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Maximizing the Mission — 9/14/2026 10:00 AM
Today's speaker is Dr. Kevin Ezell, President of the North American Mission Board. Dr. Ezell challenges the student body to make the most of the time that God has given them; he urges them to be intentional, expect challenges, and be faithful and focused to the finish. His text is 1 Corinthians 16.
Notes
This morning in chapel, Dr. Kevin Ezell, President of the North American Mission Board, talked about intentionally leveraging our lives for God’s glory.
Be Intentional
The Apostle Paul was very intentional with his limited time on Earth. He and his companions engaged cities and made disciples, and new churches were the result. God moved in incredible ways in these cities, but there was also a lot of pushback. Some of the most difficult times were also the times God used Paul the most. Success is found not in an easy life but in a life where God is doing amazing things despite opposition.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:9, “For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” The apostle believed he needed to make the most of his time and seize the opportunities God presented to him.
Expect Challenges
Paul acknowledged that there were enemies making his work more difficult. However, he saw those enemies as a reason to stay, not a reason to leave. In Mark 2, there is a story of a few men who dug through a roof so that a paralytic man could be healed by Jesus. Jesus healed the paralytic when He saw the men’s faith. They were willing to do whatever it took to heal their friend. In the same way, we need to faithfully be willing to do what needs to be done to glorify God, whatever it takes!
Be Faithful and Focused to the Finish
In Acts 20:24, Paul says he considers his life worth nothing to him on its own, only so that he could complete the task God had given him. Your life is not about you; it’s about Christ! Don’t settle for doing only the safe, comfortable things you know you can do. God often calls us to do things greater than our ability to accomplish because only He gets the glory that way.
God can and does use even the weakest, least likely people to completely change lives. Never underestimate what God can do through you. Sincerely consider how you can maximize your ministry, use your gifts, and be all that God wants you to be.