Everywhere to Everywhere and Mr. Miyagi

Last week I was listning to the Lifeschool Podcast hosted by Ceasar Kalinowski and Heath Hollensbe.  For episode #178 they were talking with Rick Bartlett who gives leadership to Tabor College's Ministry Entrepreneurship and Innovation masters degree program. 

The topic was mentoring.

Through the course of the conversation, I became inreasingly convinced that our decision create E2E as a multi-generational training event - not exclusivly a youth group event - was the right decision.   As it is, we want youth groups to come to our E2E trainings but we ask that they come with adults from their church, ideally mentors who they know.  We actually tell youth groups that they have to have at least one adult for every two youth that come.  

I think we can help teens engage with their faith by walking with them, by doing it with them, by coming alongside them.  And then doing mission with them.  And I think those kinds of things are what help students grow."
​                                                                                                               -Rick Bartlett

Our thinking with that idea comes from our own experience.   Too many youth in our churches think that the only adult they can relate to or learn from at their church, and perhaps, in their life, is their youth pastor.

Something special happens when a young adult sits down and digs into the word of God with adults from their church, when they watch adults wrestle with their faith and fight to overcome their fears. 

What our youth need more than anything are models of radical obedience and surrender to Jesus.

Everywhere to Everywhere training events allow for that sort of modeling to happen on mission together. 

So if you are a youth pastor - YES! We want you to bring your youth group to the next E2E event but we want you to bring adults along with them; adults willing to be challenged and stretched and pushed out of their comfort zone in full viewing of these kids.  Adults willing to take what they learn back to your church and lead these young people out into the harvest as they lead them into an abiding relationship with Jesus.

​Bring the kids . . . but bring Mr. Miyagi along with them.

Click the program tab above to learn more about what is invovled in an E2E weekend.

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