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Saturday, July 20, 2013

It is a simple message


I have been doing work with Young Life now for almost 13 years, and it is hard to get mired by everyone’s expectations as to what we are supposed to do.  When I was 20, a college girl raised her hand and asked our college church group to pray for a guitar player for a bunch of high school students on Monday nights.  It is crazy how many guys get pulled into Young Life because of a girl, and I’ll admit…I thought this girl was cute. 

I caught Sarah before church and told her I was willing to help.  She didn’t just tell me what was required of me to play guitar for the group—she told me about Young Life.  We “go where kids are, earn the right to be heard, and tell them about Jesus.”

“Wait,” I said, “You go to the schools and meet kids? That sounds like the most awesome organization I have ever heard of.  I mean that is what missionaries do, and I love it.”

What I have loved about Young Life as I have become more a part of it is how we care about kids that are Catholic, Baptist, Non-denominational, or have no church.  It doesn’t change the way we care or the message we carry.  We don’t respond differently if our high school friends reject Jesus. Something about this is just—right.

I am blessed to talk with adults of different faith traditions and encourage them in their journeys with Christ.  The reason this organization has allowed me to be so free to love and communicate with masses is simply because we are about one thing—JESUS!

I love the traditions and disciplines of the church and they usher me to holy places with our Savior.  However, I am not willing to let them interfere with the simple message of Jesus.  I was reminded of this as I had a discussion with a wonderful woman this week about her faith. 

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