different this year. Like it seems like people are locked in that they're listening, um, which is interesting because as we started this week.

Every year has a different kind of feel in the room and we never know if it's going to be that more hype, high energy one, what it's going to be. And we're sitting there the first uh couple sessions and we're like This isn't as outgoing a bunch to start. They were quiet, but you could see that they were also processing. that they were thinking through things and as the week's gone on, even in some of the worship getting them up to the front of the stage of things, they've uh it's changed. The feel in the room has changed some and and uh so I think it goes along with that coming out of their shell I think we've seen that some with others this week as well.

So other words that yeah, I would I think that's right. So who else? Uh what else would you say is are some words that would describe your youth this week? Unorganized. That is an honest answer right there. That's uh has that been created stress for you and the other leaders or uh to try to organize them or Just trying to make sure they even have like an extra tool thread or something. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that definitely happens, that planning side just yep. All right. That is the nature of sheep. All right. Couple others. Words to describe your young people.

Yep. Growth, I like that. All right. And I think I'm gonna be seeing more of you this summer, just maybe. All right. I Isaac's on first year on the OEW team this year. So all right. Learning to trust Jesus. And how do you see that just kind of, is there anything specific you would say that you're seeing in them? Yeah. working the life circle so like processing and you're like telling me um more personal things about your life that you want to and that you think That's great. I love that. Very encouraging to hear these things. Um the uh I saw a pick on Bill because I just saw your post.

Um sometime today of from the baptism yesterday and just the change uh that you've seen just in one individual from just in three days, uh going from here to their baptized, giving their life to Jesus, getting baptized. And I did anyone else in here have someone that's in your group get baptized yesterday and well All right. I like that. It's uh it's always a special day for us. Um we've had uh uh we shared this with those of you who were able to be at the leaders meeting that first day. We shared with you. We definitely have felt the spiritual warfare leading up to this that it's been um uh a different kind of it uh in a sense even than uh maybe we've we see on a typical year.

And uh it's just been that I I think one person, I think, phrased it really well to me that it was the uh that it's almost like that little kid that just keeps poking you and it's just like Would you stop? And it so it's not like it was anything huge falling apart or anything, but it was just really draining. And I'm not gonna say it didn't continue during the week, uh, in some areas, but We to see what has happened, to witness what uh is going on in the lives of the young people, the warriors you brought and some of the conversations we've had with some of you guys just about what God's doing in your ministry right now.

has been so encouraging. And that is that is much greater than any of that poke poke poke side of things. Uh it's just seeing what God is doing. That's what we're going to take. from this week. I woke up this morning and was reminded because uh yesterday uh I I have a yesterday hope story I guess uh that I was just Uh with some of the especially with some of the app review that we needed to do yesterday. It's hard because we don't see papers, we see people. And we're like, wow, we we're handling and trying to seek God's will for people's lives and and what is next and what works on the team this year and everything else.

And nos are hard. Uh we don't like uh just posting a list and not talking to people about it. So we try to have as many conversations beforehand so they don't just go up and are devastated. We don't get to with everyone, but we try to. And so that just weighs on us. Are there a lot of beautiful applications we read, including for some that didn't make the team this year that we really do think it's just a hey one more year of maturing. And and walking with the Lord, and we think that you'd be there. And I do love that Nick always points out that that was him.

He did not get approved for the team his first year. And it was one of the best things for him just to be able to, and for us, uh, just for him to be able to grow in that year and apply again the next year. But then waking up this morning and um I it's it's possible, it may be possible that my dad uh noticed that uh yesterday was a little bit of a uh uh of a challenging day because I wake up to this. I want to share it with you guys because it's amazing. Um I he just said that um I know the burdens are many, as are the blessings right now. Um and he just talked about I was praying for me and then he said a verse for you to claim from my Jesus time, Second Timothy four seventeen.

The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength. I read that and I'm like, I can't think of a better verse to share with those in this room. That as you guys go out from here, my dad's gonna share some with you guys, but as you guys go out from here, to have that be that constant reminder that whatever might happen even on the trip home, we pray not, but uh we know that the enemy comes right away to try to pick away the seed and and we I know those stories from folks of kind of what can happen right away. But just remember that, that the Lord stands at your side and he gives you strength and he is there to help you.

What a beautiful reminder. Um we had this um we we've had stories from way back before we were doing on Eagle's Wings. of uh a uh group from Mescalero Apache. We m we had never been there and they had um gone to this camp and such change in the young people. And just the difference, I won't go into details, but the difference that hit when they hit the border of the res going home. I mean, it was it was just vivid of just how quiet things got. Yeah. I think their leader said that they that's supposed to be made of medical, I think I had ever met.

