Fusion on Tour

While being in Peru, Fusion (young adult ministry at my church), decided to embark on a light version of Fusion on Tour. Fusion on Tour was a brainchild that was hatched a couple of years ago by our ministry leaders. Pastor Johnson is very much an advocate of our generation learning how to "be the church" and not just attend church. It is so easy to get into a Wednesday Fusion service groove and leave behind all the practical concepts that we learn from the teachings. To help shake things up, 2 years ago, Pastor J announced at one service that he was shutting down Fusion for 6 weeks.

That was a HUGE deal. Fusion is really big on community and living out life together so to not meet on our regular Wednesday was hard. It was our routine. Yeah we had small groups that meet during the week and people hung out all the time but not being immersed in our amazing worship sets with the band or hearing an inspiring message from Pastor J was hard to fathom. Instead of our regular weekly meetings, we had to go out into the community and actually be the church. Each week, there are different "tour dates." Tour dates include anything from sharing your testimony online on FB and tag friends and family members that are not saved, buying someone a coke to show them that Jesus loves them, building a bridge with a friend or family member that you have lost contact with over the years, or take a coworker to lunch day. Simple gestures that open the door for your to introduce (or re-introduce) people to Jesus.

Fusion on Tour launch night is always night of chaos and adrenaline. Small group leaders gather their groups together to give out their assignments. The tasks are simple. Some go the local gas station and pre-pay for gas for people. Some go to a restaurant and talk with the server about God (my group went to Hooters last year). Some may go to a fast food place and pay for food for people in line. One group last year went to the local Publix grocery store, bought food for the employees, stocked shelves, mopped floors, took customers groceries to their cars, and just prayed for random people around the store. It's always AMAZING the stories and reports that flow in from people that did little things around their community that make such a huge impact in the lives of people.

This year, Fusion is doing a "light" version of Fusion on Tour. Kind of a bummer but with so many changes and transitions going on, I wasn't sure if were even doing the tour. Only one week off and just a couple of tour dates during that off week. I love the "Fusion Goes Viral" date the most. Everyone posts their testimony online for the world to see. It's amazing and eye opening when people open their heart and share where God has pulled them from. You never really know what some one's life was like in their BC (before Christ) days but the end result is always glory for God.

I have shared more of an edited version of my own testimony with most people and have been a bit more open here (more for therapeutic reasons). Think its finally time to tell the whole story, no sugar coating, no details left out. Sharing my story with the girls at The Nancy Cole House (rescue shelter for former sex trafficking victims) in Peru made me feel like my story was relevant considering their own pasts. I was a little shocked when I was asked to share my story but I knew it was all in God's timing. Missionaries have the best intentions but sometimes, living a relatively "sheltered" Christian life gets lost in translation when talking with a 12 year old who has been forced to have sex with 40 men a day for the past 5 years. Hearing what God has done from someone who has been abused and abandoned resonates more when you can relate.

It may take a couple of days to get my story together to post and at the same time, process my experience in Peru. Lots to do!