Tag: youth

Community at Community CRC

Fulfilling the Great Commission is the desire of most churches. After all, what church would say they didn’t want to reach out to the lost?
However, fulfilling the Great Commission is easier said than done. How does a church become part of the community rather than just reaching into the community?  For a church to be recognized as a positive and valuable influence, even by those who do not attend, speaks volumes to the church’s efforts to be part of its community.
Community CRC has always had outreach as part of its DNA. Established as a mission chapel over 50 years ago in Roselawn, Indiana, it has always sought to connect with the community.  Now, Community CRC is a growing church and is still asking the question, ” What can we do for our community?” or, “What will this decision do to help reach the lost and hurting?”
Hosting a Serve week is a natural extension of an already full slate of outreach events during “the other 51” weeks of the year. In the summer, a free Christian rock concert is held in the parking lot of the local food store. In October, a Fall Festival Trunk or Treat attracts 800. January is time for a Wild Game Dinner that draws over 500 and in the spring, there’s a Celebrate Marriage event with a comedian and a prime rib dinner. Other community outreach methods include Kids Hope, VBS, Food Pantry, Thanksgiving baskets, Stephen Ministry, music concerts for all types of music lovers, scores of phone calls and follow-up contacts. Our growing list of community outreach methods makes Sunday morning worship filled with a mix of seekers, new believers, people rooted deep in their faith, people with addictions, people recovering from addictions, very poor worshippers and very wealthy worshippers.
For more information on The Other 51 and Serve 2015, click here.
Big events are important for attracting people to our church, but what happens on Sunday morning is really important. Community CRC has been known for welcoming everyone and anyone when they walk through the doors. A casual and blended worship style helps people feel at home. Our Connections Coordinator makes sure a welcome bag is presented and contact information is gathered.
The Roselawn, Indiana community is not well off. Many families deal with broken homes and addictions. Hurting people matter to our Lord and they matter to Community Church. Help us connect with families that need an expression of love through home improvement projects and other services.
Roselawn Serve 2

How Many Students Does it Take

I’m often asked how many students participate in Serve each summer. Here’s the short but powerful answer:

First, recognize that students and adults participate in Serve and the three major points of impact include:

  • The Host Church- The Host Church prays about how to creatively share the Gospel with their community and mobilize their congregation into the community. This isn’t just a one-week outreach or even three months of planning. Community outreach and home missions is written into the DNA of the Host Church, so the student workforce during this one week helps to enhance and advance what the congregation does throughout the year.
  • The Community – Persons in every community across North America are praying that God would meet their needs. Some of those needs are tangible, work-related projects that have a significant bearing on that person’s financial, social and emotional well being. Those people and organizations see the Church in action. They see teenagers as doers of the Word and not hearers only. Plus, the people receiving the work share their life story and perspective so their strengths are seen and not just their needs.
  • The Students and Youth Leaders – The Students and Youth Leaders who register have been praying about how to expand their worldview and fulfill the Great Commission. They are invited to serve the Host Church and community for one week then urged to go back and engage more fully with their own congregation to reach people down the street and around the world.

For more on Serve Outcomes in these areas of impact, click here to download a one-page summary.

Now here’s the break down of participants. These are approximates and on the conservative side (I never like to be “evangelistic” in my numbers):

  • 1,700 students and youth leaders
  • 400 Host Church volunteers
  • 1,700 Host Church Prayer Partners
  • 2,400 Sending Church Prayer and Financial Partners
  • 5,600 people receiving help and sharing their life perspective with students

10,000 plus participate in Serve each summer directly connected to a church.

That last part, “directly connected to a church”, is vital to Youth Unlimited. Serve is not a student mission trip where student groups “show up, blow up and blow out”. Everyone participating is or can be relationally connected to a long-term ministry. With Youth Unlimited, it’s all about faith for life.

If you’ve been on Youth Unlimited’s Serve and have a story of impact you’d like to share, please email Mandi at Mandi@youthunlimited.org.

 

 

A Look Ahead to Live It 2015

Youth Unlimited is excited for Live It 2015 and the opportunity to engage with high school age students at their point of interests and passions once again so they can learn about their value in Christ while exploring how to use their talents to spread God’s love to their friends, community and world. Watch the video below for a look ahead to Live It 2015!

