IMPACT St. Louis 2005 was a major success. We stood back and watched what God could do with a few faithful youth and young adults. The first thing we had to do following registration, was to wait and see who came to learn about ministry versus those who came just for the GC Session. We were please to know that 175 spiritual soldiers came for spiritual battle.

The Lord appointed 15 ministry leaders who brought their expertise and hearts to St. Louis–we could not have had a better team. I could tell from our first few days of planning (prior to the delegates arrival) that the team chemistry was right for God to show up and show out.
Following orientation, the young people were ready to hit the streets. They did not care about training, they just wanted to go to battle. Well, we convinced them that with the right tools their Impact would be greater. Everyday each ministry had testimonies of God’s blessings.

The first testimonies came from an experience during orientation. To get the youth familiar with the metro system and St. Louis, we used an activity called Impact’s Amazing Race. The race started at our headquarters (University of Missouri St. Louis) and finished at the end of the day at the GC Evening General Session. Delegates had various assignments during the course of the race. One assignment was to find strangers and then sing them a song. Well, as one group approached the Arch, they saw two young men sitting on a bench with their guitars—they sang them songs.

While talking with them, they discovered that they were speaking to two former Seventh-day Adventists who had not attended church in years. The team was able to introduce them to Jesus all over again and invite them to the youth congress the following Sabbath. I walked up just in time and had the privilege of praying for them. I will never forget this!!!

The recreation ministry found a community center near the Dome and was able to set up a low ropes challenge course. The response from the children and teenagers was overwhelming. None of them had ever done this before, and to see them conquering this challenge was worth it all.

We were blessed to receive unprecedented media coverage for such a small army of youth, but the most impressive part of the Impact experience was something that received no media coverage (although the media tried to get there). Early during the last week, my son, James Jr. and Laffit Cortez (Youth Director for New Jersey Conference) befriended some homeless people and promised to do something special for all the homeless in downtown St. Louis. Well, at the risk of criticism from some, here is what happened, a non–Adventist anonymous donor purchased barbeque chicken for us to feed the homeless. (We believe this was divine intervention)

All week long everyone was asking when and where was the barbeque going to take place? When we arrived and set up the outdoor kitchen, the homeless came from everywhere. We fed them, we talked with them, we laughed with them, and we cried with them. I was serving the potato salad and had to walk away because I did not want anyone to see my tears. My heart was so filled with joy as I watched young people aggressively ministering to the downtrodden, and knowing that we are preparing an army of youth who are not afraid to leave suburbia churches and reach out to those who desperately need hope. The reason the media did not show up, was because the young people asked us not to let them. They were not feeding the homeless to get media coverage or to parade their plight on the evening news. They were feeding them because it’s just the right thing to do. I had my videographer there, and the young people gave me a hard time about that, so eventually the camera was turned off.

Better yet, IMPACT St. Louis inspired the local churches to do more in their community. I am pleased to announce that on last Sabbath, the youth in St. Louis, under the direction of Alice Mitchell (she lead the Compassion Ministry for ISL), went back to the same park and fed our homeless friends again. The youth were so touched, they decided to make this a permanent ministry.

How many homeless friends do you have?
IMPACT Your World!!!

Blessings,

Pastor JB