Young Christians get fired up for mission in new millennium
8/18/1998 News media contact: Tim Tanton · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn. NOTE: This story is accompanied by two sidebars, UMNS #486 and #487. Photos are available. By Tim Tanton* ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (UMNS) - While many people sweat out the uncertainty of the approaching millennium, 400 young adults around the world see it as a God-given opportunity to spread their faith and the Gospel.
The young people, ranging in age from 17 to 30, overcame language and cultural barriers to share a vision for ministry in the next century at the Sixth International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism. They came from 47 countries to Epworth By The Sea, a United Methodist retreat center on St. Simons Island. For the participants, the theme said it all: "Christ Jesus: The Light For A New Millennium."
Many delegates bore witness to the hardship that Christians are enduring in their own countries. Some had to overcome obstacles simply to attend the six-day gathering, which ended Aug. 12.
Despite the struggles, the conference delegates were universally charged up to carry the light home. They shrugged off various apocalyptic predictions about the world ending in the year 2000 or society grinding to a halt because of a global computer meltdown.
The opening night's keynote speaker, Bishop John Bryant of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dallas, put things into perspective. As people tally lists of the most important contributors to this millenium, he was emphatic about whose name goes at the top: Jesus Christ.
"He's so bad, he was the greatest in the last millennium," Bryant said.
"Two thousand years ago, he saw me. Two thousand years ago, he saw us," the bishop said. "That's why he's at the top of my list. Folks you brag about don't even know you."
The conference began with the lighting of a metal globe, made for the event, outside Epworth's Strickland Auditorium. A downpour during the ceremony didn't dampen delegates' spirits.
"Who but Methodists would try to light the world on fire in rain?" said Frances M. Alguire, president of the World Methodist Council, after the group had moved indoors.
The council's World Methodist Evangelism arm sponsored the conference, along with the World Methodist Youth Committee and the South Georgia Annual (regional) Conference, which operates Epworth. The St. Simons event was the first time the conference had been held in the United States, and the first time that young people had attended from Northern Ireland and Belgium. The gatherings began in 1980 and are held about every four years.
During their week together, the young people heard testimony from around the world, met in small "family" groups for discussion and study, participated in daily worship services, and learned about sharing their faith. The theme of Christ as the light for the next millennium permeated the discussions and testimony.
At each morning and evening worship service, young people testified about their faith journeys, and the work of the church in their countries.
Ruben Mamani, 27, emotionally described the historical oppression of Indians in Bolivia and how his late grandfather had worked in virtual slavery there. "He was the first Methodist in my family," Mamani said.
The Methodist Church provided the first schools for Native Americans in Bolivia several decades ago. Encouraged by a missionary, Mamani's father, Zacarias, became a Methodist pastor and later a bishop. Now, Mamani is working on getting his master's in chemical engineering at the University of Connecticut, and his brother is working on a master's in business administration at the University of Tennessee.
Mamani's faith defines his vision for the year 2000 and beyond. "What everyone is saying is it's going to be the end of the world … but the vision here is we have to keep the eye on God. That's the main thing: we have to trust in God. Whatever happens, we always have God."
In Northern Ireland, young Methodists have been involved in working toward peace, said Julian Hamilton, 25, with the Methodist Church of Ireland's Department of Youth and Children's Work. Based in Belfast, he coordinates and develops programs for young people throughout Ireland.
In the last several months, Methodist young people have met with Irish decision makers and politicians, and almost every leader has told them the role of the church in the peace process has been positive, he said. The church in Ireland began talking a long time ago to Sinn Fein about stopping the violence, he said. Sinn Fein is the political ally of the Irish Republican Army.
Violence hasn't ended in Northern Ireland, but the people have shown their desire to move the country forward by approving the new peace settlement.
"There's a muted hope, I would call it," Hamilton said. "There's a muted excitement."
Addressing the delegates early in the conference, he said, "God is still working in the north of Ireland. … Keep praying for us."
The diversity of cultures at the youth conference was evident in the opening night's procession of banners from different countries, the variety of songs, dances and traditional attire, the constant presence of translators. Delegates saw their differences as a source of strength and not division.
"The more different you are from me, the more reason you need to be in my life," said the Rev. Grace Imathiu of Kenya, who preached during the Sunday, Aug. 9, morning worship service. Imathiu is working on her doctorate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.
The strategy for the new millennium, taken from St. John's writings, is to "keep your eye on God," she said. "Don't keep your eye on others, keep your eye on God, on the Lamb."
Imathiu challenged her listeners to think differently, to get past the mistakes made throughout history. "We need to write a future, and it's going to start with nobody else but us."
Stephen Gallaher, executive director of the Salt 'n Light Youth Ministry Inc. in Camp Hill, Pa., saw the conference as an opportunity to be exposed to different cultures and manners of worship. He had a small group of young people with him at the conference.
"It is wonderful to build bridges that lead to relationship," he said. "The young people that are with me are wired and thankful for the opportunity they've had. This is uniquely precious to us."
