Our dance company recently returned from a tour across the southern United States. While in the South we quickly realized that self-expression isn’t as prevalent in southern churches and Christian communities as some of the other places that we’ve traveled. However, we knew that dance was on God’s heart, so we obediently stepped out. We reminded ourselves that it’s not about us. We dance to see Jesus glorified and to see people encounter His love. Our hearts were longing to release God-given expression to people around us and so we did.
As I danced I felt a prayer erupting from inside of me
One sunny, hot day in Atlanta, GA we found ourselves in a park talking to a couple who were singing their way around the USA. Their music was beautiful and they filled the park with soul-filled expression. When they heard that we were a touring dance company they asked us to dance for them. They began playing and I began to dance, and as I danced I felt a prayer erupting from inside of me. A prayer of hope, beauty, and restoration. An expression of the father’s heart released through dance. A crowd started to gather, and the company performed one our group pieces. As we finished the choreography and started talking to people I noticed a young lady who had been watching us from the fringes of the crowd. Her name was Angel. She explained that she had been planning to leave but, “It was like I couldn’t get in the car, like my feet were walking over here and I couldn’t control them”. We prayed for her and gave her some encouraging words. With tears in her eyes she thanked us and said that one day she hoped she could do what we did. She felt so loved and accepted for who she was. She encountered the love of Jesus.
So why do I dance? This is why I dance, this is why I travel the country for hours upon hours in a van, because of people like Angel. It’s worth it! Bringing an encounter that could change a life, stepping out in obedience even when it’s unplanned or seemingly random. Jesus is purposeful, and as we trust Him and walk in obedience He reaches into lives and changes them forever.
“Ministry is overrated” That’s rather a provocative statement. I apologize if I’ve just made you spit out your coffee in surprise at those words. I’ll give you a moment to wipe your screen down. Let me explain.
This time last year I was a youth pastor in London, working with young people from a variety of backgrounds. I was using my hard earned degree in theology and youth ministry to share the Gospel every day with young people and disciple them as a full time minister.
I thought I had a perfect understanding of what “ministry” really is.
Fast forward to present day. I am now working in the kitchen at YWAM Montana Lakeside. I spend my days preparing and serving lunch and dinner to many hungry missionaries. The work is in no way related to my previous experience in ministry or my theological training and yet, I’ve never been happier or more content.
I know, it sounds crazy right? And you would be joining many of my friends and family from back home by thinking that I am a bit nuts for walking away from a career, a home, and everything else just to chop some carrots and wash some dishes.
Thankfully, there is so much more to the picture. I get to bless people everyday with delicious food and I’m blessed when I hear them laugh and converse in the cafeteria as friendships are made and dreams are shared. Jesus has shown me something that has well and truly blown my mind.
You don’t have to be doing “ministry” to minister
Did you know that you can do ministry in any situation you find yourself in?
We make the mistake of thinking that leading children’s church on Sunday mornings is ministry but helping a neighbor out with childcare is not.
Or maybe we think that it’s only “ministry” when we preach to the congregation but not when we are at the office spending time with co-workers. Or perhaps it’s “ministry” when you are part of an evangelism team on the streets but not when you are walking amongst the same lost people in the grocery store.
I was certainly guilty of that mindset. In London, my weekend was very precious to me and I guarded my off-time with utmost care. When I first came to Montana I was putting myself under extreme pressure to “really minister” whenever I had the chance. I would approach every conversation with a member of the public with an agenda. I wanted to tell them about Jesus, at the very least pray for them, and preferably throw in some cool words from the Lord. Tears were a bonus.
Things started to change as Jesus helped me see that serving in the kitchen is ministry. I don’t need to burn myself out to please Him or validate myself as a “real Christian”.
These thoughts solidified as I spent time reading The Master Plan of Evangelism by Dr Robert Coleman. This book put words to the thoughts that God had been stirring in my heart. Which were “The multitudes cannot know the Gospel unless they have a living witness. Merely giving them an explanation will not suffice. The wandering masses of the world must have a demonstration of what to believe they must have a mentor that will stand among them and say ‘follow me I know the way’”.
