Going Like Jesus

This summer, we introduced students to our theme, Demo: Live Like Jesus. We talked about how Jesus was our demonstration for how to live life and love others. Each Wednesday, we learned how to “Let Go Like Jesus,” and how Jesus let go of His privileges and status to come to earth not just as a human, but as a feeble baby. We invited students to let go of the things that were holding them back from fully being used by God.

In this advent season, we again prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, his willingness to let go of his privileges, and all that his birth signifies.

And while Christ’s birth was a subject of discussion each week this summer, there is so much more richness and depth to the birth of Christ than we could cover in an 8-minute Club talk. What if the birth of Christ has a lot more to do with your mission trip than you may realize?

While our Wednesday theme was “Let Go Like Jesus,” what if during advent we just focused on “Going Like Jesus” and how Jesus’ birth and all it signifies shapes how we do ministry – including mission trips.

First, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture of ministry. Undoubtedly, much of ministry practice is based off Jesus’ command in the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples.” But to a curious mind, that simply begs the question, how do we do that? Jesus’ life reveals a lot of answers to that question but to really understand his final command, we have to turn to his first act – his birth.

Jesus went.

Jesus radically altered religion with his birth. In a world where priests cautiously came before God, God humbly came before men – as a baby no less. God could have chosen to stay in heaven, to minister from afar, and to love from a distance. But Jesus chose to be present with his people.

There is power in the ministry of presence. It’s a service to someone to go and be with another individual. That’s why we value relational ministry at so many of our sites, whether it is reading with a child at Kids Club, playing basketball with local teens, or hearing stories from a seasoned saint. There is power in being with someone.

Jesus stayed for the long haul.

The fact that Jesus came as a baby is significant. There is no reason that Jesus could not have come as an adult. Coming as a baby showed that Jesus was committed to the world for the long haul – as a place to grow up, a place to live, and eventually, a place to die.

He spent years ministering in Judea and Galilee. He didn’t change the world in an instant (though his actions often had world-changing effects). It takes time to invest in others.

That’s one of the reasons why we value and commit to communities – because ministry isn’t an event, but a commitment. That’s the same reason why we challenge all of our participants to serve their home communities – because those are the places they’ve been committed to.

Jesus became a neighbor.

The Message paraphrases Jesus’ birth like this: “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.”

It’s interesting to imagine Jesus growing up as the new boy in the neighborhood, especially since we only have a clear picture of Jesus’ interactions once his ministry begins. We know he was invested in the lives of the people around him; he dealt with the mess of relationships; he cried when people around him suffered; he ate with those the righteous and the unrighteous in his community; he played with the neighborhood kids, even when others told the children no; he made friends with men and women and invited them to follow him.

He didn’t minister from afar, but he reached out. He didn’t just tell people what to do, but he stepped into their situations. It wasn’t drive-by ministry and get home by dark; it was a selfless investment in the world around him. Much of Jesus’ ministry could be explained as his commitment to being a good neighbor. And so we are committed to Jesus’ example and command to love your neighbor as yourself.

He went. He stayed. He became a neighbor. So what does this have to do with your mission trip?
God’s mission – and Jesus’ demonstration – is far more than a mission trip. But we know, for many, living out that mission begins with a trip. That’s why mission trips will continue to be our work and our passion.

And that’s why we so strongly desire to empower our participants to go home to their own communities and begin a life of service. Because Jesus went to a place he called home, he committed to stay and serve, and he served as an admirable neighbor. And so, we too want to follow Jesus’ demonstration by remembering his birth and its implications.

This holiday season, let’s celebrate the birth of Christ, but let’s not forget that the birth of Christ carries weight in how we live and do ministry. Let it propel you to go into your world, commit to your community, and serve your neighbors as Christ served us.

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Trevor brings three summers of site staff experience into his role as Area Director. Having been interested in Youth Ministry since high school, Trevor developed a passion for working in communities during college. His role as Area Director is a perfect intersection of these two passions. Beyond the work he does for YouthWorks, Trevor can be found in a coffee shop, thrift shopping or becoming a world-famous blogger.