And he said that they We sang the song from camp all the way home until we got to the border of the river and the song stopped. So the encouragement for you there is keep the song going. Whatever their response is, you keep doing what you're doing because their the consistency you show Uh when we do follow-up uh meetings now at our youth ministry roundtables on the communities we go to, it's one of the first things we talk about is consistency. Because those of you brought, I've heard stories from some this week uh who are just like it's that phrase that it's very interesting at a conference like this.

They weren't even supposed to be here. Uh we we're not even sure how they wound up in the van. Um or or they just told me the day we were leaving that they were coming. And I don't you love that that they tell you they're coming? They're like I'm coming. It's like, really? Um I thought I had some control here, but uh that just that those who even maybe weren't supposed to be here, that God had it set up for them to be here. And he's got a plan for them going home. And whether that's seen immediately or in the few weeks or a few months, if you keep showing up and doing what you do, even when you get really tired, because trust me, I know you get really tired.

God's going to show up and he's going to work wonders. My wife reminded me just yesterday. She had a conversation with someone that We've known for years and someone that's done well at points and then not for a while and uh now is in a really good place and is walking much closer with the Lord and it was just that reminder Sarah was just Kind of giving me that reminder, even though she was saying it was a reminder to herself, of you just it's native youth mystery, it's the it's the long game. It just really is because you could be doing what you're doing with teenagers and they're going to be 27 and come back to you and be like, I get it.

I didn't get it, but I got it. And because you're still doing what God called you to do, they know they can go to you and uh share that with you. So just an encouragement for you there.

Encouragement for Ministry Leaders

I want to give you guys a um couple of uh quick things here that oh put it there. Um it was right in front of me. The uh we do uh when we say that we want to encourage you guys, when we want to help you keep going. And so we are very grateful uh that we're able to do this renew retreat. This will be our Fourth, I think. Sure, we'll go with fourth. Um uh and it is in January. We know that that can be um a challenging time for some if you've got basketball going during that season and you're one of the coaches or whatever else, but Um, we would really encourage you if you can come, this is a don't don't bring your kids to it, because that's part of the point, is you can get away for a couple of days.

Our pastor always talks about Make sure you get that daily delay as a couple, that weekly withdrawal of being able to go on a date together, even if it's a short date or whatever else, and an annual abandon. Get away for a little bit. We're giving you an opportunity to get away. And uh and it really won't cost you very much at all. I think it is uh 75 for a couple, and that's for three nights in a hotel, and everything on our campus and your meals are covered and and all of that. So um and it's uh 50 for individual. So Caitlin, could you hand these out?

That'd be great. Just so you guys have these if you have one from the other day that's fine. You'll also see at the bottom There is this brief ministry leader survey. You'll like the questions. Looking for more help in your ministry Who isn't? Um interested in investing in the lives of young leaders? Scan the QR code, fill out this form for more information. Part of that relates to just our um field ministry internship. that is part of the uh leadership center. Our students go out during the month of March. They're going the whole month of March.

And they go to communities where they have been invited in and uh where we have this partnership and they are learning what real ministry day-to-day can look like. We tell them all the time coming to the leadership center and even when they come to the team, r normal ministry is not a summer of OEW. It is not just, hey, we woke up, we got sleep in. We did an event. Now we go back to sleep. Uh it is, hey, you are uh sometimes you're home with paperwork, sometimes you're cleaning toilets, sometimes whatever it might look like. Um I'm looking around the room and I know There are folks in here who have hosted um some of our interns.

Uh and there are folks in here who have hired uh an intern that was sent to them. So um So I guess it was a good experience. I guess it we'd get a uh you know, sure do this again sometime. Right after after the the restaurant Uh I don't know. Wade, what do you mean? I uh are you saying you know who the wrestlers were? I I mean they were wearing masks. I don't even I mean uh Benjamin and Ashley hosted a couple of interns. Would you do it again? That's a loaded question because I haven't asked you before. So Yeah, I think so. I think it's a great opportunity to think to have that.

Yeah, we've seen that I see it and then you know going home that is also like then we can do this for the analogy. Yeah. And then that's a key to just go and hold it. Um The girls that were with you guys, they loved it. Uh they they had a great time and came back with a lot that they've learned. And one of the things one of our favor our favorite times of the year at the Leadership Center is that talking to them about what they learned because we don't try to control what happens in those internships. It's fascinating to them come back and hear what they were doing and they're just like, you did what wait what?

And the and okay. All right. And They get the feel for ministries or different across the board, but some of what that takes. Um, so that's uh that survey there, that'll help us get a little information if you'd like us to even reach out to you about things. um with that but I I like I said especially the renew retreat if you can make it we would love to host you um and it will add this if you're able to come and add a day or two The area around us is a beautiful area. Um I don't know, I did not know how great it was till I moved there, because I would have never moved there.

