Our purpose is to awaken youth to radical faith in Jesus. It is our desire to see a new generation of Christian leaders who are willing to deal with the tough issues in this world as part of their faith in Jesus. Through a discipleship process we will encourage them to evaluate their own faith, their North American life styles and assumptions and be sensitized to the Father’s heart for this world through Bible study, mentoring, service, cross-cultural learning, and participation in a loving Christian community. We will encourage them to consider a life of faithfulness and commitment. We want them to become part of God’s Kingdom, giving leadership that moves toward healing and hope rather than being part of the problem in this world. Along the journey we hope to excite their imagination for what God is doing in the world, and to find ways that they can become personally involved.
We believe that following Jesus will naturally combine the heart, the mind, and the body. It will include a life of humble obedience and a life lived with passion and adventure. Within a university context we attempt to develop a strong Christian understanding of world issues that is informed by Biblical study and spiritual disciplines, encouraging each one to become an effective disciple; a person who follows Jesus and disciples others.
We love the Church and believe that the Church is God’s preferred/chosen instrument for the transformation of the world. In Canada and around the world, it is the Church, composed of those who follow Jesus in faithful obedience that are making a difference in the world. Therefore, where-ever, and when-ever possible, we link our program to the Church, striving to listen to the believers who live there. We ask what is appropriate, wise and effective in their cultural situation knowing that long after we have left, they will be there to bear witness to the love of Jesus. It is our desire to listen and learn.
Mission
To create discipleship communities where radical faith in Jesus can be explored in a journey towards:
– Knowing God; in truth and relationship.
– Knowing yourself; in personality and character, in abilities and gifts.
– Knowing the world; in its beauty, diversity and pain.
Method
In a school of discipleship, faith formation and learning are fused together within a mentored community to create a powerful transformative experience. It begins with a group of young adults coming together to become a traveling Christian community. Each group becomes an experiment in the book of Acts; an opportunity to read the New Testament within a cross-cultural setting and to explore what it means to follow Jesus within our current global context. This community is designed to be centered on faith in Jesus Christ, but also open, invitational, and thoughtful; willing to look at the challenging issues of our time and to challenge false assumptions and stereotypes. It is a journey in both a physical and a spiritual sense which moves toward faith in Jesus Christ; mentored and led by site leaders who become spiritual guides along the way.
During this program we see the world as a classroom. This is an adventure in unconventional learning. Intensive instruction will come from a series of instructors who are passionate and gifted, providing insights into Christian faith and how this intersects with current world issues. Their teaching will be infused with practical life experience along with spiritual depth and the wisdom that comes from having lived their faith in challenging life situations.
Instruction will be blended with action-learning cycles that are very experiential in nature. The group will frequently find that a cycle includes advance preparation and planning, followed by an activity that requires thoughtful reflection in various discussion/journaling/debrief sessions designed to articulate and define what has been learned. Throughout the program there will be frequent opportunities to explore life and one’s own gifts and abilities through worship, adventure, service, relationships and a celebration of life that is designed to express God’s joyful and creative nature. It is an opportunity to be challenged beyond one’s comfort zone and to gain new insights into gifts, passions and how these mesh with the needs that exist in this world.
Individual mentoring, small group interaction, personal study, great community life, a supervised learning journal and prayer are important elements of this discipleship journey. Site Leaders will help set goals and evaluate development throughout the year in a guided journey of faith, adventure and learning.
The following have been identified as core values in this program:
- The Church: chosen by God for the transformation and redemption of the world.
- Biblical Truth: as a guide to our lives.
- Mentoring: speaking truth and love into each other’s journeys.
- Community: deeply encountering Jesus and life together.
- Travel: moving out of our comfort zone; geographically, relationally, spiritually.
- Learning: seeing every situation as an opportunity to gain new understandings.
- Service: being transformed by giving of ourselves for the needs of others.
- High Adventure: whenever possible, serving as the context for life and learning.
- Authenticity: learning to become true to our best self and transparent with others.
- Discovery: searching for the pearl of great price, a treasure in the field.
- Following Jesus: a passion, a calling, a life commitment.
Goals
We want to give every student the opportunity to be mentored within a caring Christian community, to discover their own gifts and abilities, to experience fun and adventure, and to begin to experience God’s amazing work in the kingdom of God worldwide. Through all of this, we want every student to come to know what it means to follow Jesus.
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