Love Is Moving Issue 28 - Jul/AUG 2018

ISSUE 28

CANADA’S CHRISTIAN YOUTH MAGAZINE

JULY/AUGUST 2018

SAME DIRECTION Morgan Mitchell

DREAMS UNCUFFED Alyssa Redner

PLEASERS VS SERVERS

GOD’S WILL? Erin Ford

Grace Young

CONFIDENT IN

YOUTUBE STAR

$3.95 CDN

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JUSTIN STUART

1,000,000 Followers Later

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CONTENT 4

10

Direction

Followers

6

14

Dreams

Pleaser

15

18

Information

Will

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WORDS FROM THE EDITOR Unbeknownst to the writers, three of the articles featured in this issue open with the illustration of waking up in the morning and immediately filling our eyes with the artificial light of our mobile phone.

This pattern shows the extent to which most of us live with our phones as an extension of our selves, even in the first moments of our morning. Google has our deepest questions saved in its history, Facebook has our greatest accomplishments ranked according to the number of likes, Instagram reveals the aesthetic portrayal of our life’s photo album, Twitter holds the fleeting information that has kept our political interests preoccupied. Our phone might know us better than we know ourselves.

There are thousands of articles on the revolutionary effect of technology and the dangers and discoveries that come along with it, so we won’t take that tired approach. Instead, this issue of Love Is Moving takes a deep dive into how social media influences our spiritual lives.

The buzzwords around this topic are plenty: affirmation, authenticity, comparison, celebration, fakeness, followers… the list goes on. So, our writers tackle how to live in a world where these words dominate our experience online and in-person.

We often find ourselves trying to “live our best life” while at the same time “picking up our cross daily and following Jesus.” What are we to do when we can’t simply look at our WWJD bracelet to find the answers on how to engage responsibly and honourably to the opportunities and pitfalls that social media affords us?

Our cover story sheds some light on how the depths of the Christian life can interact with the shallowness of the social media landscape. In our interview with Justin Stuart—a YouTube prankster with millions of subscribers—we take steps into the tricky terrain of identity, intentionality, and using these platforms positively.

Further, this issue features articles about “What Modelling Taught Me About Affirmation,” “Confronting Poverty Through Technology,” “Screenagers and the Need for Authenticity,” “Terror in Toronto: A Community Called to Action,” and the power of legacy from a young missionary’s life cut short.

In a world where technology and media influence a wide range of realms, we need to keep looking at how social media informs, shapes, and speaks into the depths of our relationship with Christ and the lives that proceed from it.

Sit back and enjoy, whether through the screen of your phone or good old-fashioned print and paper.

Warren Wong Cover Justin Stuart

Sincerely, Conor Sweetman Editor

Contact info@loveismoving.ca including submissions and subscriptions Editorial Consultant Bill Fledderus

joinlovemovement

@loveismoving www.loveismoving.ca

ART DIRECTOR MARK STEWART

TheEFC.ca ISSN 2561-5262 (Print) ISSN 2561-5270 (Online)

EDITOR CONOR SWEETMAN

Publisher

CO-FOUNDER JOEL GORDON

Circulation and Distribution Anita Kwan

CO-FOUNDER BENJAMIN PORTER

Marketing Director Gina Waugh

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Words by Morgan Mitchell

S

tartled awake by the vibrating of my phone under my pillow - there it is again, that dreaded alarm that haunts me every morning. I hit the snooze button and go back to sleep. Then it happens again, that alarm goes off, I slide to open my “alarm” aka iPhone, and I am instantly transported into the new window of the outside world.

A Small Step in the Same Direction

My eyes haven’t even sipped in the new day without stepping into this black hole of information, ads, likes, comments, retweets, and cropped and edited photos of our “highlight reel” moments, not our everyday.

I sit, not even out of my sheets on my phone for 15 or so minutes, liking, comparing, judging, and worrying about what others think. Viewing stories, and carefully researching the newest jacket I can acquire after diligently viewing (stalking) my favourite Instagram feeds.

I can’t help it; there is just something about it. I can’t stop scrolling. My heart almost skips a beat when I see a perfect deal on Amazon that I can click once and have delivered to my door the next day. All this before minute 20 has struck on my new day.

I get up, yep that’s the first step into my day, carrying the window of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), affirmation, and daydream in my hand, never to leave my side, even in conversation with the people that I love.

