Editorial
January/February, 1999
Volume 34, Number 1
After having served at a number of Church of the Brethren National Youth Conferences, I had concluded that it was time for a younger person to replace me as a representative of the BRF point of view. But when the invitation came to lead the morning devotions at NYC ’98, I saw this as another opportunity to share God’s Word in a new and challenging way, and I accepted the invitation.
A number of factors made the NYC event a real blessing and an encouragement. I was at the Conference until Saturday morning, and can comment briefly about what happened until that time. The NYC coordinators, Brian Yoder, Emily Shonk, Joy Struble, and their advisors and helpers, are to be commended for an administrative job well done. Their work enabled this largest gathering of Brethren in several years to run smoothly. Steve Van Houten who served as the dean of NYC ’98 used a kind, but no-nonsense, approach to discipline. There were repeated reminders at nearly every major session about the need to obey the rules.
The spiritual instruction at NYC was solid and helpful. In a very unapologetic manner, Jesus Christ was constantly emphasized as the answer to the deepest human needs. For the most part the preaching was to the point and relevant. There was clear evidence that new commitments were being made. The youth who shared testimonies did so with feeling and conviction. The dramatizations which I saw had a worthwhile message and were done with good taste. I didn’t show up for all of the music. I can’t always understand the words in the contemporary kinds of music, and my eardrums don’t need that kind of beating either. Don’t accuse me of being entirely opposed to Christian rock, because I actually enjoy singing such songs as “Rock of Ages,” and “Lead Me to the Rock That is Higher Than I.”
Early morning devotions and breakfast started each day at 7 AM. Bacon and pancakes can become a real competition for Bible study and prayer. But I was really gratified by the strong interest and good attendance each morning for devotions. Many NYC’ers surprised me with their seeking spiritual food before going for physical nourishment.
I was encouraged to learn that a workshop was held where the True Love Waits” emphasis was explained, and many Brethren youth were signing pledge cards to promise that they would abstain from sexual intercourse until after marriage. On the other hand, it was equally discouraging to see the almost total lack of respect for dressing modestly. At times it seemed as though almost everybody was in shorts–both on and off stage. Does anybody know in these days that Jesus connected the looking and the lusting and the sinning (Matthew 5:28)?
Many youth seemed to come back from NYC spiritually energized. Some older folks have commented about differences they noticed in their youth after having returned from NYC. In a new and encouraging way it seems that hope for the future of the Church of the Brethren may be in the potential found in our youth. Tina Shelton gives a good and more detailed report in this issue of the Witness from a participants point of view. Read on!
An Evaluation of the 1998
Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference
By Tina Shelton
When I looked into Moby Arena on Tuesday night during worship, I saw over 4,000 youth and advisors gathered to begin a week of worship, praise, learning, crying, comforting, sharing, and helping. It was humbling to realize that as an advisor I would be looked to by many–to help them walk “with eyes of faith.”
My first impressions of NYC ’98 could be described with the words “big, noisy, exciting, colors, confusion.” To try and organize 4,524 NYC’ers is no small task. There were housing difficulties, long cafeteria lines, schedule changes, and so on; but everyone had a place to sleep (even if just a mattress on the floor); everyone got food to eat; and we learned to be flexible and adapt to changing schedules.
The Lord blessed the meetings with enthusiastic song leaders and musicians. Our theme song was entitled ‘With Eyes of Faith.” The words and music struck a chord as we sang about pointing to the Light, seeing with eyes of faith, and letting God’s Spirit lead the way out of the darkness. Other songs gave praise to God and His holiness. Still others were songs of freedom and joy in Christ Jesus.
1. WORSHIP SERVICES
The Worship Services were held each morning and each evening during the week. Tuesday evening worship service with Paul Mundey was about our being gathered in this place together to begin to walk “with eyes of faith.” Wednesday morning’s worship included the sharing of personal experiences as youth try to “walk by faith and not by sight.”
The Wednesday evening worship service was very different and the message was very powerful. We watched on the large screens, a video entitled “For What Do You Seek?” It was a series of scenes and images reflecting many of the world’s ideas of what we should be seeking–money, physical beauty, power, etc.-and then the scenes were on Jesus and what He expects of us. Then Paul Grout dumped the contents of a large sack on the stage. It contained pieces of wood. In total silence he put the pieces of wood together. They became Jesus, hanging on the cross. Brother Grout’s message on seeing Jesus, looking to Jesus-not to the things of this world–was direct, bold, and uncompromising. He challenged everyone present to think seriously about committing to Christ. He called not for a snap decision, but a decision made, knowing that the life of one committed to Jesus is not easy in this world. He preached a straightforward message and offered a time for reflection on commitment. Many youth came forward; others could be found near their advisors-praying, crying, committing.
The Thursday morning worship was led by a Mennonite drama team, Ted and Lee. They presented Bible stories “we thought we knew.” Their dramatic interpretations of Matthew 14:1333, Luke 22:6-23, and John 21:4-14 were sometimes humorous, but always focused on Jesus and on the power of God. I found this approach to sharing Scripture with young people to be effective. Oft-told Bible stories shared in a different way become fresh and new, and help us to understand more clearly God’s truth. Our Lord Jesus used many different ways of sharing God’s truth–parables, stories, straight teaching, object lessons, and so on.