Changing the Meaning of “Church Service”

Bethel CRC in Brockville, Ontario, has left the building. Rather than seeing a teen summer mission trip as a mountaintop experience, they are working to build serving into the DNA of the congregation.

 

Students from Bethel have participated in Youth Unlimited’s Serve many times and have taken it home to help reach their own congregation.

 

Pastor Jack Van de Hoef and his team planned three days of worship, prayer and serving with a total of 10 very local work sites. Here is the report in his words:

 

Most of the sites involved revitalizing properties and creation care (pretty fancy words for pulling lots of weeds). We also helped out at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore because the damp weather interfered with our outdoor painting projects. Two of the sites were through our local social services agency; the others were through our own church connections. Only two of the sites were for members of our church. 

 

We set it up much like Youth Unlimited’s Serve, with devotions in the morning, work for the day, supper together and worship in the evening. We slept in our own homes. It made for a long day, especially for our seniors, but no one complained.

 

On Sunday morning, participants were invited to share their thoughts of how they saw God at work. The comments included appreciation for the inter-generational experience and the blessing of seeing the look of appreciation on the faces of those we served. There was the joy of serving, of experiencing teamwork, of coming back to church after a day of work and knowing someone had prepared supper for us.

 

It was a very positive experience. We will see how the Lord continues to bless our church through this. I’m sure the impact will be felt beyond this one week and into the other 51 weeks of the year.

 

Thank you for the theme material on Isaiah 58.  I gleaned from it to prepare a handout for the morning devotions (with credit being given to Youth Unlimited). I also used the idea of living out of the centre of normal for our Friday evening worship. Instead of a speaker, I interviewed three members of our church who volunteer on a regular basis for different community agencies. I introduced them as three normal people, doing normal volunteering as their service for the Lord and his kingdom.

 

I could probably say a lot more, but this gives you an idea of how things went. 

 

Thanks again for your support. 

 

Blessings, Pastor Jack

 

To see a video of Bethel CRC’s experience, click here.

Changed Lives Changing Lives

“His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.”

Words from Betty Bartlett’s favorite song ring true each and every day in her home. Betty, a 72-year-old, cancer-surviving widow expressed her joy as eight high school students painted the cupboards and walls in her warm, loving home. With appreciation in her voice, Betty said she felt strengthened by this group of students; making her feel like a person instead of “just a little old lady”.

Coming from eight cities across the United States and Canada, the 156 high-school-aged Youth Unlimited Serve participants were mobilized by their home church to Grand Rapids, Michigan, not knowing exactly what was in store for them. With a week packed full of opportunities planned by the local host church to serve the community, these students would change more lives than they could count.

Serving people, like Betty, in their homes, in organizations, in warehouses, in thrift stores, in soup kitchens or even out on the streets, the volunteers discovered excitement in sharing the love of Christ. Equipped with a helpful, Christ-centered heart, these volunteers were giving the gift of confidence, love and respect back to the community; especially to people like Betty.

Sharing God’s heart of compassion for the poor, broken and lonely, the host church(es), Youth Unlimited and World Renew worked together to enrich the lives of teenagers. After exposing the growing physical, mental, emotional and social needs of people in the world to the students, Youth Unlimited and World Renew wanted them to see what they can do.

Youth Unlimited used principles and messages from LIVE 58 to create a curriculum that inspires students to live missionally. With the solid application of scripture and a compelling global vision exhibited in LIVE 58 resources, it was natural for Youth Unlimited to seek real life stories of gospel impact from World Renew and urge students to engage with their church in global issues upon their return home. Together, these organizations are empowering and equipping people to live out the gospel message through words and actions.

Bob Grussing, the youth pastor at LaGrave Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, MI, explained how Serve helps equip and shape teenagers’ futures. Giving teenagers the opportunity to serve in communities across Canada and the U.S. allows for them to expand their thinking and know they are part of a bigger world. The Serve volunteers shared in the mission of Isaiah 58, showing the love of God through their work.

As Grussing explained, embracing your own church and then your own community sets you up for embracing the broader community, eventually leading to embracing the world. Continuing on, he said, “This is a beginning of what students can do with their lives. They can make an impact here at Serve and then at home by showing that same hope and passion.”

“In doing the work, we are building relationships,” said Jennifer Heerema, a Serve participant.

“It changes how you look at people and it’s a lot easier than what you would expect,” said Chris Beezhold, another Serve participant.

