"Chosen" teens challenged to lead
Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Nathan Brown

A group of young people, drawn from all Australian states, have been challenged that the church needs their talents, energy and leadership.

The 68 participants in the "Chosen" teen leaders convention were aged between 14 and 16, nominated by their local churches and selected by the respective conferences.

The event took place at the Bonny Hills Conference Centre, near Port Macquarie, NSW, from July 7 to 11.

"In a way, this event was a way of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy," says Pastor Tony Knight, director of youth ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia. "A lot of kids feel there is no place for them in the church and many potential leaders in the church just don't get noticed. We also have a bit of a leadership crisis in the church, where the older leaders are getting older and a lot of the younger people aren't stepping up.

"So we thought we would hand-pick talented young people, and have significant people in the church tap them on the shoulder and say, 'We have noticed you as a church, we think you have potential and we need you.' When you make statements like this to kids, they rarely let you down."

According to Pastor Knight, local churches that nominated young people also financially supported their involvement in this program, and made a commitment to provide mentoring and leadership opportunities within their local church setting.

"We will be in touch with local churches to remind them they made a commitment to support and use these young people,"says Pastor Knight.

^{Some of the mentors and participants from Greater Sydney in a discussion.} 

Several of the Adventist Church regional offices are planning to use these young people as a teen advisory for their youth departments. "We've already heard from local churches, where things have begun to happen, where young people have met with their local church leaders and discussed how they can be involved in the church," adds Jacqui Knight, who assisted in the planning and leadership of "Chosen."

"Among the young women with whom I worked, there was a strong feeling that they will be leaders in the church," she continues. "I think the affirmation, goal setting and focus on involvement in the church has given them more of a licence to stand up to be leaders. A number of them expressed a goal to work toward full-time ministry.

"At times, there has almost been a stigma about church employment but I think many of these young people saw the opportunity to serve in the church.

"It was obvious these kids were there for a reason, they were really focused the whole week. It was so exciting. We have a generation of young people who are really keen and committed."

Presenters and leaders worked with the young people over the week, including successful business people, communicators and church leaders. One of these, Sharon Witt, is a Christian schoolteacher and author of the "Teen Talk" series of books. "She got right behind the project and really engaged with the young people," says Pastor Knight. "She is still in touch with many of the young people." And the response has been enthusiastic.

"So many of the kids have said this is the best thing they have been part of,"Pastor Knight reports. "We gave the kids a bunch of resources when they came along, everyone received a copy of the Bible, as well as a selection of books, magazines and other resources. They went away with bagloads of material to build them up and equip them for ministry.

"They were blown away by the realisation that they had been recognised and chosen in this way. Already, we have heard stories back about young people who have changed their life direction."

Pastor Knight says he is excited by what he observed of these young people in the time they shared together. "They are focused, smart, intelligent," he says, "but some of them are disappointed with a lack of leadership and lack of vision they see in the church. When we gave them a little bit of nurture, they just exploded."