Over 1,600 Adventist young men and women within the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD) are dared to ask bravely for wisdom that each may be fully utilized for mission in the ongoing SSD Youth Leadership Summit in the Central Philippine Adventist College, Bacolod City, Philippines. “Ask 2019” is part of the five-year theme of the SSD Youth Department “Pass it on.” In this summit organizers challenged the youth to bravely ask God for wisdom and faith as they take up the responsibility of being the next leaders of the church.
Gary Blanchard, Adventist youth leader of the world church (General Conference) expressed his excitement as he joined with the delegates in braving these challenges and living radically for the mission. He said, "We have to ask ourselves, what we want to do for the Lord? God has placed a passion and desire in our hearts to do something. What does he want you to do? Whatever it is, do it with all your heart. Live dangerously for God!”
SSD president Pastor Samuel Saw, himself a youth leader, expressed his appreciation to the thousand or more young people who came to spend a week asking God for discernment as they prepare for mission.
"The Adventist youth in our division have chosen the right word, the right theme to empower our young people to ask faith and wisdom to the Lord," Saw Samuel said. "This is the time to ask for God's leading to know our identity, to stand for the truth, and to live in hope and faith in Jesus," Samuel added.
Pastor Rudy Baloyo, executive secretary of SSD, shared his thoughts on how the young people can start a movement and make a difference for Jesus.
"It is valuable for our young people to ask for more faith, but not just any other faith. But ask for a true faith founded in Jesus," Baloyo stressed. "The bible says wihout faith in Him, we cannot please God. The young people of this generation should ask for the right kind of faith that will empower them and strenthen them, and that is in Jesus," Baloyo added.
Delegates of the youth leadership summit joined various activities and attended breakout classes to see avenues in the church where their skills can be utilized.
The Adventist Youth Department of SSD partnered with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to empower the youth to become a workforce which can be tapped by the agency during relief operations.
Other church entities like Media Ministries, Health, Communication, One Year in Mission (OYiM), and NDR-IEL collaborated with the Youth Department to present avenues where the youth can effectively integrate into the life of the church.
Regular morning and evening devotionals headed by various speakers were also part of this summit. In the evening sessions delegates showcased their cultures through dances and songs.
Aside from the trainings in the breakout classes, delegates were divided into small groups during the evening sessions where they fellowshipped with young people from other places, and learned from each other lessons in their journey of faith.
In an interview nightly devotional speaker Pastor Wilson Aritonang from Indonesia explained:
"The whole purpose of asking from God is to make known and show the glory of God in our lives. If we understand that, we will see something more than we could have ever imagined, that God has in store for us.”
Youth leader in the Southern Asia-Pacific Region, Jobbie Yabut expressed his satisfaction of the summit: "This meeting with the young people will never be a success if not for the parents who dedicated their sons and daughters to become parts of the movement that will prepare them for leadership."