Monday, January 14, 2008

The Expansion of SPACE (1 of 4)

Although SPACE started within the fixed context of a local church and her student ministry, the concept of SPACE should naturally expand. In this series of posts, I will share some ideas about how I think SPACE could expand. These ideas are speculative at best. Execution might happen. Or not.

#1 - Mobilizing: More Students
SPACE can and should help other like-minded student ministries with a strategy for the future of the Church. This involves helping youth workers and their students catch a big-picture global perspective. The idea is to put many of the topics covered on this blog into practical application for the purpose of giving students a vision for the world.

This expansion also includes assistance with the on-the-ground tactical details such as: mission team leader best practices; introducing new friends to old and well trusted friends and resources; and the rate of Purrell use per person per day.

On the surface, this looks like helping get other student ministries into missions. By itself, that is an absolutely great goal. But you know SPACE thinks that goal would be too short sighted. The actual goal is to make a bigger impact for future Christ following communities through catalyzing more and more students.

Three other important pieces:
- We expect to learn as much or more from them as they from us. We certainly haven't arrived.
- We are going to utilize our students in this as much as we can. The very people we have mobilized turn into mobilizers themselves. This takes our students full circle and forms one of many tangible leadership pipelines.
- Perhaps this expansion takes place via another medium besides SPACE. Not a student missions organization [because we already have TeenMania, TeenMissions, Adventures In Missions, etc.] and not a student ministry consultation [we have plenty of those too]. That not-so-important detail is still in process.

[This expansion actually has some tangible potential. Contact me via email or comment if you or someone you know wants to be in the loop on this expansion.]

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