atl: The Kingdom Project

Matthew 6:10 "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

 

This past week I took an amazing group of students to ATL for an Urban Serve Mission Camp with Student Life. I cannot express to you in words what we experienced throughout the week. We worshiped with genuine hearts, we served with selflessness, and we fellowshiped with our guards down.  God showed up, and we got slapped in the face by Jesus a couple of times. We have come home renewed, restored, and with a attitude to respond to God's call.  I just wanted to share a few of the things that we learned:

•  It is the presence of a King (Jesus) that makes the kingdom--a kingdom.
• Surrendering your life to Christ is more than finding something of value; it is finding something nothing else compares to.
• Praising God is like buying your dad a gift with his own money. All we have is what he has given us.
• When salvation manifests itself in spirit; it presents itself in truth by living it out.
• If you believe in heaven, you have to believe in hell.
• John 3:16's call to believe in Jesus is more than simply knowing some things about Jesus and acknowledging that they are true. This belief consists of trust and surrender. It is belief in our hearts, not just our head.
• Jesus came to reveal both the King and the Kingdom, and he has trusted us with the Kingdom keys until he comes back.
• The reality of eternity should greatly impact how we live life each day.
• Be open minded, the tension we typically feel with people different than us is the tension that we mentally create.
• As a youth minister, I should budget to serve and offer opportunities to youth who would not normally get an opportunity for things like camp.
• Don't separate the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). When we do that, then we can pick favorites that  make us 'feel good'. They all work together for the Good of those who love Him.
• God doesn't just speak English.
• People experience the King when Kingdom people show up. The King lives in us. We are the Kingdom.
• Self-Righteousness is just as sinful as unrighteousness. There are a lot of good people who aren't citizens of the Kingdom.
• People will not know about King Jesus unless we tell them. It is our job.

Honestly, the list could go on and on and on and on. It is my prayer that these students will not take what they have learned and experienced this week and leave it in ATL. It is my prayer that this experience will simply be a spring board for what is to come.