For Some Youth, Being at Church on a Friday Night is Where They Want to Be

It was to be a rainy, cold Friday night and many of the young people who would usually attend the evening service at the Grace AME Church on Winters Lane would be getting ready for the annual youth conference the next day. 

However when youth minister, Rev. Rhonda Williams, suggested, “Maybe we should cancel. There won’t be many people there,” the young people clamored for their service. 

They said, “That’s okay; this is for God anyway.”

When the young people at the church wanted a Bible study group especially for them, Reverend Williams met with the group and helped them forge a proposal to present to the pastor. 

“Like they would have to do in college,” Williams said, “Mission, purpose, goals, the works.”  They called the proposal “Exclusive Truth from the Youth.”

The youth group Hip Hop Bible study has been running for over five years, drawing from 12 to 20 young people between the ages of 13 and 20 every Wednesday night, concurrent with the adult Bible study program.

However, the young people wanted more diverse and direct expressions of their faith. They and Williams decided to create a once a month Youth “Jam” Night.  The young people eat dinner prepared for them by Brother John King and Sister Phyllis King and then they move upstairs to the sanctuary for an evening of ministry, which is conducted entirely by the youth but attended by other church members as well.

The young people express their faith in dance, poetry, song, instrumental music, and preaching.  As Ian Collins said in his welcome, “we’re not here just to have fun together but to praise and honor Him.”

Williams said, “with kids, worship is different. They don’t box in the Holy Spirit!  They just go for it.”

Williams often invites a special guest preacher for the young people, but this evening the words of encouragement were delivered by the group’s own Ciera Steward, a senior at Milford Mill Academy. 

She reminded the congregation that “God is your best friend.  When you check in with your friends on Facebook, when you’re texting your friends, don’t forget to take time for The Lord.”

Seeing the group in action confirmed Williams’ claim that “young people will listen to other young people in ways that they won’t listen to adults."

But it was not just the young people who came to be inspired.  Other congregants clapped, whooped, and called out, “Praise the Lord” in support of the ministry of their young members.

The Youth Jam Night at Grace AME on Winters Lane is at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of each month.  Everyone is welcome.