Chris Bean

Over this past weekend, I got to spend some time with a great crew of young adults on a retreat. We’re calling this thread of retreats and experiences for 18 to 20+’ers Element. 

Our hope is to connect the various college students and young adults in our Nazarene network of churches here into a community. As we connect and build relationships we also want to challenge, equip, and send these students into the world to make a Kingdom-sized impact on their world.

Element…

It’s about the basic elements of faith. In ancient times there were thought to be four basic elements which constituted the physical universe. We sometimes refer to someone or thing as being in their element. Perhaps you think of a heating element which connects and conduces heat or electricity. All of these ideas could contribute to or illustrate the purposes we have in mind.

JR Forasteros shared some insights from Matthew 25 which I found to be quite helpful. Recall the parable of the talents in which three servants were given a sum of money by their master. After some time the master returned (key point) and found two of the servants as faithful and productive. The third servant (out of fear, or laziness, or some other inhibition) buried his potential in the ground.

JR made the connect between this idea and the fact that most young adults are desperate to know what God’s will is for their lives. In fact, regardless of age and phase of life, we often want to ask the wrong questions. Our questions usually focus on specific felt needs or future developments in our life. God wants us to ask the kinds of questions which would lead to our transformation in the present. What are we doing with what God has entrusted to us right now?

As my mind was wandering a bit (not unusual) I began to think about how easily we bury ourSELVES in the ground. Often, we have a tendency in the church to bury ourselves in the world of church, programs, “ministry”, serving (the church/ourselves) and fail to see how God would have us invest our lives into others…especially those who are far from Christ. Instead of burying the master’s resources in a mayonaise jar in the ground…pour yourself out…and into the lives of those around you.