Hundreds of young leaders from across the Southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD) gathered at the newly established conference hall of the Adventist church in Mountain Provinces (MPM in Baguio City, Philippines from August 27 to 31, 2025, for the division-wide Senior Youth Leadership (SYL) Summit. With the theme “These We Commit,” the event aimed to strengthen the commitment of Adventist youth leaders to be spirit-filled disciples in their local churches and beyond .
Organizers framed the summit around a single, yet profound challenge: to equip youth with the skills, character, and conviction needed to lead the church through the changing landscape ahead.
A Gathering of Leaders and Mentors
The five-day summit brought together youth directors, church leaders, and young delegates representing Adventist organizations within the division. Pastor Heshbon Buscato, newly elected SSD youth director, officially opened the summit with a keynote on “Leadership Principles from the Life of Moses.” Other devotional messages were led by Pastor Busi Khumalo, General Conference youth director; Dr. Ginger Ketting-Weller, president of the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS); and several union youth directors from Southeast Asia, Myanmar, and beyond .
Plenary messages explored biblical leadership through the lives of Joshua, Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther, Jacob, Samuel, Paul, and ultimately Jesus Christ, emphasizing spiritual resilience and servant leadership .
Equipping Through Breakout Sessions
Delegates joined a series of Growing Leaders Breakout Sessions designed to equip them with practical skills for ministry. These included the Ambassador Basic Seminar Training (BST), SYL Series lectures, and Public Campus Ministry (PCM) Certification Level 1. Topics ranged from “Friendship Evangelism” and “Digital Strategy for Mission” to “Basic Apologetics” and “Tertiary Culture and Multicultural Ministry.” Specialists such as Dr. Ron Genebago, former SSD youth director and now General Conference associate youth director, and Pastor Ian Felicitas, SSD field secretary, guided sessions on church leadership, doctrinal purity, and Adventist identity .
Worship and Commitment
The summit balanced leadership training with worship and fellowship. Each day began with united prayer and devotionals, while evenings featured Bible writing projects, cultural presentations, and musical worship led by youth delegations. On Sabbath, Khumalo delivered the Sabbath message on “Leadership Principles from the Life of Samuel,” reminding leaders of their sacred calling to guide others with integrity .
The highlight came during the SYL Commissioning Service, where new senior youth leaders were formally dedicated. Dr. Jose Zabat Jr., SSD Mission Refocus director, closed the commissioning with a powerful commitment message, calling youth leaders to anchor their service in Christ and mission .
Why SYL Matters
The Senior Youth Leadership program is a vital initiative of the Adventist Church, designed to mentor young people into strong, spirit-led leaders who will influence their peers and communities for Christ. By focusing on character building, doctrinal grounding, and mission-driven leadership, SYL provides tools for young leaders to strengthen their local churches while actively participating in the worldwide mission of the church.
SYL exemplifies the church’s mission to enable and equip young people as future leaders—an urgent task in a world where many young Christians drift away from active faith. Research by the Barna Group reveals that nearly two-thirds, or 64 percent, of young adults in the United States who were once active in church during their teenage years eventually disengage as they reach adulthood. Yet, the same studies highlight hope: about 10 percent of these young believers are identified as “resilient disciples,” young men and women who remain deeply engaged with their faith communities and Scripture despite cultural pressures. Even more encouraging, 77 percent of teenagers report that they are motivated to continue learning about Jesus, with more than half saying they are “very motivated.”
These insights point to the critical importance of youth leadership initiatives such as SYL. Far from being optional, programs like this serve as lifelines for the church. They provide young believers with mentorship, doctrinal grounding, mission strategy, and a supportive community, all of which help nurture the resilient disciples the church needs to thrive in the years ahead.
As the summit concluded with a fellowship tour, participants left inspired to fix their eyes on Jesus and commit themselves anew to servant leadership in their respective churches and fields.
