"This is absolutely brilliant."
This thought has crossed my mind almost on a daily basis as we learn more about the Norwegian Settler's Church's outreaches through Genesis in the Marburg community. Genesis is like a breeding ground for brilliantly creative approaches to taking church out into the community AND bringing Christ into every aspect of life. Through God's amazing grace and provision, Genesis outreaches have become "if you build it, they will come".
Take the Vikings Rugby Academy, for example. Genesis started meeting community needs through their hospice and training facilities. These have maintained their central focus of existing as a means of reaching people with Christ's story. It didn't take long for God to show Genesis leadership that a response to a young population was on the horizon. In 2005, the Vikings Rugby Academy was created. Their motto is to "mold young men to be ambassadors for Christ in the rugby arena". Recruits from all walks of life come live on campus for rigorous physical training, discipleship, coursework, and community involvement. The academy is a top training facility and students have gone on to make a career of rugby.
We attend church with these young men. In fact, our very first service at NSC, the rugby players floored us by singing "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" clad in their uniforms. It was powerful to see young men, cool men, future leaders, unabashedly singing for Christ.
This is absolutely brilliant. We love working here. We love how creative and open minded Genesis is about reaching the surrounding area for Christ. We love the variety of platforms through which they do this. We love seeing the spiritual FRUIT of these outreach efforts. Pray with us that God will continue to give Genesis brilliantly creative approaches to reaching a lost world for Him!
