|
| Christian news worldwide |
 Home |
 Archives |
 Subscriptions |
 Adverts |
 Find a church |
 About us |
 Contact us |
 Site Map |
 PrintableVersion Sorted!You’ve probably heard of some of the big youth events being held each year in the UK, you may even have been along. But how do events like this start? And how do they grow? Here is the experience of one charity that seeks to serve God and the youth of this nation. None of us really planned to set up a new organisation. No one had a deep yearning to be a charity trustee. Capital Youthworks just grew naturally. The ministry need was seen and gradually the structure took shape. It started at the turn of the millennium. A group of youth workers with a heart for Word-centred ministry got together to talk about how we could help encourage young people and their youth leaders. It soon became evident that one of the biggest issues for Christians in the 14-18 age group was a feeling of isolation. Church youth groups can be desperately small. Christian Unions are non-existent in some schools. With few Christian peers, it can be painfully easy for Christian young people to drift. DepressingWhen this was coupled with the facts that there are depressingly few Bible-centred events for this age range, hardly any evangelistic gatherings and a real need for youth leaders to be inspired to dig into the Scriptures with their groups rather than surrender to the ‘praise and worship’ culture that so often pervades, the need for a youth conference, grounded in God’s word, came sharply into focus. If you’re 14, being invited to a ‘youth conference’ sounds a bit dull. So we named the event SORTED instead. First timeThe first SORTED was a gathering of about 30 youth groups in All Soul’s Church, central London. A day of teaching and fun. A chance to delve into the Scriptures together and talk through how they can be applied in the lives of those facing public exams, university applications, the world of work and their first nervous forays into the confusing realm of relationships. It went phenomenally well. And the decision was taken to try it again the next year. And the one after that. Local SORTEDsEach year the numbers attending SORTED grew and there was a real sense of excitement to see hundreds of young people with their heads in their Bibles, grappling with the truths that can change their lives. But there was also a nagging feeling among the planning team that more was needed. One event a year was a mere drop in the ocean. And so ‘local SORTEDs’ were born. Opportunities for youth groups who meet near each other to get together once a term on a Friday night to immerse themselves in God’s word and enjoy getting to know each other. Events that are often punctuated with cries of ‘I never knew you went to church’ as two teenagers who have been in the same class at school for years catch sight of each other across the hall. Evenings that have provided opportunities for young people to bring along their non-Christian friends to a vibrant local event where the gospel is proclaimed faithfully and relevantly. Soon after, our thoughts turned to the leaders — those in ministry who can, at times, feel just the same isolation as the young people do. So came the ‘youthworker lunches’ — free training sessions in central London for youth leaders, providing opportunities to network and discuss those difficult topics that every youth leader faces. Topics have ranged widely over the years. Highlights have included: What is the place of social involvement in the youth group programme? What is real worship? And how can we get involved with our local schools? Formal structureBy 2005, it was becoming clear that the level of ministry activity being sustained required a more formal structure than a mere grouping of like-minded youth leaders. In 2006, after much ploughing through paperwork, the charity Capital Youthworks was born. Steered by a team of six trustees it acts as both umbrella and engine for the various events that have grown out of our original vision. The goal of the charity is to see God glorified in local youth work as young people are saved and grow towards maturity in Christ. The aim is to support, equip and encourage local churches in developing distinctively Christian youth work, shaped by the faithful, relevant and clear teaching of God’s word. And it is these aims that continue to shape all that we have been doing recently and hope to do in the future. Seventh eventNovember 2007 saw the seventh annual SORTED event, hosted at Westminster Chapel. Now attracting well over 1,000 young people each year, from both the inner city and the suburbs, SORTED has become a focal point in the calendar for many youth groups in Britain. And with young people travelling from as far afield as the Isle of Wight and Inverness, it has taken on a truly national dimension. SORTED 07 focused on the book of Exodus — the Great Escape — and had both an evangelistic thrust as young people were challenged to grapple with the grace of true Passover as well as a discipleship role. A recent innovation has been to combine the teaching of the day with a long lunch break packed full of pick’n’mix activities, organisations like Crosslinks, Latin Link, UCCF, Christians in Sport, Careforce and The Good Book Company exhibit at the event and spend time with the young people helping them to think through what they can do with their spare time, summer holidays and gap years. In addition, there are opportunities to have 1:1 meetings with experienced schools workers to talk through how to make the most of Christian Unions; question and answer sessions with ministers that give the young people the chance to pose those tricky apologetic questions that have been weighing on their minds and a ‘jam session’ that introduces the young people to the best, biblically-faithful new songs on the block. Fun-time!It was a busy day, but one where the emphasis on fun remained. Thumb war contests were a big feature of the drink breaks and there were plenty of opportunities for chat and even a few duck hunting games (no real ducks were harmed!) Like many organisations working with under 18s, Capital Youthworks relies heavily on information technology to communicate with youth groups. Follow-up social networking happens through Facebook. And regular emails are sent to youth leaders inviting them along to future youthworker lunches to sharpen their thinking in key areas of theology and practice. But the technology never replaces good old-fashioned intercession and interaction. We pray for the young people throughout the year. And, where possible, those attending are put in touch with their nearest ‘local SORTED’. Making a differenceThe impact of Capital Youthwork events is a real encouragement. We hear stories of young men deciding to publicly affirm their decision to follow Christ by baptism. Reports of a teenage boy reading his first ever non-school related book to find out more about cross-centred living. Parents who email in to say thank you for pointing their children to God and helping them to understand the depth and profundity of the gospel. Youth leaders who re-orientate their programme back to the Bible. From the humble musings of a bunch of youth leaders, the ministry has grown beyond our wildest imaginations. And, in the grace of God, it is hoped that Capital Youthworks will continue to expand in its remit to resource, encourage and equip. New initiative2008 is going to see the pilot of a new and exciting initiative for 11-13-year-olds on April 26. Not just a mini-SORTED for those who are a bit younger but a completely new-look event that will reach those just starting out at secondary school and help them to get excited about Jesus. New local SORTEDs are being established. New opportunities for training are on the horizon as well. And of course, SORTED is going to continue, maybe with even more young people attending, as will the youth worker lunches. In order to support this ministry, Capital Youthworks will also be actively seeking prayer and financial supporters in the coming year, those who wish to partner with us in this vital ministry — both individuals and churches. More details of this gospel-opportunity can be found on the website. The trustees are grateful to God for the way he has blessed the work. We are continually astonished that he should choose to use such average people to serve him in a ministry that impacts so many young lives. And pray that in the decades to come, the fruit of this charity’s labours will bring great glory to our great God. More details of Capital Youthworks events, including local SORTEDs, can be found at: http://www.capitalyouthworks.com or telephone 0845 890 1155. Helen Thorne,
|
|