Does this sound familiar at all? I know this may seem like a dramatic narrative, but on some days, this is my life.

There is something about our phones, am I right? A little device that is supposed to be helping us by assisting us with directions, allowing us to communicate quickly, take notes, and keep photos all in one place.

But now instead of a tool to be used, it’s a master we bow to. We can’t go a minute without it, well at least not without trying

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“What if we chose to put our phones down for just a minute?

What if we didn’t need to go to our phones first thing when we woke up? What if we stepped into a life with God that allows us to develop an inner life that makes life with God irresistible?” to figure out what to do with our hands without it.

This almost-addiction to my phone has left me in a predicament. It begs the question, how on earth do I try to look, live, and love like Jesus when I’m all-consumed by a device that screams at me when it needs to be charged?

Here’s a new reality that has disrupted my morning routine, Jesus came to establish a new world order. Seems very Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but hear me out.

At the forefront of Jesus’ mind was advancing the Kingdom of God. He came on a mission, a mission to turn our way of doing things on their head. But He didn’t do this how we would—making the most noise and trying to gain the most attention possible— He did it through a process, a rather slow process actually, one that calls for obedience and even relaxation.

What if I told you this model could change the way we live? Because honestly, always bowing to the applause and commands our phones offer us has thrown us off course a bit. What if maybe, maybe there is a way of living that calls us into a “With God” life that allows us to be the best version of ourselves but without being attached at the wrist to our phones?

What if I told you that we might need to follow Jesus differently, and it doesn’t come as fast as we think, it may be a slow and processed move of God? The great news is, we all know “slow cooked” BBQ is the best anyways, right?

This “With God” way of life is one that is all about Grace—actually it’s fuelled by it, drips of it, and is constantly pushing us into it.

But as Eugene Peterson says so well in his book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, “This world is no friend to grace.”

It’s hard to enjoy what we have when there seems always to be a better option out there. But what if God has already given us

the better option? The option that says we don’t have to immediately document what we are doing so that our friends can like and compare themselves to it, but we can sit in the satisfaction that God is here and present, ready to fill us up in the places we long to be noticed.

Here’s the thing: our souls hunger and thirst for the grace of God that is offered through His son Jesus. We are striving to be the best we can be, and our phones, social media, and devices give us a counterfeit sense that we matter. Yet we have to go back to them, even if we have met the minimum number of likes a photo that we’ve posted should get.

What if we chose to put our phones down for just a minute? What if we didn’t need to go to our phones first thing when we woke up? What if we stepped into a life with God that allows us to develop an inner life that makes life with God irresistible?

We fear missing it, we fear missing out, but what we may need to say is, Enough is enough. Another Peterson quote: “A person has to get fed up with the ways of the world before he, before she, acquires an appetite for the world of grace.”

A slight challenge for you: What if we had a new diet, an easy one that says we choose not to use our phones as the last thing we look at night, and not to have them be the first thing we look at in the morning?

What if we chose to make a quick substitution to wean ourselves off dependency to our phones and create margin. A diet that allows our minds to shut off and even experience the presence of God through prayer at night, and even allowing God to welcome us into the day He has prepared for us in the morning?

Have I mastered my phone yet? Nope, but I have taken a step towards this Kingdom reality of God’s presence being here and now, by choosing to shut my phone off before bed, and not turning it on until I’ve spent time with Him in the morning. A small step, but a long, beautiful obedience.

An obedience in the same direction—the right direction for that matter.

Morgan Mitchell San Diego, California

Derick Anies (left) Matthew Kerslake (right)

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Dreams Uncuffed The Legacy of a Life Cut Short

Words by Alyssa Redner

Yeabsira Solomon Bekele was born Ethiopia in 1997, relocated to Edmonton with his parents and his younger brother in 2007, and travelled across Asia to share the Word of God and a message of empowerment. In March 2018 in India, Yeabsira died trying to save his best friend from a high-voltage electric line.

Dreams Uncuffed is an initiative set up by his brother to establish a sports facility in Ethiopia to train children from low income families in sports, leadership, and faith both as an afterschool program and a summer camp. The dream is to expand this model throughout Ethiopia and around the world. This fundraising campaign is aimed at start-up costs such as setting up a non-profit organization, developing plans, securing the location, and building basic infrastructure. LIM is not in a position to evaluate the economic side of this project, and so this article makes no recommendations for or against donating.

