Frontiers, the crazy great organization where I hang my staff hat, is launching a new way to build relationship with potential members. We want this event to “to bother people with the problem of the unengaged and invite them to be part of the solution.”
But here’s my concern. While I don’t know who all makes up the planning team, I’m concerned it could be a bunch of old white guys sitting around a table, asking, “So what are the youth really into these days? Hmmmm?”
Can you help me? If you’re under 35 and reading Missions Catalyst, well, first off, thanks. But also, could you weigh in on this question: How would you use 24 hours and a few hundred bucks to gather, challenge, and enlist people your age in the cause of the unengaged?
» Share your ideas for Frontiers.
Shane, as an old white guy who spends wayyyy too much time around tables, I resonate completely with your quest. I would LOVE to learn from your effort, if you are willing to share some of the results! I work for a 199 year old mission society that is in a multi-year process of renewal. Some big and hope-filled changes are already leading us into new blessings from the Lord… and there is a spirit of openness to many, many more new things God might want to do with/to/through us. So, we are eager to learn from Frontiers!
Stan
American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (dba, International Ministries)
Well, I am just over the cut off at 37, but I one of the youngest guys on staff here.
We recently published a Mission Frontiers edition about the Unengaged. http://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/archive/reaching-the-unengaged
I loved the article from your own Mike Latsko: “The Most Abominable Word.”
I also really like what the Issachar Initiative has put out with their “Zero” campaign. http://issacharinitiative.org/
I wrote an article for Urbana about the Unengaged that you could use: https://urbana.org/go-and-do/missional-life/reach-unreached-engage-unengaged
We challenge everyone to Joshuaproject.net and have them download the Unreached people group of the day app and set their alarms to 9:38 for Matt 9:38.
There is a growing group of people who are praying daily for the unreached people of the day. As people pray, God can stir hearts for a certain people or region.
(JP has a new web site coming soon as well so keep an eye out. It is much more user friendly and updated.)
I would also work on presenting models that make people say, “if these guys could do it, why couldn’t we?” I thought of that when I watched this video from IMB 🙂 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6q-KXcwNAk
Just a few resources and ideas.
Greetings from the campus of the Frontier Mission Fellowship and the U.S. Center for World Mission!
Stan: Thanks for reading and commenting. Keep your eye on these comments to see what else shows up. And feel free to email me in a few weeks to see what we decide to do. shanedar at gmail dot com.
John: Thanks for the great ideas. I appreciate you taking the time to compile and share them.
At 21, I think I meet the 35 requirement.
Gospel, gospel, gospel. Start with that. Until we are gripped by the incredible glory of the cross and God’s self-glorifying global purpose, our love for the lost and desire to go will be a short-lived, emotional high. My generation can be quick to join movements, but slow to commit. Exotic food, beautiful vistas, and cool animals, while possibly part of the package, should be the last things mentioned. Numbers (of unreached or unengaged people groups), although they should be incorporated, should also not be first. I’m all to easily excited by video clips of far away places, over-layed with unbelievable figures with dramatic music playing. Give us the meat because that, I suspect, will be what keeps us there when we are discouraged, lonely, sick, and disgusted by the food. The point was never to have an adventure, but to make known our glorious King!
David: Good word. Thanks for reading and taking the time to write. I think you’re correct that the best foundational, guiding motivation for involvement in God’s purposes is his glory. We’ll keep that in mind.
I asked one of my mission minded and mobilizing friends who is under 35 and this is what he said:
The key is to get to the lead pastors; our culture is influenced by big names and it’s unfortunately very top down.
I would begin finding the unengaged groups and getting the groups to pray and then adopt a people group before they leave.
Spend the money on good food and have dinner time discussions and maybe porch talk times.
Hope this helps,
Am just turning 28 soon. I have been doing Missions Mobilisation in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Within my few years in working with young people its true that young people like media. (Proper Media).
During mobilisation sessions i had with many youth groups.
I discovered that, an organised short missions camp/outreach does help. After planning it, get the Senior pastors involved, invite their youth groups, sit with them have a one on one and share God’s passion for the lost, explain it clearly and straight to the point, “The Church’s mandate is to Go! and that everyone has a role to play even young people.
I guess the 24Hours Starts here Now!
On the final day, during your presentation, talk less, share real stories, bring real statistics on whats happening in the missions field. Bring a balance in story telling, share challenges and joyful moments in the field. Don’t condemn anyone for not responding to missions but challenge them instead. As young as they are, they can make a difference. Show short video clips or photos (Young people like media) of the unreached people groups, explain how they can make a difference. After that, you might see some serious faces, its fine, God will be speaking to some!! Share your story in few minutes, how you responded to God’s call into your life. Be realistic with them! share your struggles as well, was it an easy decision or a tough one? Be real as some might be facing the same challenges.
Close the talking session – Allow time for questions, comments and concerns. Answer each question accordingly. for the remaining few hours – give them a challenge, (you might ask them to go and witness in a muslim or an unreached community) thats a good start as some of them will be doing that for the first time. or you ask them to pray for a missionary or an unreached people group. Have time for that… In closing, pray for them, give them response forms which they can sign later and submit to you. – serve snacks and refreshments! fellowship!!!!