One year ago, wrote a Mission Statement for a club he hoped to start. (Remember, this was written by a 16 year old):

"Salt and Light exists to glorify God by battling the moral and spiritual decline of America and to bring hope, healing, and true humanity to ourselves, our community, and our world. We believe that our nation and our world deeply, desperately needs change, and that proof only needs to be found by looking the state of America and our world. Yet how is America sick? How is it that our world is fallen?

America is absorbed with violence. How many children in America witness brutally realistic recreations of violence on television every single day, and are as a result apathetic to death entirely? How many videogames exist where people are hacked to pieces and where sinful perversions of sex are one of the main attractions? The number of teenagers addicted to pornography is skyrocketing. Abortion on demand is available to women all over the country, sometimes up through the third trimester of pregnancy. Our society more and more promotes short-sighted, individual selfishness without regard to the greater good of mankind. True community is often forsaken and lost, substituted with shallow, pale replacements like addiction to videogames and television. Selfless dedication to God is the extreme exception instead of the norm, lukewarm Christianity the expectation desired.

Our world likewise is fallen, forsaken, and suffering. How many children are there who cry themselves to sleep every night because their parents died of AIDS? The answer: Millions. Millions of women are trafficked internationally in horrific sex-slave operations. Twenty-seven million people still live in slavery. A thousand books could be written dutifully detailing everything wrong with the world. Yet most of us in America will never do anything about it.

God has a greater calling for his people. He has called us to be warriors, revolutionaries, filled with mercy and truth and wisdom. God declared to us in his word:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

We can live out this calling. One of the lies of our culture is that we can’t be the light of the world. “If you do make a difference,” our culture says, “that’s because you’re special. As for ordinary people, they’re going to be ordinary forever.” But this isn’t true! Inside every one of us is a faint glimmering, a barely audible murmuring that we are meant for something more. There is more to life than doing well in school, getting a good job, and living comfortably with a decent income. There is more to life than videogames, television, basketball and football, and there is even more to life than romance.

Salt and Light’s mission is to empower teenagers to transform into beacons of light in our world, to know God and to make God known. We exist to extend the arms of love through our communities, showing men and women what it means to follow Christ with reckless abandon.
The revolution starts now. Will you join us?"



He wanted it to focus on community and global outreach. However, as many of you know, Jon was diagnosed with brain cancer and died at the end of 2008. Now a group of his close friends (myself included) are starting this club in his name and (more importantly) in God's name.

I have a few important questions to ask of you. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Follower of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Member of the Church of Scientology, Atheist, or Agnostic, I would greatly appreciate if you could help me answer the following questions. I love to have as much input as I can.

1. Would you be put off if this were advertised as a community outreach club rooted in religion? We are doing this in the name of Jesus, and our meetings would probably begin and end in prayer. I know that bothers many Atheists and Agnostics. When I was an Atheist, I know it would have bothered me. But I know that many Atheists care greatly about helping others and would jump at the opportunity. I am curious as to see how most Atheists would react.

2. Do you have any suggestions for Service Projects? Most likely, the most difficult part of this club will be thinking of projects that will keep the members interested and involved in helping the community and people across the globe. If you have any suggestions of projects to do, anything from making cards for nursing homes to founding a huge continent-wide irrigation program, I would love to hear them!

3. Do you have any ideas for fundraisers? A huge part of what we are doing is trying to help people in the poorer parts of the world. Seeing as we don't live in these areas, the best we can do for some people is send money to help promote AIDS awareness or support Global Hunger Relief programs. For this, we will need money.

4. Any ideas for a logo? Since DeviantArt is a community of artists, I figured you guys may have some good ideas for a logo. The name of the club is Salt and Light. I don't need sketches or anything, just a description if you'd like.

Thanks so much guys!