Meet Lance Brown, Momentum 56 Volunteer
Shannon Niehaus |
October 4, 2018
Lance Brown leads fifth and sixth-grade students and their families in our Momentum 56 Ministry. We asked Lance to tell us why he serves.
Describe your serving role.
I serve at the Vineyard as a large group leader in Momentum 56 and help at special events such as Momentum Camp and Color Wars. Some of the kids come from homes with no father, so I try to build relationships with them and act as an example of someone the kids can point to as a godly man.
How did you start serving?
I started serving over a decade ago. As I renewed my faith in Jesus, I recognized that faith is demonstrated by what I do.
In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul taught that we are saved by grace and works cannot save us, but he also mentions there are works we need to do.
James 2:14-17 really hit me. We are admonished that if we don't do work for the kingdom then our faith is dead. This revelation was very powerful to me. If I truly believe, I MUST work for the Kingdom. For me that took the form of financial support for mission organizations (including regular giving at church), going on mission trips and teaching children. I didn't believe that it was enough to be a good example at my job; I look at it as time spent volunteering.
In Mark 16:6-7 the angel tells Mary to come and see, now go and tell. That was a powerful message to me as I was renewing my faith. Our job as Christians is to learn about Jesus (come and see) and to tell others (go and tell). I think of Mark as the gospel of “come and see,” and Acts as the gospel of “go and tell,” so I study and teach these books. I have the gift of teaching, and I love kids.
How has serving impacted your life?
Serving God is a way of life for my wife and me. In many ways, the time "taken up" with serving has not affected my lifestyle that I can tell. I have spent weeks away at mission trips and as a camp counselor and I serve with the kids on Sunday morning and for other special occasions.
Serving has positively impacted my life in ways I can't describe. We have taken our children on overseas mission trips, and now our children are all global travelers, sometimes serving the Kingdom and sometimes for vacation. I always remember that God is in the adventure business. The proof of this is in Acts. So if you want to have an adventure in your life, serve God and follow where He leads.
If you'd like to learn more about serving in Vineyard Kids, Momentum 56, or Vineyard Students, don't miss the New Volunteer Orientation this weekend, October 6 & 7. Learn more here and sign up for childcare.