BUT not in my wildest imaginations could I have expected last Saturday's event. The participants in the seminar were still in High School, some of them as young as 14. It was the brainchild of Sarah Harris whose daughter, Lydia, discovered a passion for preaching while on a mission trip to Mozambique. 20 teenagers attended. I was struck by their seriousness and enthusiasm as well as the depth of their questions. I was also impressed by the quality of the training provided by the other facilitators.
If this event is anything to go by, the ministry of preaching in NZ is in good hands. Now - the big question - will pastors and vicars and ministers give them the encouragement and opportunities to enable them to progress?
If you know of young people who might be interested in any ongoing events and/or resourcing, I urge you to contact Sarah directly: tpharris@slingshot.co.nz
nice chatting
Paul
2 comments:
Hi Paul
It's interesting that Murray Robertson in the latest Baptist magazine is bemoaning the loss of Sunday Night Services. When I was 17 I preached my first sermon from James 2 in a youth led service on a Sunday Night.
In the past many churches have had 7pm services which have tended to be open type services where worship has had more chance to be free in it's expression and youth have had a chance to be more involved.
Many opportunites exist in our Secondary Schools for public speaking and there are many teenagers who are quite capable of putting together a coherent speech with well argued points. Anything that ENABLES youth to develop their giftings is something which needs to be encouraged, and the starting point for that should be in the local congregation.
Mark
Couldn't agree with you more, Mark.
It is the ideal time to give younger ones a go. We tend to be a little bit too concerned about quality control and attendance numbers. Ironically, I reckon local churches would respond well to hearing Johnny and Jilly preach - and the quality might be surprisingly good as well.
I also like some variant on the American Idol template at Easter Camps as a venue for giving people an opportunity. My mother won a preaching contest at an Easter Camp about 60 years ago!
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