What people are saying about AWAKEN...

This drama brings out emotions and feelings in people that they need to explore… Awaken is a great way to present the gospel to appeal to all ages and people at every faith level!Sonya Lorntson
(Youth Director) Gilbert, IA Read more...

Who We Are :: What We Believe

Awaken is guided by our mission and vision, as well as our values.

The Mission

Through our Epic Drama, our mission is to:
Awaken hearts to the story of the Gospel through an encounter with Jesus Christ.

As a relational ministry to young-adults, our desire is:
To engage disciples of Jesus in a life-giving community of authentic relationships with a mission greater than themselves.

Vision

Our vision is to see team members:
Awakened to and living in God’s Epic Story
Walking in relationship with God from an alive, free heart
Equipped to initiate life-giving fellowships and make disciples

And those who experience the drama:
Given a clear, powerful, and relevant presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit to dive deeper into the truths of God’s Story in His Word.
Connected with and growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ in a local church or faith community.

Values:

Jesus is life
(Acts 17:27-28, Jn. 17:3, 1 Cor. 2:1-2, Lk. 14:15-24)
Jesus Christ is the source and the reason for all we are and do. The ministry is for the sole purpose of knowing Jesus deeper and making Him known. We strive to be faithful to the call of Jesus to follow him above all else in this world which so often competes for our time, energy, and attention.

The Gospel Story is worthy to be portrayed with excellence
(Col. 4:3-5, Col. 3:23, 1 Cor. 9:22-23, Jn. 1:14, 1 Cor. 2:2-4)
AWAKEN is a message centered ministry. This means that in every aspect of the production, the most important element is conveying the Gospel message. Thus, no element of the production will ever take priority in a way that compromises the clarity of the message.

Because God has given us the gifts to be creative thinkers, artists, and innovators, and we are working only for His approval, we desire excellence in every aspect of the production. Therefore, it will be delivered with clarity, relevance, and power. Our definition of excellence is doing the most and the very best we can with what God has given at the time, whether it is in finances, resources, time, or talent. Thus, team members will be placed in roles in the production that fit their current skills and experience, while still offering a challenge to grow. The production will be the best it can be with the current level of resources, acting abilities, and volunteer hours.

The message of the Gospel will never change, but we will always seek to adapt and change the way it is communicated to fit the context we are in. Love, hope, and compassion are always relevant. AWAKEN will always seek to be relevant in our desire to make a deep and important connection with all people.

Telling God’s Story through the use of drama is a proclamation of the Word, thus holding the power to bring people face to face with the love of Jesus and change lives. The power comes not from the production, but the Author of the Story, God Himself. As a storyteller of this divine drama, AWAKEN has the opportunity and the duty to bring the story to life in a way that is vibrant, dynamic, and inspiring--never boring.

Young adult/college ministry is vital
(Prov. 22:6, 1 Tim. 4:12, Prov. 3:1-3)
The 20’s provide one of the most opportune and critical times to connect with, impact, and train young men and women as they prepare for major life decisions including relationships, vocation, and faith. A ministry designed for this age group is a solid investment in the future of the church as a whole. Out of all age groups today, those ages 18-32 are the least likely to describe themselves as religious, as Christian, or as committed Christians. Young adults are not the future of the church—they are the church now, and desperately need people to walk beside them on the journey from youth to adulthood. Although people of all ages support the ministry in many ways, our ability to relate to and walk with the team is based on a leadership team from the same age demographic.

We value people over production
(Luke 10:41-42, 1 Cor. 13:1-3)
AWAKEN strives to hold the production and community aspects of the ministry in a healthy balance. Although we desire excellence in all aspects of the production, it never overshadows the need for the story to be deep and personally taking hold of us. Thus, the production is never more important than the spiritual health of a team or audience member. Granted, the ministry demands our very best, producing sometimes long and difficult work. At times the nature of our work takes us away from personal interaction and into production. Yet this work is always for the greater purpose of impacting as many people with the message of Jesus as possible. Jesus never promised us that doing his work would be easy. AWAKEN will strive to remain open to the Spirit’s leading and the counsel of trusted leaders to keep a healthy balance between the work and spiritual development of its volunteers. The group of people AWAKEN has been called to reach are young adults who are first and foremost God’s people with hearts to care for. Thus, whether in intentional community, discipleship, or production tasks, every opportunity will be seen as a teaching and training moment—a chance to deepen our love for God and each other.

We are a catalyst (not a replacement) for the local church
(Acts, 2:42-47, Romans 12:5, Ecc. 4:10-12, Phil 3:13-14, Eph, 4:12-14)
The local church is the intended and most effective context to follow Jesus and grow in spiritual maturity. The Christian journey of living from the heart was never meant to be walked alone. Participating in God’s mission as disciples is most effectively done in and through life-giving community. Thus, a significant amount of time, energy, and resources are put towards the cultivation of the AWAKEN community for the sake of strengthening the faith of the team and its outreach. The on-stage effectiveness is a direct reflection of the off-stage development of the team in community.

Although AWAKEN is a powerful and effective minister to young adults and audience members on their faith journeys, we desire all people to be connected with and growing as a part of a local church or faith community in a daily and weekly setting. We desire to strengthen and equip the Church by helping its members encounter Jesus in new and dynamic ways, live lives of authentic discipleship, and make disciples themselves. The AWAKEN attack and tour schedule are set up in a way to find a healthy balance between the time members spend with the AWAKEN community, as well as their own communities at school, work, and in the family.