Several years ago, I was introduced to the Don Everts book, Jesus with Dirty Feet. This unique book seeks to speak to an audience of people who are curious and skeptical of Christianity. In the first chapter summary, Everts writes, “When you see ‘Christianity,’ read, ‘The Never-Ending Adventures and Journeys of the Jesus Followers’” (Page 20). His motive is to move people’s understanding of the Christian life from a religious idea to a life-giving, life-changing adventure of following Jesus every day of their lives.
Adventure is defined: “an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks; an exciting or remarkable experience.” Throughout the Scriptures, we see God inviting people to the adventure of following where God will lead them. Specifically, we think of Abram in Genesis 12 when the Lord says, “Go to the place I will show you.” Or, when God brings the Israelite people to the flooded Jordan River and tells the priests to take the Ark of the Covenant and stand in the water. We read, “Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing” (Joshua 3:15-16). The Israelite people were able to walk across on dry land.
Jesus also invites people to the adventure of following him when he says, “Come, follow me.” He sends the disciples out on the adventure of ministry in Matthew 10 to “proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” and “to heal disease and drive out demons.” At his ascension he tells the disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He was sending the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples for this new adventure.
We are invited to live the adventure as a life of discipleship and risk-taking. The adventure may take us out of our comfort zone. The struggle of comfort has led to a church that tends toward complacency and “doing enough” instead of seeking the Lord’s direction. The adventure of following Jesus is a life of surrender where I seek to be obedient to the Lord’s call on my life. Most days may look similar, while there will be times in the adventure with Jesus where he will call me out of the normal to something extraordinary that will help me expand and grow in my relationship with him.
Living the Adventure Ministries is built on the reality of Jesus’ invitation to the adventure of following him. We believe the Christian life is more than attendance in worship on Sunday morning and Bible Study on Wednesday night. It is a 24/7/365 relationship where we seek to be obedient to Christ’s call on our lives. He may ask us to take risks that go beyond our comfort zone, but we know where He calls, He provides. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” We cannot fathom all the Lord will do in and through us. We will not see it come to pass, unless we are obedient to his call to the adventure of following Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, I want to live the adventure of following you with all my life. Forgive me for the times I seek comfort instead of obedience. Give me courage to go where you call me to go; to do what you call me to do; to speak what you call me to speak. I want to live the adventure of obedience. In Jesus’ name. Amen.