Uh, but then God called. And now I think it's great. Um so it is, but it's got a lot of outdoor stuff. It's a beautiful location out there. It also has Branson, Missouri, which is just about a half hour from us and a lot of fun and strange things to do there. King Kong's climbing a building across from the Titanic. But that's a whole nother story. So um so it is it's a great place. So if you can come, I say Add on a day or two and really take advantage of the opportunity. Um I wrote down things to make sure. Oh, yeah, I two last things from me. I would say that as much as you can uh plan ahead, you'll see a brief teaser video for tonight, but If there's any way you can join us for WS 35th anniversary next year, um it's I can tell you it's gonna be good Um, I don't know all the things.

I just know some of the surprises already that we've been working on to have in store as we celebrate. Yep. They are and it's really weird and it's the camp. Uh I would not choose the dates, but um the uh it does go, I think is it Thursday that what I what's July 1st next year? I forget, but it's Yeah, it is. And that happened to us like, I think, four years ago or something, but um it's they hit a point on the calendar where it cycles through. So Not my favorite because I know it messes with your guys' schedule some, but um yes, the dates are accurate, uh July 1st, and then uh would head out on the 6th.

Um so if you can join us, we'd love that. Um and uh tell a friend we are very excited about the possibility of having some folks who couldn't make it this year back in the room with us next year, um which would be fantastic. Um Yes. Yeah, great. Please don't. That's gonna get some bad mail, I'm telling you that. I was just thinking what would happen if everybody or almost everybody who's ever brought a group brought a group the same view. Oh. Wow. We wouldn't have the there's a sense of power of numbers that those young people would feel. Yeah. I mean we might have to haul in some extra beds, but yeah.

Like if they all came one year. No, that'd be really amazing. Yeah. Um and the last thing that I was going to um share with you guys uh is just a exciting update. It was unexpected for us that um we had the opportunity uh to connect with moody bible institute um this is just maybe for future if you have someone that might attend the leadership center at some point and be looking at other schooling uh moody bible institute basically approached us was very interested in uh what we're doing and said um we believe we can give you credits. Um we we're never we are that was never part of our plan.

But they said we would uh they would give us credits and wound up being they worked worked hard on it and got low creative even. And uh we a student that goes to the leadership center and finishes up would be able to get basically one year of credits at Moody Bible Institute. Definitely online. It might be a few less on campus, but and I believe they get a 30% discount then because we're an official partner school at any online credits uh as well. So to get to an associate's could be as low as a year. And to get that bachelor's obviously is well within reach as well.

So we just wanted to share that with you guys because We're really excited about that. That just happened a little over a month ago that that was solidified. But um and uh yes, as Haley once asked, just uh the if anyone did that online who's been a leadership center grad. And it's completed the courses that are listed there. It they even said yeah, they'd go back on that and uh make it retroactive as well. So uh we wanted to share that good news with you and the fact that um Think mostly no, but we did get to bring a team or send a team. We didn't bring them uh to Mongolia uh just um in the last few weeks.

Uh Um one of our leadership center grads, Evelte, was from is from Mongolia and he wanted to launch a youth ministry there because this may sound familiar uh in other places you've been, but um It's kind of the adults do the stuff there. Uh the the young people show up and do what the adults say, but they aren't very active in doing ministry. And uh so They uh took a team of five. Nick and Wes led a team of three others over. There was ne'er a hutchcraft to be seen in Mongolia. Uh we wanted to be, but uh that was not God's plan, and it was the right plan Uh the fact that it was indigenous young people equipping other indigenous young people just with a very simple strategy uh and uh and they've got it now.

Um these Mongolian young people just were sharing the gospel and doing basketball events and everything else. Uh Caitlin was part of that team, so uh she'll show you all the pictures on her phone. Uh if you want to see them, it may take a couple hours. I don't know. But um uh it was really um If you're trying to run from a yak, there we go. So we're just encouraged by that because uh not because of an on-eagle's wings thing, but because Native young leaders are rising up and saying we will go. We'll go and we realize that what we have to say could be heard.

around the world and that we can make a difference around the world, which is true for any of the young people you're working with, they can be part of that as they grow in the Lord as well. So Be encouraged. And Dad, over to you. And if you don't see me afterwards, I am going to make sure I know what I'm talking about tonight. Uh so I'm speaking tonight, so I'm just gonna slide out and try to have a few quiet moments and uh dad all you we have um I think a great yeah yeah yeah yeah Yeah.

