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The core purpose of Discover The Journey's existence and our long-term vision is to see the bride of Christ awakened to the incredible opportunity that lies at the heart of the greatest global crisis our world has ever seen. That is the crisis facing children, which is threatening to destroy millions of God’s precious little ones around the world at unprecedented numbers and through unthinkable means.
In the back alley ways, the refugee camps, the neglected institutions, the deep jungles, the dark brothels, the abusive homes, the poverty afflicted areas and even the womb lie God’s most precious, yet often forgotten jewels who have yet to discover their own worth, living at-risk, vulnerable and in peril. It is the churches job to take the message of God’s adoptive Father heart to them, and reveal to them tangibly how much they are loved by the Father. And thus, the greatest global crisis can be seen as the church's greatest opportunity in all of history to bring in folds and folds of lost and abandoned sheep into the service of the King as he uses his body to bring redemption. Never before have there been so many street children, trafficked children, child soldiers, orphaned children and children within almost every other at-risk category.There is no one who will rise up and give God more glory than someone who was picked from nothing and given life to the fullest, wrapped in Christ’s redemptive love.
So we truly believe that the church is potentially sitting (not standing, but still sitting) on the cusp of the greatest influx in God’s kingdom in history. This however greatly depends on the ecumenical/local churches response to this urgent crisis. God is wanting to awaken his church to this in new, deeper and unseen ways, and cause his bride to rise up from their seats, and move forward in this calling. We are not talking about individual congregations or church buildings here. We are speaking of anyone and everyone who is a follower of Jesus, and thus part of the living breathing global body of Christ.
At Discover The Journey we deeply long to be a part of ushering in that awakening, which in this case may need to come in the form of a shaking at first (not by us, but by the realities presented in the stories we capture), and then equipping and developing hearts while giving room for the Holy Spirit to lead them. We sincerely believe that every person has a role to play as we all step together deeper into the process of caring for children at-risk, according to our unique gifts and passions. And this is when the human heart is most alive... when we are living out our passions in love and service to others and our King. That is why we like the question so much: What does your heart beat for?
We know that there will be significant but conquerable challenges that must be overcome before the western church--usually steeped in comfort, often gripped by fear, and in constant danger of apathy and doubt--can begin to engage with empathy for children at-risk. The truth remains that the majority of middle to upper class suburban Christians have no real grasp on the overwhelming impact that poverty, war and oppression has on the lives of individual and corporate groups of children around the world. Indeed, some of the things that children go through are incomprehensible and seemingly unrepeatable, even to the most seasoned children at-risk workers.
Because of this lack of awareness, understanding and empathy must be initiated first before any real engagement can take place. Thus, we see the use of media as the key dynamic component. People do not act unless they know. Thus our first task really is awareness. But we want to move beyond awareness to actually initiating lasting heart transformation within people and their culture through the stories we tell. We desire to serve those within the ecumenical church in this way, and allow them to take the lead, putting ourselves out of a job with armies of inspired people discovering new journey's deep into a story much larger than themselves. And as the church around the globe begins to carry burden in unified and inspired ways, we believe millions of otherwise destroyed and discarded children-at risk will learn of their priceless value in the eyes of their maker though the tangible act of love fleshed out through the hands and feet of His church.
When people can hear their cries, see the dark streets where they live, look into their eyes as they sniff glue, and know their trauma, compassion has a chance to take hold over complacency. Indeed it is this heart wrenching documentation that we hope drives people to MOVE and abandon their doubt, throw comfort aside, destroy their apathy, and let love drive away their fear to step deeper into the process of caring for children at-risk. Let us act with urgency. We invite you to step inside the story.
Step Inside The Story
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