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You gain a life for the Kingdom

I am sitting at a table in a beautiful place: Shalom Valley. Literally a place of peace. Around me are dozens of teenagers and children. For the past few days, I have been helping at a camp, together with a team of Dutch people. We tried to make contact, which wasn't so easy since I don't speak Khmer and they barely speak English. The participants have virtually nothing. They walk around in their fake brand clothing or fake soccer jerseys. For these participants, a healthy meal every night, a sa...

Why your BBQ should be at least 60cm

Years ago I read an article by John Piper. I think it had this title: "Use your home as a weapon for the gospel" - and the idea was relatively simple. We (almost) all have a place where we live, a place we call “home". In our culture, this is often primarily a private place, 'our' place, individual - as in not a place for the collective. Of course, you can't completely juxtapose that, but John Piper's call was something like: "What would happen if we radically opened our homes to others?" What...

For three years now, Tom has been meeting with the Rotterdam-based Gvencio

They have an age difference of 12 years, come from a totally different environment, but nevertheless have been going out with each other every week for years. Tom Evenblij (26) is Alongsider of Gvencio (14) from Rotterdam and enjoys sharing his faith with him. "I have really noticed that sometimes there are so few words involved, that someone's life changes just by you being there."The two already met on Friday evening, at a Bible club for young people. "A very busy, creative boy, who flies in a...

5 ideas for discipleship this summer ☀️ (and beyond)

Summer is coming - have you got your flip-flops ready? Maybe you are looking forward to sunny days at the beach or a backpacking trip to the mountains. Cool, because holidays are something we all need. More space to think, to be quiet, to meet others. To pray. Reflect and make new plans. What place do you give discipleship this summer (holiday)? And what role does it play in making your (holiday) plans? Five ideas to get you started....

Discipleship in the margin

"Are you going to evangelise with me on Saturday?" More than 15 years ago I was asked this question, and to be honest I felt guilty about saying 'no'. After all, in my mind this was the big assignment. Come on Mart-Jan, sharing the good news of Jesus, that is the most beautiful thing there is, isn't it? And of course it is. I felt guilty mainly because I would be going against something that Jesus told us to do, and He was my Master, wasn't He? Isn't He in charge? Wasn't the great command in Mat...

Qëllimi - një nga vlerat tona

Luka 4: 18- 19“Fryma e Zotit është mbi mua, sepse ai më vajosi për të ungjillizuar të varfërit; ai më dërgoi për të shëruar ata që e kanë zemrën të thyer, për të shpallur çlirimin e të burgosurve dhe kthimin e të parit të verbërve, për të çliruar përsëri të shtypurit, dhe për të predikuar vitin e pranueshëm të Zotit“.Zoti më ka zgjedhur mua. Prandaj Fryma e tij është me mua. Zoti më ka dërguar për t'u treguar njerëzve të varfër lajmin e mirë. Dhe p�...

Amy & Demy (testimonial)

CLASS MEMBERS - Read the story of Alongsider Amy and her "younger sister"!Amy was looking for Christians of her age with whom she could talk about her faith. She didn't find any in her area, but through the BEAM church services she ended up at an online (?) evening of Youth Alpha. She liked it so much that she decided to take the course, which gave her exactly what she was looking for.When the end of the Youth Alpha course was in sight, Amy heard about Alongsiders for the first time. If she want...

Rianne & Maris (testimonial)

BIBLE - Meet Alongsider Rianne and her younger sister!Rianne and Maris know each other through the Overstag Sports Community in Lewenburg, Groningen. Every summer holiday they hold a sports week. During that week Maris came along with a friend to play football. At one point, Maris had to step aside; her ankle hurt. Rianne went over to chat with her and finally she was allowed to pray for her and her ankle. During that prayer Maris' ankle became completely pain-free! That is where the special bon...

What does it bring me & What does it bring others?

Okay, you want to become a Alongsider, but why would you do that?I regularly get the question "what brings me?" or "what brings others?". I understand these questions. After all, in what you do, you want to be sure that you are contributing, that you are putting your energy into something good. That question stems entirely from something we call 'purpose' - we all want to live for something, right?Before we look at good reasons for becoming a Alongsider and take stock of what it brings us, it is...

Përkatësia - një nga vlerat tona

Romakëve 12:5 ... Kështu edhe ne, megjithëse jemi shumë, jemi një trup në Krishtin, dhe secili prej nesh është gjymtyrë e tjetrit.  Në të njëjtën mënyrë, ne së bashku formojmë një trup, sepse të gjithë i përkasim Krishtit. Por ne të gjithë kemi funksionin tonë....

Ji i Urtë - Fuqizimi është një nga vlerat tona

“Kur ne bëjmë diçka për ata që janë në nevojë të cilën ata kanë aftësi ta bëjnë vetë  për veten, ne i shfuqizojmë ata” - Robert Lupton...

