RYFO Mission & Vision: Serving Practical Needs

RYFO’s network of host homes offer musicians a place to rest and recharge. A place where they can feel safe and cared for. What would happen if the Church came together to serve musicians? All musicians regardless of background, beliefs or genre of music.

Do you love where you live? Why not serve where you live?

By: Simeon Lohrmann

From the outset of RYFO’s musician ministry we chose to prioritize service. We believe that sacrificial service is central to our Christian mandate to love others. Jesus modeled a lifestyle of service to His disciples, and as His followers we have the opportunity to embody His character through our actions. To that end here are some thoughts on what is required to cultivate a lifestyle of service, as well as a reflection on the transformative impact service has had for the artists RYFO serves.

The individualistic culture of our day has made servanthood a commodity. As we each pursue our own happiness the needs that surround us often go unnoticed, or if we notice them we often wait to respond until doing so is convenient, or whenever we need to feel good about ourselves. The reality is that rather than making servanthood a way of life, most people outsource service by resigning it to a community project or an event.

Every one of RYFO’s host families has made a lifestyle choice to prioritize service. They’ve chosen to allow their home to be transformed from a place of personal refuge to a mission field. Furthermore, they’ve gone through the process of viewing everything they have as a gift from God. In response they’ve made the conscious choice to give generously and serve sacrificially. This conscious commitment has proven to be deeply impactful to the artists we serve.

From the stage to their merch tables these same artists are accustomed to existing in a self-protective performance mode where they rarely feel safe to let their guard down. They live with the constant challenge of judging the motives of those who want to be around them. Contrary to this reality RYFO’s Host Homes provide a refuge where artists can safely rest and simply be. Spaces where they don’t have to perform or impress. Environments where the Holy Spirit is at work. RYFO’s Host Homes are more than a crash pad with a warm meal, or a place to grab a shower and wash some laundry, they’re beacons of light and hope.

Reflection

• What are you doing to cultivate a lifestyle of service?
• Are there needs around you that God is inviting you to respond to?