Passing the baton of missions to youth
— Marzo 2023 —
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you... And I will certainly be with you always, until the end of the age”
-Matthew 28:19-20.
¡JUST GO! 2023
In February, the Awaken DTC had the privilege of hosting our annual youth missions conference, JUST GO! 2023. This past February made it the seventh year in a row that this conference has ministered to the future of missions! The simple purpose: to inspire and equip youth finding their calling in the Great Commission. Last year, the conference moved from St. George, Utah to La Gloria, Mexico, allowing youth from the US and Mexico to attend this event together. Youth from ages 15-22 were invited to participate in teachings, workshops, ministry practice sessions, and prayer times during this two-day conference.
We were blown away by the response! Youth from 10 different churches, both from the states and locally, attended. The students were blessed to hear from powerful speakers, including a guest missionary from North Africa, interact with a Q&A panel, and be a part of real time ministry as they teamed up with other youth from different churches and led children’s ministry classes and then going out in local neighborhoods around the church to evangelize. We had prepared evangelism bags to hand out, each containing a Bible, water, snack, and a map of all the Calvarys’ in the area.
To see these youth getting out of their comfort zones and talking to strangers about the Lord, working together with their peers (most of them had just met the day before!) and using their giftings to encourage one another and share Jesus’ love was overwhelming. Especially because we know that the willingness to leave our comfort zones (our own homes, churches, communities, etc.) is becoming less and less as time goes on. With social media capturing particularly our youth’s hearts and attention, it can be more difficult to help them see that there is a whole world in need of the hope and salvation that the Gospel brings. This is why the JUST GO! Conference is so impactful as the older brothers and sisters in the faith share and act out how to live out the Great Commission.
The youth left. JUST GO! 2023 with hearts clearly stirred for the Great Commission. Even more encouraging, some youth left certain of their calling to the mission field. Please keep praying for this upcoming generation as they seek to hear from the Lord and obey His calling.
Jesus before He ascended into heaven commanded his disciples to:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”
- Matthew 28:19-20
This command that Jesus gives is for every believer, both young and old. Those who are mature in their faith are called to go, make, and teach the ones who are ready to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and train them up as disciples so that the Gospel message will continue to go forth and beyond their generation. And what better way to reach this generation than with their very own?
Here at Awaken DTC we firmly believe that working with youth, holding youth missions conferences, and welcoming youth groups on short term mission trips gives them the opportunity to put into practice this very commandment. These ministry opportunities allow young people to look beyond their four walls and screensavers to see a world full of lost souls in need of Christ's saving grace.
Please join us in continuing to earnestly pray for our youth, that they will not allow anyone to despise their age; but be an example for the believers, in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4:12). Pray for their boldness, courage, strength, and wisdom to share and live out their faith within their communities and affect the culture around them for the sake of the Gospel! Just as Jesus said, moved with compassion as He looked at the crowds of people:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest”
- Matthew 9:37-38.
The God we serve is doing a great work in our generation and how blessed we are to take part in it, for such a time as this!
Bonnie Knight is the Awaken Discipleship and Training Center Coordinator of Vastagos Missions Internship program and coordinates special events. For more information on this summer’s Vastagos program, contact her at bonnie@awakendtc.org
