In a world that is increasingly busy and complex, a revolution of simplicity is gaining speed. Whether it is their Ipod or their Christian faith, people prefer things to be simple, accesible, effective, and practical. While faith is obviously far more than an accessory and far more complex than an Ipod, the principle is the same: it is time to rediscover the “main thing”; time to recover the basics of what it means to be a follower of Jesus at home, at work, at school, and while hanging out with friends. “Loving God. Loving Others. Serving the World.” articulates our end goal; where we want our youth to be when they graduate from the MRCRC Youth program. If our youth are passionate and active in living out this vision in a way that informs every area of their lives, we believe that they are on the right track. Focusing on health, passion, and commitment in the three fundamental relationships of every Christian (God, humanity, and creation), this vision works to establish a solid foundation on which each student can build their life  - a meaningful life of health, hope, significance, peace, joy, contentment, and abundance.

    LOVING GOD   

 “‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’. This is the first and greatest commandment.’” Matthew 22:36-38

               This is where it all begins. Motivated by an understanding of who God is and the deep love he has for each of us, this is where students learn to reflect that love back to him. A deep passion for God and the mission of Jesus begins to motivate everything else. Scripture teaches that actively loving God is our top priority as Christians, revealed in the greatest commandment; it is also the starting point for youth with no previous exposure to the Christian faith. 

      LOVING OTHERS  

  “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. There is no greater commandment than these.” Mark 12:31

            Birthed out of love for God, and looking to Jesus’ example, this is where we learn what it means to truly love on another – putting others before ourselves to the point of being willing to lay down our lives for the people around us. This is the second greatest commandment given by Jesus while he was on earth. Whether it is caring for each other in small groups or embracing other youth in our community through outreach, this is where we learn what it means to love our friends, families, strangers, and even enemies. 

   SERVING THE WORLD   

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20

          Once students have learned to live out this love for God and others, we believe that they are in the ideal place to serve and lead others. Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and unveil his love and mission to the world in both words and actions – beginning the cycle all over again in anyone who hears, sees, and embraces the good news. We also believe that Christians have a spiritual responsibility to act as loving stewards of creation (Gen. 2:15). “Serving the World” does not only refer to serving those scattered around the globe, but also to learning to live in a way that is environmentally responsible.

           Loving God, loving others, and serving the world are all definitive actions; this is because we believe that faith is not merely cognitive or emotional – it encompasses all of life. We take James 1:22 to heart when it says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”  James also reveals that, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (2:17). The way we live our lives reveals the reality of what we believe. In lieu of this, we want to provide youth with as much motivation and opportunity as possible to put their faith into action. While loving God, loving others, and serving the world seem to progress, building on one another, there is also an intrinsic interconnectedness between all three of these actions. Scripture makes it clear that they are in fluid relationship with one another, and that participating in one often leads to passion and understanding of the other aspects. We invite you to join us on the journey!

Loving God

Loving Others

Serving the World,

 The MRCRC Youth Leadership Team