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SACLA Youth - Day 4

Saturday 10 July 2004

Exhilaration! ENERGY! JOY! These are just some of the words that can explain the atmosphere of the week thus far. The high momentum that had started on Wednesday at the beginning of the conference still had not waned, the 500 young people still exuded that same excitement about being in a place full of people who are excited by Jesus Christ and being in his presence.

Edgar Ramsamy began the day with an inspirational and motivating talk on the relationship you must have, not only with just Christ but also with yourself and people around you how you can impact them on a day-to-day basis.

“We have been created for relationships we are such relational beings; today’s youth ministry needs to be relational. We need to be breaking racial, cultural and even gender barriers. Human beings are relational beings because that’s the way we were created. There are three dimensions to relationships and those three dimensions are,” said Edgar.

First one is the upward dimension we have been created in a relationship with God (Isaiah 6:1- ) we always have to start with the bible because that’s where our mandate comes from. Edgar illustrated this story about desiring after God. A student came up to Socrates and said oh great teacher I want to learn from you, I want to be as eager for knowledge as you are, I want to desire knowledge just as you desire knowledge. So Socrates says okay I have a test for you, he grabs this guy and sticks his head under water and he holds him down there for a while, and that poor kid is waving around his arms and is fighting Socrates, but he keeps holding him down and then suddenly he pulls the young guy up and the students says man what’s wrong with you? and Socrates says well I’m training you to know and desire for knowledge so the student says why did you stick my head under water that’s sick and he replies the reason why I did it when you were under water, remember the moment where you where desiring and yearning for a breath that’s how you must approach knowledge!
Do we desire after God?

The second dimension on the relationship we need to have it’s the relationship with self (Isaiah 6). Edgar again made us aware of the fact that when you come in the presence of the Awesome God you become aware of how inadequate you are. It’s very important that as youth leaders you are always willing to cleanse the impurities in your own life so you can be a good role model, introspection is very important. Like Isaiah we must begin with self before we can reach others. In Psalm 51 David says ‘create in me a clean heart.’

The third dimension is the relationship with others. That is what we have been created for, this leadership thing is not a prestige or about the rewards. We need to serve those around us (2Tim 2:2) that is what God calls us to do. We need to be training young people in the church then outside the church.

Just like in the movie Finding Nemo, go and find your Nemos, find those that are lost and need to hear about the love of Jesus.

During the day the youth workers were challenged to come up with their own sessions which they would facilitate and discuss, that impact them and wanted to share with other youth leaders. Incredible debate was held among various topics some of which being Copyright, the Christian Response, relationships; Dating vs. Courtship and many more. These sessions were a great hit raising a lot of provoking opinion. (Some of these talks will be available on the website)

The day was summed up with a powerful praise, prayer and worship session, and also the ever- popular late night coffee bar.

by Bulelwa Jonas