Nick Moelker, Worksite Coordinator of Grand Rapids Serve said, “Our shirts say ‘Serve’ and that is a piece of it, but it’s more of getting the kids to build a relationship with Christ.” Building a relationship with Christ is the foundation for building a relationship with other people.

Jay Knoblock, the leader of street evangelism at Grand Rapids Serve, said, “Being the hands and feet of Jesus is what we are created for. We need to minister to people where they are at; reaching outside the community and being willing to take a risk.”

Nick Hoffman, a Serve leader from Minnesota, took that risk to reach outside the community. Previously, he went on a World Renew mission trip to Guatemala with a church group where he was inspired by Lazaro Aguin, a man that has collaborated with World Renew over the years. As an expert in organic agriculture, Lazaro teaches countless communities around the area how to fertilize, water and maintain crops.

After seeing what Lazaro was doing, Nick saw the hope and excitement of growing plants in Guatemala and wanted to bring that back to his home community. During his week at Serve, Nick thought of ways to give hope back to people. One idea was to have a community garden to give people hope, dependence, excitement and ambition.

Although the plans are just an idea yet, Nick has learned through a life-changing World Renew Guatemala trip and a Youth Unlimited Grand Rapids Serve trip that people are in need everywhere. “Physical needs are slowly being met, both in Grand Rapids and in Guatemala; but the lack of hope, the lack of love, that is the real poverty.”

Deepening the understanding of global issues and encouraging action is what Youth Unlimited and World Renew are working to do for today’s youth. By broadening their perspectives and challenging their previous world views through experiences, relationships and passion for Christ, Serve participants get fully engaged into God’s community.

So what’s next? What will these kids do the other 51 weeks of the year? What can you do to mobilize the Church and help build the world view of global service to Christ in the next generation?

Pray for direction in continuing the good work God is doing through Youth Unlimited and World Renew. 

Give of your time and blessings to end world hunger by participating in the World Renew World Hunger Campaign this fall. Find out more at:
worldrenew.net/worldhunger.

Fast during the campaign using Fast Forward Resources at:
worldrenew.net/fastforward

Show the LIVE58 Film to your church. Find it at live58.org/

Just as these teens had a week-long experience of community change, we can make a change together. Talk with your pastor or meet with your church council to see how your church can use your blessings to help spread the gospel and mobilize the Church.

Together, we can make a difference around the world, feeling comfort in knowing that, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

What now?

Love Jesus. Love Others. Like the directions on a shampoo bottle; lather, rinse, repeat.

 

“Repeating” asks us to do it again and again. Maybe you heard something like this in grade two: Pete and Repeat were in a boat. Pete fell out and who was left? That could go on and on, my friends. Slightly more fun was changing it up to: Pinch Me and Punch Me were in a boat… but I digress.

 

In the past, student mission trips have seemed that elementary at first glance. It seemed the directions were go, return home and repeat.

 

That’s changed and we are realigned with the command of Christ. The emphasis in student missions is no longer on the mission trip. The principle worth repeating is living with the mission mentality. Love Jesus. Love others. Repeat daily (not annually after raising the proper funds). The mission of life is loving and serving with a clear gospel focus, especially at home where caring for others is most effective.

 

The goal of mission trips is not to accomplish missions. “Missions” are not something you accomplish – they are lived. Part of the goal is learning alongside of those we’re sent to serve. We learn how God is working in their community so we can better understand how he is working in our own.

 

In 2007, the Fuller Youth Institute developed the resource Deep Justice In a Broken World: Helping Your Kids Serve Others and Right the Wrongs Around Them by Chap Clark and Kara E. Powell and in 2009, followed that up with the student companion journal, Deep Justice Journeys: Moving From Mission Trips to Missional Living by Kara E. Powell and Brad M. Griffin. Thank God, after seven years we are living this idea more fully.

 

Youth Unlimited has woven this key thought into our mission trips: You are being invited to serve alongside a local church and community for a week, learning from them how to compassionately care for a community. Then, you are asked to return home to engage more fully with your church to compassionately care for your own community and the world.

 

The summer has drawn to an end, so what now? The school year has started, what now?

 

How will your students repeat missional living each day and all through the year?

Faces of ThereforeGo, Fall 2014, Part 2 of 2

Jeff Schipper

Jeff Schipper | Youth Unlimited | Summer Teen Missions

Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?

