We are taking the mission to Brazil!
Discipleship is the intentional effort to help others become more like Christ, and this week, I am traveling to Brazil with The Fountain of Praise to share the UYWI Discipleship Toolkit with urban youth leaders. The UYWI DKIT provides a structured way to present the gospel to youth and provides ways for the youth worker to engage in ongoing discussions, teach, disciple, and mentor urban youth beyond their initial growth as a new-believer. Since its inception, the DKIT has reached 75,000 youth and this has been provided in English and Spanish globally.
In 2002, I graduated from Oral Roberts University. When I drove away from campus for the last time, I carried more than a degree and many great memories. I had a passionate desire to share the Gospel of Jesus with youth. I went on my first mission trip during my last years at ORU. It was a spring break mission trip, and it had a lot of challenges for a young college student eager to share the gospel. That week of service has led to many more mission trips and an opportunity this week to train youth leaders in Brazil. Nelson Mandela once said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
UYWI’s Dkit comes in two languages, but the third language speaks to youth uncertain about Jesus but intrigued enough to ask questions. The pandemic disrupted the rhythm of regular church attendance by youth and adults. The Word of God will never change. We have to update how we deliver it. Teens haven’t left God; they have shifted the way they do church. According to Barna, “Most teenagers around the world have a positive perception of him. About half of all teens, across faith groups, describe Jesus as “loving” (49%) and believe he offers hope to (46%) and cares about people (43%).” Another publication by Barna about church attendance notes, “One in five (20%) is still primarily attending online, and one in four (26%) is mixing online and in-person worship.” By the time we depart from Brazil, each leader who attends the training will have access to a six-part discipleship program with student handouts and video lessons.
This free resource is also available by visiting UYWI’s leadership library and downloading the Discipleship Toolkit. Pray with me for our trip, for the leaders attending the training, and the youth they will continue to disciple. I look forward to sharing updates on our social media as we take the Dkit to Brazil to train leaders and encourage youth to know more about the life-saving love of Jesus Christ.
Year in review: Barna’s top 10 releases of 2022 (2023) Barna Group. Available at: https://www.barna.com/research/year-in-review-2022/ (Accessed: 21 February 2024).
A new chapter in Millennial Church attendance (2023) Barna Group. Available at: https://www.barna.com/research/church-attendance-2022/ (Accessed: 21 February 2024).
