Ethos
“Engage exists to challenge youth culture to become a generation of change.” Our desire is to connect students to the life and movement of Jesus Christ by communicating God’s truth through the Holy Scriptures. Convinced that students are robbed of love, affection, and self-worth, Engage is committed to be a voice of encouragement. Believing the most effective way to connect with students in this generation is embracing the culture in which they live. “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love…” Colossians 2:2
As Followers of Jesus one of the greatest things we could ever do is to become people of influence; to live our lives in such a way that the world see God’s love, hear God’s love, and experience God’s love. When we begin to live out our lives with purpose, passion, and a love or Jesus Christ, we become the very thing that people are searching for. It’s the love of God in us that begins to breathe the hope of Christ to the world. But, in order to create change, we have to experience change.
Engage is made up of 3 internal values. Engaging the movement, Encountering the movement, and Responding to the movement. Perhaps this is best expressed in Jeremiah 29:13-14.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. I will be found by you declares the Lord and will bring you back from captivity.”
Engage, Encounter, Respond. These are all words of action that define movement. A small group of 12 men understood this process. Not only did they engage the movement of Jesus Christ, they were the movement. Isn’t it crazy to think that because of these 12 guys passion for Jesus that you and I are now apart of what they started 2,000 years ago? In Matthew 11:12 it says,
“From the days of John the Baptist up until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”
Engaging the movement … Engage means to act, to react, to pursue, to actively commit. Engaging the movement of Jesus Christ begins with a choice, a decision to move forward, “seek me.” This all starts with acknowledging the invitation given by Jesus to follow him. If Jesus Christ himself started a movement that began over 2,000 years ago, and if his spirit is fully alive in us, then that movement continues today. Engaging the movement is a call to move forward.
Encountering the movement … An encounter is an unexpected, unplanned, it’s finding yourself in a moment of discovery. The interesting thing about an encounter is unwrapping a new awareness of the unknown, “find me.” When an encounter takes place change is often the result. God pursues us for the purpose of change, and anytime we encounter God change always happens. Encountering the movement is the decision to embrace the experience.
Responding to the movement … Respond means to reply, to answer, to react. You can engage God and even encounter him, but if you don’t respond then you’ve never fully lived! God says he will bring us back from captivity, if only we would respond. Response is about obedience, and in a moment of response an immediate connection is made to what God is asking of you. If responding to the movement is about obedience, then change is the ultimate result.
If you are interested in having Matt speak at one of your events please contact him at 432-770-2996 or by email surftheocean555@yahoo.com.
