Every
year that I lead a student mission trip there are always at least a
couple of students that tell me they are interested in going on the trip, and I have to seriously consider IF I should allow them to go.
You know the kids because they are in your group too. It’s the student who seems spiritually disinterested whenever you teach and doesn’t participate in his small group. It’s the guy that just got busted for doing drugs two weeks ago. It’s the girl who told you just a few months ago that she isn’t sure she believes in Christianity anymore and thinks Wiccan sounds more appealing.
You know that going on a mission trip will potentially be a massive spiritual marker and turning point in their lives,
but you also know that taking someone who is so spiritually immature or
possibly not even a believer could negatively affect the entire group and trip. What are you to do as a leader?
I suggest you ask the question, “Are they a Judas or a Peter?”
Both
Judas and Peter messed up during Jesus’ last couple of days. Judas
sold out Jesus for some cash and Peter denied he knew Jesus to save his
own hide (Luke 22:4-5; 54-62). Yet, Jesus chose to only pray for and
restore one of them. For Peter, Jesus said, “I have prayed for you,
Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back,
strengthen your brothers?” (Luke 22:32). Then later, Jesus followed it up with a powerful moment for Peter to declare his love for Him three times. But for Judas He said, “Woe to the man who betrays [the Son of Man].” (Luke 22:22).
What is the difference between the two men? Why did Jesus only restore one? I believe it has to do with their heart. We get little glimpses through the gospels of the two, and we see that even though Judas spent every day with Jesus, he never loved Jesus while Peter, though rough around the edges, had a sincere heart to follow Jesus.
Looking
at the heart isn’t an easy thing to do in youth ministry, but as we
consider who to take on our mission trips, I believe that we need to
look beyond outward actions of students and try to discern their
hearts.
Are they soft towards God and sincere in wanting to grow
spiritually and bring glory to God? Or are they just wanting to go for
the fun or some of selfish reason?
What I’ve done is take borderline students out individually for a Coke and spend some time talking with them. And about those three students I mentioned above; I said “yes” to two of them and “no” to one.
So ask yourself, “Are they a Judas or a Peter?”