Ministry in everyday life
I’m so grateful for the example Jesus sets for us in the gospels
I love the examples of ministry we see demonstrated by Jesus in the gospels. Sometimes Jesus would preach to huge crowds of people, but many times we see him eating dinner with acquaintances or conversing one-on-one with people he happened to meet. He spent three years of his life living with his disciples sharing absolutely everything with them… and then he washed their feet! I’m so grateful for the example Jesus sets for us in the gospels. It’s one of total immersion by living life as ministry. It would’ve been a different story for the many people who Jesus healed on the Sabbath if He turned to them and said “sorry I can’t heal you today, it’s my day off”.
Friends, I want to encourage you that whatever you find yourself doing is ministry if you do it for Him. You can point people to The Lord wherever you are and whatever you do. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, it can be simply living out your love for Jesus in the environment you happen to be in with the people you happen to be with.
The traditional concept of ministry is overrated! Ministry isn’t just something pastors and evangelists do, it’s a lifestyle. It’s living life with Jesus every day in every situation.
I want to invite you to come to join us at YWAM Montana Lakeside.
Here at YWAM Montana Lakeside we are called to make Christian disciples, to evangelize the lost and to mobilize the church to action by challenging and giving opportunity to children, teens and adults for strategic short and long-term missions worldwide.
We’re looking for volunteers to join us in our mission to know God and make him known, together! You can learn more and see our open positions by checking out our Staff Needs page. www.ywammontana.org/staffing-needs
I recently turned 30, which I didn’t think would ever happen. I started my adult life bungee jumping and tour guiding. I never made life plans beyond 30 because I honestly didn’t think I’d get here. I also never thought that 30 was that old, until last week when I made a reference to Yogi Bear and a 20-something student I was working with said “Huh?” The more I explained, the less comprehension I got.
So before I get too far removed from my 20’s, here are five lessons I’ve learned from leading 20-somethings for the past 10 years (and being one myself not that long ago).
1. Invite:
20-Somethings want to be invited to be part of the grander scheme. They want to know that you want them there. Invite the 20’s you’re surrounded by into your life – show them what it’s really like to just be you, at home on a Saturday, out on a ministry trip, and in those meetings you go to so frequently. Invite into Community too. Call the 20-somethings to join you and your partners – make them part of the team.
2. Stick to Your Commitments:
You made a commitment to do something, to show up at a certain time, to be available, to communicate when things are going good, and when they’re going bad. Guess what? It’s incredibly important to 20-somethings that you stick to your Commitment. Show up. Be vulnerable. Have an open door. Do whatever it was you said you’d do.
Hold the 20-somethings you work with to the commitments they made too. They might not love it at the time – they might want to move on to that ‘next great and exciting adventure.’ Trust me, as you hold them to their commitments, and are faithful to yours, they will respect you all the more.
3. Work Alongside Them:
Nothing can replace the dirt under your nails, the joy on your face, or the frustration in your voice. These things are the hallmarks of genuine reality. Work alongside 20-somethings – be there with them in everything you’re leading them through. When you have to make the tough calls, they’ll be there to observe and learn.
4. Character is Important:
Your character matters, but you already knew that. Did you know that your character might be the difference between inspiring sulking submission or fanatical following or that your character might be the tipping point between giving up or pushing on when things get hard? People are willing to follow good character.
The character of the people you’re leading matters too. They’ve read books talking about how they need to show up, step up and grow up. 20-somethings are trying hard to develop their character. Help them out – Tell them what you see specifically. Call out the good.
5. Believe:
This generation of 20-somethings might be the most incredible generation of 20-somethings there has ever been. They have more opportunities, more resources, and more potential. Believe in the 20-somethings you lead. Believe that their potential is only just beginning to be tapped. Believe in them to do the impossible. Believe in them to change the world.
They struggle with doubt, and fear of failure, and insecurity. God’s plans, God’s goodness, and God’s sovereignty are bigger than any doubt, failure, or insecurity – So believe in God’s call on their lives. When 20-somethings passionately tell you how they’re going to change the world – Celebrate with them and propel them forward. Believe in what God wants to do through the 20-somethings he’s entrusted to your leadership.
