Dear Friends and Partners,
As faithful supporters and friends of this ministry, I want to take this opportunity to share my heart with you.
For some time now I have had a heavy burden concerning the lack of young adults entering into ministry. Recent statistics, compiled by George Barna, show that the percentage of pastors under the age of 40 was 50% in 1992. Today, that number has dropped to 14%. This report is staggering, and I truly believe the Lord has opened up an opportunity for us to have a part in helping turn these numbers around.
In 2019, the Lord birthed a ministry in my heart, "The Calling", and in January 2020, we had our first Weekend! The mission of this ministry is to help equip those in the next generation (targeting ages 20-early 30s) who have a confirmed calling into one of the five-fold ministries. To accomplish this mission, I am hosting our fifth annual Weekend of intense training and discussions on both spiritual and practical ministry insights that can be challenging for young ministers. This event is held at the beautiful Ark on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia on January 11th-14th, 2024 for a small group of 20 people who have been recommended by their pastor and or ministry leader and selected by our team for this mentoring opportunity.
Topics will include:
- Embracing Your High Calling
Maintaining Integrity: Spiritually,
- Financially & Physically
- The Cost of Your Calling
- Effective Altar Calls & Altar Ministry
- Convictions Over Culture
- Your Gender & Your Calling
- The Lost Art of Praying Through
In over 30 plus years of ministry, I have served as a youth pastor, associate pastor, full-time evangelist and currently as co-pastor/evangelist, ministering across denominational lines and traveling around the globe. To God be the glory for all that has been accomplished, but I feel the urging of the Holy Spirit to share and impart the insights that I have gained over this time, and to help raise up "Elishas" for this generation!
There are three things I am asking of you:
- I need pastors/ministry leaders to recommend qualified young ministers who will benefit from this type of training.
- I am asking for those of you who have a similar burden to either sponsor a participant or financially sow into The Calling. In reality, you will not only be sowing into their lives, but you will also be sowing into the next generation ... your children and grandchildren who will be receiving the Gospel.
- And thirdly, the most important request, I am asking you to agree to help cover this assignment with prayer. There is no doubt that the only way this will ever be accomplished effectively is by the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
For more information, please click "The Calling" tab above. You will find images of our venue, the breakdown of the cost, and other pertinent details. If you feel compelled, as I do, and would like to give financially to support this mandate from God, your gift is tax deductible and can be given electronically from the website or by check payable to Beth Stephens Ministries, Inc.
The birth of "The Calling" and hosting the first Weekend is an act of complete obedience as it pushes me beyond the walls of my comfort level. I feel very humbled that the Lord would give me a mandate such as this, and I have come to the conclusion that my only response must be the same as Samuel's response when he heard the Lord calling him, "Here I am!" Thank you for hearing my heart. You have always been gracious to me in your support and trust, and I am confident the Lord is saying, "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes." (Isaiah 54:2 AMP) Thank you for joining with me as the Lord gives us spiritual sons and daughters!
Many blessings,
Beth Stephens-Johnson
Beth Stephens Ministries, Inc.