By Marilyn Miller
To generate funds for D-NOW, “Feed the Need,” and mission trips, the youth of First Baptist Church have activities like “Stuff a Spud” and a Cake Auction. They sell the popular yeast rolls during holidays, a Sunday School Class donates to them monthly, there is the youth-designed t-shirt sale, and, of course, individual donations. “Some of the homebound send us money, and we receive some through memorial donations,” parent volunteer Jodi Tuttle said.
“I’ll have to be honest…we haven’t had a time when money has been a problem…God started this program and He’ll see it through. It’s definitely a God thing!”
The Student Ministry has also opened a Coffee Shop on Second Floor, where a list is provided for people to write down the needs of a friend, or neighbor, or themselves. “If you have a need or want to help, tell us,” Jodi urged.
In the meantime, Youth Pastor Chad Parks has a vision for Minden beyond, but still including, “Feed the Need.”
“I feel very led to have a mission here in the community…people need to know that they are loved, they are worthy. If you go into a house that has needs (a coat of paint, a porch that needs repair) — and for a child this is embarrassing — those things take a lot of sacrifice. But for a group to come together and meet those needs…I feel led to that.”
Chad admits that it took him to age 48 before he surrendered to the call to be a youth pastor. And the 51-year-old was saved at age 24. “It’s easy to sit in the pew and not serve,” he says, pointing out the need to instill a sense of service into young people. “Some go into college and serve. We need to instill it into youth – it’s amazing to see. I pray that they go into college and serve, when they get married and have a family, they serve. They learn that they can have fun while serving.”
“There is a block of blessings in Lanett, Alabama,” Chad continued. Chattahoochee Fuller Center Project Executive Director Kim Roberts and her assistant, Robin Pierre, are coming to Minden March 17-19 for D-NOW. Kim, who is a double amputee, will bring information on the Fuller Projects. The weekend will include special speakers, counselors, small group gatherings, the Louisiana Tech band, church speakers, and more.
FEEDING THE NEED
Two Youth group members, Lizzie Balkom and Maggie Pesnell, have been a part of “Feed the Need” for a year, and their experiences have only been positive. Kind of…
“It wasn’t what we expected,” Lizzie, 14, recalls of their first visit. “We went to the first house, and (after a short visit) we asked the lady if she had any prayer requests. Instead of giving us her prayer requests, she asked us for ours. It was her putting us before herself,” Lizzie remarked. Now they pray for each other.
Then there was the house where the two told the occupant that they were from FBC and asked if she had any prayer requests. She told them “No” emphatically and shut the door. But the girls persevered and returned, and “Now she lets us into her house and we pray for her.
The duo agreed that the “Feed the Need” process got easier as time went by. That’s a good thing, since there are 40 houses on the list and a group of students visits all of them twice a month, sometimes offering to rake leaves and such.
The two eighth graders are looking forward to more visits with their new friends through “Feed the Need,” but they are also excited about the coming of “D-NOW,” and their summer trip to Lanett, Alabama for their first experiences with the Fuller Project.
“D-NOW is one of my favorite memories of Youth,” Maggie, 13, said, explaining that it allowed her to “actually grow closer to youth my own age at the church” and “to share our testimony with each other.”
Lizzie especially enjoyed the time at chapel, with devotionals, music, and games. On one occasion, “We were told to turn to the person on our (right or left) and ask if they had a prayer request. It felt good knowing you weren’t the only person going through something,” she recalled of the exercise.
Both teens give Youth Pastor Chad Parks a thumbs-up because “he is really easy to talk to and he doesn’t share. We talk to him, and he will pray with us.”
“He gives us the opportunity to get out of our comfort zones,” said Lizzie. “We are both musicians and we have to stand up and talk. He pushes us out of our comfort zones…when we have to talk in front of people.”
One thing that the youth and Bro. Chad have In common is their thankfulness for their church. “We are so blessed that we have a church that cares,” they agreed,
One of those unidentified adults cared enough about the youth to leave a remark on their Facebook page.
He must become greater; I must become less,” John 3:30…Love seeing these students serve selflessly and show their love for God through their works.”