I want to invite you to come to join us at YWAM Montana Lakeside.
If you’re in your 20’s – Come be a part of what God is doing here in training, discipling and sending people to Taiwan, Nepal, Ukraine, India, Thailand and Cambodia. I invite you to come and be trained yourself.
If you’re out of your 20’s – Come be a part of what God is doing – bring your character, bring your ability to work alongside, make a commitment to see the nations reached, and believe in what God wants to do.
Here at YWAM Montana Lakeside we are called to make Christian disciples, to evangelize the lost and to mobilize the church to action by challenging and giving opportunity to children, teens and adults for strategic short and long-term missions worldwide.
We’re looking for volunteers to join us in our mission to know God and make him known, together! You can learn more and see our open positions by checking out our Staff Needs page. www.ywammontana.org/staffing-needs
“It is the task of youth not to reshape the church, but rather to listen to the Word Of God.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
For many people in our generation there is a burning desire for adventure and success. We want to be creative and successful. We desire to leave a legacy and to have fun while doing it. In the church, in the work place, and in our schools – we desire to bring some kind of change and leave our mark on the world. In order to reach our goals we need to learn how to use our skills and talents to their full potential.
I enrolled in YWAM Montana Lakeside’s “Summer Programs” in 2012. When I signed up for the program, I was mostly looking for a fun summer experience. To be quite honest, I wasn’t focused on growing in my faith. All I wanted to do was play music and tour around the world. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for my priorities to change.
On the first day of class I quickly realized that my desire to just show up and play music was shifting. During worship the next day, the Spirit of the Lord hit me so hard that I fell to my knees trembling in the presence of the Lord. At that moment I realized that Jesus knew everything I had done, every sin I had committed, every negative thought I ever had, and I was scared out of my mind. In that moment I expected condemnation and wrath, but what I got instead was the comfort of a Father showing me how he had been by my side through all of it.
I discovered that I was made for something greater than just playing music
The next six weeks took me on a radical journey. When I asked, “how can I use my talents for God?” I discovered that I was made for something greater than just playing music. I was built to use my gifts to reach unbelievers and lead people into worship of the Lord. This experience radically changed the way I live and God has never felt more real to me than he does today.
Our Summer Programs exist to show everyone that they can be used by God. We desire to give our students an experience that reaps lasting fruit in their lives. Our heart is evangelism and using our gifts to tell people about Jesus. We focus specifically on sports, dance, and music (with more focus areas coming in the near future).
We believe that artists and athletes who are equipped with the Word of God are incredible resources for the Kingdom
Our commitment, first and foremost, is giving our students a solid foundation in the Word of God. We spend our mornings in lectures learning about the character and nature of our Father. Then in the afternoons students break into their “tracks” to focus on honing their skills. Our talents, interests, and passions give us the ability to reach into the hearts of so many people who might not otherwise be open to hearing the good news. We believe that artists and athletes who are equipped with the Word of God are incredible resources for the Kingdom. So many times our students will get to see, for the first time, what is like when a person accepts Jesus. During the summer of 2014, we took three teams to Cambodia. We saw 50 people accept Christ and get connected to ministries that are eager to disciple these new believers.
You’d be amazed to see how God can use your life, and your talents, to impact another. If you are a dancer, athlete, or musician, I want to personally invite you to come and join with us in our mission to know God and make him known, together!
The Practice of the Presence of God by brother Lawrence is one of the most well-known books in Christianity. Written by, and about, a monk who lived more than 300 years ago – it outlines his own journey of Spiritual formation and growth.
I want to quote it here:
“So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he naturally had a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for the love of GOD, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well, he had found everything easy”
Business in the Kitchen… everything for the love of God.
To me, this sums up what it means to serve at a YWAM campus like ours in the area of Food Services. Doing everything for the love of God. Interacting with the people who come into our Kitchen, people who eat our meals, students who help us prepare meals each day. Everything for the love of God.
We have a full-time staff of more than 150, and train more than 250 people each year for missions of all kinds in God’s Kingdom. It’s a veritable army of passionate, spiritually-hungry, devoted and pioneering young people.
