I got up this morning at 5am to write my talk for the seminars today. I actually wrote it last night but I didn't like it so I got up early to work on it. We turn up at the school at 8am and I was feeling tired and worried. There were six of us (Helen, Howie, Jo, Jamie, Matty J and I) and we were expecting about 110 kids per session. Ohmigoodness.

The first session began and the kids were kinda crazy. We had an activity where they had to do some impossible tasks for twenty minutes. Trivia questions, physical skill things, and strength stuff. I think they had a good time. If they completed all the tasks they won a case of Coke, none of them won.

We went too long and by the time I had to talk, I got in my opening illustration then the bell went. I quickly shoved in the Jesus message but it didn't seem to be the optimum time to say it.

Year 8 were much worse behaved. I got more of the talk done, but still missed out on some of it.

Year 9 were much better behaved. I got even more of my talk done, it even started to feel like a talk. Although I still didn't finish before the bell.

Year 10 some of the kids finished the sheet. That wasn't meant to happen. Luke took the case of Coke home. The illustration seemed to suffer a bit (it was illustrating the impossible task of being perfect to go to heaven) but it went alright. I think year 10 got the best talk. Some bits weren't as good as the year 9 one, but all in all it felt the most talk like. I finished it and I had fun when I got to tell people how much God loves them.

I think kids got the idea of why God can't ignore sin. Why it's important that there is punishment for sin. What I'm more hoping they understood is that Jesus took the punishment for them. It'd be terrible if they went away with the judgment and not the grace.

I don't like writing evangelistic talks much. I find them difficult. But when I get up there, and I find the groove, and I'm telling people how much God loves them and how much He's done for them, then I'm having a great time. Then I'm thinking "Man, this is powerful stuff". I'm not sure how much goes in, but well what can you do? We tell the word, God does the growing. And it really is fun to tell the Gospel.