wfn.org | Young Christians get fired up for mission in new millenium

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Aug. 18, 1998      Contact: Tim Tanton*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
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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 millenium, 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 Millenium."

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 millenium," 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 Cuba,
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 millenium 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 millenium, 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 millenium with the power to make a
difference," Hale said. " ... The new millenium 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 millenium," 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.

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
Releases and photos also available at
http://www.umc.org/umns/