I have known for a while that young adults thrive when given these three aspects to life: 1) social connection to others, 2) spiritual transformation through Jesus and 3) opportunities for mission and making a difference. Since hearing those three things, I have noticed them in many ways.
– This summer, we visited a camp that had 50 young adults on staff and another 30 young adults were volunteering that particular week to help with a special needs camp.
– I worked along side a 20 something who just graduated from college with a political science degree. Planning to go to law school, but after an inner city internship, stayed on with the non-profit full time. He didn’t intend to go that route, but he loves it.
– This past summer I served on a team with four high quality people age 20-23 – who are gifted to do any number of things this summer – but invested eight weeks of their lives in ministry to children, students and adults.
– I have been receiving applications from college students around the midwest for the 2014 summer ministry team opportunities.
– A good number of young adults are signing up for the young adult mission trip we have planned for January 2014. (There’s still room if you’d like to join us.)
– I have been noticing – maybe because I’m getting older – more younger leaders are emerging as hosts for camps, youth events and conferences. At times, I’m the oldest person at a youth ministry conference or event.
– The list could go on and on….
Something is happening in this new generation. The opportunity to live simply, give freely, serve in mission and set personal gain and preference on the back burner is really going to have a high impact. Because they are living out their faith in tangible ways, the impact on the culture around them is going to be powerful.
With only 12% of this age group being Christians, they are in more of a first century church setting than any of us. There is a huge need for believers to be sold out and for young adults, the needs seems to be even greater.
The mission, for them, seems to be over-riding the desire for a status quo life. It’s an example for all of us.
It’s also a call to the church. The mission is out there. The fields are ripe with harvest. And we may need to make it a little easier for young adults to begin to serve in creative and life transforming ways.
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