RoadTrip, Adventure, and Missions…

For those taking RoadTrips this summer, here are a couple helpful websites for fun and adventure:

• Great Road Food: Discover casual eateries that offer excellent food (including regional specialities), decent prices and local color. http://www.RoadFood.com
• Offbeat Tourist Attractions: More than 10,000 bizarre museums, memorable tombstones, larger-than-life sculptures, alligator farms, dinosaur reconstructions and other oddities – even Forrest Gump’s shrimp boat. Includes maps, directions and other visitor information. http://www.RoadsideAmerica.com

Missional Tip of Day: Take in the culture, the people, & the spiritual needs as you go. Prayerwalk as you experience local restaurants & sites. Look for opportunities to have authentic spiritual conversations with people as you go.

The “authentic” part is key. Often times Christians can come across as pushy or obnoxious with their faith. It is more effective to have genuine and honest conversations with people about Christ and let the Holy Spirit do the work in the hearts of others. However, that does not mean that we do not need to take courage and share openly and honestly the Truth of the Gospel. Sometimes it is easier to show love and care – without giving them the reason for Hope and the Truth of Christ. There are moments when we just need to be bold (not obnoxious) and take the next step to ask people those key spiritual questions. What is your relationship with God? Did you know that you can have confidence and assurance that you will go to heaven through Jesus? What are some barriers in your life keeping you from God? How can I pray for you and your family?

God is already having a conversation with those we encounter. We just need to LISTEN and join in on the conversation that is already occurring. Be authentic and contextual. Listen to see where the person is spiritually, the barriers in their lives, the struggles they face, and the concerns they have. Build your spiritual conversation naturally around those things that are already happening in their hearts and minds. Though it is sometimes hard to start the deeper conversation, it is so wonderful to see God work when we do! (Both in them and in us!)

So, go find adventure on the Roads across America this summer! And splash a little Living Water as you go!