A careful reading of this guide is necessary to discern exactly what Adventures in Missions values. The World Race parents guide (update 9/16/20 new google doc link, may have some changes ) is intended for parents to understand exactly what the World Race is all about.
After reading it, we have two main concerns.
1. The pure sweet Gospel of Christ is not at the heart of their “mission”.
2. Intentional distancing of family and the faith “learned from childhood” (2 Tim 3) is encouraged.
Keep this verse in mind as you read on.
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” Eph 4:4-7, 13-14
We are called to one, true faith and as we mature in that faith we should mature in our ability to discern these deceitful schemes of the devil.
As a caveat, we understand that it is good and necessary for young people to leave home, to get married, for a job, etc. It is biblical for a couple to leave and cleave and/or to separate financial responsibilities, etc.(Gen 2:24) However, this is very different than abandoning the family of your youth and discovering a “new” faith.
The parents’ guide offers this insight into what AIM’s schemes are:
PROCESS OF INITIATION
“We practice radical discipleship, and this involves a process…Our young people
struggle with feelings of being illegitimate adults because there is no rite
of passage. The only option they feel they’re left with is rebellion that
leads to a tearing away from their parents. That tearing away may take
years to mend and heal. The World Race offers a healthy option in the
process of initiation.”
It struck us that the initiation process intended to prepare young people for an 11 month missions trip neglects to mention Christ or winning souls to Him. Missions is NOT about making legitimate adults and this self-centered focus is alarming.
Rebellion being the “only option” for young people denied a “right of passage” into adulthood is absurd. Parents, Seth is saying you fell short in raising your children and adequately preparing them for adulthood.
“We expect Racers will go through the first three to four stages on the
World Race, and the final two to three as they return home and on into
their continuing life journey.
1) ABANDONMENT
Everything starts with a call to leave the old security and structure and lean into the challenge of moving into the unknown. They are asked to leave their homes, and the comfort of current close relationships… Their mission is the same as Abraham’s: “get out of your country, from your family, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1).”
Seth insists this “mission” is required. Is he correct? It hardly seems necessary to note that this was a specific call to Abraham, through whom God would build a nation set apart to be His people. His call does not apply to all believers. There is no Scripture that commands this and Seth’s use of this passage as a proof text for his idea is a mishandling of Scripture.
His entire premise, that this call of Abraham is the reason parents need to let their children go, is using a “descriptive” passage of the Old Testament to be a “prescriptive” command for our lives.
Abraham was living in a pagan and idolatrous family (Josh 24:2) when he was chosen by God to be the man through whom He would build the nation of Israel. Through Abraham’s lineage God’s Son, Jesus Christ would ultimately come. Clearly, this call was not one that applies to all of us.
We are called to leave the old pattern of worldly, sinful living when we come to Christ (2 Cor 5:17). This is the only calling that is true for all who will come to Christ in faith, and it does not mean we are all called to leave our family and the faith that is genuine. Rather, these are to be considered a blessing from the Lord to embrace not abandon. Nowhere in Scripture are children instructed to abandon the family and the faith taught by their parents.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deut 6:5-7
Each person needs to have a faith that is their own, having come in repentance to a merciful Savior, but they are called to embrace “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) taught by parents. They are not to abandon that faith for “new” ideas offered in its place.
As Paul exhorts Timothy, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ” 2 Tim 3:14-17
2) BROKENNESS
“This moving from the old leads into a season of insecurity and questioning. They can no longer rely on someone else’s belief systems or experiences. In order to make their faith their own they must be willing to embark on a treacherous journey of faith toward God. It is a transition and, although scary and painful, it is absolutely necessary.”
The transition from a childlike faith to a true saving faith does involve forgoing reliance on someone else’s personal faith and submission to Christ. But, parents encourage this by example and sharing the Gospel, teaching their children to acknowledge a personal recognition of sin. This is how each person will be adopted as children of God and justified before Him. We will all stand before the Judge alone and we individually need to be wearing Christ’s robe of righteousness. The legacy of faith taught in Christian homes should be seen as invaluable to bring young adults to saving faith.
3) DEPENDENCE
“Brokenness leads them to find faith molded out of their own experiences and creates a new dependence upon God. It’s a nerve-racking time to swing from one security net to the other. In the end, this new dependence and faith in God will serve them on the World Race and for the rest of their lives. They will find themselves saying yes when God calls them to things previous generations have been afraid to embrace.”
Repentance leads them to faith. Where is Christ in any of this? Parents, he is mocking you as being afraid to embrace what he is going to offer your kids.
