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Recently, Susie Battle of MBC Loudoun interviewed Mike Reed, the Director of Student Ministries at MBC Loudoun. Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

SB: I hear you’re going to seminary?

Mike: I originally planned on going right before Loudoun opened, but when that happened, I thought I should get my feet set out here, then pursued school more. I just got started this summer. One class down, like ten hundred to go!

SB: You invest so much in your kids and work crazy hours, and now seminary as well! How do you juggle it all?

Mike: The Holy Spirit. God’s strength. When we are weak, he is strong, definitely. I live by Philippians 4:13. It used to be on my headgear when I wrested in high school. I would think, “I’m going to beat you today, not because I’m strong but because the Lord is strong.” It unfortunately didn’t always turn out, but it’s the principle that’s important.

SB: What do you do when you’re not working?

Mike: Run. Work out. My wife and I did a half marathon last year, a 10k in June, and a couple of 5ks in Ashburn. My wife and I enjoy coffee dates and reading the Bible in coffee shops. We jump around – we’ve read through James and Ephesians. It’s good time to talk through thoughts for Sunday. We also ride road bikes and hope to do a triathlon in future – a sprint one. We really enjoy throwing the football. She has quite an arm. You’d be shocked.

SB: You have a knack for sharing the Gospel any time anywhere. How did you develop that habit?

Mike: I looked at the early church and the way they live, and I looked at my own life. I felt like they were two completely different lives. I want to experience the Christian life the way the early church did. It just took a couple of times [of sharing the Gospel] – it’s just the first time that is the big hurdle – but once you get in the habit of doing it, it becomes a habit like anything else you do. Also, I felt like I was justifying not doing it by thinking you had to have a spiritual gift of evangelism. But the more I read Matthew 28, the more I felt like the Lord commands it. I’m commanded by the Lord to share my faith, so I lived up to it.

Another thing is hands down the happiest people I know are the people who share their faith openly weekly. If you want to be happy as a Christian, share your faith.

SB: Anything else you’d like to share with the people of MBC Loudoun?

Mike: I had a great devotional today. I dare people to pray through Proverbs 30:7-9. There are only 2 things David asks the Lord for in his prayer: keep lies far from me, and don’t give me poverty or riches, only my daily bread. He basically says, “Lord, help me to live paycheck to paycheck. Don’t give me too much because then I won’t depend on you fully during the week. Don’t give me too little that I desire to steal.” If I were to ask the Lord for only two things, I don’t know that I would pray that.