Founder and Youth Pastor Azia Raju got the chance to share more about Young Leaders' Life with a congregation in Idaho called Donnelly Bible Church.
Congregations all over the country are hearing about Young Leaders' Life theory and are changing the way they see teens and children because of it. Lead Pastor Dr. Mark Cox and his wife and congregational support member Carole Cox has been doing some things a little differently since hearing about Young Leaders' Life youth ministry theory, "...it had us think our congregation needs to pray for our children with greater expectation of what they can do with their gifts...as a practical response to the Word of God," says Pastor Cox.
"..it had us think our congregation needs to pray for children with greater expectation..."
High atop rolling hills and vast mountains stands Donnelly Bible Church. With the help of the Lead Pastor's daughter Pastor Erica Cox, YLL leader Azia Raju took a trip to share with the congregation what the leadership already knew: Youth are not leaders of tomorrow, they are spiritual leaders of today. Apprehensions about how the rather unorthodox youth ministry theory dissipated after seeing the children of the congregation pray for the church's missionaries headed into Asia the following Spring. Just after Pastor Cox conducted the interview with Azia he asked a little girl to come and pray with her. "I take this seriously, in the name of the Lord" Pastor Cox said, just before handing the microphone over to a little girl no older than 9 years old. Her instructions from the pastor were, "Pray as much or as little as you'd like for Azia." What ensued caused tears from many in the congregation, Her prayer blew us away: "Please help the people going all around the world to share your Word. Please help everyone grow stronger in you and to get to know you. Please help people to know that you are the Lord of this world, you created this world. In your name we pray, Amen." And the culmination of the 30 minute interview was made known at the close of that prayer.
"Please help the people going all around the world to share your Word."
A teen who came up to be part of the team of women and children to pray for Pastor Azia spoke with her after the service saying, "I liked what you said. I'm a teenager and I'm visiting a friend today at church. I have never heard that I have spiritual gifts before." One more teenager on the opposite side of the country where Young Leader's Life was created knows they too are gifted by a boundless God. One more congregation has committed to seeing God be made known through the gifts of all it's Believing members including children and teenagers. We are taking this message everywhere that God is showing Himself through gifts of teenagers. Have you started practically equipping students in your world to be spiritual leaders of today?
If you'd like your congregation or organization to hear more about Young Leaders' Life Theory, contact us at youngleaderslife@gmail.com.