Jini të Urtë - Të shkallëzuara - një nga vlerat tona

Vizioni i Bashkudhëtarëve është të shohin lëvizjet e Bashkudhëtarëve të rriten rreth botës, duke filluar me pak grupe në çdo shtet, dhe duke u rritur në qindra ose madje mijëra bashkudhëtarë që zgjedhin të ndjekin Jezusin duke ecur me dashuri krahas fëmijëve të pambrojtur. Një lëvizje e tillë nuk mund të bëhet sepse drejtohet nga marrëdhëniet. Por duke trajnuar partnerët vendas për t’u mobilizuar në një mënyrë ndërvepruese, lëvizja është e shkallëzua...

Jini të URTË - Frymëzues - një nga vlerat tona

Është e rëndësishme që Bashkudhëtarët të motivohen nga dashuria dhe të frymëzohen (literalisht: të mbushur me Frymën e Shenjtë) më tepër sesa nga paraja ose premtimi i shpërblimeve ose turpi, faji apo detyrimi. Për këtë arsye ne nuk i paguajmë ose mbështesim në mënyrë direkte ose indirekte dishepujt/ bashkudhëtarët. Jetimët dhe fëmijet e pambrojtur/të varfër kanë tepër nevojë për dashuri dhe dashuria e pakushtëzuar nuk mund të blihet, shitet apo prodhohet por ...

Jini të Urtë - Tërësisht - një nga parimet tona

Lëvizja Bashkudhëtarët dëshiron të shohë fëmijët e pambrojtur të restauruar dhe të transformuar nga ana sociale, emocionale, mendore, fizike dhe frymërore kështu që ata të jetojnë si qënie humane të plota. Ky transformim dhe restaurim do të prekë marrëdhëniet brenda familjeve dhe vendin ku ata jetojnë ashtu si dhe sistemet dhe strukturat rreth atyre marrëdhënieve. Çdo lëvizje dishepullizimi që merret me restaurimin duhet t’i kushtojë vëmendje konflikteve midis prin...

Mjeshtëria - një nga vlerat tona

1 Korintasve 11:1 Jini imituesit e mi, siç jam unë imitues i Krishtit. Jetoni si unë sepse unë jetoj si Krishti....

Pronësia - Një nga vlerat tona

Dhe të njëmbëdhjetë dishepujt shkuan në Galile, në malin ku i kishte thirrur Jezusi. Dhe kur e panë Atë, e adhuruan, por disa dyshuan. Dhe Jezusi iu afrua atyre dhe u foli atyre duke thënë: “Mua më është dhënë çdo pushtet në qiell dhe në tokë. Shkoni, pra, dhe bëni dishepuj nga të gjitha kombet, duke i pagëzuar në emër të Atit dhe të Birit dhe të Frymës së Shenjtë, duke i mësuar të zbatojnë gjithçka që ju kam urdhëruar. Dhe ja, unë jam me ju gjithmonë, der...

Commitment 5 - I want to grow in discipleship

You are still young. But make sure that everyone takes you seriously. Be an example to other believers by what you say and by how you live. Be an example by your love and your faith, and by living the way God wants you to.Let no one despise you because of your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in walk, in love, in spirit, in faith and in purity.1 Timothy 4:12A good student wants to be like his teacher. And a good slave will be like his master. I am your teacher and your master.I...

Commitment 4 - I protect my younger brother or sister

... to never use violence against my younger brother/sister and I promise to protect him/her from violence. ... to protect my younger brother/sister from sexual abuse and promise to report any abuse immediately. Offering protection requires taking care of and standing up for the person you are responsible for. You stand up for your younger brother/sister when they are in trouble. And also you warn them of anything that could be hurtful or damaging. This commitment requires you to prote...

Commitment 3 - I encourage my younger brother or sister

The aim of all my work is to give you courage. I want you to be united by your love for one another. For only in this way can you understand everything and truly come to know Christ. He is the secret that God has revealed. With him you will find all wisdom and knowledge....that their hearts may be encouraged, joined together in love, and come to the full riches of the full assurance of understanding, to know the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasur...

Commitment 2 - I invest in my younger brother or sister

I give you a new rule: Love one another. You must love one another as I have loved you. Then everyone will see that you are my disciples. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all will see that you are My disciples: if you have love among yourselves. John 13:34-35 Love one another as brothers and sisters love one another. Always show that you have respect for the other. Love one another with brotherly love. G...

Commitment 1 - I want to follow Jesus

Jesus said to all people, 'If you want to be my follower, don't think about yourself anymore. On the contrary, you must be prepared to give up your life every day. And you must go with me.' Jesus said to all: 'If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.'Luke 9:23...

Purpose - one of our values

Luke 4:18-19The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me; He has sent Me to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberty to captives and sight to the blind, to send the downtrodden to freedom, to preach the year of the Lord's good pleasure.God has chosen me. Therefore His Spirit is with me. God has sent me to tell poor people the good news. And to tell prisoners that they are free again. To tell the blind that they will see again. And to help peopl...

Ownership - one of our values

Matthew 28: 16-20And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had summoned them. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the...

Mastery - one of our values

1 Corinthians 11:1, Be imitators of me, as I am imitators of Christ.Live like me! For I live like Christ....

Belonging - one of our values

Romans 12:5 ... And so we, though many, are one body in Christ, yet every one of us is a member of another.In the same way, we together form one body, for we all belong to Christ. But we all have our own function....