A. My favorite place would be at a local breakfast joint (The Windmill in Holland is tough to beat). Breakfast combines three of my favorite things: coffee, food and conversations in a booth. I also appreciate connecting with students before the pace of a regular day kicks into full gear.

Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?

A. I never felt the need to try until recently when I turned 30. Even now that I feel a bit irrelevant, I spend my time connecting with them personally at sporting events, dance competitions and coffee shops. In my mind, being present is more important than being relevant.

Q. I never leave for youth group without my…

A. Kickball and jumbo box of sidewalk chalk. The options are endless, and lately, our kids have become somewhat obsessed with 8 or 15-square. It’s a great mixer that anyone can play. Other options include parking lot kickball or a Jerry Meadows chalk portrait competition.

Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

A. Other than the Heidelberg Catechism J, I have been spending the most time lately reading and applying Mark DeVries’ Sustainable Youth Ministry. I’ve also been blessed & challenged by Bonhoeffer’s Life Together as I think about Christian community.

Q. What do you do in your free time?

A. Free time is hard to come by as a youth director, homeowner, husband, and father of two kids under 2.5 years old. When I carve out a little “me time”, I’m probably on the golf course or downtown Holland meeting up with some guys from church.

 

Ellen Lyzenga

Ellen Lyzenga | Youth Unlimited | Summer Teen Missions

Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

A. If there are no youth retreats, fundraisers or leadership events, then I would be relaxing on my couch with a good book and a cup of coffee, probably with my cat sitting on my lap.

Q. If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say?

A. Best youth leader ever!

Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

A. Both Essential Church? by Thom and Sam Rainer and The Millennials by Thom and Jess Rainer. These are some great researchers and authors who examine why our young people are walking away from the church and their books are full of good information and ideas on how to connect with our youth.

Q. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a youth group fundraiser?

A. I haven’t done it yet, but I want all the kids to paint a picture on canvas, something that inspires them or their favorite Bible verse or Bible story. Then we will display and sell the paintings in a silent auction.

Q. Where would you like to travel someday?

A. Turkey, Greece or Italy. I was blessed with an opportunity to see Israel with ThereforeGo a few years ago and walk where Jesus walked. Now I want to travel and see where the Apostles started the early church. I want to walk in Paul’s footsteps where he went to share the gospel and preach the word of God.

Faces of ThereforeGo, Fall 2014, Part 1 of 2

Ryan Link

Ryan Link | Youth Unlimited | High School Summer Mission Trips

Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

A. Usually, I’d be just beginning some sort of project around our house or yard unless it’s the first Saturday of the month. Then, our family would be at Home Depot with a billion other kids suffering a headache and sore fingers from pounding wire thin nails into craft projects, but my wife and I enjoy it. We really do.

Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?

A. We have a great restaurant at a local golf clubhouse that I like to take students to. It has a really cool atmosphere and students feel very comfortable there (and the food is great!). Most students expect Burger King or Juice Stop (which are ok), but I like to treat them to something special so they feel that our time together is important and valued.

Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?

A. I go right to the source. I spend a lot of time intentionally listening to what our students are interested in – what video games they are playing, the music they are listening to, their favorite movies, etc. I follow their Twitter and Instagram feeds, join their Clans in Clash of Clans, etc. Then, I incorporate themes and ideas from these things in my messages and lessons.

Q. What do you do in your free time?

A. It is important that my free time is spent with my wife and kids. Ministry often demands you make a lot of sacrifices of your family for the benefit of other families, so I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids doing activities that they enjoy doing. We play a lot of games as a family and enjoy the beautiful park system that Sioux Falls has to offer. If I do steal some time to just myself, I could probably be found racing RC Cars at the local track or working on a model train layout I have in my basement.

Q. What is one website that you visit every day?

A. I go to www.regonline.com to check up on our Sioux Falls Serve information. Who doesn’t visit this website every day?

 

Sonya Wubs

Sonya Wubs | Youth Unlimited | High School Summer Mission Trips

Q. I never leave for youth group without my…

A. Dodgeball game face.

Q. If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say?

A. I asked them and this is what they said: Motherly, Caring, Compassionate, Friend, Cheerful. (Note: I didn’t even bribe them!)

Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

A. Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne, Elastic Morality: Leading Young Adults in our age of Acceptance by Chris Thompkins and Building a Youth Ministry that Builds Disciples by Duffy Robbins.

