What a Room Can Tell
A trip down to the youth room at Community of Nations Church gives a snapshot of memories that are being made. Imagine the number of games that have been won on the foosball set or the conversations that have taken place on the cozy couch. Photos containing many smiles are strung together on the wall. A keyboard silently waits for the worship music to begin.
Beyond what the room can tell, there is something more than just fun memories for the youth at CNC. There is a central string running through everything planned and put together. Pastor Ayodele talks of what God is doing in the youth ministry and begins by identifying what is important. He says, “Whatsoever I do, I want it to be centered around God.”
“Whatsoever I do, I want it to be centered around God.”
Pastor Ayodele Ode
God at the Center
This focus on God as the center can be seen as you look around the youth room. You’ll find posters that bring a Bible study series about Kingdom Heroes/Heroines to life. The study on Hebrews 11 began with learning about people in the Bible that were faithful kingdom heroes/heroines.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
As the study continues, it gives each youth and adult leaders an opportunity to connect with how they fit into the kingdom of God themselves. A poster next to the verse from Hebrews 11:1, asks, “What impact are we making in people’s lives?” and “What godly legacies do we want to leave behind?” These questions dial in the focus to applying to one’s own life, what is learned from each person’s story in the Bible.
Bible Study
On every other Wednesday, inductive Bible study is done with the youth. Pastor Kevin and Percy are always available to join pastor Ayodele to coordinate the Bible Study. Pastor Ayodele explains it this way. It is not just a study where he talks and they listen, but something where everyone is invited to join into the conversation about the stories in the Bible.
He describes how the participation among the students grows and grows as the year goes on. They now share more about their observations, interpretations, and applications of the message from the Bible. Questions like: who? Why? Where? When? What? And how? Are guides to meaningful interactions among the youth and the adults among them. Questions like, “Who do you know that needs to hear what we are learning?” can be the catalyst to move the conversation beyond the youth room and into the everyday lives of those who are gathered.
Monthly Special Events:
Community of Nations Festival
Special events are hosted monthly, which provide an opportunity for youth to bring friends and come to enjoy something beyond the usual gathering. One of the most recent memorable events in this last quarter of the year was the Community of Nations Festival in September. The youth pulled together their efforts to pass out food and beverages during the festival. The youth were an excited group ready for the task at hand. They took shifts serving and then were able to enjoy the festivities of the day as well. Through their efforts, they were able to raise funds as support to go to Trout Lake Camp in October.
Trout Lake Retreat
At Trout Lake Camp, students and adult volunteers were able to experience a range of activities together as well as the notable “TAG” or “Time Alone with God” After each message too, there was a focus on discussing among each other about what was learned. This provided the right avenue for some deep spiritual and moral conversations among youth and leaders.
Christmas Party Outreach
Christmas Outreach/Party took place in the fellowship hall of the church on December 18th. Over 40 people were in attendance including young adults from the college who organized some fun activities for the kids. The event was held between 12-3pm. The Interhigh youth ministry was a co-organizer of the event. It was called an ‘outreach’ which enabled the kids to invite other kids outside of the church.
Pastor Ayodele and CNC youth group presented a song that centered around the reason Jesus was born, “is to give us eternal life! We can rejoice because of our salvation through Christ Jesus!” He gave a short exhortation before the song that there can not be a Christmas without Christ. Jesus is the reason for the season. “We must not be carried away by the merriment of the Christmas celebration and forgetting the reason Jesus came.” Fun activities were held like: gift exchange, community service craft, games, and lots of food to eat.
God at the Center of Worship
Worship through music is a part of many youth gatherings as well. With God at the center, singing from the heart is the focus as Pastor Ayodele leads the group with his guitar. And Shirley Beerkner plays the Piano during most of the Wednesday meetings. The joy of singing to God and being ready to worship Him unencumbered rings through the room. The focus in this time is that the song and music isn’t as important as giving God praise and glory for what He has done and continues to do.
The Most Important Legacy
Parents at CNC are always willing to bring their children to church. They allow them to freely fellowship with other fellow youth. Some of them are usually available to serve as volunteers during some of the youth programs. The greatest asset and legacy any parent can give to their children or leave behind for them is, Jesus! Teaching them to center their lives around Jesus, and every other thing will fall in place!
God at the Center – A Treasure!
A leader doesn’t always get to see the fruit of their efforts. These treasures come sometimes in the knowledge that what you are doing for God is making an impact in someone’s life. Pastor Ayodele shares some treasures he has received from his work putting God at the center of the youth ministry.
One treasure comes as a youth reaches out and is excited to come to the gatherings. A second treasure comes by email sharing about enjoying the singing time during youth group. A third treasure is in the knowledge that the youth are praying for the leader’s family. This special treasure shows what God is doing and brings it full circle as one comes to serve others, but is also served in prayer.
To see God moving in the youth ministry is to recognize treasures like these and to know that God is doing so much more in each heart as He is placed at the center of it all.