Not only are they spiritually hungry, but physically too, they need three meals a day.
Here’s the secret though – It’s not about the food! It’s about doing everything for the love of God. That’s the real reason we’re in the kitchen. We love God and we want others to love Him too. Whether that’s here in Montana, or one of our Target Nations, we want people themselves to do everything for the Love of God.
The kitchen makes that happen.
Hungry students aren’t able to concentrate on discipleship, biblical studies, dance, sports, etc. Happily fed students are able to learn about God’s love, so they can tell others. Happily fed students move our mission forward.
Will you pray about being a part of this with us?
We have some great opportunities here at YWAM Montana to serve our Kitchen. Opportunities to do everything for the love of God.
We have the following opportunities available:
Kitchen Manager (Administration, Ordering, People Skills)
Shift Managers (Food Prep, People Skills)
Kitchen Help (Food Prep)
Please email us at: personnel@ywammontana.org if you’re interested in becoming part of the team that makes YWAM Montana what it is.
Check out our Staffing Needs page for even more staffing opportunities here at YWAM Montana Lakeside.
“There will be failures and mistakes and criticisms. If we want to be able to move through the difficult disappointments, the hurt feelings, and the heartbreaks that are inevitable in a fully lived life, we can’t equate defeat with being unworthy of love, belonging and joy. If we do, we’ll never show up and try again.” – Brené Brown, Daring Greatly, 2014
Over the past few years I have worked through something that has, and still is, changing my life – the power and the pain of vulnerability.
The five points that follow are things that I am still working on in my own life. I hope this post will help you in your own journey.
Life won’t go as you planned. And that is awesome.
I LOVE planning. I love researching all the tiny details of what I am going to do next. For me the planning process is part of the joy of doing something new. Whether that’s a trip, a new job, moving across the world or even relationships. I want to know all the possible details before I make a move. This is partially due to my personality, I just generally enjoy planning, but I also feel this way because I like to be in control. I even plan out what to do if things don’t go according to plan. I have backup plans for my backup plans.
But, thankfully, God doesn’t make life that simple.
He has these ways of redirecting us that range from a gentle nudge in a new direction to straight up hurling us off a cliff. Oftentimes when I start to forget that God is the one who has the BEST plan for my life that’s the moment when he decides to step in and intervene. In those moments my job is to just get out of the way and let him work. It’s not always as easy as it sounds but it is always worth it.
As a teenager growing up in a missions orientated church I always said that I wouldn’t end up doing a DTS like everyone else – that I would be different and that I was called to the workplace. That’s a calling that I believe still remains true, but God’s timing was different than my own and I’ve recently spent four and a half years as a missionary. I said yes to a five month DTS and God surprised me by calling me to serve full time with YWAM Montana Lakeside. I believe God brought me here because he wants to prepare me to be as effective as possible in my calling, whenever he decides it’s time.
Vulnerability hurts.
During the time that I lived in the States I had my heart broken or bruised more times than I ever had in the 22 years before. It’s not because American guys are especially mean, it’s because God has been developing my identity in him and giving me the courage to take chances despite the possibility of rejection.
And yes, sometimes it hurts. Laying it all out there, whether it be in a relationship, in a job or in a ministry, means taking risks and being vulnerable. Both of those things can often lead to pain, but it’s worth it! Through every heart-pounding jump out of my comfort zone and every disappointment and hurt, I have learned more about God’s love and care for me, and more about who he made me to be than I ever did in the good times.
Continue to points 3-5 below!
God surprised Sarah by calling her to a Discipleship Training School and into Missions. Could a DTS be a part of your story as well?
Yes! I want to find out more about a Discipleship Training School:
So what do you do when you go for what you want and you fall flat on your face? You get back up. It’s really that simple. It’s been a hard journey to get here but I have learned that if you truly want something in life (and it is a Godly, Biblically-based desire) you have to keep going – even if you experience failure after failure. Use those times to grow, to lean into God’s love and to come back stronger to try again another day.
