Last week, I had the privilege to challenge over 300 teenagers to make this coming school year a 9 month mission trip. Here's the essence of what I shared with them:
1) Your school is a mission field - every public school is filled with students who need to hear the Gospel. There are 26 million teenagers in America, the majority of whom are enrolled in public schools and are unchurched - that's a huge mission field! 2) You are the best person to reach that mission field - no one can reach teenagers like other teenagers. No one else speaks the language, knows the culture, or has the street cred to share the Gospel with students who don't know Christ. If you are a Christian student in a school, God wants to use you there! 3) You don't have to do it alone - Students who want to share Christ in their schools have help! They aren't alone. In 1984 Ronald Reagan signed a law called the Equal Access Act which allows Christian students to meet on campus and to use the resources of the campus the way that other clubs do if the group is student initiated and student led. And that means Christian students can work together easily to share God's love in their schools. And it's more fun that way. 4) It can actually be fun! I shared with students in the workshop many examples of students in the Pittsburgh region who've done fun, creative things to share God's love in their schools. Things like making a spaghetti dinner for the football team, a pizza party for the basketball team, a Christmas party for the band, an after-concert party for the choir, and much more! When students find creative ways to serve their fellow students, it can actually be a blast! And by serving they break through some of the barriers that keep students away from God. A new school year is coming school, or as we like to call it a new 9 Month Mission Trip. Please help us challenge more students to serve God in their schools this coming year. Visit our instagram or our website (www.9monthmissiontrip.com) for encouragement or more ideas.
0 Comments
|
WHO I AM
I'm a follower of Jesus, husband to my lovely wife Judy, father of Evangelina, Micah, Josiah, and Jeremiah, missionary to the northeast United States and advocate for all things youth ministry. WHAT I DO
I am the northeast regional coordinator for the National Network of Youth Ministries. I've worked for the last 24 years as the co-executive director of Teens For Christ, a ministry that equips teenagers to share their faith in their schools. I also served on staff at Cherry Tree Alliance Church for 15 years as youth pastor and family life pastor. My Websites
Youth Ministry Consultations Youth Ministry Networking 9 Month Mission Trip Speaking at camps, retreats, youth groups, etc. Archives
March 2022
Categories
All
|