Patrick Shin Detroit Mission Trip 2014. Summer, 2014

The Detroit Mission Trip was a team that consisted of four members including myself. It

was an intimate but significant team that by shear workload completed in one week rivaled  that of teams with 10-15 members. Besides the physical work done what we did as a team was partner with a church called, “Mack Ave Community Church” or also known as MACC. In partnering with this church we learned from the feet of fellow brothers and sister in learning how to integrate more intentionally the gospel in our everyday life.

This is a challenge and struggle all believers seem to be struggling with: How do I live out my faith when I seem to have so much on my plate to do? Yet when we see examples of believers doing that it inspires our imagination to take Jesus more seriously when he says in Luke 9 to “deny ourselves, carry our cross, and follow him.” So in coming to  Detroit we as a team learned to challenge one another in more intentional and loving ways  to spur greater Christ like maturity in one another’s lives. Since what is the point when we  read in the book of James to hear God’s truth and do nothing about it. It is like having dirt  on our faces looking in the mirror and not taking the time to wash that mess off.

When we don’t take God’s commands seriously we don’t get to see the serious work that happens in being the people of God. Going to Detroit I was reminded in our conversations with Pastor Eric, Pastor Leon, with their community development director Jonathan that when we obey God’s command to make disciples seriously it has huge impacts to how we live in our homes, community, and church. A serious commitment to God can’t be lived out with water down indecisive commitments in our daily lives. We can’t  just be bold in the face of believers but coward in the midst of our families, neighbors, co- workers, bosses, etc. Boldness doesn’t mean to be rude, but it takes to heart a seriousness commitment of wrestling to make the gospel a part of our everyday life. For example in engaging with the  children of MACC I saw children like any other child laughing, running around, having fun, etc. But when a child was in need of being confronted it was always done in a loving and  respectful manner, and what was so amazing was the willingness the child in the midst of being confronted to be obedient to those who had authority over them. But this doesn’t   come about form merely attending one day of Sunday school for only 30 minutes NO it comes from seeing how their godly parents chose to intentionally and on a daily basis bring  Christ into their home in teaching and raising up their children under the Lord. These children were daily under the godly leadership and growing maturity of faith believers who are working doctors, lawyers, construction workers, directors, teachers, company employees who were taking serious their faith at home and outside. I was deeply convicted at this observation, because I remember asking students at our church if they engage in bible study (reading the Bible (minimum 1 chapter) with their parents at home  and praying with them corporately) at least once a YEAR! And little to none of the children raised their hands. How sad it is when the church can be so passionate about discipleship programs and yet lose sight of discipleship their own children at home. We lose so much when we delegate the role of building up our children in Christ when we lose sight of the responsibility given by God to raise our own children to be more like the people of God. I understand I do not speak of an easy thing, but isn’t this one of those hard challenges we should gladly and boldly confront? Shouldn’t we regularly have fathers and mothers and the entire church of young adults, college students, youth, children, and the elderly say, “I Patrick Shin Detroit Mission Trip 2014. Summer 2014 commit to training/discipling those nearest to me to live more like Christ.” To hear father declare that “I will raise my children and lead my family to be more like Christ.” To mothers declare, “I will raise my children and lead my family to understand how to read the Bible and pray daily.” To young adults speak, “I commit to giving up my Friday nights to isciple college students for 2 hours every week.” Because it spurs in us a reality to take serious the responsibility that God calls the church to make. Going to Detroit spurred that reminder in me that when we take God’s command seriously it began to change us and the people who are living next to us. So let’s be teachable, humble, and willing to change before the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.