The Birth of Youth Ministries in Adventism Season 2 | Episode 28
In the early days of our church,
young people had been at the very forefront of the work,
and the average age of our pioneers was well below 35.
Conference and even General Conference presidents were in their 20s or 30s.
It was a young church, moving forward.
Ellen White received her first vision at the age of seventeen.
J. N. Andrews wrote his masterpiece,
'The History of the Sabbath', at the age of 29.
John Harvey Kellogg was appointed director of the church's sanitarium at age 24.
Vibrant, energetic, and open to change,
the church was moving forward.
But as the church expanded and grew, and as the average age increased,
the need arose for a particular emphasis in ministry to young people.
[music]
In 1879 in Hazelton, Michigan,
two teenagers, Luther Warren and Henry Fenner,
were walking down a dusty road
and they were talking about the need for missionary work
to be done by young people.
Here in the middle of nowhere, in the countryside away from the cities,
they knelt down on the dusty road
and prayed that God would bless their plans—
a prayer that would be answered over and over.
The first Missionary Society started
at Luther Warren's home and had three aims:
firstly, to plan missionary work;
secondly, to raise money for literature;
and thirdly, to promote the cause of temperance.
[music]
12 years later in Antigo, Wisconsin, another significant event took place.
Meade McGuire made a proposal to the church
that the youth society be allowed to use the building for its activities.
This was discussed at the church board and there was some opposition,
but one of the older members, Brother Connor,
stood up and voiced his support.
Sometimes the young people need the support of those older
in order for their plans and activities to come to pass.
If God has placed you in such a role,
then may you be a support rather than a hindrance.
[music]
In 1905, the Manual for Youth Work was published,
and in 1907 in Gland, Switzerland,
at the first General Conference session outside of North America,
the church voted to form a new department that was called
The Seventh-day Adventist Young People’s Society of Missionary Volunteers.
M. E. Kern was asked to serve as the first director
and one of the new initiatives that was launched the next year
was the Morning Watch, a daily devotional study guide.
[music]
The society was mission-focused,
and the youth Sabbath schools raised the money for the SS Pitcairn,
a missionary boat that sailed to the South Pacific.
Although it only sailed for 10 years,
it captured the imagination of young people around the world.
Over the next few years and decades,
societies would be formed in Korea, the Philippines,
South America, Central America, Hungary, and China.
[music]
The Youth Missionary Society would also be launched,
which would be the precursor to the Pathfinder Department that we know today.
The name of the department would change in 1972
to the Youth Department of Missionary Volunteers
and then changed again in 1979 to the Adventist Youth Department,
and changed again in 2005 to Adventist Youth Ministries.
[music]
The journey from that dirt road over 125 years ago
has been a story of innovation and inspiration,
where we now have over 10 million young people
in almost every country around the world.
As a church, we must remember
that our early identity was embedded in young people
and putting young people at the centre of the church will be key
to fulfilling the gospel commission and finishing the work.
Ellen White wrote many years ago,
‘With such an army of workers as our youth,
rightly trained, might furnish,
how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Saviour
might be carried to the whole world!’
If you are older, then support the young people in your church.
If you are a younger member, then don't let anyone despise your youth
and rise to the challenge, serving God wherever you might be.