Usually, many of the delegates are from the host country, but this time only half were from the United States, said the Rev. H. Eddie Fox, world director of evangelism for the World Methodist Council. "This is probably the most international it's been."
Delegates were reminded of St. Simons' ties to Methodism's founder, John Wesley, and his brother, Charles Wesley, during an afternoon visit to historic Fort Frederica. The Wesleys visited the area in the 1730s, and John, then an Anglican cleric, tried to evangelize among the Native Americans. His returned home to England dejected, feeling he had failed, but then went on to success later in his ministry. Actors portraying John Wesley and his mother, Susannah, recounted those days and encouraged the young people.
The speakers and the worship services made an impression on the young people.
"If we had speakers like these, I'd love to go to church every Sunday … because it grabs your attention," said Tosin Olatunbosun, 17, a member of Longbridge Methodist Church in Birmingham, England.
"It's very energetic; it's very lively," said Leeann Gasteen, 17, also a member of Longbridge.
Clara Osborne, an 18-year-old college freshman and member of The Joy Center in Big Creek, Ky., found the event helpful as a source of ideas. Osborne, who teaches Sunday school and Bible classes, picked up ideas for working with different types of youth groups and neighborhood kids.
Jason Lotz, 20, a member of First United Methodist Church of Brunswick, Ga., and a college student in Fairfax, Va., also was impressed by the different speakers. In particular, Bryant's message resonated with him. "He brought up a point that you really don't think about, that Christ should be at the top of the list when you think about the top 100 people of any time."
The conference gave many delegates their first glimpse into how their counterparts worship and struggle for the faith in other countries.
"The problem is, we don't hear much about what's going on in Africa," said Chandrasegar, 19, youth president for the Methodist conference in Malaysia. He was surprised to learn about the work of the Methodist churches in Russia and Estonia, he added.
Chandrasegar also pinpointed a problem that many of the delegates shared, regardless of their home country. "The greatest challenge in my country is to get the churches to relate to youths."
That challenge wasn't lost on the Methodist leaders at the St. Simons conference, who stressed the importance of young people stepping forward to become the future leaders of the church.
"Part of our responsibility as Christians is to train our replacements," Alguire said.
The Rev. Joe Hale, general secretary of the World Methodist Council, told the delegates to remember Proverbs 3:5-6 and trust in the Lord with all their hearts. In doing so, "the dawning millenium will be bright for you."
"The Year 2000 is your time," Hale said during the Aug. 11 evening worship. "You have 50 years to make your contribution."
He noted that the Year 2000 represents the "story of how God chose to enter our history." Recalling Jesus' ministry in places like Bethlehem and Capernaum, Hale told the delegates to remember that God did his greatest work in small towns like theirs.
"I believe you come to the new millennium with the power to make a difference," Hale said. " … The new millennium is your time. The clock is already ticking."
Fox closed the conference with a raise-the-roof sermon on Aug. 12. After loosening his listeners up with some humorous rapping, he took Bible in hand and made a call to commitment.
"Christ Jesus is the light for this millennium," he said. "Jesus Christ is the clue to the whole universe." When we turn away from God, we live as if we are in a shadow, he said.
"There's a lot of trouble in the world," Fox said, citing the brokenness, alienation, pain, suffering and bondage that exist.
"God does not give up on God's creation, for Christ is for the world," he said. "That'd be a good place for an amen." And the crowd said, "Amen."
"I hear people talk about finding God like God is lost somewhere, when it's much more the other way around," he said. "God finds us, and Christ comes looking for the world. That's good news.
"The greatest sin of the church in many parts of the world is not the sin of omission or commission; it's the sin of no mission," Fox said. "… This world deeply needs Jesus Christ."
More than 2 billion people have never heard Christ's name, Fox said. What sacrifices are we prepared to make? he asked. "Are we willing to step forward ourselves? … God calls you and me, us, to step forward."
Dozens of young people responded by going to the front of the auditorium, to pray at the altar rails and, in many cases, commit their lives to ministry. Afterward, the building was emptied as the participants carried candles back outside to the metal globe. Surrounding the flame, the participants turned to face north, south, east and west, and affirmed their intent to carry God's light throughout the world.
Since the first conference in 1980, about 100 young people attending the events have gone on to become ordained, Fox said.
During the St. Simons conference, Guilherme Lockmann, 23, of Igreja Metodista do Jardim Botanico (the Methodist Church of the Botanical Garden) in Rio de Janeiro, was one of several delegates who made a commitment to ministry. On Aug. 11, the day before the commitment service, he addressed the conference.
"I will be quite different when I go back to Brazil," he said. The conference helped him understand how to share his faith with non-Christians, he said.
"Be you a blessing in your country," he told his fellow delegates. "Be you a blessing in your city. Be you a blessing in your church. Be you a blessing in your family. And spread the word that you heard here in this conference."
# # #
*Tanton is news editor of United Methodist News Service in Nashville, Tenn.
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