You want to walk confidently in your faith and live a life that matters. But what does that look like?
You’ve attended church and maybe even a student ministry. You may even sponsor a child, give to organizations or missionaries, or support those in need.
You’ve read about all the things Jesus and His disciples did, but haven’t experienced all of it yourself. And now, you’re entering adulthood.
You’re at the point of making some big decisions that will set the stage for the rest of your life.
You may want to go to college, but aren’t sure if it’s the right time or if God has something else for you to do first. You know there is more to walking as a disciple of Jesus than you’ve had a chance to experience.
You feel like mission work could be the answer, but it’s difficult to know if you’re really called, if you could really raise the support needed to go, or if it will really do any good.
You feel stuck -- with the expectation to go to college and get a good job. You want to be successful, but want to make sure you’re following God’s path first and foremost.
As a disciple of Christ, the single most important thing you need is the confidence to hear and follow God’s voice – to the ends of the Earth.
• How different would your life be if you felt led by the Holy Spirit?
• If you felt freedom to be who God has called you to be?
• If you no longer wondered if you’re doing the will of God or if what you’re doing matters?
Here’s the reality:
It’s easy to make our faith journey about ourselves rather than God… or to mold God into our own image.
Sometimes we base our personal definition of right and wrong, of what grace is, on what leads to salvation and what doesn’t, on what we think it should be, rather than God’s…
Here’s what it boils down to…
The starting point of Christian belief is that we are all broken and need a Savior.
It’s universal… This is the message of the Gospel, and it’s for everyone on the planet. And as believers, it’s not a matter of if you’re called but in what way you will respond.
To actively be the hands and feet of Jesus…
Imagine investing a “gap year” to do just that. Imagine traveling the world for 9 months to explore who you are and who God has called you to be, while caring for the lost and the hurting.
To follow the actual model Jesus set for His disciples …
Wouldn’t that be amazing?
But as anyone who has traveled on or known someone who has traveled on short-term missions can tell you...
It’s not that simple…
Short term mission and service trips by well-meaning but misguided Westerners can often do more harm than good in local cultures.
So many people who intend to help others, share the Gospel and see the world come back home disappointed, jaded and worse off spiritually than before they left.
The reason this happens boils down to three biggest but most common mistakes people who travel on missions make…