Global Youth Day is coming!

9 February 2016 | St Albans, UK [Janos Kovacs-Biro] Can Adventist youth be relevant in their local communities? That certainly is the plan for the 4th Global Youth Outreach Day, planned for Sabbath, 19 March 2016. A world-wide project of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, millions of Adventist Youth will be mobilised to ‘be the sermon’ for the people around them.

Witnessing in practice is, of course, representing Jesus Christ in the most natural way possible every single day of the year. The purpose of GYD is simply to enhance the experience by giving youth the opportunity to experience belonging to a world-wide family of believers. Last year that family of youth numbered over five million, sharing their faith in time zones across the world over a 24-hour period. Their witness was equally shared online and on Hope Channel inspiring many millions more – including those outside our faith community.

The TED segments this year will be broadcast live from Newbold College, England and also from Norway. They, in turn, will connect with youth involved in witness in many other parts of the Division. If you want to get involved then, in the first instance, contact Judy Plaatjes at the TED office.

The philosophy

It can be a challenge witnessing about Christ, and touching someone’s life with the Gospel. Gallup Institute quotes, “Believers in Christian faith have some bridge-building to do in the new century; too often the message of religious people has seemed only judgmental and less than inviting or redemptive… Believers need greater sensitivity than ever before.”(George Gallup Jr. and Timothy Jones, The Next American Spirituality: Finding God in the 21st Century (Colorado Springs: Cook Communications, 2000), p.160.)

Sometimes, telling the Truth is much easier than representing and doing the Truth, and the doing part adds the relevant ingredient to the witnessing art of a Christian/Seventh-day Adventist. George G. Hunter III said, “on average, it takes between twelve and twenty significant ‘gospel touches’ for people to make a decision for Christ.” (Steve Sjogren, Dave Ping, Doug Pollock, Irresistible Evangelism: natural ways to open others to Jesus, (Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data), 2004, p. 53.) GYD is all about the ‘doing’.

How can you get involved?

1. Start by talking to God, and telling Him: “Lord, I am available to You today. Please use me for Your glory, and make me as a representative of Your Kingdom. Let me meet those people who need exactly the type of representation I am for You.” God responds to all who make themselves available to Him, and provides representation opportunities.

2. Know your goal: to genuinely love your friends, family members, and even strangers into a more intimate and life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ without being pushy, manipulative, or obnoxious.

3. Be genuine – the person God created you to be. We just need to be “normal”, everyday people rather than “strange religious nuts”. As the candle naturally gives light, the salt naturally gives food its salty taste, and the yeast naturally makes the dough rise, so the Christians should impact their community by their natural participation in the life of the community they live in.

4. Know the Master’s approach: “The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‛Follow Me!'” (Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, page 143.)

5. Observe: Many times, during Relay Youth Training sessions, we have sent out young people to the centre of a city to simply watch where most people are at, what activities they are involved in, and what needs they have, so that we could meet them.

6. Discuss: after the observation exercise young people form groups and discuss the most relevant needs. By using their own spiritual gifts and abilities, they brainstorm about possible ministries which can meet some of the needs detected.

As we prepare for the witnessing activities we need to follow the 4 Aha-s as follow:

◦ 1. Aha: make it simple enough for simple people
◦ 2. Aha: make it an on-going process
◦ 3. Aha: make it a really friendly, non-offensive approach
◦ 4. Aha: make it immediate

7. Prepare: as soon as the group has come up with a practical ministry idea, they need to prepare the tools and supplies which are necessary to serve according to people’s needs. One very important ingredient for this is that the approach be attractive to people. They should come and ask questions rather than you going and trying to “sell” them something.

8. Do it: go out and serve. Be a blessing and be a sermon to people around. Be ready to answer the questions: “Who are you?”, “Why are you doing this?”, and “How can I join you?”

9. Evaluate and re-think: as soon as you have served, and experienced the response of people, assess the attractiveness of the approach used; basically answer these two questions: “What went well?” and “How could we do it differently next time?”

10. Do it again, evaluate, rethink, and do it again, and again – without routine. It is important to keep our activities on-going and relevant. Serving, blessing people, answering their questions, letting them get involved and leading them to follow the Master.

This approach takes away the fear from hearts, and helps all Christians naturally represent the values of God’s Kingdom in the community they live in.

The Global Youth Day marks the start of the Youth Week of Prayer 19-26 March 2016. The readings are already available online so that you can prepare.

More information and ideas for preparing and participating in the Global Youth Day event can be found on the Global Youth Day website. [tedNEWS]

tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, director; Esti Pujic, editor
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Global Youth Day is coming!

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