SERVE 2021 Theme: The Unshakable Kingdom

THEME: The Unshakable Kingdom: For the King and the Kingdom

THEME PASSAGE: Hebrews 12:25-29

“25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.””

Jesus loved teaching about the Kingdom of God. There are 31 parables in the Gospels. 23 (nearly 75%) of them are about the Kingdom of God! When his disciples asked him how to pray, he taught them to pray for the kingdom of God to come. And after Jesus’ resurrection, before he ascended to heaven, he spent 40 days talking about the Kingdom of God.

This week at SERVE, we are going to dive into learning more about the Kingdom of God that was clearly so important to Jesus and gave fuel to his ministry here on Earth.

In the book of Hebrews, we read that the Kingdom of God is unshakable!

“There are very few things in the world which can accurately be described as unshakable, or unmovable. Today we can dynamite them, blast them into oblivion, or if they are immaterial, we apply pressure to get something or someone to change. There is no such thing as an immovable object meeting an irresistible force so when something is described as unshakable or unmovable, you had better pay attention.”[1]

In a world that can feel so shaky and unstable, we need to be reminded that the God we serve invites us into a Kingdom that is unshakable and secure. This week at SERVE we will learn more about the qualities and habits of those who are called to participate in The Unshakable Kingdom!

The Unshakable Kingdom we receive from God is not just something that affects our future. It affects our here and now as well. It’s not just something we experience when Jesus returns. It is a part of our everyday, mundane life. It’s not just something we participate in on Sunday mornings or at youth group. It shapes our work, our play, our being.


Theme content written by Ashley Patton

Youth Unlimited Becomes ThereforeGo Ministries

Dear Friends,

We wanted to share some exciting news with you about our ministry. As of Tuesday, September 1, 2020, Youth Unlimited has officially changed its name to ThereforeGo Ministries. This announcement is the result of months of prayer and discussion on the board and staff levels of our ministry and we are excited to share with you how we came to this decision.

Introducing 

 

Clearing Up Confusion and Expanding Our Ministry

There are two significant reasons why we felt called to change the name of our ministry. First, for a number of years, there has been a growing confusion with other ministry initiatives in Canada who were also operating under the name Youth Unlimited. We believe that the transition to ThereforeGo Ministries will provide clarity for our friends and partners in Canada who have faithfully supported us through the years. The second reason is that while we remain committed to our mission of collaborating with local churches in their youth ministries (through SERVE and other programs), in recent years the scope of this work has expanded. Churches are reporting an increasing struggle to remain connected with their students and emerging adults as they move beyond their high school years and into their late teens/early 20s. We are eager to collaborate and resource churches as they minister with this age cohort but increasingly found that having the word “youth” in our ministry’s name created the understanding that our efforts were focused exclusively on individuals under the age of 18.

Based in Scripture

One reason we love the name ThereforeGo Ministries is that it reminds us of two important scripture passages.

Matthew 28:16-20

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

The Transitional Reality of Ministry

This name also reminds us of the transitional reality of ministry and the transitional reality of the lives of youth and emerging adults. As a ministry we have a rich 100-year history of working with churches, therefore we have the confidence and expertise to continue creating meaningful experiences and valuable resources. For youth and emerging adults attending ThereforeGo Ministries programming, they are often on the verge of life decisions and changing realities. We want to help them see the confidence they can have in the legacy of faith that generations before them have shown and how that confidence can prompt them to therefore go and follow the calling of Christ on their lives.

Will You Partner With Us in This New Season?

We ask that you continue to pray for our staff and ThereforeGo Ministries. We remain committed to our mission statement of “helping churches challenge youth and emerging adults to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and transform the world for Him.” We are also committed to continuing to offer SERVE and ask that you continue to pray for this ministry.

ThereforeGo Ministries, history of name changes