Our Stories
Confirmation
By Aaron Soderlund | posted 06/11/2009
"For in him you have been enriched in every way - in all your speaking and in all your knowledge - because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." (1 Corinthians 1:5-7)
This past Sunday I got to watch my nephew, Kyle, get confirmed at Newport Covenant Church. Four young men and one young woman presented themselves before the congregation at Newport and confirming their faith in Jesus Christ. How cool is that?
These five students spent the past year or so going through this confirmation program together, and what was neat to see was how close they were to each other. Five very different people with very different upbringings and very different interests, but one in Christ. They all stood together, all speaking of each other in their testimonies and how they have impacted one another.
(Pause as I let the realization sink in that this article is not about baseball)
In the confirmation process, they were to seek out what they believe their spiritual gifts are and learn how to put them to use to further the Kingdom of God. One said their spiritual gift was to serve others. Another’s was joy. Another’s was the ability to write and play music. And, obviously the most impressive and best of them all, with no bias whatsoever, said that his spiritual gift is caring for people and helping others in times of need but also in the everyday things that usually go un-noticed.
Listening to them talk about these gifts was impactful in and of itself. But I think what was most impactful for me was what their youth pastor, Adam, said following these testimonies – and this is very paraphrased:
Our culture second guesses our youth. We wonder what our youth are going to turn out to be like. We are unsure of how our children will end up after our parenting. And we wonder what the future of the church looks like. This, (as he turns to look at the five individuals) is the future of the church. This is God’s kingdom in the years to come.
Watching these young people stand up front with a passion for Jesus and a passion to serve His people was a pretty phenomenal experience for me. It gave me renewed hope. It encouraged me. It inspired me. And it challenged me to think of my spiritual gifts again. What are they? And am I using them to further the Kingdom of God? Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? And are you using them?
Aaron can be reached via email here.
