Faith Stories

One of the great joys in being a pastor is getting to hear the faith stories of the church’s youth. At the end of the Confirmation interviews, I ask the students: “Where do you want to go from here?” Often there is silence in the room and the look of confusion fills their face. Then the inevitable question breaks the quiet: “What do you mean?” Now that they are taking responsibility for their faith, the possibilities in their relationship with the divine are endless. They can leave my office and never pick up a Bible again or they can delve into a quest of enrichment where God becomes more amazing with each passing day. The choice is now theirs to make.

But it makes me wonder: What would happen if we had a Reconfirmation Program? Where would we be in our relationship with God as we entered it? Society makes it way too easy to get caught up in the mundane and superficial aspects of life. If the story of Christ is the truth of the world then why are so many Christians apathetic about their spiritual development? It is the condition of our souls that matters the most, not our intellectual prowess or physical beauty / fitness! Yet we see in our media that our priorities say otherwise. Our energies are spent on sculpting a better body or attaining additional skills in order to advance in worldly affairs. The possibilities of attaining our selfish dreams demote Jesus to an hour on Sunday, maybe. Think about your priorities and consider if Jesus ranks first, or even second, on the list. Make today the first in your Reconfirmation program where relationship with God becomes the center of your life. Pastor Troy