Amazing Youth

There is an amazing young woman from my church, named Abby. She is a senior in high school, president of the youth group, incredibly dedicated to God and committed to living out her faith...the kind of teenager that makes a pastor weep on Graduation Sunday, because you hate to see her go.

For her senior project, Abby planned, organized, and implemented a mission trip to help the still struggling victims of hurricane Katrina. The trip took place between Christmas and New Years. Abby talked about her trip at church one Sunday, complete with a power point presentation. The adults in our congregation were moved (and, dare I say, convicted) that someone so young felt compelled to do something that most adults have not done. I have talked with Abby about that sentiment (i.e. how inspired the people of our church have been by her example). She is surprised people think it is so amazing, saying "Isn't this what all Christians are supposed to do?" She thinks it more surprising that some Christians do nothing to make a difference in the world, on behalf of Christ. I spared her the lecture about the difference between what Christians are supposed to do and what they ACTUALLY do. She is still passionate enough to want to change the world for Christ, and I don't want the apathy of some Christians to ever be a deterrent to her faith.

Abby invited me to be a judge for her senior project presentation yesterday. Once again, she blew the audience away. I kept thinking, as I sat there: "We are in a secular high school and here she is quoting Scripture and talking about service as a necessary part of her faith"...and more impressive, people were AMAZED. They were not offended by her faith (she is the epitome of sweetness, so I doubt she has the ability to offend). They were impressed by her example of service and sacrifice, her heart for others and desire to make a difference in the world. I think that is the kind of faith we are called to live out--faith that speaks so powerfully through our actions that people stop and take notice. I am not sure what the other senior projects were, because I only stayed for Abby's presentation, but I got the feeling (from some of the different teachers' comments) that she was the only one to take on something so huge. I felt so proud of her as she presented: proud to be her pastor and proud to be a Christian.

As part of her presentation, Abby talked about different kind of mission opportunities around the world and why we do mission work. She shared about the 10/40 window (which is a latitude/longitude designation, marking the area of the world that is most populated and least evangelized--encompassing a lot of Asia and Africa). The statistic she quoted was that 95% of the people in this area have never heard the Gospel ("Gospel" meaning the life-changing message of Jesus Christ), which she announced she found very surprising. I guess, living in the US, where all you have to do is turn on the TV and see some scary televangelist yelling about Jesus, it is hard to imagine a place where people have never even heard Jesus' Name.

When the time for questions came, one of the teachers (or other guest judges, not really sure) asked Abby about the 10/40 window and sharing the Gospel. She specifically asked her what the difference was between sharing the Gospel and doing service (like what Abby and her team did on their mission trip). Ultimately, Abby answered that the two were inseparable. To her, you show and tell people about Jesus by serving them, finding opportunities to talk about your faith along the way. I was proud of her answer, proud she "gets it" that Jesus wants us to walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.

Abby's closing challenge to the audience (filled with at least 50 teenagers and a bunch of adults) was for us to find ways to serve others, right where we are. She challenged us to make a difference in our neighborhoods, communities, and the world. For me, it was one of the best sermons I've ever heard...and we were right there in the middle of a public high school.