*defective means having a defect or fault, while deficient means inadequate or lacking in amount or degree
I recently spent 4 days at the Adventist Students Association (ASA) Convention at Lennox Head as part of my work (tough I know!). Here’s a few reflections:
- There were about 25 students who stayed for the week of activities (mostly indoors or nearby due to the constant rain – ahh!).
- They were a great bunch of students – friendly, focused and faithful to God. The speaker – Doug Burns – shared simple yet profound messages.
- ASA is struggling to keep track of current uni students and attract connected students to it’s Annual Convention. This is an issue of leadership, marketing, and mentoring.
- Conference/City Uni student clubs like NASA (Newcastle) and SASS (Sydney) have struggled this year to get off the ground and run any gatherings. They have appointed pastoral chaplains, but the challenges of students and ex-students leading and a new, transient generation (that is socially connected via technology but not in person) is taking it’s toll. Some states are doing OK (e.g. QUSDAS in SQLD) but say they are struggling, some population areas have no SDA uni club presence at all.
- I listen to one student at the convention talk about how current youth ministry in her conference – including youth rallies – was aimed at younger teens and therefore irrelevant to her. Interestingly, this is the same sentiment I’ve heard many times from 25-40 yr olds – but this from someone who was about 20.
- I’m concerned that with the lack of support, mentoring and leadership for uni students (Avondale College aside) in Australia, they will look more like my generation and disconnect from church and sadly loose their focus on Jesus. It’s time we engaged with this issue – and with our uni student generation.
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Those are some sad but accurate observations. I am 23, self employed, heavily involved with my local church and feel like a dying breed. I am observing the disconnect of my own generation in many places.
I understand there is no one-size-fites-all fix, the breach must be healed holistically, but the most refreshing and connecting thing I have ever seen for my generation is the AYC movement. The young people that inculcate the principles espoused by AYC by and large, seem to have a strong foundation in the gospel, they understand their identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians.
Just like every conference or convention there are those who are just ‘along for the ride’ but the fruit being borne as a whole suggests the movement is doing something very, very right.
I think as a church we need to look into what it is about AYC that ‘works’ so well. and start building it into the broader landscape of Adventism.
Thats my two cents anyway.
Keep up the good work, I always enjoy reading your posts.
Blessings.
Hey Luke,
I’m glad to hear of the positive influence AYC has had in your life. Their commitment to the church’s mission of ‘winning souls’ is commendable and needed in our church. It’s got to be this boldness to share Jesus – and to do what the Bible says – that is needed by all of us. Heck – why else are we here on this earth?
Courage to you.