Reflections from the Mystery Trip

I am feeling better and a bit more rested and would like to share a reflection from our annual Middle School Mystery Trip.

Every year, Steven and I think long and hard about what we would like to teach the students at the retreat. Our desire is that they grow to know the Lord, themselves and others better. This year we asked our good friend Drew to speak to the students. Our hope was that Drew would give them a deeper look into the scriptures and the story of God's plan for our redemption. I thought Drew did a fantastic job! He was clear, engaging, thoughtful and compassionate. After his talks, I asked some of our 8th grade students what they learned and/or thought about his talks. These students said they thought Drew was super cool, fun to listen to and engaging. Ok - we are doing good. Then, these students said something I will never forget. They said "Well, we are learning a lot of what Drew talked about in our Bible class, so it was a little bit boring". WOW! Basically these kids are saying that the gospel, the story of our redemption, the plan of God to save us, bring us into his family and make all things new is boring. This makes me sad. It makes me sad that these Christian school kids with a Bible class find the most important thing in their life boring. It also makes me sad that they are thinking they don't need to learn anything new because they have allready heard it in a Bible class. I believe more and more that these kids are spiritually unhealthy or just plain sick. I hope I never become tired of hearing the Gospel or find it boring. I hope I always enjoy hearing the story of God's love for me and not tune it out becuase I have 'heard it before' in a Bible class or study. I pray for these students and that they will learn their desperate need of the gospel. I pray that their hearts would change because I certainly cannot make that happen. Oh yes, I also will pray that these Bible classes would teach them how much they do not know and how much more we need to learn every day of our lives.