Thursday evening’s worship began with beautiful music, but I was disappointed that the message from Judy Mills Reimer (Church of the Brethren Executive Director) did not continue the trend of straightforwardness that we had experienced in other worship times. Her message was on “Love … with eyes of faith.” She read her message (a big no-no to the youth), and lost the audience early on. The youth got bored; they couldn’t understand the points she tried to make. They were confused by the basins of water that we were supposed to “bring our tears to.”
Friday morning began with music from Ken Medema. Then the NYC speech contest winners shared their speeches with us. Linetta Alley and Cindy LaPrade gave their speeches from the heart. They had their written pages before them, but they spoke with conviction and assurance. The Friday evening worship began with personal sharing from Shalom Ministries. To hear from others the reason for their hope (our Lord Jesus), is to give all of us a renewed sense of hope and caring. The NYC choir sang for the first time during this worship. The speaker for the night was Bernice King, daughter of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She gave a stirring and emotional personal testimony of her life; her doubts, fears, rebellion; she held nothing back. Then she came to the point: God is the only One; without Him we are helpless and hopeless. We need to be in tune with God, and that requires having a serious relationship with Him.
The Saturday morning worship began with the Castaner, Puerto Rico youth praising God in song–in their native language. Then participants in the clowning/mime workshop presented Mark 5:1-20. They had “tombs” labeled pride, peer pressure, etc. The “demons” that filled the demoniac were portrayed in today’s terms as drugs, alcohol, etc. The message of freedom from these things, through Christ, was very well placed. Milton Garcia’s message was “Be free through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He was direct with the message, and from the comments from my youth, that’s what they want. State your beliefs, why you believe them, and don’t be wishy-washy about it.
The Saturday night worship included a dramatic presentation of the story of blind Bartimaeus found in Mark 10:46-52. Ending the Saturday night worship was the NYC anointing service. I found this to be disturbing. The anointing was not carried out in a Scriptural manner. New Testament anointing is to be asked for by the one who desires it, not offered in a public service, and it is to be done by the elders, not by NYC cabinet and others. Many youth asked about the meaning of it. Some were confused; others knew it was not done properly; others were concerned about peer pressure to be anointed because “everyone gets anointed at NYC!”
The Sunday morning speaker was David Radcliff. His message was delivered in a captivating manner. He is an excellent speaker, and had an enthusiastic and supportive audience. My concern was message content. He spoke about hunger, exploitation, war, environmental concerns, etc., and what we (emphasis on we”) can and should be doing about peace, better conditions and relations with others, and what will happen to our earth. There was not enough reference to God, and how through Him we should love and care for His creation. Radcliff’s message was too socially and politically based. We can do nothing in and of ourselves, but “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” His emphasis on our human power to accomplish things–that the Bible says will not happen until Jesus comes again–was disconcerting.
Over all, the majority of the worship services were God honoring, Biblically based, and Christ centered. The different approaches to sharing Scripture and song–drama, humor, interpretive movement, mime, variety of instruments, no instruments, testimony, object lessons, etc.– provided opportunities for everyone to receive Bible teaching in one way or another.
During the week–everyone, advisors and youth, was assigned to a small group. Small groups sometimes played games, and at other times discussed the worship services and the various workshops that were attended. There were 103 different workshops scheduled throughout the week. Some of the workshop topics were: grief, physical disabilities, music, gangs, BVS, Brethren colleges, the death penalty, boy-girl relationships, and the art of listening to each other. Also, there were service projects. NYC’ers built two Habitat for Humanity houses, cleaned and packed eyeglasses for El Salvador, and helped out at area food distribution centers.
2. MORNING DEVOTIONS
The Morning Devotions were a highlight of each day. I thank God for Brother Jim Myer’s commitment to NYC this year. His morning messages on the Bible as God’s truth, inerrant and always useful in every aspect of life, were much needed. We live in a time when our youth are being taught Bible “selectiveness” (or to put it another way, “Burger King bible; have it your way”). We all need to hear and practice the Bible’s teachings in God’s way.
3. LATE EVENING ACTIVITIES
The Late Evening Activities included an Open Mike Night, when the youth had an opportunity to share their gifts and talents with their peers. I was disappointed that there was no apparent screening of what was to be done. A music act and a comedy act were the first two presentations–and I left because I thought they were inappropriate. Also, Saturday night’s “Jars of Clay” concert was a bad idea. Any music (or noise) that causes urges to move the body in a vulgar, suggestive, or hurtful manner cannot be Christ centered. Some will say, “But the words have a good message.” If one cannot hear or understand the words, because the music is loud and discordant, it does not get the right message across. I enjoy many types of music, even some contemporary sounds, but to be Christian in content means to be Christ centered, Christ honoring, and Christ following. If you cannot distinguish Christian music and lyrics from anti-Christian music and lyrics–then the word “Christian” is just a label. The Jars of Clay concert was an optional activity; many youth chose not to attend; I stayed long enough to realize that it should not have happened.
There were many other activities–hiking trips, impromptu singings, recreational games, etc. There were thunderstorms and rain showers. There were some thefts in the dorms; there were others who gave of what they had to help out those who had been robbed. There were too many young (and older) men who didn’t seem to know how to take off their hats during worship, and there seemed to be a lack of understanding about modesty, and what is appropriate dress for a gathering of Christian youth.
For every action there is a reaction–some good and some bad. NYC ’98 was not all good nor was it all bad. It was however, an experience I will never forget. God will use it to teach me things that I need to learn.
