Young people today are spiritual and open to investigating faith issues. Today Christian believers and not-yet believers are responding with joy to the call to care for the needy. When people see the beauty of God’s grace in Christ, it leads them towards justice. People are suspicious of institutions, especially the church. They are not innovative enough, nor reflect the dynamic power of a movement of people. 20somethings want to have deep relationships with others where they can belong and investigate for themselves what they believe.
Possible intersection: missional communities. What would church look like if Christians adjust their expectations from being “consumers of church,” no longer spectators? In the past we thought of the term “small group” as Christians who met in people’s homes for an inductive Bible study and prayer and existing on the periphery of a church’s overall mission.
We seek to be Spirit-infused gatherings of God’s people who are primarily on mission together, experiencing God’s grace and doing justice. We want to make a fundamental shift from an internal to an external focus, from program development to people development and from church-based to kingdom-based leadership. We are organic communities, not institutions. We may meet in schools, coffee shops, neighborhoods, or work to live life together, seeking ways to be a blessing to the most vulnerable and forgotten in society. We believe we need to change our attitudes towards the poor and forgotten and can’t wait for someone else to do something about it. We are compelled by this inner sense of holy discontent to identify with Jesus and experience his grace.
