VAYA CON DIOS!  (GO WITH GOD!)
Next week, Sunday, February 4, we will have a reception to bid the Luedemann family VAYA CON DIOS!  It will be after the service (which starts at 9:00a.m.), in the Fellowship Hall, beginning around 10:45 a.m.  This reception is for all ages (no classes that day) and you won’t want to miss it.  Come share in celebrating Pete’s 15.5 years with us as our pastor and the Luedemann “girls” as our family.

​On Wednesday nights, our youth are beginning a series on what it means to follow Jesus by sharing Jesus and inviting others into a life of following him. Last year we ended our series on what it looks like to be disciples, and picking up this year with second part of Jesus’ finding commandments to then go and make disciples.  We are only two weeks into the series and I am already so excited to see the truths God is revealing to the youth here at BSLC.
Our first week, we looked at the example of Acts 2, when by the power of the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus are able preach the Gospel in the language of those who were listening. Then we opened it up to the youth with the question of why they thought God chose to have the Gospel proclaimed in this way, and what truth can we take it from it that impacts how we, in 2018 Portland, go about the business of God’s kingdom and making disciples.
The youth jumped right in and explored with incredible depth the truth of God’s heart for people. Here are just a few of the insights the kids came up with:

• “Maybe, it’s kind of like how we are all a part of the body of Christ and we are all different parts of the body. Maybe God wanted everyone to hear the Gospel in their own language, because he doesn’t want the body of Christ to look the same.” Berlyn

 

• “Well, it’s easier to share the Gospel to the other people who speak your language, if you hear it in your own language first.” Kapella

 

• “I think I get it. I’m in Spanish class at school, and it’s really hard to learn a new language if you weren’t raised in it. And the Gospel was kind of like a new language, so I bet it’s so much easier to understand if it’s in your own language.” Destiny

And those are just a few of the thoughts that were shared. It was truly amazing to watch the youth explore the truth of the Gospel that it doesn’t belong to one type of person, one type of language, or one type of country, and then process what this means for them as they seek to make disciples in their own contexts. We talked about how language may not be the thing that gets in the way, but that we still have communication barriers with people; whether it’s different life experiences or just not being raised with any exposure to who Jesus is, and that a part of our jobs as people is to understand what unique language the person “speaks.”
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at practically what does this look like for us. We will explore things like; HOW do we seek to understand the places that people are coming from, what is the Gospel we are sharing with people, what is our own personal His Story, what are the different reactions the Gospel can get and how do we respond to those, and much more.
We invite you all to be in prayer for the youth as we explore these things, and that the Holy Spirit would grant clarity, understanding, courage and a deep love for the Gospel and the people we hope to share it with.
 
 
 

The Follow Jesus Deeper: Foundations Class is happening now!  If you missed a week or are unable to attend, you can get caught up on the whole class by going here.