Young people around the world 'Shine' for Jesus
Young people around the world 'Shine' for Jesus
4 April 2018
Children and young people around the globe mobilised in their communities for the 'Shine' weekend, including in South Africa, as pictured above.
From the Caribbean to Denmark, from Russia to Sri Lanka, from South Africa to Argentina, from the United Kingdom to Australia, young people all over the world were at the forefront of ministry during The Salvation Army’s international children’s and youth weekend.
The weekend (24-25 March) was part of The Salvation Army’s ongoing Whole World Mobilising initiative.
Young people around the globe could be found leading various events – Sunday meetings, youth seminars, worship concerts, prayer stations, family events, movie nights, teen coffee, Mobilising rallies, Palm Sunday marches, food drives, prayer walks, art outreaches, hospital visits, community breakfasts, a junior soldier rallies, barbecues – and so much more!
The theme of the weekend was “Shine!”, using scripture from Isaiah 60:1 as the focus: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord arises upon you.”
To kick off the weekend, video messages of encouragement and prayer were shared from General André Cox and the Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Brian Peddle.
Mendoza, Argentina.
The General addressed the Army’s young people, saying: “I want to ensure that, through this weekend, you will feel empowered; not just to make us old people happy and to entertain us in our corps, but that you will really feel a sense of being engaged by God in his rescue mission, meeting human needs in his name ... and preaching that wonderful gospel message! ... I want to encourage you to take your place, to lead The Salvation Army, so that we're not stuck within our walls, but that we're out there ... bringing the good news of Jesus Christ!”
In the France and Belgium Territory, where the General and Commissioner Silvia Cox, World President of Women's Ministries, were visiting, the young people were instrumental in leading the weekend and prepared a musical comedy, El Azar, based on the life of Lazarus. The musical was broadcast on YouTube, as were many of the meetings that were part of the territorial congress.
Across the rest of the world, young people used social media to encourage and inspire one another, sharing photos and videos of their activities. Some corps used Facebook Live to broadcast their meetings.
Kenya East Territory.
Support from International Headquarters came in the form of five prayer videos from a representative of each of the Army’s five geographical zones. Forty territories also submitted written prayers that were widely circulated online.
In response to the weekend, International Youth and Children’s Officers Majors Keith and Shone Pike shared a prayer: “We pray God’s light will shine in every corner of our world as children and youth respond to God’s call to ‘arise and Shine!’ – because the glory of the Lord has risen on them. We long to see the youth of our Army transformed by the power of the gospel and in turn become a transforming influence in the communities in which they live.”
Visit the Whole World Mobilising social wall to see videos, prayers and photos from the weekend: walls.io/jcq6i
Comments
No comments yet - be the first.