This week at Purdue
University 5,000 Presbyterian youth, twenty of whom are from our presbytery,
have been blessed to be a blessing. I have been receiving daily reports via
Facebook and the verdict is in: the worship is amazing, the small groups
transforming, the relationships deepening with Jesus and with one another.
We are not known as a denomination as being harbingers of the youth culture; more that we are “demographically challenged.” Yet God breathes new life and new spirit into the Church from generation to generation, and our generation is no exception. This week, at Triennium, God has inspired, called forth and led our young people to go deeper into relationship with Him in practical and pragmatic ways.The key word in the previous sentence is “go.”
Using the Great Commission text from Matthew 28:19 as the theme verse: “Go into all the world making disciples.” Our youth are being challenged to go beyond mere knowledge of the story. Rather, our calling as Jesus followers is to go and see for ourselves the Author of the story; go and tell others the story; go and show others what the story means in our lives; go and live the story in practical ways.
We are not known as a denomination as being harbingers of the youth culture; more that we are “demographically challenged.” Yet God breathes new life and new spirit into the Church from generation to generation, and our generation is no exception. This week, at Triennium, God has inspired, called forth and led our young people to go deeper into relationship with Him in practical and pragmatic ways.The key word in the previous sentence is “go.”
Using the Great Commission text from Matthew 28:19 as the theme verse: “Go into all the world making disciples.” Our youth are being challenged to go beyond mere knowledge of the story. Rather, our calling as Jesus followers is to go and see for ourselves the Author of the story; go and tell others the story; go and show others what the story means in our lives; go and live the story in practical ways.
The Church cannot move
forward unless and until it goes somewhere. The question, of course, is “Where
should the Church go?” The Psalmist tells us, “I will instruct you and teach
you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:88), which is another verse the
Triennium youth have learned. In Jesus we have been shown the way to go. The
answer to the question regarding where we should go is always the same: “Follow
Jesus.” Follow Jesus into the world of brokenness and bring a healing presence.
Follow Jesus into the world of darkness and shine a loving light. Follow Jesus
into the chaos of shouted vitriol and whisper kindness until others are
compelled to listen. Follow Jesus out toward “the
highways and byways” and welcome the uninvited to a great feast of blessing.
Jesus also invites you and me to that same great feast of blessing. But in the economy of God, we are never blessed merely for our own sake but always blessed to be a blessing for others’ sake. It is a joy to be a part of a presbytery willing and able to bless our youth at Triennium. Now that they have been blessed, how will they now bless others? Let’s go and find out!
Jesus also invites you and me to that same great feast of blessing. But in the economy of God, we are never blessed merely for our own sake but always blessed to be a blessing for others’ sake. It is a joy to be a part of a presbytery willing and able to bless our youth at Triennium. Now that they have been blessed, how will they now bless others? Let’s go and find out!
Blessed to be a part of
you,
Brad
P.S. Upcoming
opportunities for blessing include Synod’s Stewardship event, Nurturing
Generous Hearts, Presbytery’s Ignite the Spark! event with Tom Tewell, and
Presbytery’s Big Event educational gathering. Look for more information in this
newsletter!
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