Became a Christian at 14- Lay Witness Missions 1971 Before cheap air travel Before cell phones Seat belts were relatively new Divided highways were not as common And I began to travel as a 14 year old boy on LWM From KC, went to Little Rock Ark Oklahoma City Ok Centralia MO Iola KS McPherson KS Cameron MO- met 5’2” Patty 20+ LWM’s Some with me or my friend Steve driving Some with my friend Clint driving Some with me driving In each mission; learned to share my story small groups youth settings Sunday morning worship Knees shook, nervous, will the coordinator of the Mission call on me? “Not tonight Lord! I don’t feel very spiritual.” Greg Ralston why don’t you come on up and share your story with us Good kid; never did drugs, didn’t rebel, Other stories were more dramatic Somehow more often than not, after I shared, someone came to tell me what it meant to them. Often altars were filled with people wanting to get their lives right with God. There is power in following the prompting of the Spirit and saying what God tells you to say. Living the Christian life was all about telling people Adventure Youth Ministry Starting a church Getting a gift of land Building a building Trusting God when there wasn’t enough money to pay the bills Beyond belief; hanging it out in faith.

It’s where our Bible study becomes much more intense, because we’re not merely reading Scripture as a devotional or academic exercise, but we’re searching for fresh insights and wisdom to use in reaching …neighbors. It’s where our prayer life becomes more focused, because we’re pleading for God’s help and guidance in bringing the gospel to family members who don’t know Christ. Read Strobel pg 10-11; then read the 4 points, then pg 12-13 The unexpected adventure

It’s where our worship becomes increasingly heartfelt, because we’re praising the God of the second chance, who in his astonishing grace loves our wandering friends even more than we do. It’s where our dependence on God reaches new heights, because we know that apart from the Holy Spirit there’s no way we can bring anyone to the point of putting their trust in Jesus.

Acts 13:1-6 1  Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5  When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6  They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. Vs 7 Paul challenged an attendant of the proconsul that he was not following the Lord… 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

1. Adventure means you don't know what comes next When you said “yes” to Jesus, you signed up for a life of the un-knowable, a lack of control, and non-understandable promptings to do what God asks next. Following Jesus means you are guided by the Holy Spirit That is part of the deal If you are bored in the faith it may be because you haven’t trusted God to lead you or been resistant to follow. About now, I can hear many of you saying in your minds I’m not gonna do it I’m going to live my life No words And you are resistant;

2. Adventure means being “comfortable” with risk Paul went wherever God wanted him to Taking God into your life vs submitting to God Days of “comfortable Christianity” are coming to an end Led by the Spirit, Paul changed direction, had a successful confrontation with a man that witnessed to another. T shirt at Bolder Boulder Stand for something Confrontation; not much in our culture except politics Sooo sensitive

3. Adventure means “Listen and Go” Make yourself available to God Tell God “Lord, guide my encounters today. Help me to hear your leading and make the most of those conversations YOU set up. The Holy Spirit prompts/ nudges The Holy Spirit gives you words Don’t preach. Tell what you have experienced.

So What? If God were to call on you, to tell others what God has done in your life, what would you say? Too many Christians are telling people what they believe, but not how they have experienced God. Have you had your heart “strangely warmed?” Has God answered a prayer? a need?

So What? Many people are bored with Christianity No risk Do Bible study Pray Worship (occasionally) Depend on selves; ask God to come along All belief; no faith! No risk Love God with all, including your mouth Love your neighbor; Is it love to be silent?