Youth are the Future
When I was first introduced to One Mission Society as a youth in 1996 at a Summer English Camp in Hungary, my life changed forever. After camp, missionaries invested in my life, and a major transformation took place that led to a commitment to full-time service to God through youth ministries.
During my university work in youth ministries education, the topic of “Youth Are the Future” was discussed in many of my courses. While the statement is correct, it only points us in one direction. It only looks ahead at what can come of the youth in a few years. However, the youth are here today. They surround us, and many are ready or nearly ready to lead today.
We are passionate about young people. We pray and work hard to see them transformed through the work of God in their lives. In the last couple of months, we have talked with various young people about their spiritual vital signs, and we have been pleased to see great potential in today’s young people in Hungary. Now, we know the situation is not that simple. It is far more complicated than that.
For this reason, we are excited about the Transformational Ministry Center opening. Not only will this center be available for many youth outreach events and activities, but it will also be a place where we can invest in those who have the greatest impact on the youth—youth leaders! We will be able to invest in current Hungarian youth leaders who desperately need a place of learning both theoretical and practical skills in how to do ministry with young people in a culture that struggles to truly value its own youth.
In recent discussions with Hungarian pastors, I have come to see the terrain that is in front of us. We need a place for the various Hungarian Christian leaders to gather together and learn from one another on a regular basis. We need to provide an environment of common learning, collaboration, and a place where we can love one another as Christ instructed us. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 ESV). If we imitate Christ in this manner at the Transformational Ministry Center, we have the opportunity to claim that: Youth Are the Future. These young people will be transformed through unity in God and with their fellow Christian brothers and sisters to go to battle for this generation of youth and the following ones. However, it starts today. It starts now. It starts with us!-Viktor