A Global Vision

The um we found out the people in Mongolia carry their stuff in a yak pack. Um it's uh are you gonna tell them your name for uh on the yak Oh yeah. Well I thought we I should help them rename you know it uh f for for for them. So um uh let me think. Oh, Yakspex, yeah, that's a that's the that's the Mongolian version of on Eagleswigs on YXBAX. I got this yak thing going. Poor Yvette, the young uh Mongolian guy, he was here last year, you you you might have met him, and um he uh and ended up deciding you want to go with the team and then he ended up coming to the leadership center this year.

And I I have to tell you, the global Missionary possibilities for Native Americans are extraordinary. I've been in a lot of countries and everywhere you go in the world Native Americans are a fascination. And and obviously First Nations people, I mean, just they would just say American Indians is what they usually say thing. Thanks to John Wayne and his teeth. But it's a very um there is a there is a great commission force And they the Mish theologists say that a for an ethnic an ethnicity to become a real church and to the the the in the full sense of maturity.

It becomes fully mature when the mission field becomes a mission force. And we are seeing the potential of Native young people. to be an incredible mission force. I sit there on the bus or in the RV and and watch at during our events with On Eagle's Wings. And I see the attention and I see the fact that they are drawing people that normally would not be at anything Christian and certainly would not listen. And yet these young men and women, not theologians, not missionaries, not pastors. command their attention and bring them to Jesus. And I think I know why.

It's very simple If you are perceived as an official representative of Christianity, you're just further proof of the white man's God. But as one of our team members said, we're just a bunch of res kids. And because they're just a bunch of res kids No, your guard isn't up. How can you be against this? They got hope to tell about. They got changed lives. They are what you want your kids to be, your res kids to be. And they are they embody the hope you want them to have. And it's just amazing. And there's indigenous young people all over the world.

And so ongoing to Mongolia, 6,000 miles away, 13 time zones. Not even the same alphabet. They use the Cyrillic alphabet because they were under the Soviet Union. That's the Russian alphabet. So you couldn't even read the letters. We had to totally redo our gospel presentation because there's no word for relationship in Mongolian. So Ivelt and I walked work worked on a on a on a new uh says using the same approach but different ways to say it. And the really cool thing I just wanted to say, I this isn't what I want to share with you, but um Watching the videos, it looks like I'm watching a video about it looks our summer videos.

They're telling their hope stories, they're on a basketball court, they're playing basketball, when they give their hope stories, everybody's gathered around to hear them. They're given the gospel. And I'm like, that's our, isn't that, is that our team? Is that from last summer? Except it's Mongolia. And it's in Mongolian. And Evel, when Brad and I debriefed him by Zoom a few days ago, he made this statement He said we have a lot of mission teams come to Mongolia. Many of them are Korean. He said, we really love what they do. They have a great ministry to our people.

He said, there's only one problem. When they leave, the ministry leaves. He said, for the first time I've ever seen, when this team left, The ministry was still here. Because they came to show Mongolians how to do it. Isn't that exciting? All Native Americans on that team. Like Brad said, not a not a s a Hutchcraft within 13 time zones. Then we're safe you're safely away from us. And just know the power of of indigenous young people. as a mission force around the world. Because they can open doors. It would take me years to build the bridge that they walk in with.

It's just incredible. Does that encourage you? Just to know, help your young people understand. This is, you are made for more. And there is more out there. It's really worth sticking with Jesus Because the opportunities for the impact of your one chance to walk this planet are just through the roof. Just incredible.

Made for More

Now about this Made for More thing. Are your young people getting it? How can you tell? Because when we have a life circle, they are answering our questions. We are talking about the will. Huh. Hmm. How can you tell? A lot of you said yes. How can you tell? The young guy has been smoking a lot and dealing with anger issues and so you have buddy go and smoke up with and told me about that stuff he's facing and he's like I'm gonna go home and share Well, you see, that's an unlikely ambassador. How about the woman at the well? Unlikely ambassadors.

Jesus has been in that business for two thousand years, yes. That's awesome. Yeah, how can you tell the gutnet? This is wonderful. Let's let's encourage each other. Ashley? Is that new? Yes. Wow. Okay, I think that's a good idea. A lot of you are saying that, that there's a unusual level of participation, you're not having to do dental work to get them to talk, huh? Wow. Anybody else or just how you can tell they're getting it? This is really encouraging. Tonight we're going to try to kind of nail it down finally in the final event. Yes. When are the girls that were that's on our TV?

She in fact the enemy came against her and um she would have been easy as well when the enemy speaks to her and um reminds me of that superior uh um but then she remembers that she is made for more and that she cannot let the enemy her down, but she has to stand and that she knows that whatever the enemy was saying that she has to forgive and that she knows that that great that God has made her for great looking and that she will overcome it. How about you? Are you made for more? Well what's that mean to you? Are you thinking about it at all? What's made for more mean for you?

