Mission's Trip Blog

 On your own and in group debriefs, you have started processing your missions trip experience- the things you saw, the people you met, the ministries you partnered with, the ways you were challenged, the ways you saw and experienced God at work, etc... In light of these things, answer the following questions: 

  1. What did your missions trip experience teach you about our theme “Allegiance"? 
  2. How does this shape the way you want to practice/embody following Jesus as you move forward?
The missions trip experience, though it was from the comfort of our own sleeping quarters, came with a few challenges.   The first challenge that I experienced was conversing with random individuals about deep topics.  I found it uncomfortable that I should persist and ask questions to people about their deepest longings and so forth.  Sometimes I would lack words and have troubles keeping a conversation going or I would be lost and not know which people to pursue (to tell them about Jesus duh).  Sometimes I would also think that I did not 'do enough,' but I know that the act of serving, working, and doing things with excellence allows for the Spirit to work through me regardless.  This all ties back to the theme of allegiance in the way that I need to set aside intimate time with God.  During the mission trip I found it easy to overlook my time with Jesus, but, in retrospect I realize that time with God allows for a better bending of my will and a better preparedness for when individuals question my faith.  This branches into the next question.  The way that I want to shape the way that I practise/embody following Jesus is by studying and acting like Jesus did.  The slogan "what would Jesus do" seems like amusing phrase, but, in reality, the meaning behind it is significant.  It is important to consider the way in which Jesus would hold himself in certain situations so that we can live that out as well.  
DISCLAIMER -- our lack of ability to decide what Jesus would do almost puts him down to our level so it is important to do it from a humble position where one has studied Jesus in scripture and then, only for the sake of becoming more like Jesus, moves that framework into our current reality.  The Spirit definitely guides us and this is not to say that we should not pray or use rationality..... You know what I mean.  Don't decide what Jesus would do.
In light of that quick tangent, Intimacy with God is the beginning to a strong faith.  According to Levi Lusko from Freshlife Church, "To Hell with good intentions."  That sounds harsh, but we must remember that, in the words of James K.A. Smith, "information does not lead to reformation."  One must take the information that they have gained and put it into action to learn to love it and yeah.  
It's a lot of random information, but if I was to sum it all up in one sentence; I will, in order to effectively live out my faith, model my life after Jesus by reading God's word and practising intimacy with Him.  
Imagine your computer autocorrecting "in" to intimacy because you have typed it so much in the past year...  yikes...  Talk about conviction...  




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

End of the Year Blog :(

Image
During your time in the Kaléo program you have been growing in your understanding & practice of what it means to “be the Church”. In light of all the unexpected changes that have taken place over the course of this year, what does it look like for YOU to “be the church” right now in the middle of COVID-19? How has this year prepared you for “being the church” after leaving Kaléo in general?  During my experience of Kaleo, my view of the church has shifted from a group of people who share a common goal, to a family where nothing is more important than unity.  As the body of Christ, we do share a common goal, but I believe there is so much more to it than that.  The church has an obligation to serve one another and share with one another of struggles and hardships.  It is a transparent community where no judgement occurs and love trumps all.  But most importantly, the church is built on prayer.  Prayer is the single most important foundation.   Throu...
Read more

CVYN Reflection Week Blog

Image
In this post I would like you to reflect on what you experienced and learned through the preparation and running of Cowichan Valley Youth Night. Feel free to briefly explain CVYN for your friends and family (optional). What specific role(s) did you have for CVYN? Consider the preparation process and the actual running of the event…How did you apply your strengths within your role(s)? In what ways were you challenged/stretched? (e.g. you could discuss topics such as communication, confidence, organization, problem solving, cooperation with others, etc.) In what ways has this experience prepared you for future leadership and/or ministry opportunities? My specific role at CVYN was to create a game.  Being that the event was online, Charlotte, Dawson, and I were almost wading through new waters.  We came up with a short mission/vision, " Our goal is to m ake complete and utter fools of ourselves so that a comfortable tone can be set throughout the event."   Charlotte came up ...
Read more