Whether we are charged to live into our identity as being made in the image of God, or whether we are seeking to be apprentices of Jesus, we are called to be people who do God’s will, and who empowered by the Holy Spirit, proclaim and share about God’s presence with us. Perhaps, that is why during Advent we name Jesus as “Immanuel, God with Us.”
The supervisor of my current educational program I am enrolled in wrote a book nearly eight years ago called Faithful Presence. Faithful Presence is an insightful and biblically grounded book. It challenges folks like you and me to engage in seven spiritual practices. Each of these practices is found in the Scripture, and each speaks of God being with believers in a unique and powerful way in the lives of believers and in the community of faith (the church) when folks engage in these disciplines as missionaries to the people in their towns and neighborhoods. I am challenged and renewed every time I read it.
The disciplines mentioned include the following: The Ministry of the Table, Reconciliation, Proclaiming the Gospel, Being with the “Lease of These”, Being with Children, Shared Leadership and Responsibility according to Spiritual Gifts, and Kingdom Prayer. All of these can and should be engaged in wherever you are in your spiritual journey. When you do them in Christ’s name, all of these practices will also help you and your friends experience God’s presence in a powerful way, especially when you engage in these actions with that intention. These practices should take place in our churches, our neighborhoods, and out in the world—even though they may look different in each context.
Let us look at short-term mission trips in youth ministry as an example. Youth Mission trips are such a powerful part of youth ministry. These trips take teenagers out of their normal routines, put them in an unfamiliar place where they need to depend on God more, and then they engage in at least three or four of these missional practices where God empowers and enlightens you as you go out in his name, and experience his presence at the same time. There is much debate about whether short-term mission trips have an impact on those they serve. However, participants in these trips are often deeply transformed because they have removed distractions and, with intentionality, opened themselves up to experience the powerful presence of God in amazing ways.
|