Wallowing in self-pity will only lead us down the long road of shame and insecurity, and that is not God’s plan for us!
You are enough.
“’You are enough.’ These little words, somehow they’re changing us. ‘You are enough.’ So we let our shadows fall away like dust.” – Sleeping At Last, ‘You are Enough’, 2014
The artist Sleeping At Last perfectly sums up this point for me. When we fully embrace our identity as a son or daughter of Christ it changes us. When we realize that we are fully loved and cared for by God no matter how much we do or don’t do for him, no matter how we screw up or make him proud. We are always enough. If we understand this, it will change the way we react to disappointment, to heartbreak, to loss, to failure. We will transition from an attitude of, “I should have been/done/said this better” to one of, “Ok God, I tried and it didn’t work out. What’s next?”.
We cannot hope to have fully healthy relationships until we grasp this. We are not defined by our successes and failures. We are loved no matter what. We can love only because he first loved us.
No one is an island.
My last point is a little more practical.
I am blessed to be a part of a community of friends that challenges and changes me, that supports me. A community that I trust enough to show my true self to. These kinds of friendships don’t just happen by chance, they are the result of years of mutual vulnerability. They are the result of walking through struggle and victory together.
I have learned so much from seeing my friends walk through hard seasons, and from seeing them come out victorious on the other end. What a beautiful thing it is to partake in that process.
A life worth living is a life full of taking risks with God
Knowing that I have a good support network of friends means I have more courage to step out into risk and new things, because I know that if I fall on my face, there will be people to catch me and help me get back up. We can not live a life worth living alone. A life worth living is accepting that we are broken, imperfect, yet precious sons and daughters of God and that we are walking through the challenges of life with other broken, imperfect, precious people.
You may be feeling that you do not have this in your life, and, honestly, it is becoming a hard thing to find. We have to start by being willing to be vulnerable and intentionally building a community of friendships based on mutual honesty and shared life. These things take time and effort but the results are worth every beautiful, raw, messy minute.
Life was never meant to be easy – we are never promised that. But a life worth living is a life full of taking risks with God, stepping out into the unknown and trusting and hoping beyond our human understanding. It won’t always be a comfortable experience.
I am still a work in progress in all of the above, that’s for sure.
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Phil 3:12
I was prompted to write this post because of two books I have read recently; Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly and Donald Miller’s Scary Close. These books have changed my life in how I relate to myself and others, and how I view vulnerability and shame. Some of the ideas in this post I have been inspired by these books. I strongly recommend you check them out.
God surprised Sarah by calling her to a Discipleship Training School and into Missions. Could a DTS be a part of your story as well?
Yes! I want to find out more about a Discipleship Training School:
Have you ever asked yourself “What in the world do I need theology for?” Do we really need more theoretical knowledge to fill our heads with?
Theology is not just the theoretical opinions of a bunch of grey-haired, dusty scholars arguing over whose interpretation of a given Bible passage is the “right” one. Theology is practical. Theology has real-life consequences.
How so? Let’s take the Trinity, for example. Ever since I was a child I have believed in a triune God. I did not understand how it all worked, and my friends frequently questioned my faith. Sure, it’s a strange concept to wrap your mind, but what’s the big deal about believing in the Trinity or not believing in it? The church spent 451 years to figure out and explain what we believe in the creeds (“creed” literally means “I believe”). It’s helpful to look back at the history of our faith. It’s necessary to know who God is, and that includes an understanding of the Trinity.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
We need to understand that the creeds were written as a protection against heresy, especially Modalism (God appears in three different modes, as the Father or the Son or the Spirit), Arianism (since Jesus was begotten by the Father, he is made of God-stuff, but lesser than God the father), Adoptionism (the Son is adopted by God and the Spirit came upon him at his baptism and left before his crucifixion, so Jesus was a good and divinely empowered man only), Tritheism (three individual gods working together) and Subordinationism (the words “beget-begotten”, “send-sent”, “proceed” are said to indicate hierarchy in nature).
