Learning to Live a 'Missional' Lifestyle

Youth ministry guru Doc Newcomb in a recent Group column discusses how to encourage students (and I'd add student leaders) to live a "missional" lifestyle. He sites the following as indicators (from a conference he attended recently) that students are doing that:

• A greater awareness of the needs of other people in the world
• A greater appreciation for foreign missionaries and the work they do
• A calling to become a foreign missionary
• A commitment to send money to foreign missions
• A desire to do more evangelism efforts in the world
• A desire to do more service in the world

I agree with the list Doc presents, but would broaden it to be more Acts 1:8 focused. After all, that's what Jesus told the 1st Century church shortly before His ascension into heaven to do: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem (our community), in all Judea (our region or state) and Samaria (North America), and to the ends of the earth (the world)."

That's the goal of 10/40, to give students the opportunity to be Jesus' hands and feet by taking to gospel to their community, region, continent and world!