OVERVIEW AND VISION STATEMENTS
YOUTH MINISTRY DIRECTORATE
VISION 2025
Developing Resilient Disciples to Possess the Nations
2025 VISION SLOGAN
Youth and PENSA USA: Developing Resilient Disciples to Possess the Nations
YOUTH and PENSA VISION 2025 – STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA
OVERALL VISION
To bring students and professionals to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, disciple and equip them so that they can reach out to the unsaved, provide spiritual leadership for the body of Christ, excel in their spiritual, academic, and social lives while striving to maintain the Pentecostal landmarks of the Church.
PURPOSE STATEMENT
The National Youth Directorate exists to DISCIPLE Young People so that they can IDENTIFY and DEVELOP their Ministries, CONNECT with other Christians, REACH out to the Unsaved and GLORIFY God with their LIFE.
In other words, we exist to EXPOSE teenagers and young adults to God’s love (evangelism—Matt. 28:19) EQUIP them (discipleship — Matt. 28:20) EXALT GOD (Worship- Matt. 22:37), ENJOY other believers (fellowship — Matt. 28:19), and EXPERIENCE the work of the ministry (ministry—Matt. 22:39).
OVERALL GOAL
Our overall goal is to nurture resilient disciples, equipped to be relentless in their pursuit of Jesus Christ, kingdom principles, values, and lifestyles.
CORE VALUES and PRACTICES
Our core values and practices define our mission and a refined culture ordained by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.
EVANGELISM AND DISCIPLESHIP
We are committed to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all young people and always seek to do so with urgency, using the most culturally acceptable means. We are further committed to provide a ministry of discipleship for each new believer and to work in partnership with others who desire to accomplish the same mission.
SCRIPTURE AND TENETS
We are committed to the Word of God as the foundation and final authority for life and ministry. We discipline ourselves to study it diligently, apply it daily, and teach its truth to young people.
PRAYER
We are committed to pray and fast for the salvation of lost young people and for the empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit in taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. We embrace the spiritual concept that true revivals and transformation of individual lives, the Church, and society happens on the platform of intense, ceaseless prayers of a people united and burdened to see the societal transformation.
CHURCH (DUAL PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH)
Believing that the Church is the expression of the body of Christ, we are committed to working within the local Church to fulfill the great commission and possess the nations.
PEOPLE
Our priority is people before programs. We are committed to people. We believe that young people, volunteers, committees, ministry partners, staff, and their families are important first as individuals who have been changed by God’s love and are all vital in the fulfillment of the mission.
MOBILIZATION
Before us is a ripe harvest field, treading Broadway into a lost eternity. Our noble duty is to mobilize every known available resource including young people, financiers, and others, to direct them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
INTEGRITY
We are committed to a life of integrity through personal and organizational accountability in lifestyle, relationships, finances, ministry management, and responsible evangelism.
In Summary: CORE VALUES and PRACTICES
CORE VALUES OF THE MINISTRY:
STRATEGIC TEN –POINT VISION PLAN, OBJECTIVES & ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
Quoting from vision 2023, we acknowledge that “the various directorates will be tasked to monitor activities of their respective ministries at all levels to ensure that these activities are geared towards equipping members to contribute meaningfully to the ideals of Vision 2023 and ultimately 2026.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE DIRECTORATE
OVERVIEW
Since the inauguration of Youth/PENSA USA, some seventeen years ago, the ministry has seen significant growth and has nurtured the faith of thousands of young people, many of whom have grown into becoming supportive members of the Church in various leadership capacities.The introduction of the directorate concept presents a charge to re-organize the ministry and lay the groundwork for a more robust impact. Church leadership intends to resource the ministry further at all levels and enable same to train and equip the young people who would begin to carry the Church into the future.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and enforce the functionality of existing ministry structures and introduce new administrative structures where necessary, for more efficient monitoring and expansion of the ministry.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILDING
OVERVIEW
The need to train new young leaders and expose them to the internal workings of the Church remainsan issue of great urgency. Teens and young adults must be brought to the table and intentionally mentored into becoming change agents and spiritual leaders who can influence the membership towards God and carry the Church into the future.
OBJECTIVE
The directorate will seek to focus on deepening the spirituality of young people at both individual and corporate levels through the study of the Word, prayer, fasting, and the development of a solid devotional life.
