As I write, I am in a rented minivan, me with 5 others. We are a pastor, a youth pastor, two 11th graders, a 10th grader, and a 6th grader. We are a small church youth group on our way to our summer youth mission trip.
We've already played the license plate game, the alphabet game, and other car games. We had a few laughs and then settled into silence that was only interrupted by the question "when (on this 5-hour drive) are we stopping for lunch?"
It is a privilege to be with our church's teenagers on this trip. Our church has sent kids on this type of trip every year for 13 years. I have been on 3 of these trips and supported all the others with my prayers. For me and for the entire church, this is part of our work in forming these kids in the image of Christ. This is discipleship.
So, pray for our teens as they are on mission in South Carolina. Pray for safety and fun, yes, but even more than that, pray that in all they do this week, they will see Christ. And in seeing Christ, pray that they would be drawn to Him. This is part of our calling as the church, as the body of Christ. And as we see each of them grow in faith, it is our joy.
