God is real in Gen Z!

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We’ve been attending ACF for almost 3 years now, and we’ve been serving most of that time – serving brings us fulfillment, it follows God’s leading, and it build relationships within the body.

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The Army has sent us around the world over the last 30+ years, and we’ve been blessed to experience almost 20 different churches in the time.  We’ve served in some capacity at all of them. When we started attending ACF, we knew that getting involved with a life group or serve team was a great way to get to know people.  As a military couple, our connection with a local church becomes greater through serving.

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One of the ways we got involved was through 1825, the college age/young professional group.  Immediately, we noticed how impressive the young adult leaders were.  

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We don’t know about you, but staying close to young people keeps us feeling young.  Often, it’s our kids or their friends, but this was a rewarding time to see young adult leaders within the church.  Some are in school and some work, but they all sacrifice a significant amount of time to lead Bible studies and weekly meetings with several dozen 18- to 25-year-olds.

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A couple of examples – we saw a young adult who grew exponentially in her leadership abilities; she went from being timid to being engaging and drew other people to ACF as a result.  We saw young adult leaders struggle with the challenges of interpersonal relationships, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we saw wisdom, compromise, and easing of tensions.  Most of all, we saw young adults who were on fire for God and who wanted to share their love and knowledge with others.  

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Instead of blessing them, we were blessed by interacting with them.  

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In addition, we’ve also been blessed with having student writers on the Devo Team – how was your walk with God as a young teen? Were you willing to write devotional thoughts for adults to read? Together, we’ve been blessed by their example, their potential, and their obedience as they serve God.

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Be encouraged. The next generation of leaders in the church are growing up and are passionate about Jesus. They need your prayers, praise, thanks, and respect for their talent, their dedication, their knowledge, their sacrifice, and their love for each other.

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What can you do to encourage younger people at church? Maybe it’s just by talking to them on a Sunday. Maybe it’s by engaging with young adults more deeply to see how they are doing.  Maybe it’s by starting a mentorship relationship with a teen. Maybe it’s by praying intentionally for them. Maybe it’s by getting involved in Youth Culture or 1825.  You won’t be disappointed when you find a place to serve!