Yeah. It means that I'm not a few. Like I'm not like you know that's that So that means status quo's gotta go, right? Yeah. Who else? He made for more? Matthew 6, 33. See three praise, the kingdom of God and his representatives, but all these things are very unto you. So what does that mean for you as far as more? So in this sense, contentment is is your enemy. to be spiritually content. Probably the greatest Christian of all time, if there is such a thing, was the Apostle Paul. And 30 years into the great Christian life of spreading the gospel around the world across the then known world and everything He goes in Philippians 3.

What does he say? I don't say I haven't obtained it yet. I am not. They're like, you're not, Paul? You're not Surely you've got it all. He said, no, no, no, no. He says, I am pressing on to win the prize for which God has called me, heavenward, forgetting the things that are behind all those achievements. And all that suffering, that's I am not going to be defined by my past. I want, I don't want to keep, I want to, I don't want to spend any time in my scrapbook. We'll do the scrapbook in heaven I will go through that and say, hey, this is the time.

Right now I want to put some new pages in. Yeah, I'm not doing the scrapbook. That's anybody else got a comment on what made for more means for us? Now keep thinking about that because made for more, you say, I'm really glad our kids are understanding this. Um let me give you um, I I I I have random thoughts. that I just been jotting down on a legal pad today. I said, well, what's God been saying to you, Ron? Oh, well that might be a good idea. I jotted down, made for more, because Ephesians 3. 20 says he's able to do immeasurably more than we can ask.

So whatever you've been asking for, there's more Or think whatever you've been thinking, there's more, according to the power that works in us. So we get in on this. It doesn't happen by us, but it happens through us. So if you've been settling, say, well, I kind of kind of got my, you know, I'm uh it's okay I'm gonna teach you some Chinese now. My great multi-le uh linguicity. Say chabu do. Chabudou. Chabu Doe, yes, that's good. That's all I know except for General Cho and Chopsui. Um, but The uh chabudol means, well, if you uh the I had it explained to me this way, if you go to a tailor and he makes uh a shirt for you and you get it home and the buttons don't quite match up and you go back and say could you fix this for me he'll go chaboudon good enough You got a the carpenter comes and puts a new door for and then you you notice that it's a little too long and it scrapes every time.

You say could you could you could you trim that? Yeah Say it. Chabo Do, good enough. Do you know how many Chabudot Christians there are? Oh, Chabo-Do. Good enough. No, it's not good enough. Jesus always has more. And uh so I jotted down a couple of uh two two reasons, I guess I would call it, to be bolder than we have been. One is it's too late to stand still. If you have any sense of the spiritual pulse right now, both sides of this of the spirit world are accelerating. They are accelerating. Our enemy is not standing still. He has rebranded everything in our culture.

Making that which is good bad and that which is bad good and been very successful at rebranding everything Bringing us into things that are literally almost ridiculous that people believe now, you know, you better believe that or you are canceled. I want sometime look at 2 Timothy 3 and go through that list of characteristics Paul said will be dangerous times. He said, in the last days, dangerous times. Why will it be dangerous? Nuclear weapons. Nope. Nope, has nothing to do with weapons, and has everything to do with what people become. They have three loves.

They love three things. They love money, they love themselves, and they love pleasure. That's what it says. Think about that. They love themselves, they love money, they love pleasure. In fact, it says they love pleasure more than they love God. You see, God, pleasure. God, the thing I do for fun. God when I forget God. But they it says they are not lovers of the good. They've stopped loving good. So they did dump that that one. And in the Greek, if you uh when you put the letter A in front of a Greek word, it means without. And so if you go through there, it says they are without love, they are without forgiveness.

Boy, is that true? Look online. Look on socials. without forgiveness. It's brutal. Without forgiveness, without love, without self-control, brutal, no natural love. It is You say, I think we might be there. So, but also the Bible says, in the last days I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. So there's going to be some, I mean the spirit's been active all this time, but there's something super spirit going to happen before Jesus comes back. And so you got super darkness. But I will tell you this. Timid light is no match for bold darkness. Do you get that?

Timid light is no match for bold darkness. And the darkness. I mean, you see it every day. And here's what Jesus said would happen before he comes back. He said there'd be two groups of Christians. He said, because of the increase of wickedness, well we got that. Increase means rapid multiplication. Because of the rapid multiplication of wickedness, the love of most Will grow cold. He's talking about Christians. Literally the cold. Most of our God's people, as the last days are heating up, the final battles, they're going to sleep. And its most will grow cold.