National/Regional Youth Pastors/Leaders and District Pastors shall be tasked to identify gifted young leaders and feature them on programs on weekdays, Sundays, and on special regional /national programs as part of the overall mentorship program.
NURTURING RESILIENT DISCIPLES (Discipleship Development Department)
OVERVIEW
Grounding the teens and young adults in Christ is fundamental to helping them retain their faith as they grow into responsible adults, not shaken by current post-modern worldviews. Vision 2023 of the Church of Pentecost worldwide proposed a “PENSA Discipleship Program.” This aspect of our vision is designed to fulfill that objective. The impact of “digital Babylon” – our current post-modern world on our young people seeks to erode efforts aimed at discipleship. Many teens have become disciples of the screen accompanied by fear of missing out (FOMO), depression and anxiety. Only consistent exposure to the word of God can calm, settle, and strengthen our young people. Discipleship and mentoring need to be done intentionally and on purpose. “Pick that young man/woman and nurture him/her to do great things for God” – Aps. Eric Nyamekye. Teens and Young adults of the ministry will be trained and equipped to become disciples of Christ first, before engaging deeply in religious activities or doing the work of God.
OBJECTIVE
To nurture the faith of our teens and young adults in a doctrinally challenging environment and equip them to own and defend their Christian faith.
POSSESSING THE NATIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACHES AND MISSION TRIPS
OVERVIEW
The purpose of our existence is to fulfill the great commission. Further, the great commission is never intended to target the Church. It is meant to target society, outside of the Church. The vision 2023 from the International Executive Committee presents a challenge to the Church to leave the building. We must move beyond seeing Sunday services as the arena for serving God. If we hope to make a difference in a hopeless world, we must go out to take the nations for Christ (Rom. 10:13-15; 15:20,21, Jn. 20:21).
OBJECTIVE
To develop and deploy a Christ-like generation of young men and women who understand their dual role as belonging to God and yet called to infiltrate our secular society and external nations with kingdom principles and values, thereby turning many to Christ.
COLLEGE CAMPUS MINISTRY
OVERVIEW
PENSA as a ministry has the college campus as a major target and operational area.
The campus is a ripe harvest field for the Church and the Youth Ministry. One-fourth of the world’s college students are in North America, and they represent the most reachable, “recruitable,” trainable, and “sendable” category of persons on the planet.
They will go where others will not. They will believe it can be done when others doubt. They are waiting for someone like you to love them, serve them, look deep into their eyes, and say: “Would you join me in reaching the entire world for Jesus Christ?” -Steve Shadrach. Out of the over 5,000 Colleges and Universities in the United States with over 20 million students, only a few have been reached for Christ. Our goal is that each COPUSA designated geographic region in the Nation would plant two campus ministries each year.
OBJECTIVE
To equip our Youth Leaders, members, and college freshmen with the tools for aggressively planting campus ministries and nurturing the growth of same with the goal of possessing all college campuses for God’s glory.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTEDNESS
OVERVIEW
Before and even more so during this season of the pandemic, social media and the virtual space have gained momentum as a powerful force for organizations, Church, and particularly for young people. Young ones between ages 8 and 12 spend an average of nearly 6 hours a day on social media. Teens spend all their free time on social media, and many do not read anymore – Market Watch. The Youth Ministry can only thrive by forcefully engaging all our students on all social media platforms. The Youth and PENSA Ministry seeks to build on our current social media prowess and reach even more of our people. Our current reach has been limited by several factors and this new vision seeks to eliminate those factors and establish a more robust social media engagement.
VISION
To harness current and available technology to reach out to students and young people through social network sites. The goal is to counter philosophies that promote ungodly living with sound Biblical doctrine. The gospel will also be spread through this means.
ACADEMIC & CAREER ADVISORY SERVICES
OVERVIEW
Many of our young people need guidance on the numerous decisions they must make, coupled with the mental health challenges associated with young people in today’s culture. Many students choose academic programs that are not the best fit partly due to the inability of their immigrant parents who have less experience with the mainstream educational system to advise them.
Further, the mental health of teens and college students has come to the forefront of many of the challenges confronting young people in America. The issue is particularly unique for children from immigrant families, as they struggle with issues of race, identity, and culture. The issue of depression and mental health, even though serious, is often stigmatized in the African community. We have witnessed a whole range of mental health issues from depression to suicidal tendencies among our young people for the past several years.
