You Are Invited!

The summer of 2008, my family had recently moved to a new city and started to attend an Andy Stanley church. This new way of church was so different but I loved everything about it. I was finishing up my 8th grade year in Transit and about to move up to InsideOut for my 9th grade year. While attending the student environments, the Lead Pastor at the time approached me and asked if I had ever thought about serving in Waumba Land or UpStreet I had no clue what Waumba Land or UpStreet were, but the Lead Pastor of this church was asking me to check them out, so of course I agreed. 

As a kid, church wasn’t joyful or fun. I grew up in a church where Sunday school consisted of an old school green felt board(Anyone remember those? Haha). Service was long and uneventful, so you can imagine my surprise when I walked into Waumba Land and UpStreet. I still remember walking in there, it was truly a beautiful site.These rooms were filled with joy. I had never seen kids so excited to be at church as if it were a candy store.

After seeing the environments, I accepted my invitation to co-lead a group of 2nd grade girls. I am going to be honest with you, I questioned my capabilities to lead this group. I didn’t feel like I knew enough about the Bible to lead these girls. After I shadowed the environment, I quickly realized these girls didn’t need a Pastor to lead them. They just needed someone to show them God’s overflowing love. I was simply honored that someone invited me to serve, and today being a part of this group from their 2nd grade to 5th grade years is still one of the best things I ever did for myself. 

While leading a small group, I was a part of an InsideOut small group. In this group the BEST small group leader not only poured into my life, but she showed me so much about God. Myleader was with me all 4 years of high school, and the impact she made on my life has continued to make me a better person.

I share my story with you to show how God works in your life through serving others. We see all over the New Testament how Jesus served others in his life. Jesus shared really good moments with the next generation, people his age, and people older than him through serving them. He led the way for us to serve, to share good. When you serve others, the fruit that comes from this will not only grow you as a person, but I believe it will grow your relationship with God. 

Jesus invited us to follow him. When you follow him, you follow his lead to serve others. I will forever be grateful to the Lead Pastor who invited me to serve, and to the person who invited my InsideOut leader to serve. I am a better person because I was invited to join in on something so much bigger than myself. 

So now, I want to be that person for you. I want to personally invite you to serve to Share Good at Southside Church. I truly believe you will see the life change that comes from it!  

 

Join us. You are invited to Serve and to Share Good. I promise you will not want to miss this. I hope to see you in the halls…soon! 

 

-Julie Hawkins 

Guest Experience Director, Southside Church Newnan