Q. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a youth group fundraiser?

A. Our fundraisers are pretty typical: meals, cookie baking, movie nights, yard sales. However, in 2013, in Canada, the government phased out the penny. So, we took it as a great opportunity to do a penny drive. We spent a very long time counting the pennies that came in afterwards. We raised over $150! That’s a lot of pennies.

Q. What is one website that you visit every day?

A. I often visit these blogs: http://www.emilywierenga.com/ and http://www.aholyexperience.com/. Oh, and of course Facebook.

 

 

 

Mentor for Life

I’m a new youth pastor at Trinity CRC. I started last September, and I absolutely love it. It’s a dream job. I would do it for free if I could afford it. One of the big parts of my job is mentoring. I started taking out my youth for lattes and lunches and although it was fantastic – it was overwhelming: There were so many youth!

 

I attended a conference in Vancouver and went to a breakout session on mentoring. I heard a lot of stories of people who were mentored and had great memories and experiences. It was meant to be an encouraging session, but I walked away sad. I was sad because I wanted so badly to give all of my youth those experiences but I couldn’t. I was limited. I was limited on time, meaning I wasn’t going to be able to develop a deep relationship with every single one of my youth. There were too many and I might not have connected well with all of them. I was also limited because I’m a woman and I wanted all the guys in my youth group to have a guy that they could talk to about “guy things”.

 

When I came back to Edmonton, I was wrestling and praying with how to mentor more efficiently when I had a fantastic idea that I believe was inspired by the Holy Spirit: I can’t do it, but the church can.

 

The idea of the mentorship program blossomed from there: I would pair up all the youth with someone from our church – a guy with a guy and a girl with a girl. They would be responsible for building deep relationships with the youth.

 

I began emailing and calling some of the people that I knew would be great mentors. The response I received was wonderful and I knew I had enough volunteers to get started. I began forming what the program would look like – focusing on simplicity and joy. When I was finished, I met with a youth ministry consultant who further encouraged me. I remember him looking at the program and calling it “gold”. This assured me again that I was following the Holy Spirit.

 

He gave me a few pointers and agreed to be a part of the mentor training. We went over the program with all of the volunteers and paired them all up with the youth, starting with grade 7.

 

Right now we have a total of 19 mentors who are roughly between the ages of 20 and 30. They are paired up with kids from grades 7 to 10 and some in grades 11 and 12. The mentors were all told that it is a lifelong commitment. The main goal and purpose is to love their youth and do life with them. Their main responsibilities are: praying for their kid, saying hi to them every Sunday, and hanging out with them once a month.

 

The volunteers are not just mentors though. They are disciples making disciples. The program starts in grade 7 and “ends” in grade 12. When I say it “ends” in grade 12, I mean I will stop holding them accountable after that and just assume and trust they will naturally be in their lives. The first 2 years (grades 7-8) is simple relationship building. The next few years (grades 9-11) we have a bible reading plan. The last year will focus on apologetics. Although we have this in the program, nothing is set in stone – the rule is to follow the Holy Spirit. Some mentors have said that rather than reading the Bible, they would prefer to do topical Bible studies. Great!

 

Another major aspect of our program is our prayer partners. We have people in our church who have committed to pray for a handful of our mentors on a regular basis. They are also instrumental in this program.

 

For the most part, this program has flourished. Some of the mentors have a hard time hanging out once a month because of their schedules, but they make more of an effort to call and email or to talk more on Sundays. The mentors are going to kid’s basketball games, taking them to movies, going for walks in the river valley – someone even took their kid to the Harlem Globetrotters game!

 

Because this is the first time we are doing this, they were told to expect kinks and we would just talk them out and get better. It’s not a perfect program, and it’s not meant to be. It’s meant to be joyful. It’s meant to be meaningful. It’s meant to glorify God.

 

Below are some quotes from some of the mentors currently involved in the program:

 

 “I find it challenging but interesting to get to know my kid, to help her and myself grow in Christian faith together is something I look forward to.”

 

“Being a mentor creates opportunities for both the mentor and the mentee to explore and grow in their faith. It allows the mentor to provide encouragement and advice to the mentee, in which the aim is to promote a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ.”

