Progression and Reconstruction

In regard to the church, youth do not yearn to be catered to; rather we solely covet the goal to be embraced, educated, and understood by the individuals holding the positions and doing the work that will soon become our responsibility to handle. Following that very understanding, education, and embracing from our elders – we can both bring youth back into the church as well as prompt youth to be active in the church in a variety of ways.”

As the Southeastern Regional Vice President, this year’s task was to expound upon regional progression, as well as both local and district council re-establishment. While thinking about the dedication and effort that goes into such simple-sounding yet intricate and time-consuming assignments, Proverbs 5:10 instantly dropped into my spirit. Read in the New International Reader’s Version, the scripture says “Strangers will use up all your wealth. Your hard work will make someone else rich.”

Upon first reading, one may view the verse and interpret it to mean that if you tirelessly devote yourself to the upbuilding of others and their circumstances, then they will drain you until you have found yourself pouring from an empty cup. I, however, found the scripture to have both a positive and negative connotation. In hindsight, the scripture to me also says that so long as you are following the path of words, actions, and intentions set before you, people around you will benefit from your obedience. As I reveal in this writing the intentions placed on my heart which will be followed by a series of obedient actions that will speak just as loud as words, allow me to uncover a portion of my vision for progression and reconstruction in this article.

The amount of youth frequenting the church has endured tremendous deterioration. This unfortunate fact brings me to our first topic of discussion, which will be progress within the region. Disregarding the title of “Vice President” and speaking solely from the perspective of a youth, I feel as if a relationship between the youth and elders of Zion is both a desire and a necessity. To begin to see a true transformation in the church – let alone regional progress- it is only sensible that the first step in the process is waging the gap between those spearheading the church and those who will rise as the new leaders of the church. Across the board, a pivotal action prompting youth to revive their presence within the church would simply be an invitation from those leading us. For many youth today the sad truth is that church is to us as David was to Goliath – the awful difference is that in reality, the youth as a whole have yet to unveil the same courage to face their giant as David did his. For example, one deterrent in preventing the youth of Zion from blossoming in Zion is fear of judgment from our elders as many worry that elders will guide not with compassion and thorough instruction, but with criticism. Simply extending the warm invitation to unite in fellowship and the teachings of Christ is a key barrier needing to be broken for that to change. After youth are invited back into the church, the work to keep us there will only increase, but the first and possibly most important move - welcoming the youth - would ignite the flame that starts the fire.

While it is imperative that youth grow comfortable learning and adapting to church, it is just as important to establish a level of learning and adaptation for the youth themselves. An all-too-common misconception is that the youth of this day and age wish to be babied and catered to in various aspects, the church being at the top of the list. In regard to the church, youth do not yearn to be catered to; rather we solely covet the goal to be embraced, educated, and understood by the individuals holding the positions and doing the work that will soon become our responsibility to handle. Following that very understanding, education, and embracing from our elders – we can both bring youth back into the church as well as prompt youth to be active in the church in a variety of ways.

To start with, we will begin to see much larger turnouts in youth at events, such as CED Regional Meetings. Regional meetings are a strong way of showcasing what the youth of Christ can do in fellowship with our ACE & YACM counterparts, as they include events such as youth workshops and platforms for electing youth officers. At the regional meeting hosted by the Southeastern Region this past April, youth actively engaged in a workshop where they were given a platform to address mental health and the role it shares in the divisiveness of the church. They also heard feedback from adults in the church who were willing to hear, understand, and educate them. Events and opportunities such as this across regions will allow for a strong and solid foundation for the youth of Zion, and a positive united front for the youth and our elders. Different opportunities that I am looking to propose in my region as a starting point to achieving these goals are widespread mentorship events, innovative volunteering segments, virtual youth bible study sessions, prayer calls, and monthly reflection check-ins. Varying courses of action such as those listed above are vital to bringing youth back to the church and setting a strong foundation for a primary personal goal within my region which is building a firm regional cabinet.

As youth discover a feeling of home and safe space within the church, they will become more active and engagement will rise, thus creating space for youth to desire to serve on cabinets and councils. In the next writing, I will focus on the re-establishment of youth councils. Thank you, Zion, for taking the time to read this article.