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A New Intern For New Covenant

Dear Church Family,

I am pleased to announce that the elders have approved a one-year disciple-making internship for Blake Glosson, from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31. Blake is interested in learning more about the work of the church and pastoral ministry, so he will be working under Dan Leeper and myself this year as he seeks to discern God’s will for his future. This internship includes a stipend that was made possible by your generous giving at Christmastime 2013. We are grateful that our church can make an investment in the development of this young man for gospel ministry.

I’ve asked Blake to answer some questions so you can get to know him better. Take time over the next few weeks to introduce yourself to Blake if you haven’t met him yet, and please pray for him! —Pastor David Sunday

(A) Tell us about your life: your family, your education, and your present ministry.

For anyone who doesn’t know me, I am a freshly-turned 23-year-old man with a passion for God, football, and anything having to do with nutrition or fitness.

I currently live at home with my parents (Richard and Debi), my sister (Rachel), my grandma (Ruby), and my two cats (Growl and Sierra). I graduated this past May from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelors of Science with an emphasis in nutrition, health, and wellness.

I am the leader and weekly teacher at The Rock young adults ministry at NCBC. Attendees of The Rock are between 18 and 29 years old and they come from churches all around the St. Charles area. This ministry began in early February, and we’ve met every week (save one) since then. In just eight months, God has used this ministry to bring together a community of young adults with a hunger for spiritual growth and godly fellowship. It’s been a very enriching experience and a testimony of God’s provision.

In my personal life, my plan is to use this next year to pursue opportunities in two fields I am very passionate about—ministry and sports analytics. I am confident that my experiences in the next year will give me a better sense of what I would like to do for an occupation, as doors open and close in these two fields, and as I pursue obedience to God.

I am also considering getting a doctorate degree in physical therapy, which would put me back in school for four years, beginning in fall 2016.

(B) How are you presently seeing the Spirit transforming you through the beauty and power of the gospel?

Similar to the way a newborn child experiences rapid physical growth within his first few years of life, every season of my life since I was “born again” at 17 years old has brought about drastic spiritual changes in my heart. This summer was another growth spurt—through some pain, the Holy Spirit has molded and shaped me in new ways. Most notably, He has been teaching me to find my security in my identity as His child, as opposed to finding my worth in my job, my appearance, or how I stack up against people around me.

At my age, it’s extremely easy to fall into the mindset that my worth will be determined by what job I get, whom I marry, when I get a home, etc. This kind of thinking is enough to set anyone up for massive failure and disappointment. One of the many blessings that has come from teaching at The Rock every week is that I’m constantly reminded of the error in this way of thinking, particularly as I meditate on the truths of the Gospel. Jesus came to earth, He lived a sinless life, and He died for my sin, which made a way for God to regard me as righteous. This actually happened. And because this actually happened, my entire outlook on life is different. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, the massive weight of expectation is taken off my shoulders—I’m free to live for Christ and not to worry about my circumstances. I love what Paul reminds Timothy—who was a young man like myself when Paul wrote to him—in 1 Timothy 6:6-8: “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

(C) What are you hoping to learn or experience from this internship?

I am extremely excited to see how God works during this next chapter in my life. Ultimately, I hope this one-year internship gives me a better feel for occupational ministry—what it entails, how my skills and passions fit within the field, and if I feel like full-time ministry is something I should pursue. While gaining a better sense of direction is the primary end-goal of this internship, I am excited for the process itself—I look forward to learning from the elders at NCBC, contributing to the church, and growing as a leader. I’m also eager to build relationships within the body of Christ through The Rock, discipleship classes, and other various opportunities provided by NCBC. Finally, I anticipate that this internship will allow me to lead The Rock even more effectively, as I cooperate consistently with the NCBC staff and invest more time into message preparation and organizational development.

(D) What would you like the church to pray for you for this year?

Please pray for wisdom and purity. My personal goal for this next year is to use my time wisely for God’s glory. In order to accomplish this, I need to be diligent and I need to have motivations that are led by God-honoring, Holy Spirit-inspired biblical truths.

Also, please pray for protection and continued growth for The Rock. God’s hand has been evident thus far in the ministry—already, I have seen friendships built, lives being transformed, and God using people in new and powerful ways. My personal prayer is that these things would continue—that God would be glorified and that attendees would continue to grow in their passion for Him.

Thank you for your prayers and support! —Blake Glosson

Blake Glosson