 

“What I like so much about the mentorship program is that it is set up to be long-term. Although our relationship is still pretty new, I think there is a lot to look forward to. It’s not always easy to find things to talk about with someone you barely know, but I’m having a lot of fun just being there for her. I’ve started out just getting to know my mentee, but I hope to be able to develop a spiritual partnership as well as a friendship. The mentorship gives me a chance to connect with someone who is going through a life-stage that I have been through. I wish that when I was girl in junior high, I had someone who was older (and not my mom) to talk to and ask all my questions. I want to be that person for my mentee, and hopefully it just becomes natural.”
 
“When asked if I would like to mentor a young girl at church, I was a bit hesitant, as it was completely out of my comfort zone. I took on the challenge and I am so glad that I did. I have started to get to know a beautiful, young girl who has taught me more about the innocence of our youth, a need for leaders and to love as Christ loved. God has blessed me through her quiet disposition and sensitive spirit. As Betty Ramsay said, ‘We all know investing in our young people makes good sense. The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow and will shape the destiny of our country and the future of their children and so on and so on'”
 
“Starting and maintaining a relationship can be challenging even amongst people of similar age. Having just recently started the mentorship program, it’s going to take some time to establish a mutual trust. The biggest challenge for me so far has been to be in contact with my mentee frequently enough that the level of trust and familiarity grows. With some effort on my part and some help from God, I hope to continue to grow our relationship so that I can be a positive influence on my mentee’s life.”
 
“I really enjoy being able to share my experiences and advice and watch my mentee grow in all aspects of life. I am blessed to be part of her journey and excited to see where God takes her.” 

 

Keeping the Flame Alive

We’re all about faith for life and don’t want to see students or youth leaders riding a roller coaster of emotions on a mission trip or faith forming experience. Here’s a great article by a well respected leader in the short term mission movement on fanning the flame of life change once you return home.

 

Most people like to play with fire. There’s something rewarding about burning long sticks until they’re short, melting things, roasting things, or just sitting and watching the flames. But if there is insufficient kindling, the fire will not ignite; and if there is too much wind, the flame will go out. Even so, keeping the flame alive is really not that tricky. By having the right resources and providing enough protection for the flame, it will keep burning (or even grow to a bonfire) and will give off light and warmth that people like to be near. If your experience in missions has allowed God to light a fire under you, or to fan the flame, then add more kindling, add more wood, and make sure you protect the fire from things that will put it out or slow it down.

 

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

There are many things you can do to keep the flame alive and to continue to be a LIGHT in the world. Here are some practical steps you can take to stay on track spiritually and in ministry.

 

L = Live Differently

Do you know what will keep your short-term mission from becoming just another mountain-top experience in your life? You. Only you can determine if you will continue the amazing journey of growing nearer to the Lord and of being a blessing to others. For this to happen, you must take on that responsibility and be intentional about your continuing journey.

 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do no conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).

 

You’ve learned valuable lessons through Scripture and experience. Putting these lessons into practice may cost you something, but consider it in light of God’s mercy as a living sacrifice and as an act of worship to him.

 

I = Invest in the Mission Field

You can be a great encouragement to your ministry hosts by keeping in touch with them. Write letters, send birthday cards, pray for them, and join their financial support team.

 

G = Guard Your Mind

The things you allow into your mind have an impact on the way you live. A steady stream of less-than-wholesome television, movies, books, and music will affect your attitude and will rob you of the joy you have in Christ. Since you might not see any effect at first, it might feel as if you are “getting away with it.” However, in the long run you will find that it is like a slow leak. Eventually there will be a blowout, and you will find yourself out of commission spiritually. Remember the old saying, “garbage in, garbage out”? The Bible says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).

 

An open mind is good. So is an open window. However, we put a screen on the window to keep the bugs out. Treat your mind like a window and screen what you allow in.

 

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

 

H = Hide God’s Word in Your Heart

Stay consistent in the study and memorization of the Bible. A diligent effort to know God’s Word better will result in a vibrant growing relationship with him. In addition, you can read inspirational missionary biographies that will remind you of the great things God can do with a life that is totally surrendered to him.

 

T = Take Risks—Stay Out of Your Comfort Zone

Decide right now that you are not just at the end of your short-term mission but actually at the beginning of a new ministry. Plan to live in a way that will continue to stretch you beyond the level of faith you now have. Put your trust in God. Seek to hear his voice and to obey and put into practice all that you have learned. Radical living encourages radical faith!