That's the bad news. The good news is, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Well then there's so the garbage is exploding, but so is the gospel. And you know what? Here's my I'm not a prophecy guy because we're a nonprofit. But if if you think about it. Never mind. These these are just little blurps. My brain goes off sometimes. I'll get pegged. The the I've distracted myself. Now I've lost my I've totally lost lost my way. This is hilarious. But I think some of the prophecies of of before Jesus comes back How would the whole world hear the gospel?

How would you see two guys killed in Jerusalem? The whole world sees it. Technology. The technology of our generation has made some of those final prophecies possible. I'm not sure. I'm not sure how those I'm sure some people over the years read that and went, how would that how would that be? You'd have to send gazillion missionaries to You can get garbage or gospel anytime, anywhere. So there's the cold and the bold. There is no third group. There is no, eh, there's no chabo dough. It's colder bold. Pick your group. So I put it this way. You're either a kinetic Christian or a pathetic Christian.

Those are the two groups. And I'm I don't you want to be in the would you don't want to be in the bowl? Which means you're not standing still. Let me tell you how I see the the the enemy accelerating, stealing our children. I just finished a book just before I came. It'll be a while before it's out, but it's all about prodigals because my heart is broken. And I'm not gonna take a survey, but everywhere I go, Christian leaders, especially, they're losing they're they're they're they're they're they're shepherding God's flock, but losing their own kid.

And Satan's using that to shame them and to retreat, to say, well, who do you think you are? It's hard to be bold when your own kid is wandering. Now that's the enemy who is the accuser of the brethren. And that is not, and I deal with that in the book, the shame that he's trying to create in the parents, which are a lie. But I see the stealing of children all over the place. I see what I call digital drowning. Everybody, I mean, we are just drowning in digital. We don't even know how to date anymore? That's a shame. I thought it was fun. Fallen leaders like crazy.

I some of you probably go to ChristianPost. com like I do. I check on it's it's uh the really the latest Christian news and I go there several times a week. I never go there without seeing There's another headline of probably two or three Christian leaders that have fallen every time I go there. There's more famous pastor, mega church, this, famous Christian artist. And then there's the political seduction of God's people. We have become more about a savior from our situation than a savior from our sin. We're looking for short-term political, and I'm not talking about any particular political.

I'm just saying that Christians, much of their passion for changing things has been channeled into politics. We have dual citizenship. There's another kingdom. And we represent that one. So I would just say it's too late to stand still. That's where we got to be bold. It's just too late in the game. It is time for a two-minute offense. If you only got a little time to watch the game, watch the last two minutes. On TV it'll take a half hour But watch the last two minutes. I'm a Knicks fan. Poor Doug, he turned it off after the after at the halftime.

He was disgusted. And then they had the greatest comeback, 29 points. They had the greatest comeback in NBA history. Did I mention the Knicks to you? Okay. But you know, it was late in the game, and that's when some of the heroics take place. Let's play let's play like the game clock says two minutes. Because you've got a whole different offense when you know it's near the end of the game It's two-minute offense time. One other uh I I I said two reasons. One is it's too late to stand still, but here's the other reason. I hope this will encourage you.

Our Leader Has the Final Word

Our leader Has the final word. Our leader has the final word. I started to read in the book of Luke for a while and I had a hard time getting out of the book of Luke. And there is a word that appears 43 times in the New Testament, a Greek word, and don't worry about that word, but it's stalmazo, and it's simply me it's the word for authority. And if you start reading the book of Luke, what look at all the places it talks about authority, the authority of Jesus. It talks about the authority of his words, and everybody was amazed at the authority of his words.

And I wrote down some of the examples. Hopeless situations, the storm that's going to wipe out his disciples. He says, be still, and it stops. Two words. His full authority. All authority. And then the demon-possessed man. There's one place in Mark where it says, when Jesus came, the demons fell down. It's just so funny. It's like go boom. Jesus walks in, go boom. The demons go boom. But he says, be quiet, come out. So they be quiet and they come out. No fight. There's no fight. Guy's paralyzed all his life. Jesus says, get up. He picks up the mat that's always carried him.

And he carries his mat and walks away. Jesus comes on a funeral. Poor widow, lady's already lost her husband. Now she's got one son left and he's dead. And he comes on the funeral procession. Everybody's mourning, of course. He touches them and says, get up. The boy gets up from the dead. I love this phrase. It says, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. By the way, if you have a wandering child, the miracle of giving back a child that seems hopelessly gone, he still does that miracle. Remember that. So Jesus, now here's what he said. You know this.

Everybody, you know the Great Commission. Go make disciples of all nations, baptize, you know, teaching them everything, blah, blah. Yeah, great. You know the verse before. Don't read that till you've read 18. That's 19. Read 18. All authority In heaven and in earth is given to me. That means nothing else has authority It has power. Cancer has power. But it doesn't have authority Name something that seems to have authority. Jesus said, I got it all. Therefore go. Living guys on a on a hill. Jesus says, go reach the world. Excuse me, Jesus. Have you counted there are 11 of us?