The church responded to these claims and debated the Trinity at the Councils of Nicea (AD 325) and Constantinople (AD 381). Based on Scripture, the leaders of the church affirmed two things:
JESUS IS GOD – NOT MADE FROM GOD-STUFF AND NOT A DIVINELY EMPOWERED MAN; HE IS ONE WITH GOD.
God the Father, the Son and the Spirit are one in nature/essence/being – not three separate beings (countering Tritheism) and not on different status levels (countering Subordinationism).
The disciples are commanded to go and baptize in the name – not names – of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19). Jesus claims to be God and does things that only Yahweh did in the OT (miracles, shining forth the Shekinah glory, forgiving sins). Jesus is God – not made from God-stuff (countering Arianism) and not a divinely empowered man (countering Adoptionism); he is one with God.
The church councils also affirmed the plurality of God. God speaks of himself in the first person plural (Gen 1:26, Gen 11 or Is 6:8-9), which is even reflected in his name, “Elohim” (“im” is the plural marker). When Jesus is baptized (Mt 3:16-17), the voice of the Father comes from heaven and the Spirit descends at the same time – three persons working together, not three modes of one being (countering Modalism). All three persons are individual, independent and separate entities with distinct actions and feelings.
Every person of the Trinity possesses the full essence of God in and of themselves but there is an order of derivation (or internal operation) and there is a primacy with the Father (Heb 2:10-11, 1.Cor 8;6) from whom are all things (he is uncreated and unmade). The Son is uncreated and unmade (countering Arianism), but he is begotten (Jn 3:16). The Spirit is uncreated and unmade, but he proceeds (Jn 15:26). Jesus’ begottenness does not change his pre-existence. He is the image of God. His derivation is an eternal begottenness. So Jesus has all the divine attributes. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and Jesus (Jn 14:26) and he proceeds from the Father and the Son (Jn 15:26).
Concerning the external operation of the Trinity, which applies primarily to creation and redemption, the church fathers expounded that the Father speaks and plans, the Son mediates and accomplishes and the Spirit hovers and applies (Col 1:15-16, Eph 3:9-11, 1.Pet 1:1-2, Tit 3:4-7). There is a priority, but no hierarchy and no “roles” (countering Subordinationism), which is a term the church fathers never used at any time.
IF JESUS IS ONLY HUMAN, HE CANNOT BE THE PERFECT SACRIFICE
There are lots of aspects about the Trinity that are still a mystery, but the Bible affirms that God is one and he is three; he is everything you can attribute to deity – he is the consummation of it all.
BUT WHY IS THIS QUESTION SO IMPORTANT?
If you do not have the Trinity you do not have a God-man that dies on the cross. The fullness of God adds to himself a human body. What he does on the cross is dependent on who he is. If he is only divine, he cannot (and would not – Greek and Roman gods were aloof and didn’t want to associate with humans) take upon himself the sin and iniquity of others. If he is only human, he cannot be the perfect sacrifice because he bears the blemish of original sin passed down by Adam and Eve; he can only – and very temporarily – atone for his own sins. The only blameless being in the universe is God himself. So he becomes incarnate without losing his divine attributes. Being 100% human and 100% divine, God functions as substitute and as representative. That’s why we are saved. My salvation depends on a God-man who took my place before the judge and rescued me from eternal damnation. This is no small matter!
The Trinitarian teaching also gives us confidence in Jesus’s words – because being God he has the authority to tell us how to live (and it’s not just about love and inclusion). Next time someone gets offended at the Christian truth just remember that our God became incarnate, died and rose from the dead, which is a lot more than other religions can claim! But it is more than a claim because God came near in Jesus and through the Spirit. God lives with us and in us – which other god does that?
Ministry today looks much different than it did 2000 years ago, but the message is the same. Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave to save us from eternal separation. My pastor once said, “The Gospel is kind of like a can of soda. If you look at the style and design of a soda can from 20 years ago you would see a lot of differences, but the contents are still the same.” It is the same with the ways we do ministry. Our methods change and evolve with the times.
Outdoor adventure ministries are one of the new opportunities we can use to bring people to Jesus, make disciples, and to give people a chance to get away from the busyness of life and connect with their Creator. We need this! Take a look at Jesus; there were many times when He “slipped away” to the wilderness or garden to spend time listening to His Father. Shouldn’t we do the same?
