Last month, four KSBC young men were challenged to put the lessons learned in Sunday school and Bible study to work while on a trip in the storm-battered city of Joplin, MO. The trip was a capstone to their years together as a high school discipleship group, and the mission was to worship God and share his love through service work. On the trip the men hoped to develop an understanding of their individual worldviews, share the gospel, and develop lasting relationships. Through quiet time and personal reflection, group discussions, and interactions with many different people, the men were able to grow and develop their faith while understanding how they fill an important role in God’s world.
While in Joplin the men worked on two different homes, and volunteered at a community event in the FEMA housing neighborhood. The first home was owned by a grandmother who survived the storm under her dining room table. The men had the opportunity to rebuild her dining room ceiling, a back room and bathroom. At the start of the workday they would pray with the homeowner and the leader from the volunteer organization, Americorps. It was a great time to build relationships and share Christ’s love.
The second home was owned by a couple in their late-70s to early-80s. They had most of their home back to normal but still needed some help with the ceiling drywall and a small patch of roofing. The husband of the house, Bill, was retired from the Navy and a little rough around the edges. He was an “uphill both ways” kind of story teller. Bill had a lot of knowledge and the men had a great time listening and learning from him at lunch. It was not until the end of the day in prayer when Bill added a complete confession of faith, a moment that touched the men as well as Bill.
Over a 6 day period the men challenged themselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally. They built lasting relationships with people from all over the country and shared Christ and their faith through their service and speech. These men--Matthew Collicott, Zach Musser, Tyler Ridge, and Evan Briggs--will be going to college in the fall having a confidence in their faith, and the ability to worship God and share His love with an understanding of the world in which they live.