It's a big world. That's in the Greek. Very in the Greek. But isn't that something? He says, how do we dare think about this? Something so much larger than anything we can imagine. Because all authority is given to me in heaven and earth. Therefore, based on that, because I do go, because I do go. So we can dare to be bold. Now, there's only one guy

Risky Obedience

I think I know of in the Bible who had amazing faith. I mean Jesus was amazed by it. Now, what did he say about his disciples' faith? Oh you of great faith. What did he say about them? Oh you of So that it wasn't any of them. He said, Oh you of little faith. Guess who the hero of this story is? It's a Roman officer from the occupying army. This is going to be a popular thing. And the Roman centurion Of all people, a gentile, an occupying force. He's got a servant who's dying. He says, I'm not really worthy to go see Jesus or have him come here. Would you guys, you Jewish guys, would you go get them for me?

And he sends this message. He says, because it it it it says there, Jesus was amazed by his faith. So his disciples have little faith. The Roman occupying officer has great faith, amazing faith. What is amazing faith? Here we go. He says, I'm a man under authority. I'm in a military. And he said, I'm a man who has authority. And when I say go, he goes. When I say stay, he stays. When I say do this, he does it He said, Jesus, if you say the word, my servant will be healed. Because you have authority. Now here's amazing faith. If you want to amaze Jesus with your faith, You pray as if Jesus is the decider of the outcome.

It appears this fever will decide the outcome for this servant. Except the centurion says, nope, this disease cannot decide. You will, Jesus So let me just say to you that your outcomes are decided by your Savior. Not by the medical report, not by the budget, not by the economy, not by the results of the election. Not by any other condition. Your outcome is decided by the Lord Jesus Christ. That's amazing faith. To pray in that authority. Therefore, are we asking too small? I say I am And I say the more begins with bold faith. You know what I found this changes for me to really dwell on the authority of Jesus?

instead of the power of the problem? First of all, worry is a waste of time. Because if Jesus decides the outcome, I'm w has worry ever really what what tell me a problem worry solved for you? It just it doesn't Subtract uh you know, the trouble of t tomorrow, it just adds to today's anxiety. That's all. And it means to pray boldly, daringly. Come boldly to the throne. Come boldly to the throne of grace. And then to let go of what you're trying to run. God's really been working on this one with me. And this is one where I I've really had to uh I have to really check myself because I'm a make-it-happen person, and that's the kind of people that work with native young people.

There's probably a lot of make-it-happen people in this room. But Ron's been saying hands, God's been saying, hands off, Ron, I'm gonna do this. The whole leadership center thing. He said that to me one day, January 4th, 2021, I think. Or 22. It's in my journal. And I wrote in bold letters, hands off. I'm doing this. If I want you to do something, I'll let you know. And that's counterintuitive for me. But it's time to release what we try to run. And realize that our if God's asking you to make a risky obedience, and I'm guessing He is, To obey him, you can't answer all the questions about how it would work, where it would leave you, what would happen if you did.

You can't answer the questions. It's a risky obedience. First of all, that's an oxymoron. Riskies and quotes. There's only risky disobedience. But risky, it feels risky. And I want to tell you some of the young men and women who have graduated from the Leadership Center are in leadership with OEW and there's some of them here in the room. Their story is written in risky obediences. And they have gone places and become something they never ever dreamed. And the best stuff God has is on the other side of our risky obedience. And there's probably one he's asking you to take right now.

A risky obedience. And realize that our orders from Jesus to make God make disciples is predicated. on his unassailable authority. All authority in heaven and earth is given to me. Therefore you go. You can go. And do tackle the impossible. I think uh a pivotal moment for our ministry that has launched us into places we've never been before. was um ready for care and went home. It was the first summer we did without Mama Hutch, and it was tough for everybody, including our warriors, certainly for me. And uh I was um we we were in a hotel in New Jersey, Brad's family, my family, uh Doug's family, uh, and we were just uh coming back from the Northeast.

And uh Uh I wanted to sleep. Man, when you you've got nothing left after the uh a summer of hope. I mean, take me away in a wheelbarrow. And uh I was shot and yet God woke me up at 6 30 in the morning and I went, well And um and and but all of a sudden I had to go grab a legal page. You ever have that happen where you're like, oh my gosh, he's dictating. I'm I'm gonna take notes. Oh darn I wanna sleep. Um And uh I had been having my my Jesus time in Isaiah, and I I was up to chapter 54, and it's the part where it says, enlarge the place of your tent.

