IGNITE the Fire Within!
Future generations will be told about the LORD. They will proclaim His righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! Psalm 22:30-31
The past seven days 24 amazing teens have gathered in Florida to be involved with the IGNITE Program led faithfully by Ricky and Coleen Challinor and hosted by the Orlando International Christian Church! Six SUPER giving and passionate interns have served faithfully and worked hard with the group to be an example worthy of respect and zeal! What an incredible bunch! The Orlando church also donated $6,000 toward the event in order to help fund the camp and to assist with scholarships for the teens.
What is IGNITE you may be asking? It is an eight day program that is specifically designed to teach and improve
leadership skills to build core qualities of a great leader in a small group of hand-picked teens. Annually there will be 24 teens chosen and IGNITE will be held in a different city each year. On the final Sunday of the program, the teens will lead the service of that city’s Sold-Out congregation. Every year IGNITE will partner with MERCYworldwide to do a significant non-profit benevolent function. Just this past Thursday they served in Winter Park, Florida at the Winter Park Towers which is a retirement community and convalescent hospital. The goal is to serve the community as the teens learn compassion for others from a leadership role.
The entire group of interns and teens with Ricky and Coleen met in Orlando on Saturday and then on Sunday they drove up to Gainesville to worship with our amazing sister church the Gainesville International Christian Church. The GICC was planted just six months ago and has grown an amazing 100%, doubling in size from 17 to 35 sold out members already this year! After their fellowship there they boarded the “black vans” and headed north to Honey Lake Plantation, a 5,000 acre camp with unbelievable accommodations in northern Florida! They stayed for three days of fellowship, training, lessons and amazing times with God…as well a ton of fun!
Excitingly, on Saturday the entire IGNITE team met at Millennium Mall then went to Altamonte Mall in order to radically share their faith and to invite as many as possible to hear the Word preached here today! You may be reading this and realize that one of the awesome teens invited you! Also during their week here in Florida, several leaders were invited to powerfully preach. Mike and Chenelle Patterson, the leaders of GICC and then Princeton George and Joy Axelson of LA (who are also giving up everything just days after their wedding to move to Miami to lead the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale International Christian Church!!) spoke and moved hearts. Thank the Lord for spiritual young men and women like the interns, the Challinors, the Pattersons and Princeton & Joy who can and will preach the word powerfully being an example to young disciples and future leaders. Similarly, encourage the young me to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech. Titus 2:6-8
Why is IGNITE so crucial? The world today is growing and increasing in number, knowledge and sadly in wickedness more than ever before. Each and every day there are 353,015 children born. That is four (4) children born every second! Every single one of these children will one day need to hear the gospel and come to know God. Though we have many bold, courageous and heroic leaders: they will one day pass. Each and every generation must come to know God. The God who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 In order to make this happen we must raise up young leaders to one day take the torch of world evangelism! For this purpose we have designed IGNITE! Keep all the teens and the volunteer interns as well as the Challinors (leaders of Portland International Christian Church) in your prayers as we all seek to forcefully advance the kingdom of God. Let’s give our hearts and attention today to these incredible teens as they lead our worship service. To Him be the glory!
He stoops down to make us great,
Matt Sullivan: Evangelist Orlando International Christian Church
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