18-20 somethings role in the church...

I have recently been pondering the role of the 18-20 somethings in the church today. At the moment our former group catered to this age has dissolved and is in the rebuilding process. I have opinions about the way things are being done. This is not the place to share those. One thing however is in this new rebuilding process, it seems as if our small core group of people still attending and still passionate about this specific ministry at Village are becoming more aware and more in-tune to fighting the injustices in their community as well as being mission minded in their every day living.

What do I mean by mission minded?

First, I believe that the words mission and missions have been greatly deprived of what their original meaning and driving force. The way I am using mission here is: living the life and relationship with Christ that believers should be living in there everyday lifestyle. Sharing their experiences (not faith) of how Christ has impacted them and revealed Himself to them.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that this is necessary for every "follower" of Christ. But this is not the sole purpose of our faith. We need to be growing in our own relationships with Christ just as much as we need to be sharing what we are experiencing in that relationship and outpouring our gifts and passions into the world around us.

Lately I have felt that the "church" (not just Village) has been on this wave of being missional and breaking the chains of injustice. I back both of these with all the support I can have, but what ever happened to really being fed in our Small groups and even our Church services or Programs outside of the "big" services on the weekend?

Also what has happened to the call for help inside the church itself? One of the things that I see lacking is the support of the church from the members of the church itself. Do we come to be fed? Yes!! But we should also be feeding others inside the church, as well as outside of the church.

The call for help inside the church is just as needed as the call for helping outside of the church.

For example: Middle school ministries could use staff people at the moment. We are in need of help. Some of this help consists of only a few hours once a month and some of this help would consist of about 5 hours per week. Is that too much to ask? Could a college student or a high school student help out in this area? YES!!! Could someone outside of those two groups help? YES!! So then why isn't it happening? Why aren't we helping with the High school group? Why aren't the Women's groups and Men's groups more involved with the College ministry? Where we need to be held accountable and molded and encouraged in our gifts and passions? Why???

Possibly because going down to the homeless shelter is easier in a way?

Both of these ministries are needed. And here is my issue: I believe that we are called to do both. Not one or the other, but both. We need to be fed, encouraged, commune, be held accountable and share our struggles. And we also need to be doing that for the other groups in our church. We also need to be doing this with individuals outside of the Church.

So your relaitonship with the church is threefold. Be fed. Use your gifts within the church (this does not mean they can't be used outside as well). And be Missional.

Make sense???

Now Do...