SOIYM 2013

I work here at YWAM Newcastle, I have been here for the past five years and absolutely love it here, I'll share with you why and what I get to do here to give you some perspective.
 
If you would have asked me 6 years ago- “Where do you see yourself in five years time?” I wouldn’t have known what to say. I honestly would have never thought I’d be living overseas in Australia working as a full-time missionary with YWAM. I would have never guessed that I’d be involved in youth ministry or even involved in training people my age in doing youth ministry.
 
Well, the fact is- I am here and I am doing those previously mentioned things, but why??? Time and time again, I’m brought back to the question of why would anyone do youth ministry, what’s the point, where’s the value?
 
Instantly my head fills with all these numbers and phrases based off statistics that I’ve heard !
      -Half the world is under the age of 25, which is considered youth
      -Depression & suicide rates seem to be ever growing numbers
      -1 in 4 youth will have suffered from depression by age of 18
      - A child commits suicide every half hour as a result of being bullied
      -More young people are left feeling helpless, lonely, unloved, and stuck

The point is- If it weren’t for people directing, guiding, and supporting me throughout my teen years, there is no way I’d be able to do any of the things I do today.
 
Luke 10:2 says “These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
There is a great ‘harvest’ in youth ministry, young people are desperate to belong, to have purpose, and I believe desperate to change the world. But who is showing this to them? Who is showing them they belong, helping them find their purpose, and equipping them to change the world?
 
That’s what the SOIYM is about-it is about taking a position of courage and faith to say “I see this harvest, I see these young people, I see their value, I believe they have potential, and I’m going to take action.”#leadnow 
 
Click here to find out more about this years School of Innovative Youth Ministry!