Connections Archive

Seven Avondale College Master of Arts (youth ministry) students have just returned from a tour of India, England, The Netherlands and the United States.

Led by Pastor Gilbert Cangy, director of Adventist youth ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific, the students visited churches, entities organisations and places on the "cutting edge" of youth ministry. The highlights included:

India
Taking a prayer walk in the slums of Pune and visiting a drug rehabilitation centre, the Young Men's Christan Association vocational training schools in Mumbai and the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Spicer Memorial College.

England
Visiting the cafe-style Watering Hole Adventist church plant in Southampton and marching at Trafalgar Square with 5000 Adventist young adults--the marched raised awareness of social justice.

The Netherlands
Visiting the Middelpunt, Alivio, Expresso, Unique and Amigos Adventist church plants--young adults lead most of the churches, which meet in homes and community centres.

United States
Visiting Battle Creek in Michigan, the city where the early Adventist Church established many of its entities, meeting with Adventist young adult leaders Dr A Allan Martin and Pastor Ron Whitehead at the church's Andrews University, visiting Shipshewana, an Amish and Mennonite community in Indiana, visiting the Willow Creek and Saddleback churches and experiencing an African American Adventist worship service.

"'Attractional' church isn't working," says one of the seven students, Leighton Heise, a chaplain at Avondale School, reflecting on his take-home message. "In fact, young adult ministers in the major evangelical churches like Willow Creek are courageously, and literally, cancelling their weekend services. It's all about beginning the journey of the emerging church, where house churches, small groups and localised social justice become the heartbeat of young adult ministry."

"Tours like these never fail to work," says Gilbert, "because they are based in the lecture halls of travels and experience, where assumptions are challenged and discoveries are made."

Caption: Master of Arts (youth ministry) students pause from their itinerary for a photograph at Andrews University. Left to right: Leighton Heise; Jake Ormsby; Raynick Jack; Laisenia Soqovata; Carlos Hernandez; Charley Jimmy; and Danee Mukar.
Credit: Gilbert Cangy