Breaking Chains

At church this week, my friend, Lindsay, did an AMAZING job leading us in worship on a song, “Break Every Chain.”  I was proud of her and proud that she’s my friend.  She sang the song from deep within her, claiming the words as her own.  I’m still impacted by that moment. 

Sunday I co-hosted our morning services with another friend, Karen.  Over the last several months, maybe longer, I’ve been talking with her and a long-time friend and partner in student ministry, Aimee, about how God has been moving in their lives and leading them.  The fact that God has been working in them is clear.  We have prayed and talked and prayed and talked, trying to discern exactly where and how God has been leading them.

Aimee and Me at the Lock-in; we're tired:)

 A couple weeks ago, we finally came to a decision:  Over the next 6 months or so, I’ll share more and more of the leadership of the Student Coordinator at the Powhatan Campus with Karen and Aimee.  I’ll still be heavily involved during that time, and in about 6 months, we’ll re-evaluate how much I need to be involved in the day-to-day, week-to-week details of student ministry at PCC’s Powhatan Campus, as I move into some other areas of leadership at PCC.

Karen at the lock-in; the life of the party

And today, the powerful worship song Lindsay sang and the work God is doing within us student pastors at the Powhatan Campus came together.  We sang, “There’s an army rising up to break every chain.”  And there is.  Aimee and Karen, along with Erik Edwards (Student Ministry Assistant for all of PCC’s campuses) and Matt Towler (Student Ministry Coordinator at PCC’s Westchester Campus), are four of the members of the army rising up to break chains.  God breaks chains, and he uses his people to do it.

Erik at the lock-in; calm and collected as always

In Phusion Student Ministry at PCC, we’ve seen God break chains.  We’ve gotten to be part of it.  We’ve seen chains break and fall around students’ feet—chains of anxiety, depression, divorce, abuse, addiction, regret, self-doubt, eating disorders, insecurity, pornography, pride, and more.  God breaks chains.  He’s rising up an army to help him.

Matt in Vienna, on our way back from a mission trip to Macedonia with students.

I’m thrilled to be used by God to break more chains, and to do it with friends like Aimee, Karen, Erik, and Matt.  It’s been awesome to watch God break chains in their lives, too.  God has done amazing work in their lives, and he will be faithful to continue working in them.