 

Do you realize that walking actually requires that you set yourself off balance? As you put one foot in front of the other, you are literally tipping forward—off balance. If you never took the risk of being off balance, you’d be stuck in one place. It’s like that in life and faith. The act of “stepping out” and getting a little off balance is the very act that allows you to move forward spiritually. Think about the big steps you took in deciding to go on this short-term mission (STM) and look how you’ve grown! So keep taking risks, following God’s wild imagination, and being in the place where you will only succeed if you trust in him and him alone.

 

Do you need some ideas on how to proceed? Want to know what it looks like to step out in faith? The rest of this article will help you take the next step in ministry.

 

Outreach and Evangelism

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).

 

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

 

We have a job to do here on earth. With love, patience, and respect, we are to speak up for what we believe and for who we are in Christ. Hopefully you have new found courage after your STM because you’ve spent time with people who are courageous and outspoken about their faith. Determine in your heart today that you will keep that fire burning in you and that outreach will become an ever-increasing part of your lifestyle.

 

When it comes to outreach and evangelism, there are two categories of Christians. The first category is those who are bound up in the activities and pressures of the day. They’re always on the backside of the things that they believe “happen to them.” They are wrapped up in their performance at work or school, running errands, fixing things, trying to stay in touch with people, but always too busy to do so. To them, life practically drowns out the fact that they are Christians. They are the ones who always say, “Spiritual things just never seem to come up at work.”

 

Then there is the category of Christians whose faith seems to just flow from life’s activities. They, too, live a hectic life, but somehow they have a fruitful influence in the lives of people around them. They are the ones who, because of their lifestyle, have people asking them about spiritual things.

 

There is a fundamental difference. To the first kind of Christian, Christianity has taken a back seat. To them, what they do is more important than their Christian faith. To the second kind of Christian, faith and responsibility to God are always in first place. Higher than a career. Higher than acceptance or fitting in. And higher than any circumstances. Ask yourself the following question by inserting your profession or life activity into the blank:

 

“Am I a __________ who happens to be a Christian or a Christian who happens to be a __________?”

 

Christians who “happen” to go to school or have a certain job will always place their faith and the responsibility to touch lives for Christ first. Their perspective is that God put them in that school, workplace, or situation because he wanted to affect the lives of those he has entrusted to their care. If you want to live a God-centered life, plan to live your life as a Christian first. If your relationship with Christ is your first concern and you are always looking to become more like him, your spiritual walk will deepen and grow.

 

This will add strength to your commitment to ministry, and he will use you to influence people all along the way.

 

Find Ministry in the Church, Community, and World

The continual, joyful giving of yourself for the sake of God’s kingdom purposes will help you maintain a close walk with him. Now that you are home, seek out opportunities to serve in the church, community, and world. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

 

Pray for discernment and eyes to see whatever God might be asking of you. It may be possible to join an existing ministry effort. But if it isn’t, don’t let a lack of opportunity slow you down—you may need to start something new. Jolaine started a weekly park outreach with a youth ministry team and it lasted for three years. Curtis started an evangelism committee at his church and it is still fruitful today. Darla inspired her church to reach out to the Japanese population in their city. Today there is a Japanese church within their church. Carl left his job and started a company that provides technical support to Christian organizations. As a result, the efforts of each organization are multiplied and there is a much greater impact for the kingdom.

 

Here are some other possibilities to spur on your creativity:

Ministry in the Church

  • Help with the youth or children’s ministry
  • Be a part of the worship team
  • Volunteer to be on the missions committee
  • Have a ministry of prayer
  • Take part in visitation, neighborhood outreach, and evangelism
  • Get involved in men’s or women’s ministry
  • Become a Bible study leader or Sunday school teacher

Ministry in the Community

  • Organize an annual neighborhood clean-up day
  • Get involved with local leadership in schools and other public arenas
  • Have a cross-cultural outreach to ethnic groups in your city or town
  • Lead Bible studies
  • Do a park outreach
  • Help at a weekly soup kitchen, food bank, or clothes closet for the poor
  • Get involved in campus outreach
  • Host a kid’s club or Vacation Bible School

Ministry in the World

  • Adopt a Bibleless people or an unreached people group
  • Organize a prayer vigil on behalf of a ministry, mission, country, or church
  • Support missionaries
  • Organize future STMs
  • Begin the process of becoming a mid-term or long-term missionary

 

Seek God and listen carefully as you choose the things you will be involved in now that you have returned home. Trust him for creativity, availability, and resources to do whatever he calls you to, wherever, and whenever.

