Why? Why does Teen Challenge exist? Why do I work at TC? The thought I am sharing with you is so simple that you may think, “Oh, I know that,” and be tempted to stop reading. However, we must evaluate and guard ourselves and our ministries to ensure that our core beliefs are reflected in our practices and the decisions that we make daily in our ministries.
We are born dead, spiritually dead. Our body is alive, but our spirit is dead. That is the center hole in every person’s life. We try to fill that deadness with empty things. Those things become addictions: drugs, alcohol, work, sex, money, power, fame, success, food, stuff, etc. We attempt to fill the hole, the empty deadness, with anything but the ONE that will fill it and bring life.
The only way to fill the empty hole is faith in Christ and to surrender our lives to Him. He wholly (entirely) fills the hole in our lives, breathing spiritual life into us. He delivers us from sin and addiction.
By “center whole,” I mean that Christ is the starting place who fills the center emptiness and deadness of our lives AND without Him everything else is incomplete. He is the Center. He is the Whole (entirety). Discipleship is restored relationship with the Father, our Creator, through Jesus Christ. The one who created us knows us best. “Best” is not a sufficient word to describe how well He knows us. He knows us – inside and out, our thoughts and motivations, and everything down to the seemingly trivial and meaningless – the hairs on our head.
The structure (rules) of our programs are nothing more than temporary external constraints creating a safe environment; much like a cast provides protection so that a broken arm can heal properly. We may teach the students healthy living through the principles found in the Bible but, unless internal transformation takes place through Him this is the “Center Whole” of our lives.
Jesus tells us what it is all about in what we call the Great Commission, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 18:16-20
Teen Challenge is a Great Commission ministry, period.
Think about it
- Is this belief core to my words and actions?
- Is this belief core to the decisions we make about our TC program operations and schedule?
- How would our program and operating decisions change if this is NOT the core value?
- What is one thing we can do to make sure this core value is in daily focus for our team?