Stretch your tent curtains wide. Support your poles, I can't quote it. But these words, in the middle of that verse, it says. Do not hold back. And that was like God was screaming that part to me. Do not hold back. That's when we pulled the trigger on the Leadership Center and began to have meetings to plan it. Though it was it's so far exceeded anything that we could imagine doing or or paying for, certainly. And it was done and it's all paid for. Do not hold back. I would say maybe God wanted you to hear those simple words out of Isaiah 54. Do not hold back.

It's a time for boldness. I just felt like these are the things that I should share. This morning I didn't know what I was gonna share with you. There's been a lot to be prepared for, but um it's a time for boldness.

Finish the Race

I do have oh but wait there's more. I got I have to leave I shared this with the ladies. I I don't know how I got into the ladies thing yesterday. I flunked the physical. Um but um Just uh this will encourage you. It might be worth the extra minutes. Take a couple minutes. Paul's writing his own epitaph. It's the last letter he'll ever, the last chapter of the last letter he'll ever write. He's in the Maritime prison. In Rome. I've been in what they say is the room where he was incarcerated until he was executed. And uh he wrote he wrote this to Timothy.

You're uh they're familiar words, but I want you to listen to what he does not say. which is as significant as what he says. This is 2 Timothy 4 and verse 6. 7. I have fought the good fight. I have, and by the way, the word for fought there in the Greek is agonizomai. What word do we get from that? Agonize. It's like a wrestling word. But but you know, unlike any other sport, wrestling is like every fiber of your body is is you know uh exploding. I have I have agonized and the and the good fight is agon, the root noun. I have agonized the agony.

I have fought the good fight. I finished the race. I've kept the faith. You know what's missing there? He doesn't say anything about winning. He didn't say I've won the race. He said I finished it. Hmm. He didn't say he didn't say anything about victory here He says, here's what I did. I fought, I finished, and the faith is intact. I fought, I finished, and the faith is intact. And so what happens when he goes home? Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge. By the way, there's other words for crown than the Greek word here, but this is the Olympic crown.

This is the crown of victory. It's like the gold medal. The crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me. but also to all who have longed for his appearing. It says that the Greek word is, there's a crown reserved for me. Apparently there's a crown with my name on it If I qualify, there's a crown with your name on it. And Jesus Himself is holding it. He's the one who puts it on you. It says the Lord Himself will award to me on that day. For what? For finishing the race. And how many days have you been tempted?

It's just too tough. And I poured so much into him, and today he's worse off than he was before. In all the battles, especially of Native Youth Ministry, I've worked with almost every kind of native of young person you can think of in these hundred years. And but he says, I fought a good fight. He didn't say I won. I said, I fought. And I fought a good one. And I've finished the race and I've kept the faith. And so there's waiting for you a crown that Jesus himself for faithfulness. Not for success. Well done, good and successful, sir no. Well done, good and faithful.

Servant. I gotta let you go because the sheep will be without a shepherd and they will get lost very easily. They will drown in the lake. But uh sheep do that. Um I told the ladies, and I'm gonna leave you with that. I've had three endings, but read some of Paul's letters, he does the same thing. David Ring is an evangelist who had cerebral palsy when he was, and ladies, I'm sorry if you have to hear this twice. He had cerebral palsy as a child, and so his speech sounds like it. He was on a Gaither video Now I know Gaither just made it to the uh to WLS because they did because he lives.

I was amazed that Bill Gaither made it to the to WLS. But And David Ring, I saw on an old Gaither video, him talking to all those famous gospel singers. And I am not mocking him when I talk as he did. I'm honoring him. And here's what he said. He said, now some of you may not feel comfortable around me. But hang in there, God's not finished with me yet I'm still in the oven and he's still cooking on me. But someday he's gonna pull me out of the oven and say Well done, good and faithful servant Isn't that beautiful? And then he sang, what a day that will be When my Jesus I shall see, I will look upon his face, the one who saved me by his grace.

He will take me by the hand and lead me to the promised land. What a day, glorious day that will be Keep running and be bold. Run boldly The saviors waiting at the end of the race. Not because you won necessarily, but because you ran. And you finished the race and ran well.

Closing Prayer

Lord, I pray that something that you've said, perhaps through me here today, will encourage a brother or sister. to risk for the more that you've made them for. We thank you that we never have it all. It's never boring We love you, Lord, and we pray, I pray that you would give them some victories But also the faith to believe that the victories may come after they're gone. We may never see them. But may we be faithful and giving them and living a Jesus they would want to choose when they hit the wall. Because we are to some young person. What Jesus looks like.

And acts like. It may look like us, but may it feel like Jesus. I pray in his name. Amen.