“Where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” ~ Proverbs 11:14
The Youth Directorate shall seek to collaborate with the Counseling department of COPUSA to provide academic and career counseling for young people.
OBJECTIVE
To provide advisory counseling (non-professional and professional) to support the development of members of the Church of Pentecost Youth and PENSA Ministry. Focus areas include academic, career, spirituality and faith, relationship, and family life.
Our vision in this endeavor is to foster a safe, confidential, and godly environment where youth and young adults relate to mentors for counseling and spiritual empowerment.
ALUMNI MOBILIZATION FOR NETWORKING AND MENTORSHIP (Pentecost Professional Network)
OVERVIEW
Over the past 30 plus years of operations in the United States, the Church of Pentecost USA has successfully groomed several professionals who have become very accomplished in various fields of endeavor. We have well-accomplished professionals in corporate America, government/federal jobs, the army, law enforcement, academia, business, entrepreneurship, medicine, and many more. Meanwhile, we are blessed with many students and youth who need mentorship and guidance in their quest to climb the ladder of success. There is the need to bridge the gap between these two groups and empower this group to network and support each other socially and professionally.
OBJECTIVE
To inspire and empower professionals within COP, USA, to passionately use their God-given talents, skills, and expertise to mentor the next generation, network among themselves, and promote the mission of Christ.
PERFORMING ARTS AND SPORTS MINISTRIES
OVERVIEW
God has used arts, dance, and drama to convey His heart and passion to many generations. He gifts people with artistic skills and talents and uses the same to bring glory to His holy name. In Ezekiel, drama is used as a tool to communicate God’s message. God is the writer and the casting director. He instructed Ezekiel to build a set. The scene told a story that captivated the audience, making it possible for Ezekiel to deliver a powerful message from God.
Each week, millions of people worldwide both Christians and non-Christian spend money, travel long distances across town, juggle their schedules, endure long cinema/theatre queues and sometimes uncomfortable cinema/ theatre seats to watch a good movie, whether it is a secular movie like the ‘Titanic’ or a Christian movie like ‘War Room’! Some have said that more people attend the cinema and theatre weekly than Churches!
VISION
To identify and encourage young people at all levels of the ministry who are gifted in the arts industry, so they can be spurred on to higher heights in a godly way, thus using their gifting to spread the gospel in unusual places to possess the nations.
YOUNG ADULT RETENTION PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
The truth is that millennials and the generations after them are leaving organized religion in large numbers and many of them are not returning. Of the roughly 80% of young millennials (1990–1996) who were raised in religious homes, only 56% still call themselves Christians.Only 1 out of 3 high school students expect to continue being involved in Church once they are living on their own. Data from the Southern Baptist Convention indicates that they are currently losing 70-88% of their youth after their freshman year in college. 70% of teenagers involved in Church youth groups stop attending Church within two years of their high school graduation.[1]
This statistic can easily become our statistic if actionable steps are not taken to engage and retain the younger generation. We must understand from a glimpse that we are dealing with a generation that is hungry for meaning and they want to experience the real living Jesus in our gatherings. They are craving for personal Christ-like encounters coupled with meaningful relationships that would change their perception of religion and give God their whole hearts.
OBJECTIVE
To create a ministry structure and strategy that meets the heartfelt needs of today’s young person, thereby retaining them and maximizing their potential within the framework the Church of Pentecost U.S.A.
SPECIALIZED MINISTRIES and OTHER ACTIONABLE ACTIVITIES
OVERVIEW
There are different categories of participants in the Youth Ministry with corresponding specialized needs. The Youth Ministry intends to be holistic in its approach to meeting the peculiar needs of each category. The following are a pool of additional specialized events to be carried out to augment existing events. Some of these have already been identified:
- Bridges to Manhood will be a program to train young men, and it will be organized in collaboration with the PEMEM.
- PENSA USA Missions Force – Annual outreach to a selected neighborhood in the USA and mission trips abroad.
- Finance and Entrepreneurial development
- Annual Singles Prayer Summit (Annual) and Singles Prayer Group
- National Youth Quiz Competition (Annual)
- INTERGENERATIONAL YOUTH SERVICES with the Youth Director (Annual at the Regional level)
- Monthly “Biazo Encounter Service” – A Monthly Hour of Inspiration with the Youth Director- to be streamed live on our online platforms.
- Weekly MONDAY MOTIVATIONS – Scriptural Quotes from the directorate to inspire our populace.