The blog below is based on this episode of “What’s God Doing?” and the video below the blog.
There are many places to serve God; why not at the beach?
Jesus ministered in many contexts, and on some occasions even he served his Father amongst the waves:
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables.
Matthew 13:1-3a
Jesus had just spent days speaking in the synagogue, sharing parables, healing people, and dealing with Pharisees who wanted to kill him, and took a moment to sit by the sea. Unsurprisingly, “great crowds” find him and desire to hear from and be healed by him.
The beach is apparently an effective place to make God known.
This shouldn’t be a surprise; locations alongside water have historically drawn people because of the access to resources, commerce, and relaxation. Jesus was not in a solitary place, but one bustling with activity; even more, these people came with longings within them. If they were there for the commerce, they sensed there was something they needed, like bread; little did they know they’d encounter the Bread of Life. If they came for relaxation, they sensed they were in need of peace; little did they know the Prince of Peace was among them.
The beach poses a unique opportunity to encounter a diverse range of people with a diverse range of longings, and there is one God who knows them all. When we position ourselves as Ambassadors, incredible things can happen.
We want this for the current generation of young adults. YWAM Virginia has committed for decades to equipping young adults to “Know God and Make Him Known”, and we are trying something new (and very exciting)!
This fall, we are unveiling our new approach to our Beach DTS! Students will have to opportunity to learn more about God, who He’s made them to be, and how He is equipping them to serve, all at a beautiful beach house in Nags Head, NC, USA; then, they will spread out on outreaches to beaches around the world to live what they’ve learned! Along the way, they will press into unique tools-of-ministry God affords them on the beach, such as sand sports, waterside worship, and creative media. In the end, these students will be equipped to serve like Jesus, prepared to show compassion to the great crowds gathered on the shore!
