Discipleship Ministries Outreach Director Loren Rice contemplates new outreach locations on an inflatable globe.

Is anything so valuable that it’s worth giving everything – even your life?

These days, attention spans are short, and promises seem temporary. Yet God asks us to live well for the long haul, not to take shortcuts in relationships, and to love him forever. When we commit ourselves to Christ, we are called to live for him – to give our lives. Many young people, particularly, struggle with where to begin.

One way that some young people start the journey is through a short-term mission experience. Chris Epp, administrator of Eastern Mennonite Missions’ Harrisburg Discipleship Center, says, “We believe a short-term missions experience is not just a trophy to sit on the shelf, but a place for young people to learn to live out values they will instill into their lifestyle. As we teach things like prayer, hearing from God, forgiveness, and accountability, we see healing and transformation in their lives. We then want them to then take what they’ve learned and impart those things back into their local church setting, in a way that will positively affect the entire congregation.”

Eastern Mennonite Missions 2006 short-term service theme, “You’ve got the T-shirt, now give your life,” challenges youth and young adults to their level of commitment to Christ – and invites them to consider short-term mission service. A digital animation further communicates the theme with the phrases: “You’ve read the Book. Got the Christian CDs, too. Your WWJD bracelet is gathering dust. It’s time to act.”

Ryan Showalter, director of Discipleship Ministries, Eastern Mennonite Missions’ short-term department, explains, “We’re trying to appeal to youth who are familiar with the church. We want to challenge them to go beyond just having Christian paraphernalia lying around – to act on their faith.”

The short-term presence on the Eastern Mennonite Missions website has been completely restructured to better reflect the yearly theme, and to integrate with Eastern Mennonite Missions' main site at emm.org. The old EMM youth website at needssalt.org will be retired; you can visit the new short-term web pages, and the fun new theme animation, at www.emm.org/short-term. T-shirts, carabiners, globe balls, and water bottles imprinted with the "Give your life" theme are also getting this message out to youth. A free CD also shows the theme animation and several short video highlights of 2004 YES and GO! teams.

Are you ready to “Give your life” and explore God’s purpose for you through short-term mission service? If you, or someone else you know, may be interested, find information at www.emm.org/short-term/opportunities; you may also contact Sherrie Ober at 717 898-2251

-Kenton Glick


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