Holy Teenagers

Nothing that the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) Conference teaches would matter for my community if I was the only one there. The truth is I am an observer in my community. I am trying to understand the culture and the heart of the people here. I am an outsider, called to serve here. So bringing 5 teens from Teens Adelante to Minneapolis for the conference seemed crucial for developing leaders in KCK.  Together we learned a lot about ministry and community development, but what we really came home with was a leadership team, for the first time in Teens Adelante.

I am inspired through all I saw happening in these 5 kids, to have a whole lot less of me, and a lot more of them. Even if it doesn't make sense to do it that way, even if they fail, even if I don't know how to do that, I'm ready to let them lead in the passions they have in our KCK community and within Teens Adelante. The Lord stirred their hearts in regards to the wounds of the fatherless, multicultural worship, art as a vision caster for community, and partnerships between youth and adults. I will never have their heart for this community. I wasn't raised here. I have to trust that they know what their community needs.

I had a dream the last night we were there. It was a nightmare actually. And when I was tempted in a representation of my sin, and then in danger, one of the teens grabbed my arm and walked me out.  As I woke I felt the Lord gently saying, "You thought you were saving them. They are saving you." They are teaching me how to lay down my pride, how to operate out of trust and not knowledge, how to be generous in all I have, how to bring my sin and vulnerability into community. Praise Jesus for his upside down Kingdom. He is so full of Grace. I really thought I had a ministry to immigrant teens. I'm starting to wonder if it's really a ministry to me. I have so much to continue learning from them in my heart and my mind and a deep, new found respect for teenagers.  They are so Holy. Holy teenagers. That doesn't even sound right, but my heart is discovering that they are truly Holy; Chosen.