Lost and Found: Rediscovering Our Missional Passion and Engagement
This project cultivates an outward-focused ministry and culture that intends to help young adult believers revive the joy and passion of being Christ's followers. Jesus commands his followers to love God with all their hearts as well as to go out and be his witnesses. But the complex yet stressful economic and political circumstances of Hong Kong have had a negative impact on its residents, young people in particular, which has diminished their passion for reaching out. This project investigates the context and challenges faced by the young adult Christians at Kowloon Ling Liang Church in Hong Kong. Through interviews and personal dialogue, project leaders uncovered obstacles that hinder their missional engagement and spiritual growth. Then, through the steps of communication, interpretation, invitation, and implementation, the mission of God, the needs of the world, and the preferred future of the church were repeatedly presented. People were invited to dialogue and to creatively come up with their own missional experiments. Through vision casting, preaching and teaching, spiritual exercises, and retreat camps, some of the young people started to rediscover their passion for God and for serving others. They identified needs in the community and in their relationship network, and created a few outreach ventures, three of which are included in this project: a summer tutoring program for under-privileged children; a missional worship service for those who work in the retail sector and are unavailable for church services on Sundays; and an intensive discipleship group fostering character development. It was an encouraging start for this project, or more precisely, a cultural renewal. Building a holistic discipleship training system is also in order. However, young adults, and hopefully the whole church in the near future, will see that mission is no longer a ministry department, but the very being of the church itself. Theological Mentor: Kurt Fredrickson, PhD