Willie Nelson is at a Pro-Am golf tournament in Houston, Texas. He's about to make a drive off the tee box when a reporter asks, "Willie are you any good?" Willie replies, "Naw." He addresses the ball, centers his concentration, swings, and hits his tee shot 285 yards right down the middle of the fairway. The reporter responds, "I thought you said you weren't any good." Willie replies "Those kind of shots are what keep you coming back."

As the youth pastor of County Line Church, I had one of those shots on the weekend of March 24th. That's when I took six kids to the "Dare 2 Share" convention in Woodstock, Georgia. Dare 2 Share is a national organization which holds conventions across the U.S., as thousands of kids go to hear Christian bands, see drama and comedy, but most importantly, they learn to be bold in sharing the gospel of faith alone in Christ alone with others whom God loves.

We came back from the convention blazing with enthusiasm for our faith. On Saturday, with the help of Mike Bove of New Tribes Mission, the kids learned how to use three different tools for sharing their faith.

We took them to a local shopping area where we helped load people's cars, put up their buggies, and shared the good news of faith alone in Christ alone. It was a wonderful time as I watched those young men courageously and lovingly share their faith with strangers.

The store eventually dispatched a manager to tell us we had to stop soliciting, or, "I'll call the police," he threatened. One of our youth respectfully replied, "We aren't selling anything; we're giving a gift - we're telling people about God." (I loved his answer!) "I don't care; you can't do that here," said the manager. So off we went. The boys (I should say "men," because they were doing what men of God should do) weren't afraid; they were angry because someone would want them to stop caring about people.

I told them what Jesus said in the Beatitudes: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for My names sake . . ."
It was a great day for us and for some with whom we spoke. While two showed adults the gospel through "The Wordless Book," two others drew the gospel in pictures using John 3:16. We handed out bubble gum and a children's gospel tract along with a toll free number to hear "Tony the Telephone" tell Bible stories to the kids who call.

We found most to be abrupt and uninterested (II Cor. 4:4), but a few listened. One lady stopped and said "Thank you for what you're doing here." I told her, "Thank you for encouraging the boys."

We'll have our valleys; they always come. But we've had that one Willie Nelson shot that'll keep us coming back, back to where Christ commanded us to be: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." This is what men of God do. We'll never look into a pair of eyes that God does not truly love.

Youth pastors aren't in the ministry for money; the average pay is $5 an hour. Our reward is to see that Willie Nelson shot, that time when kids turn into men and women of God with a heart-felt love which only God can give for the dying world around them.

Do you understand what I mean? Then pray for the youth group of County Line Church that we will continue to grow in the Lord and in His love.

Rev. Archie Pennington, Youth Pastor

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