Brandon Shanks {dot} com

An Overwhelming Day...

Today has been an absolutely overwhelming day.  Today was my last official Sunday as Student Pastor at Greater Lighthouse Pentecostal Church.  I have been going to the Greater Lighthouse since I was Six days old.  Every major transition and event of my life has been shared with the great people of GLPC.  It is because of a great family, Pastor, and church family that I am what I am today.  Words can't express the love that we have for the people of our great church and the love that we feel from them.  I am so thankful to have been raised in GLPC.  It has been said that no one gets to choose the heritage given to them.  Even though I did not choose my heritage, I would never change it.  I have been so blessed through the Greater Lighthouse Church!  We can't thank everyone enough for the kind words, cards, and gifts given to us during this time of transition.

Revolution, it has been an honor to lead you guys!  You are the best.  It has been my privilege to watch so many of you grow up and keep walking with Jesus!  I treasure the memories that I have with each of you.  Seven years ago I would have never imagined all that God has done in all of our lives.  I know God only has greater things in store.  I am so proud of all of you!

Today has been bittersweet.  For even though we are sad about moving away from so many people we love, we are excited about the next chapter of our lives.

This week we will be traveling to Apopka, FL to lead the Student Ministry at The Pentecostals of Apopka. We are excited to be joining the POA team.

Again, words fall short to describe our love for our Pastor, R.M. Hendricks, and all the wonderful people of the Greater Lighthouse.  We love you all so much.  This will always be home.

 

Below are some pictures taken at the reception that the church had for us tonight:

 

 

New Student Ministry Blog to Check out: The McBlog

Here is a new blog from a great student pastor! My friend David McGovern!  This is going to be a blog you want to check out!  I believe that God is raising up a generation of creative collaborators who will unite to spread the fame of Jesus worldwide! (say that 3 times fast)

Check out The McBlog!

I love you guys...

Thank you to all the students of revolution for the awesome gift Saturday.  For the past 4 years you guys have given me a cool memento from the summer's mission trip.  I love it.  You can come to my office and check out a bunch of the stuff that we have been through together.  

The real gift that you give to my wife and I is not something that money can buy.  You guys give us the opportunity to shape the future.  The greatest joy of my life is to stand before you guys on Saturday nights and speak the life changing Word of God.  When I see you allowing God to transform your lives it gives me great joy.  I know we live in a generation that is totally opposed to you doing God's purpose in your lives. And it's not easy to live for God in 2008, but You guys are doing it.  You are going against the grain and breaking the mold of our generation.  

Thank you for receiving the teaching Saturday night and responding like you did.  We really are the change in the world.  No political party or nation will ever be the change that this world really needs.  You hold in your hands the change that this world needs.  "YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH."  The true altar call does not even happen at youth service...it happens at your school and at your job.  I know you are going to stand up and change an entire generation for Christ.  I know you guys are going to take this gospel around the world.  I know you guys are going to stand for truth in a changing world.  I know you guys are going to SEE the greatest outpouring that this world has ever known.

So I want to say Thank You to all the amazing Youth Staffers who faithfully serve, and to all the awesome students of revolution.  I don't always get a chance to communicate my thanks every time we are together, but I love you guys so much.  You guys are going to raise up to become the leaders of the church.  The future is bright!  BE THE CHANGE! BE THE REVOLUTION!

See you Saturday!

New Blog Alert!

Here is a blog that you should check out.  It is the blog of Wayne Francis.  Wayne is by far the most creative person that I have ever met.  He is a great friend, preacher, and a powerful voice in our generation.  You definitely want to keep up.

A blog you need to read!

I am so pumped that my good friend started to blog. I have been bugging him about it for a while now. He finally caved in. God is doing some great things in his life, and I am excited to be able to read about it! Check out Jerry's blog... here. I am proud bro!

Great Video Idea

I thought this was a great video idea. It is a great to get to the core of what youth ministry is all about! Students finding God...community...a place to belong...God

New friend

Tonight I had the opportunity to meet Herald Fuentes from Santiago, Chile. He is a Pastor of a large church in Santiago, a city of 6 million.
His grandfather was the first person in Santiago to be baptized in the name of Jesus. He then began to start churches. Over 150 churches and 50,000+ people later, here they are. It was a blast hanging with Herald. He is so full of vision as he is shaping the future of a thriving mission work. They have awesome music, cool youth conferences, inner city churches...ect..ect. It was truly inspiring. I had heard his family's story. It was awesome to hear it again from him. He is in the states rasing support until December.
It is awesome when God makes your world bigger through new friends. Hopefully I will be able to go check out Chile for myself one day.
Love you man...tell Mark to get off the phone!

Sad Day

Today is a sad day.  My neighbor is moving.  Well...it's a little bigger than that.  My friends Dan and Sherri Davis and their two boys Wade and Dylan are going back to South Africa as Missionaries.  While they were traveling they based out of GLPC.  It was awesome having such great neighbors.  Sure I am sad but i am also so excited to be able to see them fulfill God's calling on their lives.  They are going to see the fulfillment of the scripture here. 

Kara and I have the privilege of taking them to the airport today.  It is an honor to know such awesome people of God.  God has blessed us with some wonderful friends.

This moring I was reading in Ezekiel Ch 2 when God is calling Ezekiel to be a prophet unto Israel.  Time after time God tells him not to fear.  He said that it does not matter if they respond,  it only matters if you fulfill your calling by preaching against them (which is a statement in itself.)  SUCCESS IS NOT IN NUMBERS OR RESPONSE.  SUCCESS IS IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD!

Thank you Bro. and Sis. Davis for your example of selfless obedience.

Check out the Davis' website at  www.turningpointsa.com