Turning the World Upside Down

By Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Ministry Coordinator

At Mission Adelante we envision a growing multicultural community of disciples making disciples. This vision is the at the core of everything we do and how we do it. We believe that expanding God's kingdom through the transformation of individual lives is at the heart of God's call for us and is the only way to see lasting change in ourselves, our communities, our cities, and our world.

 As a Kansas City, Kansas resident I often get an front-row seat to the hard and broken aspects of the city. Drugs, domestic violence, bigotry, and unjust systems abound. It can be overwhelming at times. However, I know there is hope. I don't find this hope in government programs, or changing laws, or hungry bellies fed. Laws can always change again, and those who were hungry will be hungry again tomorrow. I find hope in stories of lives transformed, like Narbu.

A couple of weeks ago I sat with 19 year old Narbu in his living room while he shared his concern for many of the young men in our community, and his desire to see them know Jesus and have their lives transformed. Why is this young man so concerned about his peers? Because a few years ago, Narbu himself was in a gang. However, through a series of miraculous events, his Hindu family came to know Jesus. Narbu was exposed to the good news of Jesus as well, and responded with his own personal commitment of faith.  Narbu turned his back on gang life, and is now newly married and an avid participant in a house church and in our teens ministry here at Mission Adelante. He dreams of ministering to and seeing young men from similar backgrounds as his escape their current lives and embrace the full life Jesus offers.

Narbu's is just one of a number of stories like this. Jesus offers good news--not just eternal security, but an invitation to have full life today, and to participate in bringing full life to those around us. When we talk about making disciples, our aim is not to clean people up morally, or to teach a Bible class. Rather, it is to display a daily walk with Jesus that affects every area of our lives and calls others to walk with us, like Paul described in 1 Corinthians when he wrote, "Follow me, as I follow Christ."

I dream of the day when the Mission Adelante community is accused of "turning the world upside down" like Jesus' followers in Acts 17:6 (ESV).  Care to join us?

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for Mon Maya Rai, the matriarch of one of our Bhutanese house churches, as she continues to struggle with health problems, and for the community surrounding her.

Current needs:

• Bhutanese LIT is currently in need of 3 Thursday mentors to serve from 4:00-6:15 on Thursday afternoons.  If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

Get-acquainted Days: Tuesdays, October 14 & 21 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, October 16 & 23, 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.