Jeremy Sexton

10 years ago

Today during our staff meeting, Amanda, our administrative assistant, gave our weekly devotion. She pointed to Jesus’ declaration in Revelation that he is the God who was, who is and who is to come. She asked us to think about each of these in steps and had some of us share things God had done in the past, the present and what He will do in the future. For some reason, 10 years ago was the mark for the past, which got me thinking…

10 years ago, October 2000, I was preaching at a youth rally. Well, we called it a youth rally, but it seemed to be as many adults as kids. I got up and let rip a firey, impassioned message. I’m sure I’d be embarrassed if I heard it back today, but I felt great about it at the time. The response was fantastic both during my talk and after. When I’d finished, the leader of the group that was overseeing the event got up. Her name was Danita Hale, she was a thoughtful, charismatic leader. She pastored alongside her husband at a church in downtown Cleveland. It was in their building, I believe, that I participated in the most accurate human video depiction of Carmen’s “This Blood” that has ever taken place, but that’s another story.

Danita got up on stage and allowed for another round of applause after my talk. She had a prophetic voice. Not in the Nostradamus kind of way that people normally imagine, it’s like she saw through things. This was not the first time she or the other members of United Youth MInistries would speak into my life. After the applause died back down, she complimented the job I had just done and said, “And ladies and gentlemen, that young man is only 15 years old. Imagine what he’s going to be doing in 20 years!”

Her husband had been sitting in the front row. He was more reserved than Danita was. I don’t remember ever hearing him say much outside of the times I’d seen him on stage. He just had a way about him that commanded respect. He spoke up.

“20 years? Shoot, 10 years. When he’s 25.”

“When” is now. I’m the media pastor at National Community Church. I’ve helped people enjoy, appreciate, and learn from this church. I’ve helped dozens of churches do what they do better. I contributed a chapter to a book on church communications. I was asked to be a part of a film competition at the Story Conference.

It’s crazy to me the things that have happened in 10 years. There’s a part of me that wonders if I’ve done enough, though. Have I lived up to the vision that the Hales and Pastor Harry, and Kim and Connie Snyder, and so many other people were able to see? Is what I’m doing enough? Or is there something bigger that I should be reaching for? I don’t really have answers for these questions.

What I do know is that it’s amazing what God can do with 10 years.