YOUNG METHODIST LEADERS’ CONFERENCE 2010
Testimonial Reports from Our Youth Leaders
BARNABAS SIM. What a blast! YMLC2010 was a really good experience, in learning, encountering and also getting to know more Methodist leaders from all across the country. The various messages delivered by different pastors helped to bring forth the idea of a revolutionary-leader shepherd and some of the key points in being that kind of a leader. The importance of integrity, skilful hands and humility was expounded by Bishop Solomon in the opening message, and also calling us all at the conference to be sold out and to have an “undivided heart” for God. This definitely set the tone for the rest of YMLC2010 to come.
“Hey Barney, today’s the last day of the conference…”
Other messages like the one on Methodism was good too, in particular, I remembered Rev Malcolm telling all of us that if being a Methodist helps us be a better Christian, then be one; otherwise, by all means not be a Methodist. That, of course, was not a call to treat Methodism lightly or insignificantly (or start searching for another church), but it was a challenge to me to treat where I’m at (in a Methodist church) and my walk with God even more seriously, and to reflect (with thanksgiving) on how God might have used Methodism to impact and mould me over the years; – and most importantly to love God and others regardless of denomination.
God certainly used YMLC2010 to speak to me (and to the rest of those from Charis), reaching out to me as He impressed upon my heart strongly the need to know that someone rather than something (this came out in one of the other messages), in everything that I did, both in my personal walk as well as in ministry. How all the plans and programs must ultimately enable people to know that someone (Jesus Christ) rather than head knowledge of facts alone, which can save not, but a personal encounter with and response to Jesus Christ.
The evening sessions were particularly ministering, and just being with other 250 plus youths and young adults was both exciting and encouraging. Seeing a whole bunch of people so passionately in love and worship to God (besides having a great time sharing with other Methodists) was definitely memorable. Moreover, learning and listening to one another’s struggles and triumphs made me feel that God was moving us closer in greater unity and no difference in style of worship or methods of doing things can ever, and should ever, stand in the way of unity in the body of Christ and love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. It makes me want to love even if it may be contrary to my preferences.
Finally, it was certainly great to be able to spend 4 days with those from Charis as well, just having fun and enjoying the good company of each of them, away from Singapore!
TAN SI EN. YMLC 2010 was, most of all, an eye-opening experience. It was an honor to learn from varied wise speakers (which included Bishop Robert Solomon and the 3 Annual Conference Presidents), who spoke on what it meant to be a revolutionary leader-shepherd. The examples of biblical leaders given – such as Nehemiah and Jesus – were useful and helped to make the concepts more real. Another thing that really struck me was how Rev Malcolm Tan started his message on Methodism – that whatever denomination we are in, what matters most is that it helps us to love Jesus more.
It was also eye-opening in the sense that I got to see how God works in different youth leaders from different Methodist churches – each facing different circumstances, but all striving to please God. It was also encouraging to hear the open sharing about personal struggles each leader faced, and how they’ve overcome or are trying and asking for prayers. My group shared prayer requests at the end of the conference, and we intend to meet up in order to keep each other accountable. We also discussed various topics close to youths’ hearts – relationships, worship, cell group amongst others – and the sharing of experiences was helpful and has given me a fresh perspective on these areas.
It was also a privilege to engage in dialogue with the Bishop and the Presidents in a forum. An interesting question was what doctrine the panelists felt needed to be taught to youth today. The CAC President’s answer – holiness – struck a chord with me because it was something that had been on my mind since studying the Pentateuch last year.
YMLC was a great time of being “forcibly” isolated and spending time with God and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Sometimes, it is really necessary to wrench ourselves out of our daily routines and intentionally spend time meditating on the things of God – and YMLC was a great opportunity to do so. I would encourage any young leader looking to broaden his or her horizons to go for it, to gain new insights from both the experienced speakers and fellow youths who are struggling with the same circumstances.
