Going Walkabout!

For Vacation Bible School this year our students will be taking a trip on “The Boomerang Express.” As we combine the VBS emphasis and our spiritual focus on missional living, our theme for June and July is Let’s Go Outback This Summer.

As we explore our theme, two terms need further definition: “outback” and “walkabout.” Although the term “outback” often refers to the land beyond the settled regions in Australia, the term “outback” generally refers to the remote areas away from the city. For our church, I am thinking of outback as life outside the walls of our campus.

“Walkabout” is a term for journey. Originally “walkabout” referred to a rite of passage, retracing the paths of the ancestors, or a period of wandering the bush country. Later writers used the term to refer to a spiritual journey.

As a family of faith, our journey of following Jesus is leading us to be more missional in identity and lifestyle. To be missional means we are adopting a lifestyle of reaching out and serving others, following the teachings and practice of Jesus. In recent months we have focused on discovering our spiritual gifts, practicing the spiritual disciplines, and connecting with a ministry team, all for the purpose of serving others in Jesus’ name.

Gathering on campus for worship, study, and fellowship is crucial to our spiritual growth. But one of the primary reasons we gather is to be encouraged and equipped to be the light and love of Christ outside the walls of the church building.

Go walkabout by embracing the adventure of the missional lifestyle. Wherever you go, whoever you meet, whatever you do, ask God to bless others through you.

Let’s go outback this summer! Let’s begin by going walkabout this week.