PENTECOST 2023: ARE THE YOUTHS THE PROBLEM OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH?

 

By Ekpor Temple

Are the youths disillusioned with religion? Heart scorching question you will say, but the answer giving isn’t just a panacea, but sine-qua-non to the existentiality of the church in our generations and others to come.

At the climax of the Adventurers half week worship in one of our churches, it dawned on me that the Pentecost movement of soul-winning for the church in contemporary time rest on the shoulders of the youths.

Few weeks ago, I participated in the Youth Ministries LEADERSHIP DIALOGUE organized by the Port-Harcourt Federation two in Port Harcourt conference, held on 11 July 2021 at Seventh-day Adventist Church Rumuola. Those invited are Pastors, Serving Elders, Uniformed and Youth Instructors in our churches within the Federation. Truth be told, the attendance in my perception was less than expected but they all honoured the invitation with gladness.

Youths seated at the Leadership Dialogue

Rendering his thoughts, Comrade David Ngozi Victor, the Federation President, in a chat with A-Media PHC, aver that the programme was aimed at bringing understanding and to create a conducive relationship between the church leadership and the youth in other to foster mission work in the federation.

“From the inception of our administration, we moved round the churches and we discovered that our youths are having serious issues with church leadership. You will see youths planning a programme in the church, and the church board will turn it down without empathy to the adverse repercussion that will be to the youths. We also had noticed conflicts and Lack of cooperation among the youths and the leadership of our churches.”

“Hence the desire to stage a programme that will help foster team spirit among our Youths and Church Leadership in other to have a balanced ministry of biblical Dynamics of fellowship, nurture, worship and Mission.” he asseverated.

What are my deductions…

Research has proven that Ministry to and with young people has enormous Biblical precedent.  Throughout the Bible we find young people used by God, including such prominent figures as Joseph, Josiah, Esther, Jeremiah, Mary, John Mark and Timothy. 

 

Is God still working through the young people today, the answer is yes, but what is the difference?

 

The truth of the matter is, our generation is so different from historic times and this, I think some church leaders have failed to understand. There is no way the youths of today in our churches can live like those in the early centuries. We are in a generation of unbounding energy, a generation with high powered creativity, a generation characterized by existential questions, a generation with immense potential, the largest generation world-wide that possesses vast influence which can decide the fortunes and leadership of the church.

 

No doubt, our youths are growing up under difficult conditions, drown in western material affluence which to a large extend has affected their spiritual needs. Young people today are searching for models and examples in a world full of options and disillusions.  In their hunt for happiness they become spiritual and religious pilgrims in a desert of spiritual preferences.  Many meander daily in a society so impoverished with no thoughts of their welfare and existence. Immersed in deep poverty and uncertainty without care or help from those they look upon as church leaders; yet some of these youths are full of hopes for the future.

 

Do you know that some of our young people grew up in broken families; some faced with daily challenges of survival and have never experienced adults in the church who really care for them, nor take time and listen to their questions and problems. A lot of young people in the church ask for the meaning and purpose of their lives, answers our leaders have failed to give, yet they blamed and accused them to be the vanguards of the religious challenges bedeviling the church.

Have our Pastors, Elders and other Leaders failed in their Responsibilities?

 

Our leaders forget easily that the natural and necessary detachment of these youths from their families or tribes automatically means a search for a new connection with their peers, here that great problems arise, because we are too busy with “other church activities” with less attention to the wellbeing of the future leaders of the church and their ministries, so they are left with no choice but to look out for other leisure engagements such as clubs, cliques or gangs, where they find social connection. 

 

The result of this is often terrifying.  Young people try to fill their inner void with money, sex, sports, drugs or the pursuit of a career and are drawn into an ever more rapid cycle of frustration and hopelessness.

Some of our Pastors Expressed their thoughts in the Programme

It should be overtly stated that the Pastors, Elders should be aware that the commonest of the youths are part of the local church and part of the body of Christ.  This means that the church carries a responsibility for young people in their local environment.  Working with youth is not an option within the work of the church, but a commission of God!  This commission is a challenge and a chance at the same time.

 

So, can we recreate policies that will help our Youths to fit in and still serve God well in the church like the Three Hebrew Boys, Esther, David etc.?  Yes of course.

 

How then can we balance the equation?

 

A sampled opinions of participants suggested that there is need for quarterly Leadership dialogue across church departments. This will help assess mission progress in the church. However, Elder Goodhope Hezekiah posited that there must be a common leadership ground between churches, pastors, Elders and the Youths.

Pastor Famous Woke, is convince that these challenges originates as a result of the Church leadership-Youth Perceptions which can be restrained if youths will remain humble and respectful to the church authority. He also suggested that the Leadership should strive to be part of youth activities, as it will create in them a sense of belonging.

1.                 1. Corroborating the above suggestions, I think we need to get to the level were we             can have Church Leaders that are well trained to understand the psychology of                the young people and must accept their roles in church growth.

2.   There’s is the dying need of having leaders who are passionate for God’s word who won’t discriminate and allow ethnic or other biases to cloud them in the things of God.

 

3.     In a world that is changing in an ever faster pace, the emerging generation of our youths needs security in order to be able to develop and use their gifts and potential.  This is the responsibility of our parents, Elders and church leaders. Until this is achieved, it might be difficult to change the mindsets of these youths.

 

4.     Young people find themselves in a time of change: physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual change which is neither easy for themselves nor for the people around them.  Hence mentorship is pertinent in areas such as career, marriage, personality. This, I feel church leaders should be willing to give without thinking twice.

Finally, if we are to do what we see the Father doing, the church must make it a priority to draw youth into His Kingdom and train them up as disciples. The Old Testament is clear in its admonishment to make sure that the youths are taught the precepts of God.

God called Israel to teach their young to obey and revere the Lord.  (Deuteronomy 4:9-10).  Therefore, great effort should be taken to ensure that the word of God is passed on to the next generation.