Sufferin' for Jesus

Tom-in-the-Box came up with a doozy this week. Satire at it's absolute best...but so very close to the truth. TITB shows us the future of teenagers fulfilling the Great Commission.

Yes, I know it's a joke. However...each year about this time, I am flooded with requests by my teenage patients asking me to support them in prayer (and possibly money) as they embark on their first high school mission trip. Out here in California, the typical trip includes a nine hour trip to a small village just over the "border" (?) into Mexico. The gist of the trip is as follows: one day driving down in a van of teenagers (iPods firmly implanted in their ears...). Five days of building homes or leading vacation bible school for the children of this little Mexican village (the village tends to be something like Tijuana or Mexicali...population just over 1million). The missionaries are then given two days of furlough and debriefing prior to their return back to civilization...this includes either a day at the beach or Disneyland on the return trip home.

Before you get your undies in a bunch...I realize we are talking about kids and I realize that Mexico is the closest "out of country" experience for kids in California! (Well, except for Canada...). I even realize that the intent is to just whet the appetite of kids interested in missions. But really...Mexico? The gospel is there. It's been there for many centuries.

I am not opposed to these trips, I would just prefer that we call it what it really is...a service project. No different then a VBS/service project in Anytown, USA. And, can we acknowledge that this is really just a modified "youth group" trip as well?

You can thank TITB for getting me all fired up...

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

Comments

[Robin/Jodi in FL]

That is SO not funny. It is so....every Southern Baptist church in the panhandle of FL. We are so at a crossroads at our church.....and what to do? you yourself said it's not worth home-churching over.......

thanks for sharing the link.....even though it's NOT funny.....

[Susan]

OUr church youth group is on its way next week to Mexico. The church we left will also be on its way. They of course are now flying to Mexico in stead of driving. Can you believe they are coming all the way from Oregon. Its a two day drive each way!
Susan