‘Tis the season for final exams and summer vacation, and high school students across the country are brimming with joy at the prospect of a break from school. While there’s certainly a lot to be said for rest and rejuvenation during the hotter months of the year, there’s also a certain temptation that comes along with a 12-week break: the temptation of excessive self-indulgence.
We’re not trying to sound condescending or oppressive – we love a good day on the beach as much as anyone! But with 3 months of no obligations stretching out in front of them, even the most conscientious teenager can miss opportunities to further the Kingdom and live out the gospel.
Here are a few ideas on how a partnership with Doulos Partners can help to plan an intentional, purposeful summer for your high schooler that offers rest and keeps them mission-minded over the break.
Offer Support to a Church Planter Overseas
Our main focus at Doulos is to fund and support native church planters in 28 countries around the world, and your teenager can help with that, too. On average, it takes $50 to support a church planter for one month. Whether it’s donating a certain percentage of their summer job earnings to Doulos (100% of which will be used to support pastors in the field), praying for the pastors we support, or even joining us on one of our trips overseas, there are many ways for a high school student to significantly impact a church plant and help spread the gospel to the people in that country.
Pray Regularly for Church Planters
Did you know that one of the most requested actions we have from our church planters around the world is for us to pray for them? Setting aside intentional time in prayer on behalf of the men and women around the world who are planting churches and sharing the gospel is a great way to engage in Kingdom building around the world. Need some help on who to pray for or what to pray for? Sign up for our Prayergram. Each month we send out ways you can be actively praying for our church planters in their country and for their ministry.
Go See the Work in the Field
If you are a current partner with us, you can take your teenager on a trip with us to see what God is doing among the nations. These short-term trips with Doulos Partners can help your high schooler develop and maintain a missional mindset, not just during the summer, but all the time. Getting to be part of a foreign culture and building a relationship with our indigenous church planters while actively telling people about Jesus will help them to view their own culture, and their own relationship with Christ, in a very different way – and ultimately, it will spur them on to spreading the gospel as a way of life.
Interested in learning more about us? You can read our story here.
