The Harvest is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." - Matthew 9:37-38 (ESV)

Let me make something clear: I don't do my job because its fun. Secondly, I don't really consider it a job. I hope you don't see it only as some 20 something who doesn't want to grow up so he plays with nerf guns, plays video games, listens to rap music, etc. I am here because of Christ, and its not easy. Each week there are times I question myself, I am discouraged. And each week I am forced to cling to Christ.

I come in contact with numerous middle school and high school students throughout the week. I don't count just those who walk through the walls on Sunday (church is not defined, in my mind as once a week, or within the walls of a building.) If I have a conversation over a lunch table, that is "church." If I talk with a student at tutoring, someone who may never walk into our building, that is church. And I look and see so many students within this area of Stark County who are broken, who are hurting, who are waiting for someone to show them the love of Christ.

You're scared to? You don't think you can relate to students? Its not about relating. This weekend I sat down with a student from an inner city ministry who was at the same retreat as us. I didn't know him. He was 15 and in the 8th grade, from foster care, and a bit awkward to talk to. It was awkward to get him to respond. But see, he needed to see the love of Christ. Was it comfortable to sit down next to him? NO! But when were we ever called to be comfortable?

If you want comfort, sit your fat butt in a lazy-boy all day. But that's not being a christian. Sitting in the pew each Sunday, yeah its great. I love gathering and worshipping with you all. Its important. But more important is this: we cannot lose sight of the world around us. We aren't called to separate ourselves, in fact we are called to go INTO THE WORLD!


I see a lot of kids who only know brokenness, who only know hurt, pain, feeling alone. Who don't know the love of Christ. Correction: they don't see the love of Christ. It must be more than words, it must be more than handing them a Bible, more than handing them a tract (these things may go hand in hand, and not going to say God can't use them) but in reality they need to see a display of this love we speak of, which has redeemed us.

I challenge you, where are you displaying the love of Christ which you claim? At work? At home? At school? There are hundreds of middle school students who need to be shown the love of Christ. How many are willing to step up and take that challenge. To stop being comfortable, and start being real. Christ wasn't comfortable on the cross. Why do we think we should be comfortable as Christians, when there is a multitude of those in desperate need of the love of Christ.

Will you come alongside and show that love, share it through your actions, through all you do. It's not easy, but its not about what's easy. I am not here because its easy, because I like it. My passion is only because of what Christ has done in me. And I look and pray for those who will step up, who will get thats its not about liking it, about being perfectly relatable to middle school students. But who see a generation desperately in need of the love of Christ.

- Brummy

Live as You Are Called

"Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches." - 1 Corinthians 7:17 (ESV)

Many wonder how or why I do middle school ministry. And I will tell you. Because I see it as one of the most important and critical time periods in a persons life. These years, in my personal opinion, are critical in that a person begins to make choices which will stick with them the rest of their life. Entering into 6th grade you begin to leave childhood behind, and exiting 8th grade your feet are beginning to be set on paths which you will follow into your adult life.

It is here that the world throws things at you: sex, drugs, porn, alcohol, status, fame, depression, eating disorders. And I look and say: how can one not see this critical time. Because while the world is throwing these things, there is still the sense of childlike innocence, still the ear willing to listen, the voice wanting to be heard.

You may see these kids as kids: telling poop jokes, farting, not paying attention. And I have seen them as God's beloved children: lost in a very big world, reaching out. Asking questions about God. Seeking to find love and answers to why they feel a certain way. Afraid to ask questions because for some reason, adults don't think its okay to question things. Read the Psalms. How many times did the Psalmists cry out to God, asking why He had abandoned them. Yet it all came back to hope: knowing that God would never forsake them. This is the hope, the only thing I can offer, to middle school students. And this is why middle school ministry, in my mind, is real ministry. God loves these students where they are at. He doesn't need them to be more theologically sound. Because God doesn't need anything from us. And He doesn't love you or me more because we "know" more than a middle schooler does.

I wouldn't trade what I am doing now for anything. I have no plans of moving on, because to me, there is no moving on. I get that maybe you haven't been called to work with youth, or middle school. But please do not let that degrade the calling God has given someone else. I am not called to adults (at this moment, and it doesn't mean I don't have ministry there. My focus, however is on middle school students and the adults in their lives.) yet you may be called there. Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him. And let us not diminish the individual callings God has placed on each of us. I am only Matt Brumfield, and I don't expect you to be me, nor should you expect me to be you. We are individuals, broken and wretched, yet used by God for His glory.

He has given me a passion for middle school students. I pray wherever your passion is, in Christ, you would use it for His glory. And do it well, where he has called you, not looking down on another, but celebrating and embracing where each other has been called.

- Brummy

Called Out

I am fully expecting to receive at least one phone call this week. But I am 100% excited if I do, and 100% willing to take an earful from it.

 24Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

We are talking about our "kingdoms" in life. Areas where we have put ourselves first. Bigger than this, we are talking about God's kingdom, that it is here and now. That when we place ourselves first, living by our rules in the different kingdoms, or areas, of our lives, it is not being a part of God's kingdom. When you choose what music to go on your iPod, what clothes to buy, who to date, all without reference to God and His will and desire, you are not living as a part of God's kingdom. A king is the one who rules, who is in charge.

This week I challenged about 15 or so middle school guys who sat around a circle to be real. I told them they aren't little boys anymore, they are young men. And that God is real, and He is daily a part of their life whether they try and make Him a part or not. I challenged them to identify areas where they needed to let God take control, to surrender to His kingdom. [We had examined the beatitudes as well, in Matthew 5. Check them out if you haven't. They're the Blessed are verses.]

 It was cool hearing the response as we talked about being real, about being men for God. Hearing some identify they had a big ego, some identify with sarcasm (I too confessed to being overly sarcastic) some to speaking without filtering what they are going to say. And it was cool, because they weren't middle schoolers at this moment. They weren't kids I was talking to. They were engaged, they were owning up, manning up, realizing where in life they needed to change. They didn't have to. But I was real. And then, I challenged them to call each other out. I challenged them to call me out. Because who am I to say that because of my age, my position, I have more of a right to call them out than they do me? And then I challenged them to, [takes deep breath] call their parents out if their is something in their life that isn't right. Phew, this could backfire.

But if my parents are the ones who I spend the most time with, the example they set is the one I will follow. If they claim Christ, and yet at home have a different facade, how do they expect me to be any different. Parents, I would appreciate a phone call if you are upset or want to talk. But I want to say it is humbling and it is radical when a middle school student calls you out. I have had it done. And it was also a beautiful picture of saying, God sees none as too young or too unimportant to be used. We may not like how God calls things out in our lives, and yet, I am encouraged. I see a generation who is open and realizing areas in their lives which need to be realigned with God.

I am not afraid to take a phone call this week. While perhaps the students may take my challenge in a wrong way, as a free to point the finger card, I know I have been personally called out by them on sarcasm. And while at first it made me upset I realized it was true. And I realized I had to own up to it, rather than shifting the blame. I don't want to be an Adam. I want to be a man desperate for Christ, to be conformed to Him.

 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were 

before you.

In Christ,

Brummy