4) EMPOWERMENT
“In this time of true dependency upon God something incredible begins to happen. God starts answering their prayers in ways they have never experienced before. He actually seems to challenge them to believe and ask for more; they begin to believe for and ultimately see the miraculous. Doing greater works talked about in John 14:12 becomes their goal…”
The “greater works” does not mean greater in power. It means greater in extent meaning we are fulfilling the Great Commission to share the Gospel to the world, (Christ’s earthly ministry was limited to Israel) making disciples empowered by a life submitted to Christ and filled by the Spirit. It does not mean performing signs and wonders which can also be mimicked by Satan.
5) CALLING
“While God is meeting them at the point of renewed faith they hear a whisper of God’s plan for their lives. Perhaps in this stage, they will sense God imparting a specific focus or calling. The goal of this time is to create an environment for God to speak about ministry. It’s a time of rediscovery that could lead them into areas that might be unexpected or even unrelated to their education. Much of this rediscovery is done near the end of the World Race and into their first several months home.”
Still nothing of Christ or the Bible for that matter.
6) CONFIRMATION
“The World Race is not an all-encompassing experience. After the conclusion of their journey, we begin to see clarity to the calling. We begin to see real-world applications. As they begin to lay out the plan they are sensing from God, there will be a confirming sense of God’s presence apparent to those around them. This continues to be a time of discovery, so we as a World Race staff are working on post-Race options that will give better direction to calling and confirmation.
Racers need to be fully released and fully empowered by the Lord. Scary? Yes, but we believe it is the most successful and healthy way to go through the process.”
Why does Seth keep using the word scary? Maybe scary is not the right word…maybe it is unsettling and unnecessary. Hence the feeling that there is something wrong here.
THE PRESENCE OF GOD
“One of the foundations of our discipleship model is that every Racer would break dependency on everything but the presence of God in their lives. The journey away from the familiar is imperative to this goal: they must journey away from the guidance of family, the security of friends, and the predictability of their everyday lives. They must learn to rely on their own pursuit of the things of God.Even if they’ve been taught good worldviews and theologies, they need to move beyond the spoon-feeding into new and deeper ways of thinking.”
Even if they have been taught good theology? Your faithful teaching of God’s Word to your child is termed spoon-feeding? Seth is going to give your kids HIS newer, deeper way of thinking and it will not be the faith taught by our Lord Jesus and His apostles.
THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT
“Throughout the World Race, each participant will be expected to learn the discipline of listening prayer.If God truly speaks and gives us the ability to discern his voice, then a life of listening to the Spirit of God on all occasions and for every purpose is the best life possible. Everything we do is rooted in the lifestyle practice of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is a new concept to most of the Racers, but has life-changing results.”
This is a perfect example of Seth conforming these kids to HIS theology. For a man that does not exalt Christ anywhere in his writings, is he really the one you want teaching your kids how to hear the voice of God? This is a mystical practice associated with Eastern religions and mystics. It is not biblical. Seth wrote the book they are expected to read.
Here is more information, “Centering prayer (listening prayer) is an unbiblical and dangerous practice. It can put a person in an altered state of consciousness and open him up to a spiritual connection that is not in harmony with Scripture. Instead, we are to seek God in prayers that are non-repetitious, with a focus on God’s word and truth, with an active mind seeking to find the true and living God through the revelation of the Scripture and communion with his son Jesus. In short, avoid centering prayer and avoid whatever church promotes it.”
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
“We emphasize listening prayer. We believe God wants to communicate with us daily in a personal way. We ask, listen, and obey: asking God for guidance, listening for His response, and obeying Him to the best of our ability.”
COMMUNICATION LET YOUR RACER GO
“You’ve given your sons and daughters the best years of your life; you’ve been there and provided for them. Because of this, you may feel entitled to some things from them in return. Truthfully, one of the most helpful things you can do now is to give them the space they need to find their own identity and faith.”
Their own faith? There is only one.
“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed…” Jude 3
If you have brought your children up to fear the Lord Jesus Christ and submit to His gracious care as our Redeemer, this is NOT the faith that they will be taught from this organization. They are asking you to release them to their teaching and to abandon the faith of their youth. This is not biblical. Please read the testimonies we’ve shared in other blog posts and also the other areas we have pointed out concern about the thoughts towards parents.
“The focus of the World Race must remain on making it the best discipleship experience we can for the Racers — including helping them step into their own identity as adults.”
Missions is not about making adults, it is about sharing the Good News about Jesus Christ.
“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
1 Cor 2:2
Missions and Mysticism 