Endless Summer – Not Really!

As a kid, with no pressing tasks to accomplish and almost every day representing a day to “do nothing,” summer vacation seemed endless. My brothers and I had a few chores and basically lived an idyllic life of ease: riding bikes, playing at the neighborhood pool, hunting hapless birds with our BB guns, playing Little League baseball, hanging out with friends, almost no bedtime… Eventually, summer did end, and we grudgingly returned to the rigors and predictability of school. What was true then remains true today. The return of students to school provides an excellent fall (spiritual) harvest opportunity. Every local church will benefit when they capitalize on the social factors of greater routine, less travel, and more focus.

In recognition of this social adjustment, many AGK churches have an annual “back to school” effort that connects with and serves their community. In this “connection / servanthood” effort, they make themselves more valuable to their community. This year, in response to an effort that sprang from May Network Council, several churches have designated a special Sunday in August or September as “We Love Our Public School Teachers Sunday.” (The AGK sent them a $300 seed offering so we could participate with their harvest effort.)

Whether you focus on public school teachers or county sanitation workers or another group this fall, if your church has not yet designated a Sunday in August, September, or October as a “We Love Our XYZ Sunday” – it isn’t too late. Your AGK leaders want to partner financially with churches of any size in this “back to school” season. The lead pastor simply needs to send an email to my Exec. Assistant, Bryan Parker (Bryan@agkansas.com) stating the date designated as a “We Love Our XYZ” Sunday. Then, describe the simple five to nine-month follow-up plans the church intends to use. When we receive your information, a check will come your way. We want to join your local church in this special “back to school” harvest season.

Jeremiah 8:20 breaks my heart each time I read it. “The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone,” the people cry, “yet we are not saved!” THIS “back-to-school” season will find more people saved because great local churches strategically capitalized on the spiritual harvest opportunities. Actions such as a “We Love Our XYZ Sunday” will help us make Kansas an easy place to experience the presence and forgiveness of Jesus.

Dr. Terry L. Yancey
AGK Ministry Network Superintendent
Working to make Kansas one of the easiest places in the world for people to experience the presence and forgiveness of Jesus.

Article Navigation

Stay connected at AGK events with the AGK App - available on all platforms!

Coming to Intermission? Use your app to:

• take notes

• navigate to & from key locations

• see what’s happening next

• and more!

Article Navigation

Article Navigation

Last month 15 students and leaders traveled to Chicago to be a part of the 2023 KYM AIM Trip. Our team was incredibly blessed to work with Pastor Charles and Kehinde Moody at Chicago City Life Center in partnership with Convoy of Hope. We were able to help with landscaping, painting, and organizing projects, along with a flooring project for a lady living in one of the church’s apartments. Each day we also went out to serve food and connect with people in the different neighborhoods around the church. These moments led to many conversations about Jesus and opportunities to pray with the people we met. We are so proud of all these incredible students and leaders for how they served this week. If you know one of them, make sure to ask them about what God did in their life through this trip! We hope you’ll start praying now about joining us next year for our 2024 AIM Trip. (Info will be released at YTH CON!)

Article Navigation

The New Man Cave | by Pastor Stephen Luna (Lead Pastor ZAIK Church)

We’ve all seen the extraordinary pictures of the special places exhausted men go to find some R&R. In fact, speak to any guy you know and I can almost guarantee that he’s already visualized architectural renderings and prototypes in the basement or spare bedroom for his ideal ‘man cave.’ It will probably encompass plenty of KC Chiefs memorabilia, likely a collection of video games, maybe a batting cage or golf simulator, and perhaps for the literary connoisseur among us a wall-to-wall library with various records of eclectic jazz composers.

You know what I’m talking about!

I’m not here to comment on the vitality and spiritual efficacy of ‘man caves’ or even bemoan the existence of such places that if left unchecked can encourage an unhealthy fleeing from personal responsibility. Instead, I want to briefly address the soulful longing for all men (and, I’d argue, women) to have a place they can go to consistently find LASTING PEACE. I am so happy to say that a few weeks ago, the desired man cave for over 250 guys across our great state was at Kansas Men’s Conference 2023. And sure, there were plenty of options to find a release from normal responsibilities with activities like golf, bowling, skeet shooting, etc., but I am proud to say that our men found their man cave—their place for soulful rest—in the presence of Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:8 (NIV)
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

This passage echoed in my heart as I looked back from the front row during worship and noticed the slew of men spanning every age, race, and socio-economic demographic: We had rural, suburban, and urban. We had Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian. And the single greatest denominator among us was a red-hot passion and longing for the Holy Spirit.

This was my first men’s conference as Men’s Director and the entire time I could not stop thanking God for how blessed the entire event felt. Admittedly, even the side-show attractions like golf were blessed—as we witnessed our first ever hole-in-one shot in by our very own Andy Roush (Garden City)! We consumed a record high amount of steak (244lbs) thanks to our LFTL Steak team. We raised over $2,000 for Light for the Lost. We doubled the number of guys who partook in our Friday Morning Man-Activities. We even received over $1,000 in generous gifts and donated door prizes from companies across Kansas who believe in what we’re doing (thanks to Scheels, C3 Gunworks, Nutrien AG Solutions, Murphy & Sons Shooting, and many more). We were challenged by renown author, pastor, and speaker Chase Replogle (who generously donated digital copies of his study guide to all lead pastors and Men’s Ministries Directors [email me for a copy]). Like I said, WE WERE BLESSED! And I know WE BLESSED the heart of our Father.

As you well know, it’s impossible to put on any event, let alone one of this magnitude, without the incredible support and leadership of others. I want to personally thank our Kansas Men’s Lead Team (Jon Clayton, Steve Bowman, Danny Sartain, Andy McMillan, Adam Robidou, and Randy DePriest). I want to thank Raj Bonthapuri and our worship team. I want to give a heartfelt thank you to our ZAIK Church staff, serve teams, and ministry interns. And I want to give a great thank you to God who’s created all men in His image and desires for us to give Him the glory due His name.

Before I let you go, will you please reserve on your church calendars the dates September 13 - 14th, 2024? We are already anticipating even greater things for Kansas Men’s Conference 2024. (If you want more stories or details reach out to me or hit me up at Intermission.)

Stephen Luna
—soli Deo gloria

Article Navigation

See You At the Pole is a time of prayer on the fourth Wednesday of September when students meet at their school flagpole to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school, and nation to God. It is student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led. This is an important moment every year for students to boldly declare their faith in a public setting and to show their peers and teachers that they care about them. For more information on how your students can get involved in SYATP this year, please visit: https://syatp.com.

Article Navigation

Article Navigation