I wanted to take some time and share some of my personal convictions over the past few months about sharing the gospel and how we approach even the task of doing so. In my frame of reference sharing the gospel often takes the form of a bible study that we call wordup. Understand first that dynamics of the programs we run are not anything like a Sunday school, catechism class or youth group. The needs and the approach is different, we are not a church but rather a Christian organization seeking to share the love of Jesus Christ through the lens of after school program and building relationships.
Often times the approach we gravitate towards is to teach on life topics that are very relevant to the kids and youth we work with. To talk about the real struggles they face daily and to bring the bible into it teaching them how Jesus cares about all these things as well, or to teach the principles of what Jesus taught about loving your neighbor, or not to steal or hate, to forgive and to ask Jesus for help.
The problem I have faced though is that without Jesus first transforming the lives and hearts of those we seek to reach with the gospel these principles will not take full root in their lives without the Spirit first dwelling in the hearts. As I wrestled through what this meant I knew we had to go back to the scripture first and see what it says without first resolving on a topics to teach on and fitting the bible to what we have already decided on. Then came the struggle of how to do this but also how to lead others to a place where they are as well.
The more I thought about it the more I realized the great inability we have as humans to teach anything, let alone the bible without the Spirit first teaching us. The great need of being taught through the guidance of the spirit was very evident!
Coming back from the Christmas break as we began planning and dreaming up ideas for the new school year of after school program my team spoke together about this wrestle of how to approach the bible. I was greatly encouraged through our conversations of the excitement and eagerness we all had to change our approach while at the same time not being fully sure of what that meant. We lifted it up in prayer. The next day we decided on committing to reading the book of Joshua and asking God what out of the live of Joshua we can teach the kids as well as relate it to the gospel of Christ's life and death.
The shift if crucial! The results as I sat this morning reading through the lessons planned for next week where vastly different! The focus has shifted from our agenda to God's message of His mission written and revealed to us through out scripture!
I am very excited and encouraged as we prepare to go into this new season. Please pray for our team as we complete are plans. Please pray for a boldness as we seek to love the kids and families well and in so doing reveal to them the heart of God. That their hearts would be convicted not by our words but by the words of the scripture.
Thank you for your own going prayers for me, my team and the community of Warden Woods as we serve and love this broken community.
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