SANDRA LIM. Going for YMLC 2010 was a real eye-opener. Seeing that this is the first time CAC and ETAC being invited to a TRAC annual event, everyone did not know what to expect. A few days before the trip, I was even hesitating about going for it because firstly, I didn’t know anyone there in my group as we were all grouped according to our ages. Secondly, I also had to room with someone I didn’t even know and thirdly, I would have just finished my semester exams on the morning of the departure and I wanted some time to rest before rushing off to do something else. Thus you could imagine all the doubts and reluctance forming in my head…
But boy am I glad that I went in the end because God spoke to me in this trip in a very different way, by placing people I do not even know to give me guidance and advice. There were 3 instances that really unforgettable.
1. My room-mate, whom I didn’t know, turned up to be a really sweet person. We prayed for each other in the morning. In one of the prayer meetings, she prayed over a specific issue in my life which I’ve been thinking about recently. On hindsight, I didn’t even mention a single thing or given her any clue, but she just hit the jackpot and prayed for me. It must be God…right?
2. All the participants were grouped according to our age. Prior to the conference, our mentors were given the name list with our names and contact details. Most mentors wouldn’t know their group members unless they’ve been to previous conferences. All the more my mentor did not know me (nor any group members) this being CAC’s first time participating in YMLC. Nevertheless, all mentors were given our names so as to pray for us individually besides being instructed to write words of encouragement to us. Eventually, in the conference, my mentor gave me this slip of paper that read: “Dear Sandra, Your hands are beautiful. Use it for His glory”. Gosh, I thought he was fooling around with me because he couldn’t possibly know that I was a musician (or someone using her hands for something) prior to the camp as we were knew to each other! But when I asked him further, my mentor told me that when he was praying for me, God gave him a vision of me playing the keyboard. WOW. A VISION OF ME playing the keyboard when he virtually knows NOTHING about my musical background! Spooky yet amazing right!
3. On the last day, everyone in the group prayed for each other, and my group member praying for me received another vision of me playing the keyboard. She quoted me the verse John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit He prunes so that it will become even more fruitful.” In her vision, the branches (that were my hands) were playing the keyboard. Another WOW moment! Thus I took it that these branches were my hands which God wants to ‘prune’ them so that it will become even more fruitful.
These 3 incidences totally renewed my faith in God at this point in my life where I was questioning God where am I supposed to go and what He wants me to do with my life. Is He really there for me? Especially, I have been learning music for more than 12 years now. Sometimes I doubted if this was really what God wanted me to venture into. Sometimes, I get discouraged when other priorities in life start to take precedence and when I get tired of practicing music for the sake of practicing.
My experience in YMLC was not directly linked to its main purpose (to teach us how to be Revolutionary Leaders), but more of God reaffirming areas in my life that I was unsure which is even more amazing. I did also learn how to be a better leader but I’d leave the rest of the other Charisians to fill in the gaps! God is a God full of love for His children and I’m just so glad I’m His daughter.
KEITH OH. My very first YMLC was an invigorating and enlightening experience for me. Being joined by over two hundred God-loving and God-fearing individuals in praising, worshipping and studying His word was very refreshing and inspiring. As young Methodist leaders, we are faced with similar challenges of all young Christians having to reconcile our beliefs with our daily commitments. At the same time, we are called by God to step out beyond our comfort zone and be a shepherd to His flock – our flock. In our mentor groups, as we shared our personal aspirations and difficulties, I experienced a spiritual connection with the wider Methodist leaders. They were going through the same issues as us! I am extremely grateful to have been able to meet these fellow leaders and draw strength and encouragement from their sharing.
Each day at the conference also opened my spiritual eyes to God’s calling as each individual speaker led us to study the different revolutionary leader-shepherds in the Bible – from Moses to Jesus, Jonah to Elijah. They spoke with great wisdom and anointing and personally I increasingly felt convicted of God’s call on my life. I was personally very encouraged by Bishop Solomon’s personal sharing on how God called him and how he face the same test of faith when God did not seem to reply his question. He also shared about how all our past experiences do not go to waste in God’s ministry. I believe many were similarly convicted through the messages and many will rise up to be such revolutionary leader-shepherds in His time. All glory to God!