After leading thousands of voices in singing in the Nationwide Arena Friday morning, Jeremy Kempf told the youth audience, “Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city.” Then he introduced Shane Claiborne, the main speaker for the morning worship service.

Claiborne, who has become nearly as familiar to convention-goers as black drawstring backpacks, delivered a message of radical hope to the responsive gathering.

Referencing Mother Teresa — whose inspiring story and spirit was also discussed by June Alliman Yoder and Mandy Yoder Schrock at Thursday evening’s joint youth and adult worship service — Claiborne shared his own experience of learning from the late Roman Catholic nun. Mother Teresa started the Missionaries of Charity order in the desparate slums of Calcutta, India.

“Calcuttas are everywhere if we only have eyes to see,” he told the youth, encouraging them to find their own Calcutta. “Being a Christian is not about getting a ticket to heaven and ignoring the hell we’re living in.”

Illustrating Mother Teresa’s attitude of service, Claiborne offered the poignant image of the humble nun’s feet, which became deformed after years of voluntarily wearing the worst shoes donated to the mission. “This is the great secret of the Gospel,” Claiborne said, “If we want to find our life, we’ve got to give it away.”

He asked the crowd to consider what the world would look like if everyone lived this way. The audience then saw another example of generosity of spirit in a short video clip: a young man who won thousands of dollars on “The Price Is Right” game show and donated the earnings to an orphanage in Uganda.

“I don’t know where people get the idea that Christians should be ‘normal’,” Claiborne added.

Along with these inspiring examples, Claiborne concluded with an image of hope.  “I see a whole generation in the church that is aware that we are here for a reason.”

“Who are you becoming?” he asked.  “What kind of doctor or lawyer or school teacher are you going to be?”

Following his message, Claiborne met with dozens of youth groups and sponsors excited to get their pictures taken with him and to learn more about his Simple Way community in Philadelphia.