Change can be daunting.
Despite that I have always been a fan of change because it breaks up routine and I love variety.
Although I love it, I know not everyone does and sometimes one of the unfortunate consequences of change can be that people are left behind.
Around Easter time last year we changed the way we did one of our youth hubs. We changed so we could engage with more people but our fear was we might leave behind the handful of regulars who had engaged with the hubs in their current form.
In truth although we did what we could to transition them the new format, new night and new context just didn’t quite seem to work for all of them and sadly we found some of them chose to vote with their feet. In the short time we had been working with them we had seen God clearly at work in their lives. As they clearly felt a sense of belonging within our hub provision we saw them all make the choices to invite Jesus to be part of their world and say ‘yes’ to following him, and although they were typical teenagers, full of energy and high spirits in many cases we saw remarkable changes in their behaviour over the months we worked with them. So we were all sad to find that not all of them transitioned.
At the same time our Pais CCV Allstars team were also desperately looking for more helpers and volunteers to help them with growing attendance for their Allstars Club. The growth in many of the teenagers had been remarkable over the previous few months so instead of loosing them entirely we decided to approach them about helping out as junior leaders in the Allstars club instead. It was on the same evening as our previous youth hub so it worked for them and we found they rose to the challenge as we launched them into a new chapter of their adventure of following Jesus.
Perhaps we don’t always feel ready to step up, or perhaps we feel a sense of loss relating to change. But what if change is the catalyst of God inviting us into new adventures. What if in stepping up we launch into new opportunities. Similarly what if like our Pais CCV Allstars team we can view change a little differently and be the voices offering new invitations. Could you be the pivotal person launching people into their God breathed destinies?
If you would like to find out more about what we do as missionaries with Pais movement then please check out www.paismovement.com. If you like the idea of training as part of teams launching young people into their God breathed destinies you can also sign up for our apprenticeship program via the website to.
Long may our villages, towns and cities come alive as we carry life, hope and love to all who will listen.