“News from the front…”

by DanWolgemuth on August 5, 2011

This week I received an email update from one of my team members that was titled “News from the front.” This military reference set the stage for an update about our staff that ministers to middle school and high school students in a camp in Oregon.

What followed was a detailed account of places where the battle raged, places where victory had been claimed, and places where the intensity of the struggle was overwhelming. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented with clarity to a group of non-believing individuals a battle ensues.

“News from the front”… isn’t this overstated? The intensity of the language seems strong, perhaps alarming… is it really necessary?

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” ~ Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

Yes… this is a battle for the very lives of young people who relinquish the territory of their soul without a fight. This is a battle for the sanctity of God’s creative design in teenagers. This is a battle for hope, and love, and honor, and all things good and righteous.

And the evil one is neither defenseless nor passive. In fact, he’s downright angry and offensive when the redemptive power of Jesus moves. He’s a liar, and so he distorts the truth about any and all aspects of God’s love… just to cast a shadow of doubt or fan the flame of personal destruction. The evil one has no rule book and so when we invite a battle… like YFCamp, we witness his work in painful ways.

But we press on; armed with the Word, the Spirit, and the army that is the Church. We offer grace, and mercy, and transformation… we deflect lies with the truth, and we extend love in the face of hatred.

“News from the front…” good news, God’s news.

This is our calling, this is our hope. We invite the fight for the cause of Christ and the passion to extend His transformational power to the most hopeless and helpless.

God help us; and He does… over and over and over again.

I received news from the front… and it’s amazing news. In the face of the enemy, against strong odds…

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