By Gary Thurber
I will never forget Tom’s prayer. I was only about 12 years old as I stood in a circle of academy and college students who prayed together at the end of a Friday night vespers. Tom had just given his heart to the Lord yet had never prayed. He came from quite a painful background of drugs and alcohol. Some of the students in the circle had worked with a witnessing program the Texas conference had organized that summer. They were not doing traditional evangelism as we think of it today; rather, they formed a singing group and renovated an old fiberglass factory where they held meetings for the young people of the community. This was in the “hippie” era, and they called the meeting- house “The Gate.” The witnessing team sang all across town and invited young people to come to The Gate for spiritual inspiration. This approach had not been tried before and there were plenty of naysayers quick to criticize what the “youth evangelists” were trying to accomplish.
The young people were in charge of planning the program. The theme, songs, skits, and speaking were all created and executed by young people. The conference youth leader provided oversight, but the youth were given ownership of the ministry. There is no doubt there were people who could have sung better and been much more eloquent speakers than the youth, but there was something powerful about youth relating to youth. A person could question the methodology employed by the youth, but no one could argue with the results.
Many youth from the community showed up, and Tom was among them. At first, he was hesitant to pray. He told us he had never prayed before and wasn’t sure how. Some students encouraged him, saying, “Just tell God what is on your heart.”
Tom began, saying something like this: “Hi God, Tom here. You know we just met a few days ago. I don’t know you very well yet, but thank you for all you have done for me. Well, I guess I will talk later, see ya.” There were very few dry eyes in the circle as we all heard Tom’s first prayer.
Although this happened many years ago, I still know some of the young people who found Jesus that summer. It is unlikely the methods used then would be effective today, but that raises an important question: “What method or methods should we use today?”
I have two questions for you to consider. 1) How much time does your church spend thinking, planning and dream- ing about how to reach your community for Christ? and 2) Does your congregation invite young people to be involved in this planning?
Unfortunately, many churches have stopped dreaming. They seem to think of evangelism in only one way. I believe we need to spend quality time and energy creating new ways to reach our communities with the wonderful message the Lord has given us. Having young people as a part of that process—even initiating it—is, I believe, vital. But consider yourselves warned: they will stretch your thinking!
Consider Ellen White’s advice about approaching evangelism. Her words inspire me: Means will be devised to reach hearts. Some of the methods used in this work will be different from the methods used in the work in the past: but let no one, because of this, block the way by criticism (Review and Herald, September 30, 1902).
Here is a challenge for your next church board meeting: Invite some young adults to attend. Spend half of the time praying, dreaming and planning about how you and your church can reach your community for Christ. Listen to the young adults because they have insights about the new paradigm of society and the best way to reach it for Christ. This is, after all, our great commission.
Gary Thurber is president of Mid-America Union Conference of Seventh- day Adventists in Lincoln, Nebraska.