Rite of Passage

Last night, Mike and I had the privilege of attending a "rite of passage" ceremony for one of our students. We have some incredible families that make this sort of thing one of my favorite parts of working with Junior High students. I am always so encouraged when I see parents, siblings, extended family members, and a community of leaders and friends rally around a young man or young woman to encourage and affirm their maturation.

Ceremonies like this typically involve the student making some sort of declaration that they plan to seek Christ and strive to honor Him as they pass into adulthood. They also usually include some kind of purity covenant (like this one) and requests for accountability in their efforts to glorify God with their lives.



Last night, I gave Mary a Transformers birthday card from Target and talked to her about how she isn't just a regular car driving down the road like everyone else...the life of Christ inside of her is transforming her into something really, really special. I challenged her that a non-conforming Romans 12:1-2 lifestyle can also be a powerful transforming force in the lives of others.

Good times!



P.S. Mike, Jon, and I all agree that a striped polo shirt is the most appropriate attire for this sort of thing.