 

From ShortTermMissions.com.

Faces Of ThereforeGo – Jen Rozema, Mario Perez and Jillian Bajema

Jen Rozema

Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?

A. I’m going to be bold and say that downtown Holland, MI is one of the best downtowns imaginable. With great local coffee shops, frozen yogurt vendors and restaurants, and a very inviting atmosphere, going downtown is like taking a breather from the rest of life. We always have a great time, and we always bump into other students, which is an added bonus!

Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?

A. I actually don’t feel a huge push to stay relevant – really I just feel a huge need to be and stay present in their lives. I’ve found in the past decade of student ministry that students don’t want me to be relevant, they just want me to be consistent; they want me consistently there, and they want to see evidence of me living a consistent life as a God follower.

Q. If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say?

A. Hmmm . . . slightly ridiculous but authentically passionate??

Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

A. That’s got to be a toss up between In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen and Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries.

Q. What do you do in your free time?

A. What’s free time? Just kidding (mostly). Going all-out for people all day, either at church or at home with four children 7 and under, I love carving out a little alone time at the beginning and end of each day. In the morning, before anyone else gets up, I love my quiet time in the Word and prayer while drinking a good cup of tea or coffee. At night, I wind down by taking a run with our Vizla puppy. I also love reading, holistic cooking and just about any outdoor activity.

Q. How do you avoid volunteer burnout?

A. We really share ownership. Sometimes I joke (with a hint of truth) that I work for them as the paper-pusher/secretary of the ministry. In fact, working alongside them in a team ministry model is what helps keep ME from burnout as well! I also encourage them to spend time with students, and open the budget up to them for that, because intentional time with students revitalizes us and keeps us going. Little gestures along the way do help, too, like having leaders and spouses over for a night of fellowship and a gourmet meal on my deck after Serve!

Mario Perez

Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

A. It really depends on the time of year. Most the time, I am at home relaxing from a long week or I am at a local lake fishing. Sometimes I am volunteering at the church for an event or an outreach ministry.

Q. I never leave for youth group without my ____________________.

A. Phone, because I usually get four to six texts right before youth group is starting asking me what we are going to do that night.

Q. If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say?

A. Funny, outgoing, caring, real, honest

Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

A. There have been a couple things that have inspired me; one was the past youth pastors that I had that were really passionate for youth and always sacrificed for their students. Another resource was a book called In the Name of Jesus by Henri J.M. Nouwen. An absolute read to anyone considering ministry.

Q. Where would you like to travel someday?

A. I would love to travel to Israel one day. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be at the places we read about in the Bible, and to think that Jesus most likely walked on the same ground I am walking on . . . mind blown!

Q. How do you avoid volunteer burnout?

A. I love working in ministry but at times I have to use a tool that my pastor once told me about and that tool is the word “No.” I have learned that I cannot commit to everything and by using that tool it keeps me from getting over committed and tired, which allows me to continue to serve where I am needed.

Jillian Bajema

Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

A. Since I’m a college student and sleep is normally at a premium, you can usually count on me sleeping in or just waking up at 10 AM on a Saturday morning.

Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?

A. I love meeting with students at a coffee shop. The environment is welcoming for great discussions that can result in strengthened relationships and challenged, but growing, faith.

Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?

A. I still consider myself a youth, but to keep up with the “kids,” I try to take my youth on outings besides the traditional youth group nights. I sometimes find that the farther I am from the regular meeting space, the more open and willing youth are to talk to me about the things they really care about. I also pay attention to what they post about on Facebook and Instagram.

Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

A. I recently got back from an interim course in Israel. I found new ways to dive into the word. I’m so excited to share the insights I gained from the mission trip with the youth.

Q. What is one website that you visit every day?

A. I have to go with the classics on this one. Definitely Facebook and BuzzFeed. Both of these websites provide an easy way to communicate with and “stay hip” with the younger generation.

Q. How do you avoid volunteer burnout?

A. I avoid volunteer burnout by enjoying the little things my youth do. Whether it is a funny joke, an odd compliment or an unexpected theological question; these are the places I see and feel God and this is where I feel rejuvenated.

 

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