It’s time to return

ASIA, Manchester:

“But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2, NIV

Members of the Asia Seventh-day Adventist Church Youth Department are on a mission to reclaim absent members and reconnect persons who may have lost their way to God.

In a three-week evangelistic series called ‘I Come for You’ and themed ‘It’s Time to Return’, youth elder, the music coordinator, assistant to the personal ministry’s leader at the church, Brendon Coleman, said it is their hope that they will be able to tackle the matter that is not unique to their local church but is being experienced across the globe.

“Our churches have been suffering from a mass exodus of youth from the Church and I have seen first-hand how the Devil has been snatching our young people. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue and made it even more pronounced. As such, the leadership of the church dubbed 2022 as the ‘Year of the Youth’ with a single mission: to reclaim and retain our youth.”

While Coleman admitted that the church has managed to keep most of its young people, he explained that even if one member is lost along the way, it is one youth too many.

“Based on conversations with some, the reasons are manifold, ranging from a simple lack of interest altogether to not enough engagement during the height of the pandemic among the churches, which left them unoccupied. This I Come For You initiative is of vital importance as it serves the purpose of creating the pathway on which those who have gone can return. And as the name suggests, we are not sitting and waiting for them to come, we are going for them.”

He said the initiative will not only serve as a rescue mission, but has already proven to be a great programme to boost the synergy of the young people working in the church.

“The synergy and energy that are on display build their spirituality even as they seek to help build up others. The truth is that evangelism is the life blood of the church, and this is what we are in business for. We, therefore, cannot sit back any longer in anguish at the thought of missing members, but we must go and get them. We start now and we continue until Jesus comes. This will not be an event but our way of life.”

Coleman indicated that the speakers, most of whom live away, are all young people from the church and share relatable experiences that can serve as hope for those with wavering faith.

“Our speakers - Carlington Anderson ,who is in the United Kingdom; Andre Hibbert and Delmas Brown; who are in Canada; Pastor Silburn Reid, who is in the US; and myself - all grew up right here in the Asia SDA Church and served in various capacities … .”

He added: “Each speaker was chosen against the background that they have continued to represent Christ and His Church where they are, and we wanted to connect our local youth with those in the diaspora to expand the reach of our ministry and inspire others in the process through collaborations such as these.

Coleman said that it is the hope that every person who chooses to visit the church or watch the programme online on the church’s YouTube Channel will commit or recommit their lives to God ahead of His second coming.

“We want people to work for ministries of the church but more so fall in love with the Jesus of the ministry. We want Jesus to be seen in all aspects of church life. This is the surest safeguard against the enemy of our souls. We pray that our youth will see Jesus in all that we do and stay close to His heart.”