KevinMattison (dot) Com

I have been sharing with our student leaders about the idea of Moving From Consumer Youth Ministry to Missionary Youth Ministry, and thought I would post it…to get your thoughts.

• In order for us as a youth ministry to make a difference in our world as exiles we must: Move from Consumer Christianity to Missionary Christianity

Consumer vs. Missionary

• A consumer focuses on self; a missionaries primary concern is others.
• A consumer spends energy and efforts on gaining more spirituality; a missionary is primarily concerned with helping others gain spirituality.
• A consumer is get, get, get; a missionary is give, give, get.

• Missionary Christianity is a different way to look at our world.
• Missionary Christianity is a different way of living in our world.
• Missionary Christianity is a different way of Christianity, then most Christians will ever embrace. (The cost is to high)

What is missionary Christianity?

1.    Live IN Your Culture Like Jesus Did His

• Hang out where they hang out (be with those who are lost)
• Don’t go alone (bring along others who dare to be Missionaries)
• View people as lost, not wrong (in need of direction, not correction)
• Understand how your culture works
• Use your culture to influence others

2.    Loving (serving) Others
1 Thessalonians 2:8
We felt so strongly about you that we were determined to share with you not only the Good News of God but also our lives. That’s how dear you were to us!

• Loving others is how we love God.
• Serving others earns us the right to be heard.
• When we meet people’s practical needs it opens their ears, eyes, and hearts to the possibility of a Jesus who can meet their needs.
• We must share our lives (our energy, our efforts, our time) with people so that they can see the Good News of God alive in our lives.
• People want more than answers; they want something that makes a difference in their day-to-day lives.
• Jesus doesn’t ask-tell-or invite people to worship him, he invites them to follow him (to do what he does).

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1. How can we make this move?
2. How are you making this move in your own life?