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If student ministry continues this way...

I'm loving Luke 9 today.  GSM Journey tonight we're studying the truth that Jesus calls us in AND sends us out!  It's got me thinking about this next wave of Student Ministry in America. It's easy to grasp that Jesus draws us to himself because it's something that we can feel, it's tangible, lots of people/preachers talk about it...it's a draw.  But there is an equally important truth about the message Christ that has everything to do with bringing the kingdom.  It's this notion of being SENT by Christ into culture to transform it. I do student ministry because I believe both are possible and necessary!  Jesus wants this generation to be drawn to him, so we work like crazy to help students see the reality that Jesus pursues them BECAUSE he pursues what's valuable to Him!  But also, I want students to know that once he draws you in he will in turn send you out!!! Luke 9 gets right now down this Truth.  Jesus had 12 disciples that he drew close to Himself.  He asked them to whole-heartedly follow him at all cost....and in Luke 9 he "SENT THEM OUT to proclaim the Kingdom Of God..."

In this next wave of student ministry, I wonder if we need to focus a little more on SENDING students out equipped to transform culture rather than just focusing on bringing them into our buildings.  I think it's not one or the other, i think it's BOTH/AND.  But we shouldn't do one without the other.

If we continue with the institutionalized model of student ministry, do we lose some of our effectiveness in a culture that needs a lean model for radical transformation?