By Yong Soo Li
I recall the good old ways. Our six issues of full-coloured printed evangelistic magazines, YoungLives in the 80s was useful. Later, when young people’s tastes and habits changed, print gave way to video, then social media.
Fast forward to 2020. At breakneck pace, we moved to online content and activities to connect with young people during the pandemic. By God’s grace, we could meet them on screen.
As teens evolve, how do we encourage them to talk about their faith meaningfully when many unsaved friends shun from almost anything connected to Christianity? Street evangelism or inviting a friend to a big event may no longer work.
We have to try new ideas, trusting God to use them as He did with the old. As Lim Chien Chong, former national director notes, “not everything old is bad. The danger is to cling on to the good old ways and think our best days are in the past.”
In 2022, with Human-Animal in Ministry (HIM), Youth Guidance (YG) brought hands-on basic care of rabbits to youth-at-risk. The activity broke ice and closed the gap quickly, nurturing responsibility, empathy and joy. While fussing over the furry bunnies, Laurent Tan, YG coordinator and his staff “tell the young people about the Creator who provides perfect care and safety for them.”
At GAMERS CONNECTX, ITE young people play, talk and hear testimonies. Old school, isn’t it? What’s new are the games they enjoy now. After four rounds of onsite gaming sessions in 2022, ITE Ministry staff Alvin Lim, sees that “an amazing bond happens as you play with them instead of watching them play.” The ITE team discourages addiction and uses gaming to lead to deeper conversations about things above.
“To stay connected with Generation Z (or Alpha), we need to watch what they do, listen to what they think or feel, try to understand what is important to
them without pre-judging them too quickly,” encourages Chien Chong.
Connecting with others during the mid-2022 new polytechnic term proved difficult for most students with orientation and classes held online. So, Poly Ministry ran THE PLAYGROUND. In small groups, participants enjoyed talks, played games, made new friends or deepened friendships. Sounds like yesteryear’s friendship event? The novelty is THE PLAYGROUND takes place in the digital space with the students’ avatars. Imagine a virtual space “like the physical playground where making friends was simple and effortless,” says Rachel Chow, Poly Ministry volunteer.
While numbers and comments are good indicators, Chien Chong cautions to “evaluate whether what’s done meets its original intention… At times, we need to let an idea develop lest we dismiss it prematurely.”
Laurent received “super positive” feedback about the rabbit activity. YG staff could “see the soft side of some youth offenders with behavioural issues.” After seven rounds, YG will do more in 2023 despite challenging logistical arrangements.
ITE Ministry will run GAMERS CONNECTX five times this year and will raise funds to provide free drinks and food, as many come from low-income families.
Many of THE PLAYGROUND’S 100 participants enjoyed themselves. Rachel evaluates, “being in the digital space and controlling your avatar while roaming around is entertaining and compelling” however, “being an online free and easy event, participants can drop out any time or just not show up at all. At times, with connection issues, they can’t fully enjoy the experience.”
When planning for 2023, younger workers (mostly Gen Z, born between 1997-2012) and older ones deliberated together. For Chien Chong, “when we watch, listen to and involve younger ones in the thinking together, we can come out with new ideas to capture the imagination and energy of today’s youth.” Younger ones should consider the seniors’ caution while the latter do not discourage the former from dreaming, trying, failing, and straining to forge new paths for their generation.
We remain true to our mission and ethos, as God and His Word shape our ideas. We heed Chien Chong’s reminder to continually seek the “humble recognition of our limitations and need for God to work in and through us.”
Yong Soo Li, Joined SYFC in 1982
