Faithful Persistence for the Harvest

First Time Leading Children and Youth Ministry

Romans 5:1–5 (NIV)

‍Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

The Quiet Work of Faithfulness

Faithfulness is the quiet work of submission, often unseen, until God brings a season of harvest and the fruit of faith becomes undeniable. I am reflecting on the faithful work of renovating our Kingdom Kids Ministry Classrooms and the harvest of joy God produced in our children.

After months of preparation, on Sunday, September 7, 2025, they experienced worship designed just for them — a glimpse of fruit that made every unseen effort worthwhile.

Leading Without All the Answers

When Shannon and I first stepped into Kingdom Kids at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we weren’t ready — not by a long shot. We had just gotten married, hadn’t finished unpacking from the move, and suddenly we were responsible for leading a ministry.

That’s the first truth about faithful persistence: you’ll almost never begin with all the answers. God doesn’t ask us to start fully equipped; He asks us to start willing. The answers come in motion, not before.

Where might God be asking you to persist, even if you don’t have all the answers yet?

Learning Through Failure

Our first big event was in October, and it didn’t go the way we hoped. Volunteers weren’t trained, we went off script, and families seemed disappointed. At that moment, I questioned if we had really heard God clearly.

But here’s the second truth: failure doesn’t disqualify you — it grows you. What felt like a loss actually revealed the areas we needed to strengthen, and God used it to teach us that ministry isn’t about flawless execution, it’s about faithful endurance.

Fruit in the Small “Yes”

By Christmas, persistence was paying off. We held a Christmas Bash and a celebration where our kids ministered through dance for the first time in years. The sanctuary was full of life, and for the first time I felt the confirmation that God was working through our small “yes.”

Our numbers grew, our energy lifted, and the harvest of joy was undeniable.

Showing Up Through Setbacks

Then came the renovation season — four months without Kingdom Kids services, long delays, and constant setbacks. There were weeks where we showed up ready to work and left with nothing accomplished.

Shannon and I often looked at each other and said, “We’ll just show up and go from there.” And sometimes, that was all we could do.

People I thought would stand with us dropped off when the process got tough. And that’s the third truth: faithful persistence will feel lonely at times. But loneliness is not abandonment — it’s an invitation to trust God more deeply. In that space, new people stepped in, some we never expected, and carried the vision forward.

God Comes Through in the Last Hour

As the deadline for reopening drew closer, I was exhausted. The walls still weren’t painted, the rooms weren’t finished, and I felt completely spent.

But that’s when God reminded me of the fourth truth: even in the last hour, He is able. Painters showed up. Furniture was found. Volunteers rallied. What looked impossible just weeks before suddenly came together — not because we had it figured out, but because God is faithful to finish what He starts.

A Harvest Greater Than We Imagined

On September 7, 2025, we welcomed over 40 kids back into classrooms that had been gutted, painted, furnished, and reimagined. Before the renovation season, we averaged around 25 kids on Sundays.

Now our rooms are vibrant, colorful, and equipped with lighting, seating, crafts, games, books, and technology to enrich our children in countless ways.

The process stretched us for four long months, but the fruit of it was a harvest that reminded me of this final truth: God can use anything and anyone who simply says yes. Our persistence wasn’t perfect, but it was enough for God to turn unseen labor into undeniable harvest.

Looking Back

Looking back, I see that every setback, every delay, and every moment of exhaustion was part of God’s shaping work. Faithfulness carried us through trial into fruit, through uncertainty into joy.

And now, as I watch the laughter and worship of our Kingdom Kids fill these new rooms, I’m reminded that faithful persistence for the harvest is never wasted — what begins in unseen submission always blossoms into a hope greater than we imagined.