A Modern-Day Apostle Paul

It's not everyday you talk to a modern-day Apostle Paul. But that's how I felt after interviewing Joel Stockstill, a youth leader from Baton Rouge, LA.

The guy is absolutely crazy—in a good way.

Back in 2001 when Stockstill took over the youth ministry at Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, LA, the church’s 70 kids quickly grew to 1000. But Stockstill wasn’t satisfied.

“Lord this isn’t what you promised us!” he remembers crying out in prayer.

Stockstill wasn’t focused on numbers. He just felt that God had promised him that 20,000 young people would get saved and join the youth group.

They didn’t have a big budget, but the group fell to their knees in prayer. Months later the group ballooned to 2000. By 2006 they had grown to 6000. Today they are past 7000. And the growth shows no signs of stopping. In the week before we spoke 147 kids had been saved. The week before that 262 came to Christ.

I’m sure a lot of people thought Stockstill was crazy when he announced that God wanted to bring in 20,000 young people. They’re probably not thinking that anymore.

And here’s the really crazy part. Stockstill is also a modern-day Job. His voice broke as he told me about how he lost his young wife, Amy, to cancer last year. He’s suffered with major health issues too. He feels that the enemy has targeted his family because of what’s happening at Bethany.

And yet he keeps going, broken yet bold, rocked by tragedy but still ministering to young people with every fiber of his being.

Talking to him put my puny problems in perspective and inspired me to serve God with all my heart. Thanks, Joel.