STeM: Part 2

My roles during STeM were three-fold: 1) I assembled a band and led the times of corporate worship for the trainees; 2) Adrienne and I taught several worship workshops throughout the training; and 3) Adrienne and I led a team into inner-city JoBurg for a five-day ministry practical.

Ministry Practical

My group was placed to work alongside a local church in Berea, near the infamous Hillbrow area, one of the roughest neighborhoods in JoBurg. We stepped out on faith, expecting to be used by God and expecting great things from God.

So we hit the streets of JoBurg, trained and ready to take advantage of any ministry opportunities God put in our path. And God had big plans for us that week!

It was a school holiday that week, and we found the local parks filled with kids. We played games for hours with the kids, performed dramas, and ultimately shared the Good News of Jesus with them. What an opportunity to share God's love!

What I also discovered shortly into the mission was that we had a professional dancer in our midst! Seriously, Tawanda is the best hip-hop dancer I have ever seen. He coaches the top ranked dance crew back in his home country of Zimbabwe. Not only that, but he loves Jesus and he loves kids! So, we put him to work in the parks, teaching dances to young people as we blared hip-hop music from our boom-box. Here, Tawanda (front right) is teaching some local kids how to bust some moves.

Overall, it was a great week with a great team! We had such a diverse team, each with unique gifts and talents that God used for His glory! One young teenager, Wesley (back row, 2nd from left in the above picture), received Christ during the STeM training. Just a few days later, during our mission, he led another young person to Christ! In follow-up since STeM, I've discovered that Wesley has become an incredible servant and leader in his youth group back home. It's amazing what God can do in one young life who is passionate and sold out for Him!

This leaves me pondering a few questions...

• What if we empowered young people to use their gifts for the kingdom?

• What if we encouraged young people to live missionally in their communities--their schools, on their sports teams, in their families?

• What if we truly believed in young people?

Unfortunately, I think we often believe, whether consciously or not, that young believers have been given a mini-version of the Holy Spirit. But the fact is, that's just NOT BIBLICAL! I don't believe, as many will say, that the youth are the church of tomorrow--they are the church of TODAY! I've seen too many young people act out on faith and do great things for God to believe otherwise. Be encouraged, God is raising up a generation of world changers!