Challenging Normal

I believe that in Youth Ministry as a whole that we have separated the Mission of Jesus from the Message of Jesus. The message of Jesus also calls for response, action, or movement. I can not speak for any other Youth Pastor/Leader but too many times I have stood up and declared the Message and then told students to go live out the Mission on their own. Sure, we would give them opportunities a couple times a year to "live it out," but as a whole they are own there on.

We have told them to be a missionary to their school, neighborhoods, and families but not helped them or equipped them. Wednesday night is the night for the Message, a night where we come in and sing songs, listen to a monolog message, hangout with people we like (ignore people not like us), and feel good about ourselves and our relationship with God. The Mission is suppose to happen during the week. Is that the way it is suppose to be? What if the Message is the Mission? What if our actions really do speak louder than our words? What would happen if instead of separating the two we view them as one?

I do not have the answer but I am willing to allow God to keep dealing with me until we find it.

1:15 - Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I, Eric, was the worse.

1:16 - He displays His unlimited patients.

1:18 - Fight the good fight.

2:1 - Pray for everyone.

2:3 - God wants to save everyone.

2:6 - Jesus was my ransom.

4:4 - Everything God created is good.

4:7 - Have nothing to do with Godless myths.

4:8 - Godliness has value in this life and the life to come.

4:10 - Our hope is in our Savior.

4:12 - Do not let anyone look at you different because of your age. Set an example.

4:15 - Give yourself wholly.

4:16 - Watch your life.

5:21 - Do nothing our of favoritism.

5:22 - Keep yourself pure.

6:6 - Godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7 - I have nothing.

6:1o - The love of money is the root of all evil.

6:12 - Fight the good fight of faith.

6:18 - Be rich in good deeds.

6:20 - Guard what has been entrusted in your care.

Yesterday while I was in gym walking on the treadmill looking out the window I saw something that caught my attention. There was a father and son walking to their car. The son looked to be holding the father's hand and then as they got closer to their car the son got a little ahead of his dad, and started to run. Then I noticed something a little different. It was the dad that was holding on to the son. As the son starting getting ahead of his father the son stumbled a little. The father picked him up, made sure he was okay, and they kept walking.