Hidden in Plain View: 2020 Spiritual Emphasis Week
“Don’t miss what’s right in front of you,” guest speaker Tanner Hogue encouraged Wesleyan middle and high school students during last week’s Spiritual Emphasis Week. “Often,” Hogue acknowledged to students, “we don’t ‘feel’ like Jesus is with us. But the Bible tells us that He always is. And you can take God at His word.”
Last week, Wesleyan’s Middle School and High School hosted the worship band from Mercy Hill Church for our annual Spiritual Emphasis Week, as well as Hogue, who is a former WCA teacher now serving as a youth pastor at Mercy Hill. Beginning Tuesday morning, Wesleyan students filled the auditorium for two different chapel services, ready for worship and Hogue’s message, which was based on the week’s theme: “Hidden in Plain Sight”.
“At every chapel service,” Pastor Paul Coates shared, “Tanner clearly expressed how Christ is right there with them even if they don’t see him or feel his presence; all they need to do is say yes to him.” Hogue also explained that to the world, the cross is a symbol of weakness, but to the Christian, it is a symbol of God’s power over death. Hogue explained, ‘In the Kingdom of God, life means death, and new life comes through death.'”
Spiritual Emphasis Week is a well-planned and unique time at Wesleyan. Directly correlating with Wesleyan’s spiritual educational objective to encourage students to make a personal commitment to Christ, this week gives students, teachers, and even staff an opportunity to assess their relationship with Christ and to have an uninterrupted time to listen, to learn, and to respond to God’s word. Hogue’s style of teaching, using everyday experiences and media references, easily drew Wesleyan students in and gently challenged them to assess their relationship, or lack of one, with God.
On Thursday morning, students were invited to take a card if they wished to make Christ the Lord of their life; to do this, they simply wrote “Jesus” on the card. If they already had a relationship with the Lord, they were encouraged to write the name of a person with whom they felt called to share their faith. If they still had questions, they could simply draw a question mark.
Beginning this week, small group leaders will follow up with students, depending on their card responses. Pastor Coates and Assistant Principal Brad Clodfelter have worked extensively with small group leaders to prepare them to walk with and disciple those students who either desire a closer relationship with the Lord, have more questions, or who made a decision to accept Christ.
Every year we are amazed by what God does in and through this special week. Know that our administration and staff will be praying for each middle and high school student and that the seeds that were planted during Spiritual Emphasis Week would fall on fertile soil.
If you would like to view last week’s Spiritual Emphasis Week services, you may click here. Please accept our thanks once again for the great privilege of serving your children and guiding them in their relationship with Christ.
On behalf of WCA Middle School and High School Principals,
Mr. Tim Kohns and Mr. Tim Rickman