How many of you think it’s your job to save people?
As the emcee at the premier Dare 2 Share Live event in Maine, it was the first question I asked when I stepped onstage. When raised hands began to pop up around the auditorium, my heart sank. It was a sober reminder that so many people think that we have been commanded to “go save” vs just “go”. I was reminded once more that the idea of talking to complete strangers, let alone sharing with them the precious Truth of the Gospel, can make “going” a scary and intimidating thing. I often say that “saving people” is way outside of our pay grade. Why? Because we can’t do it. Only God saves. His people have simply been tasked with being faithful to go.
Dare 2 Share Live helped us return to the basics of the Great Commission. What I witnessed that day, as teens learned how to start gospel conversations through community outreach, was astounding to watch. Imagine, if you will– an event where teens and leaders from all over your neighborhood are trained how to share the gospel by starting simple conversations with both friends and strangers.
We also went door to door and collected food for the local homeless shelter. Some people, as you can imagine, were uninterested. However, some people were happy to get involved in a good cause. The teens would thank the stranger, and then ask a simple question; “Is there anything that you would like us to pray for?” It was amazing to see teens and leaders alike bow their heads and pray with complete strangers. It was so encouraging to see prayer open doors– thanks to that simple question, the teens were able to take part in over 80 gospel conversations. Even cooler, this event was shared via simulcast across the nation on the same day! 7,893 teens and leaders attended, representing 560 churches. In total, over 22,000 gospel conversations were had, and 28,644 canned food items were collected.
Imagine my delight as teenagers who trusted Christ as their personal Savior at the Dare 2 Share Live event actually went out that day and carried out the Great Commission. It was awesome. What youth group wouldn’t love that dynamic in their church!
You may be saying, “I want our teens to be more grounded in their faith before they go.” I think that sometimes we forget the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of new believers. There is nothing more powerful in the life of a teen than to realize the Holy Spirit is working within them to do what seems impossible to so many.
Dare 2 Share Live could be the catalyst for a brand-new youth ministry, or it could jump start a struggling one. Be a part of this life changing event on October 10th! Register now, and gather your students for an awesome day. Check it out here: https://dare2sharelive.org/
Find out more about Dare2Share: https://gospeladvancing.org/
Eric Brown is the Word of Life area missionary for Northern New England. He and his wife, Lori, have three adult children and currently reside in Oakland, Maine.