Authentic

It has been a while since we have blogged, it was not our intention but as is the way with life things get busy and forgotten.  With a new year we decided we would turn over a new leaf and try to start posting more regularly again.  The New Year is always a strange time, I am a firm believer that you should never wait for a new year to make changes;  we should permanently be going through the process of change as we seek to become more Christ-like.  Despite all of this the New Year does seem like an opportunity where we can stop and think.

Our year starts at the annual YFC Conference, when we gather as a whole moment to stop, meet up, pray and seek God.  Being surrounded by a group of people seeking to make Jesus known to a new generation is always inspiring.  The passion and determination is always encouraging as is the willingness to stand alongside each other in both difficult and good times.  This year our conference was themed around holiness, a subject that is always challenging and inspiring but essential as we work with young people.  Our lives are the best image of Jesus some of them may ever see, that is a huge responsibility but a real key in our ministry.  We proclaim Jesus well before we open our mouths for it is our lifestyle that people see first.  Beyond our lifestyle people also see our motivation and our intentions.  Young people are particularly adept at picking up disparity between what is spoken and what is done, they are looking for authenticity.

If our lives are authentic people will have more chance of seeing the authentic Jesus that can change lives.  As we set out this year we hope that we will show Jesus to young people so they will recognise him as the life bringer and life changer who wants to know them.