This summer mission changed the way I live life and look at people!
For almost 3 weeks this June, 30 college students, church Fellows, and Cru staff lived, worked, played, and worshipped in Kansas City– giving campus ministry students a taste of their future context for ministry and building a campus to church movements bridge model! We caught a glimpse of God’s heart for cities and how to love those who live there. We partnered with church-planters who gave us vision to engage in mission and church multiplication post- graduation. We learned to connect people to Jesus, multiply the Church, and serve the city as a way of living!
New Life In Community
We met Kenzie* on our third day. She’s an artist who was willing to help us with a scavenger hunt that introduced us to KC! During that first gospel conversation, she was interested in hearing what Christians believe, because she was disillusioned with the spiritual upbringing she had experienced.
During the next two weeks, she enjoyed being part of our team community. She loved the feeling of belonging as she moved toward believing.
She joined us at a church picnic (where we gave her a Bible!) and at our Story of the Soul outreach, where she heard the gospel again through conversations around art, film, and music with the theme, “Can someone love and accept me for who I am?”
On our final evening, Kenzie prayed to express her brand-new faith in Christ!
*name changed for privacy
In 18 days
we initiated 564 spiritual conversations
we shared the gospel personally1 with 143 people
243 people heard the gospel in a group setting
43 people placed their faith in Christ
we had 10 follow-up appointments
Multiplying the Local Church
On this summer mission we interacted with a coalition of city leaders from a variety of contexts, cultures, and ministry experiences. These leaders are committed to multiplying church communities, authentic outreach, and the well-being of the greater Kansas City area. As we worked together, we served as a catalyst to help plant new churches and faith communities.
We partnered to increase the visibility of 4 churches in their neighborhoods and on social media, host VBS for Ethiopian immigrants, picked up trash & initiate spiritual conversations door to door, and host outreaches in local parks! We helped give the Church hope in the next generation of Christ-followers and they gave us a vision for simple acts of service opening doors for evangelism & discipleship in our communities. We shared the gospel with a man struggling with his faith, and he was at church Sunday!
We experienced the power and presence of God as He built our friendships & challenged us to take steps of faith toward others.
Here’s how the summer mission experience envisioned these emerging leaders to return home to see God work in their own local churches:
This summer mission changed the way I live life
and look at people!
I’m going to go home and make sure I spend time with God every day
My heart is renewed, especially for evangelism & the significance of cities
I have a vision for churches changing a city when members are trained & faithful
