The Function of the Serving Saints at the Young People’s Conferences
Scripture Reading: Eph. 1:16-18; Rom. 1:9; Luke 15:20, 4; 2 Tim. 1:6-7; 2:2
- Our vision is that the conference is not mainly speaking by a few but a teamwork of all the serving ones:
- The conference has many aspects and needs a good coordination and labor by all.
- We need to realize that the role of the serving ones is greater than the speakers.
- The Lord would sometimes take the disciples away from the distractions of daily life to have a special time of speaking with them for their encouragement and vision.
- Our realization is that our young people need a solid deposit every time they come together:
- The goal of the conference is not merely for the young people to have a big turn back to the Lord, although that is good.
- We are laboring like a farmer to give a faithful deposit of healthy teaching every time we are with them.
- Our need is to keep ourselves in the enjoyment of the Lord’s grace through our own personal time with the Lord:
- Every morning taking the time we need to have a personal morning revival; do not think that because we are in a conference and the atmosphere is high, we can get by without it:
- Daily come to the “throne of grace” to receive mercy and find grace for timely help.
- Our function during the conference:
- Pray at all times day and night for the ones under our care.
- Observe them in the meetings and group times to see their responses.
- Seek opportunities to speak privately with them during the conference.
- Support the messages by praying for the speaking and the atmosphere.
- Have a strong and released, but not dominating spirit especially during the singing.
- The purpose of the room assignments in the houses is to strengthen and solidify the experience of the conference by:
- Establishing a personal relationship with each young one in our rooms:
- Pray for each one by name every day.
- Pick up a burden from the Lord for each one.
- Find opportunities to get to know them in a more intimate and personal way; do not always be a policeman and judge, be a loving mother too.
- After you get to know them, look for opportunities for personal shepherding and care during the meal times or free time.
- The main function of our serving is to help each young one open themselves to the Lord.
- When the opportunity comes confirm the Lord’s word spoken to the young people in the meetings with a testimony or short word.
- Establishing a personal relationship with each young one in our rooms:
- The need of a proper atmosphere and condition during the conference:
- Help the young people to be properly attired and subsequently more likely to take the conference seriously.
- Realize that we are not the ones who make the rules, but the ones who must enforce them:
- The serving ones must be lovingly firm with regards to the conference regulations.
- If a conflict comes up, feel free to contact the coordinating brothers for fellowship.
- The proper serving is not with our natural life or with our self expressed:
- If we are too strict, we may damage the young ones under our care—if we are too lenient, we will also damage them and the atmosphere of the conference.
- Love is the most excellent way to do everything as a serving one; with love everything becomes easy.
- If you need help in knowing how to handle particular situations, seek fellowship from the coordinating brothers or from other more experienced serving ones.
- Young people normally function the best when the boundaries are clearly defined for them; when the rules keep changing they become insecure and may cause problems:
- The young ones may resist in following the conference schedule, actually, they are testing to see if the boundaries will move; do not be afraid to be firm.
- Their going to bed at night and rising in the morning is a critical part of the conference.
- Small group morning revival times:
- Wake the young ones in a pleasant and refreshing way, not in a loud, offensive and disturbing way.
- Help them to get up, cleaned up, and ready for the day.
- Begin your small group morning revival on time according to the daily schedule:
- By sitting in a circle, encourage each one to pray around to open to the Lord.
- Read and pray-read the verses that are selected for this.
- The function of the serving ones in the meetings:
- Help your young ones to be ready for the meeting on time and come to the meetings together as a group to sit as close to the front as possible.
- During the singing/opening time, help yourself and the young ones around you to open and enjoy the Lord; sing loudly with a released spirit:
- During the message, remain vigilant to serve and pray while observing the reaction of the young ones as the word is being spoken.
- If they are talking or disturbing others, you may need to do something to help them.
- Let the messages speak to you; if you are touched by the word, then we know the young ones were also touched by the word.
- The evening cabin times:
- The main burden of the evening “cabin times” is for the young people to have a little prayer and fellowship at night before they go to sleep.
- Each evening after the meeting there is a short 15-20 minute “cabin time”:
- Begin by reading and pray-reading the verses on the sheet; encourage each one to participate, being sensitive to their condition.
- Read in a circle the ministry material provided on the sheet.
- Discuss as a group the questions at the end; they are there to help get things started.
- Do not give them another message or other lengthy speaking; your job is to facilitate.
- The function of the serving ones after the conference:
- The care for the young ones is a gospel labor, a labor of fruit-bearing:
- The conferences twice a year can only do so much; the young ones need constant personal care; they are our gospel friends, our new ones, that need personal care.
- The homes are the best place to care for the young ones in a regular or weekly way.
- Help the young ones to establish a habit of morning revival every morning.
- Personal contact is the most effective way to shepherd the young ones.
- The care for the young ones is a gospel labor, a labor of fruit-bearing: