Nurturing our Youth towards servant leaders
June is Youth Month, a time to reflect on our youth and for our youth to dream
about the future.
Sustainable societal change is a generational happening. It is not overnight, but the result of
consistent and effective socialisation. In the olden days when societies were more isolated, the elements and trends that influenced a specific society were limited, both in terms of quantity, time and space.
With the dawn of globalisation and the extent into which we have become a
global village, we are individuals, communities and nations constantly
confronted with social, political, economic and religious realities which challenge
our local realities.
I suppose this can be experienced as both good and bad, desirable or undesirable.
It may even be seen as stimulating or over-stimulating which may cause anxiety
and stress in individuals, society and even nations. Raising the question over and
over again “who are we”, “who am I?”
In this context, how do we socialise our young into becoming responsible human
beings, grounded in a stable identity?
We read in the book of Joel 2:28-29:
“Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, your old men and women shall dream dreams, and your young
men and women shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those
days, I will pour out my spirit.
Generally in our Scriptures, God’s intentions for us as the human race are to live in
harmony with each other and in submission to God. The dreams and the visions
which would add value to this Godly reality would be social, political, economic
and other relationships which lead to societies which are free and just for all people,
and who live in peace with their neighbors.
Our socialisation of our young then is to ensure that they speak into existence
visions of a world at peace with God and itself. We should therefore point them to
a life that is centred in God’s Spirit of truth, justice and love. If this be their
compass, they are not able to go wrong.
We therefore have to work together on this as a Christian community here in
Midrand. It is for this reason that we as the Church have programmes and encounters
with our children and youth that are regular, consistent and sustainable.
The School Vacation programme we are about to embark on the first week of July
is one such encounter, which we want to regularise in the life of our community.
Not only does this programme occupy the school-going children during their holidays
in a meaningful manner and relieve their care givers of having to look after them; it also serves as a youth leadership development programme for the young adults in our parish, who assist with running the programme.
We are creating encounters for and with our young people in order to socialise
them into healthy human beings, servant leaders and creators of value towards the
fulfilment of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
Being transformed by the renewal of their minds by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yours in Christ as always,
Revd Jacque
