Whether you are just starting Young Life, or have been doing it for a while, you know that this ministry thrives because of its commitment to relationships. In fact, one of Young Life’s major C’s for ministry is Contact Work.
This is the intentional commitment to do what Jesus did. Go where people (adolescents) are and initiate relationships with them. Contact work has three levels:
LEVEL ONE: SEE & BE SEEN. Start by showing you are interested in their lives.
LEVEL TWO: TALK WITH KIDS. Talk to kids about the things that interest them. Be a good listener.
LEVEL THREE: DO THINGS WITH KIDS. Build a deeper level of friendship.
Although showing up to be seen by our adolescent friends is relatively easy, having the opportunity to engage in the deepest level of contact work (do something) is not possible without crossing the often scary bridge of the second stage of contact work: talk, or say something. I sometimes wonder if we tend to skip the 2nd level of Contact Work?!
Jesus didn’t just go where people were, He crossed the bridge of talking to people so that He could do something with and for them. When I think of the power of saying, engaging in conversation after we have shown up, in the hopes of making a deeper impact in someone’s life, I think of Jesus and Philip. John 1:43 says, “The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘come follow me.’” Jesus shows up in Galilee but he didn’t stop there, he spoke words to Philip that changed his life, come follow me.
Without Jesus saying something to Philip, Philip would not have later had the opportunity to witness and share in the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6. Jesus’ verbal engagement with Philip changed everything and was so impactful that later we see Philip mimicking his Savior-Mentor-Teacher.
Later on we see another Phillip of the Bible! In Acts 8:26-38, we find Philip being led by the Holy Spirit to “go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Philip goes, shows up, is seen. There, he sees an Ethiopian eunuch reading the scriptures. I’m so glad the story doesn’t end there because Philip SAYs something that will forever change the Ethiopian man’s life. He asks him if he understands what he is reading.
Philip’s willingness to ask the question, say something after having shown up results in this Ethiopian's understanding of salvation and the privilege of being baptized as a believer and follower of Christ. But what if Philip only showed up and never said anything?
Friends, as you continue to show up in the world of adolescents, be encouraged to be led by the Holy Spirit and brave enough to open your mouth to talk to those around you. Ask questions, engage in conversation, and trust that the LORD will use your words to change the lives of those who are seen by you.
Written by Sophia Cox