The Power of the Word

The Power of the Word
by Aaron Sheffield, Student Pastor

Before I took my first youth pastor job, my wife Allyson and I decided to attend services and join a Sunday school class at the church that I had applied to. Having felt a calling into ministry since the ninth grade, I was confident that God was opening a door but nervous about being ready to adequately teach the Bible. Confessions of a bored Bible reader I guess, but even though I had grown up in a church with solidly Biblical preaching and teaching, I felt that I had not paid enough attention to possess solid enough doctrine to disciple teenagers.

Boy, was I about to get an intense refresher in God’s Word. The Sunday school class for young adults was led by a teacher who rigorously walked us line-by-line through the Bible starting with the Old Testament. They even made us take turns reading each line before discussing it! I had never studied anything this intensely in my life! But something else happened -- I began to enjoy reading and studying the Bible. This helped me to realize two very important things: 1. The more you read God’s Word, the more you start to enjoy knowing more about Him, and 2. The more you know about God and what He has done through Jesus, the less you want to sin. The best first step to growing with God is to read about Him in His Word!

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church. I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me. Colossians 1:24-29