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2007-05-15 issue:

The youth of the church

Mennonite youth conventions are times to praise the Lord together as peers.

by Jacob Yordy

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The youth of the church are persevering in a world where each generation wanders farther from God.

They are persevering in a society in which teens are dismissed as big children or temperamental and immature investments in the future.

They are persevering in a time when God is easier than ever to dismiss as human ingenuity or science, a time when sex is often seen as a casual interaction, a time when ritualistic religion replaces spiritual connections.

I am a Christian. I believe God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. I believe it is incredibly wrong to sin. And I believe that few people in the world today truly understand God’s will.

I live in the United States, the capitalist authority. Almost everyone believes in God or says they believe in some form of God. Yet I am just beginning to realize that this country’s actions often fail to reflect the will of the Lord.

I am part of the next generation, one molded by war video games and used to rampant consumerism. I watch as people I know decide they want nothing less than to serve in the war overseas. Army representatives come to my high school toting bags of impressive trinkets and promising young men they will be honored and remembered. Amid this pressure to be a citizen who puts his or her country first, members of my Mennonite church and other churches from all over the country put God first instead.

Every day I deal with statements from my peers and even friends that directly contradict what exemplifies a God-centered individual’s thoughts. I am faced with hundreds of decisions each day, and I cannot imagine how I could get through them without God.

Some people my age have left God in the dust. They have openly denied the existence of the Lord. These are people I see stumble and fail while trying to lead a purposeful and determined life. Part of being a Mennonite, or any Christian for that matter, means I don’t have to face those difficult decisions on my own; I have God by my side in all I do and am constantly influenced by his will.

Many adults say teens are rebellious. By nature, some are. Many adults say teens are not close to adults. In aspects such as maturity and responsibility, there are times when we can’t measure up. But when it comes to spirituality, teens are raring to go. We are young adults who can’t wait to continue our journey with God.

It may seem we don’t pay attention through the entire sermon and church services. I know I don’t. Some Mennonite churches (such as mine) are too small for multiple pastors. Most sermons are written for mature interests. These sermons include adult issues and concepts foreign to teens. The songs and responses represent the wants and needs of our parents. The closest teens are able to get to God is during the Mennonite conventions, when sermons are geared to teens and we are able to give our entire attention to the message.

It is no coincidence that some of the best times of my life are the conventions; they are times when I can feel myself taking the path Jesus took and I can feel him walking with me.

Conventions are times when many Mennonite youth, all of them facing the same pressures and striving to keep God first in their lives, can congregate and praise the Lord together. It is much easier, and from my experiences more meaningful, to praise God in the security and joy of having others who believe the same things as you at your side.

That is why I am looking forward to San José 2007 with such anticipation. That is why I simply can’t wait for this Mennonite convention; it will be an affirmation of my faith and a confirmation that the youth of the church are persevering.

Jacob Yordy, 16, is a member of North Suburban Mennonite Church, Libertyville, Ill.

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