INTO THE COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY LIZZIE MOORE | Otago/Southland Youth Consultant, SUNZ

s followers of Christ, we are called

Ato become part of a community of believers who love one-another. But wait there’s more! That community has a much greater purpose than just existing for itself. The church is designed to be outward-facing, revealing the hope of the Gospel to the world around us. An expert of the law once asked Jesus what was required to inherit eternal life. The man knew the requirements of the law: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. But Jesus elaborated with the parable of the Good Samaritan—and instructed the man to ‘go and do likewise’. That’s the challenge for us too! The outworking of loving God is to love our neighbour—our love for God is expressed by the way we love others.

Loving your neighbour by serving is countercultural to the consumeristic narrative of society which focuses on one’s self, not on God and others. As Christians we need to listen to and follow a different narrative–Jesus’ one of serving our neighbours. Our vision at Scripture Union NZ (SUNZ) is ‘to support churches to help children and young people discover Jesus and become lifelong disciples who serve the world around them’. Discover, become and serve. YOUTHSERVE is one way SUNZ helps youth ministries challenge young people to put their faith into action through service. Throughout a one- to seven-day camp, faith-sharing goes alongside practical projects like gardening or removing graffiti, visiting rest homes or running kids’ programmes, cooking meals for those who are struggling—anything that meets a need in their own local community. Here is a quote from a church who hosted a YOUTHSERVE event: ‘Through this summer mission, hundreds of locals experienced some act of kindness in the name of Jesus and discovered that there is a new community-minded church in the neighbourhood! Many people, possibly for the first time, had a spiritual conversation with a Christian where they felt listened to. We were able to pray with people who were struggling, and had several opportunities to share the Gospel too.’ Serving our neighbours is key to building lifelong faith in children and young people. Faith is like a muscle that needs exercise to grow. YOUTHSERVE shows young people that they can do mission in their own backyard. They do not have to go overseas to serve God but can do it in the

YOUR LOVE " FOR ONE ANOTHER WILL PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES"

JOHN 13:35 (NLT)

communities where they already belong. Events like YOUTHSERVE encourage young people to build links with their community and to demonstrate the type of life called for in John 13:35. Indeed, the whole church is called to this lifestyle! A church that is facing the community and serving its neighbours will be helping build faith of its own members. ‘Responding with compassion’ is one of the key strategies that SUNZ uses in our Thrive workshop for building lifelong faith. Jesus set an example of service as he responded to his community with compassion. He challenged his followers of the first century to do likewise, and he challenges us today, to likewise. Let’s all consider how we as individuals and as churches can be outward-facing to the wider communities where we belong. How will you love your neighbour today?

Please contact SUNZ if you would like us to help you with a YOUTHSERVE local mission or an all-age version of YOUTHSERVE or to facilitate a discussion on life-long faith formation in your church.