About
{2:42} is the student ministry at New Life Christian Fellowship in Fortville, IN focused on helping students in the 6th through 12th grades enter into and grow in a relationship with the one true God through a lived out faith in Jesus Christ. Our name comes from the description of the early church in Act 2:42 that says of those gatherings of Christians:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
We see this as an important model in what it means to be the church, God’s people, those called out to shine God’s light in this world and tell of God’s love which was on display in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
Over the years, the group has grown and changed and we now find ourselves looking forward and asking the question, “What’s next?” In the past year the adult leadership of the group has prayerfully sought God’s direction for {2:42} and taking the elements of Acts 2:42 and what we believe they point to in the gospel, we have come to these four foundational corners for what {2:42} is all about:
- We follow Jesus. It is by his sacrifice that we can live in God’s grace and by his example we know how to live. Everything begins and ends with Jesus.
- We tell the story, the gospel. The good news that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection offers all a chance at new life is the story we tell.
- We live as a community of believers. We don’t walk this walk alone, but instead we walk it with our brothers and sisters in Christ. The way we love is the way we witness.
- We live as a preview of the Kingdom of God. We are looking forward to the coming of Jesus and God’s Kingdom by living out his values now. This shapes what we do.
All of this to say that at {2:42} we strive to offer a meaningful expression of the good news that Jesus Christ came to show us God, to make a way for us to experience a relationship with God, and will one day set wholly right what has been broken by the power of sin and corruption in God’s good creation. Through God’s Spirit we are able to live in that goodness even amidst the brokenness that still clings to this world. Our teens are offered so much junk in this world, so many empty promises about where to find meaning and how to know who they really are and they ultimately lead to broken hearts and broken lives. If we offer them anything less than the good news of God’s story, we’ve only offered them more of the same.
That’s what this blog is trying to be. Another way for us to offer the teens of {2:42}, and whomever might stumble across it, tools to deepen their understanding of the God who loves them beyond belief, what it means to truly live a whole life because of him, and how that life can be a light of joy, hope, and love for those in need.
My name is Joe Watkins and this is what I feel called to do. I’m the youth pastor at New Life and through our activities, and our lessons, our plans and our events we want the teens of New Life to know that God loves them and that a life lived FOR God is a live truly lived.