Engaging Young People

Zach had an opportunity to participate in the CRC Campus Ministry Conference held at Loyola University in Chicago. Attending this conference were around forty campus pastors and young leaders from university campuses around the US and Canada.

A pressing concern on the heart of today’s church is how to engage young people in the faith. This was a subject often on our minds throughout our ministry in Haiti because the vast majority of Haitians were less than twenty-five-years-old. The same reality is present throughout the developing world where high birth rates and high unemployment mean that cities are full of young people looking for ways to improve their lives. In such countries, the church is young and leaders must focus on training and discipling young people for mission. In the United States and Canada, the situation is very different, but the need to engage young people in their faith is equally pressing. Many churches in the US are “greying,” because of low birthrates and lack of interest among young people toward organized religion. Throughout history, it has been Christian youth who catalyzed and propelled mission. Resonate Global Mission contributes to the development of young Christian leaders for mission through its campus ministry.  Resonate supports 37 CRC campus ministries throughout North America (and several internationally). The ministry is diverse—some engage undergraduates and others postgraduates, some include worship communities, some focus on discipleship and evangelism, some minister to faculty and even a few are active church plants!