RISK, UNCERTAINTY, AND UNFAMILIARITY LEAD TO GROWTH, CHANGE, AND RENEWAL
When a person is taken away from their daily routine and put into a challenging situation we often see an abundance of growth. Kids taken from their monotonous school routines often find relief and opportunities to grow when exposed to the great outdoors. When people are exposed to beauty of God’s creation for the first time (seeing it with their own eyes, not through a computer screen or on TV) they are filled with a new sense of accomplishment and purpose. We are able to see beyond our own troubles and insecurities when we stop to watch a sunrise on the mountains with the beautiful alpine glow for those few short minutes.
Westley’s story
Several years ago, I helped take a group of eight teenagers on a five day backpacking trip into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the third night, we moved each participant at least 100 yards away from the main camp and gave everyone a good 15 hours to just be alone. Right before they went to sleep, we went down to check in on everyone. Westley was laying on a nice flat rock just staring into the huge emptiness of space that filled the sky. We were up at an elevation of about 8,000 feet and the sky was crystal clear. As I sat down next to him, he continued staring up at the star-filled sky and he asked me “Is there really a God out there that loves us?” I smiled and took a breath. The Holy Spirit had just tossed up a beach ball for me, and gave me a chance to hit it out of the park. So I swung and shared the Gospel with him. That night was a eye-opening moment for Westley. The beauty of God’s creation had opened a door in his heart.
Outdoor Ministry
Those are the moments that we strive for. Opportunities for the Holy Spirit to work in the lives and hearts of others. Sometimes in these moments something clicks in a person’s heart and they accept Jesus for the first time, they have a revelation how much God truly loves them. Or maybe in that moment of quietness they truly understand that they can overcome their addictions to drugs, cutting, pornography, anger, insecurity… Oftentimes risk, uncertainty, and unfamiliarity lead to growth, change, and renewal. For many people the outdoors are a risky, uncertain, and unfamiliar place. That is why we take people into God’s creation. That is why we keep doing what we do.
One of my favorite parts about being a Session Leader in the School of Biblical Studies is making announcements during the first first five minutes of each class… and if I’m being honest the announcements usually take me closer to 10 minutes because I’m having fun, probably more fun than a person should have while making announcements.
Don’t get me wrong, I love all the other aspects of staffing an SBS – teaching, studying the bible, and getting to know my students and staff – but man, do I love giving those announcements! I think it’s because we always end up laughing for one reason or another. Usually it’s because I’ve said something dumb, or didn’t pronounce something correctly, or one of my students was snarky and I snarked back. It always ends with us all laughing though. I don’t know what comes over me. There’s just these moments during announcement time where I’ll end up dancing, fake crying, stumbling over a “big word” like “Thursday”, or being sassy with one of my more sarcastic students.
My students learn quickly that I really like to laugh, and have fun, and just be a total goofball. Life is too short to be serious all the time. God has blessed us too much for us to not laugh at the silly things in life. I give a lot of credit to this group of students. They are all really great. They’re totally chill, they make any environment super comfortable to be in, and they value laughter.
This group of students really exemplifies the personality of “Rocket Raccoon” from Guardians of the Galaxy. If you haven’t seen it, thats a bummer, because it’s a really great flick. We discovered this comparison when I had the students over to watch the movie, and the more Rocket did his thing in the movie, the more we realized that my fun loving, snarky group of students was embodied in that crazy, spit fire of a raccoon. The students have fully embraced this comparison, and they are very proud of it. Not all of them are that way, some are quiet but even the quiet ones laugh at the sarcasm and join in from time to time. I love my students. They are my snarky raccoons, every single one of them. They are going to do amazing things because they really love Jesus, the Bible and other people.
This is why I love what I do, we get to learn a lot about Jesus, the Bible, and people. We get to live life together – laughing at the goofy things, crying in the hard times, and loving each other in this shared nine months of SBS. For me giving announcements is so much more than a bland chunk of information at the beginning of class. It’s a time where I get to laugh and connect with this awesome group of students.
