CEDAR HILL—As a room full of preteen campers saw a big, beautiful birthday cake come onto the stage during the final week of children’s camp at Mount Lebanon Baptist Encampment in Cedar Hill, they couldn’t wait to devour a piece for themselves.
That is, they couldn’t wait until camp pastor Logan Meek added a few extra ingredients—ketchup, mustard and salad dressing.
Suddenly, the cake wasn’t appealing to them anymore. Just as the cake was ruined, Meek shared with kids about the ugliness of sin and how it messes up everything.
By using visual illustrations and object lessons to coordinate with Bible lessons, Meek hopes audiences of all ages will connect with the gospel on a personal level as he speaks at a variety of camps, retreats and ministry events around the country.
In addition to his speaking ministry, Meek also serves as the minister to college students and young adults at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky.
For Meek, the opportunity to minister full-time at his home church has brought his ministry full circle as the Lord placed him in various ministry roles and settings through the years, which has allowed him to learn and grow as a leader.
“I definitely see the value of kids and youth ministry, and I’m grateful for the impact it had in my life,” Meek said.
After he graduated from college, Meek participated in the Teach for America program, teaching sixth grade at a public school in Tulsa, Okla.
“God used that time in my life to really help me own my faith for myself,” he said. “I got connected with a great church that helped me find community and purpose. That’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about college and young adult ministry, as well.
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While teaching in Tulsa and serving at his church, Meek felt God’s calling to ministry.
“I remember having a moment where I realized in myself that my favorite part of my week was serving at church, and I began to pray, ‘God if you would allow me to use my job to serve you, I would say, yes,’” he recalled.
At that time, he also was serving in the summer with Student Life Camp. At the end of summer 2014, he joined Student Life’s full-time ministry team and moved to Birmingham, Ala.
“God has been teaching me more and more to speak, act and live without being concerned about what other people might think,” he said. “We have no reason to be ashamed, because God has adopted us as his children through Christ.
“I am always looking for new ideas. It’s such a blessing to be able to learn from others.”
Joy in seeing ‘breakthrough moments’
While speaking at ministry events across the country, Meek enjoys spending time off-stage connecting with ministry leaders and their groups.
“I love to watch when leaders from a church have breakthrough moments with the students or kids from their church,” Meek said. “It’s an honor to be part of what God is doing in those moments.
“It’s also really a wonderful thing to be part of the rich heritage of many camps, conference centers or churches. This summer at Mount Lebanon, I was really amazed at the history of life-change that’s taken place there.
This summer, one of the church groups at Mount Lebanon invited Meek to join them for their morning quiet time after breakfast.
“Starting with the leaders, they went around the circle and talked about how they all were learning what it looks like to have hope in difficult situations,” he said.
“One leader asked for prayer for his daughter, who was expected to be born soon and not live long after birth. Another leader shared about the stress that comes with searching for a new job.
“I was so encouraged to hear that even in the middle of these difficult things, they were all choosing to seek God and trust him more. I’ve seen over and over how God uses camp in our lives to help us reconnect to him like this. I am always reminded that it is God working in our lives that really matters.”
‘We have a calling that is urgent’
Today, as Meek travels around the country speaking in a variety of settings, he realizes the desperation, hurt and pain many students are struggling with and desires to see them changed by the gospel message.
“I enjoy the opportunity to share the gospel with people of all ages,” Meek said. “Students today are desperate for something real, and we have a calling that is urgent.
“I think about Romans 10:14, and it inspires me to just do my best to do something. God can use anyone to share the gospel, and he can use anyone to impact the life of a teenager or a kid. I think it’s too often that people can falsely believe that a certain ‘cool factor’ is needed to be a difference maker for a student. That’s just not true. I see students responding to the truth of the gospel.
“So many people are searching for solutions to anxiety and loneliness, looking for a deeper purpose and seeking community. The answer to all of these things at every stage of our lives is found in the truth of the good news of Jesus.
“Romans 1:16 reminds us that the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who would believe. I love to find creative and fresh ways to share that truth with anyone who will listen.”
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