Alyssa Redner Yeabsira’s Fiancée

Nati Solomon Bekele Yeabsira’s Brother

t’s been an extremely long few weeks.

Wait. That’s an understatement. I watched Yeabsira Solomon, the love of my life, get accidentally electrocuted, then I travelled from three countries, and helplessly saw my love’s coffin slowly be put into the ground.

There’s nothing as hard as losing a brother.

It’s hard to think that the person you shared all types of memories with is . . . gone, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.

I

Although I have lost something that was so special to me, I choose not to look at what I lost but what I have gained. Without Yeabsira, I would not be the woman I am today. He believed in me when I didn’t.

Through all the chaos, I realized how strong I actually was, that I stand on the promises of God. What I gained is far greater than what I lost. I gained a new Ethiopian family, an opportunity to keep Yeabsira’s legacy alive through Dreams Uncuffed, and the realization that so many people around the world believe in me. This has given me such an appreciation for life because you never know when it will end.

Do you know how lucky you are to have a beating heart, to have blood flowing through your veins, and breath in your lungs? You have ONE life to live. Are you using it to its full capacity? YOU have greatness within you, why are you hiding it?

All I ask is that you live out the greatness inside of you and invest it in others around you. In the words of the wise Yeabsira Solomon “Why not you? Why not now?”

My brother was a fighter, he lived each day as a hero. Quitting was definitely not in his vocabulary.

He was an amazing guy, and he did a lot of amazing things. He had this ability to share what was on his heart on at any given moment, and it be such a captivating and moving thing. He was willing to talk to anyone willing to listen. If you were lucky enough to listen, you’d know just how much he cared for the well-being of people, and how much he wanted people to know God. He cared that you had a smile on your face, that you weren’t alone, that you shared your ideas, and that God was at the centre of your life.

Alyssa’s Thoughts In Yeabsira’s short lifespan of 20 years, he managed to sow seeds in everyone he could, especially into my life. While we were dating, I sat down and recorded him as he talked about his vision. He said this, “I could talk to a million people and if it could change one person in those million lives, I still see it as success in my eyes.” I am that one in a million that he changed.

I want to share with you as he would with me: God showed me while on a walking trail surrounded by trees and plants that we do not need to do anything, and yet nature is always naturally reproducing—that’s how God intended it to be. God created us to be reproducers, sowing into everyone we meet.

Yeabsira was always planting seeds of life; he knew life is a precious gift.

I thought that in my twenties I had all the

I remember one day, as we talked about what we wanted to see in the world.

He told me, “If you want to change the world, start with Why? Because it’s not your emotions or your drive that will change the world, but it is your Why? He wanted a sports academy that allowed low-income parents to be able to have their kids trained in a spot of their choice. He didn’t want it to be some ordinary program. His dream was to not only train kids physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. He wanted to organize seminars for kids to learn how to think, how to speak and how to lead.

Though his life was cut short, he did things most people will not do in a 100-year lifespan.

“Life is a box of seeds that you sow in every person you meet.”

time in the world—until I had a reality check as I watched Yeabsira die and I could not do anything about it. I learned through Yeabsira that I had to take every opportunity to sow into those around me.

As Yeabsira spoke about his vision, he said, “Imagine seven billion Jesuses walking around.”

One encounter from Jesus can change a heart in a moment.

Alyssa Redner Arnprior, ON Alyssa Redner

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Beautifully Simple

Words by Josiah Piett The Who, What, Where When and Why behind the Book Beautifully Simple Who

T

o start, my name is Josiah Piett. I am 22 years old. By the time you are reading this, I will have been married for almost a year now to my amazing wife Kara-Lee. She is a woman who is passionate about God and lives a life in joy. She has a degree in human services, a minor in psychology, and her diploma as a social service worker. We fell in love during her first year of school and decided to get married shortly after I graduated. After we got married, I got a job at a local Starbucks working as barista/shift supervisor and worked there during her last school year.

When and Where Last year in March, I was inspired to write the book Beautifully Simple. Up until that point, I can honestly say I had never desired to write a book. I don’t actually enjoy reading too much, which added to the irony when I was hit with this inspiration. This inspiration to write a book turned into a direction toward the conviction which led to the action of me writing this book.

I began the first draft of the book the day after I wrote my last exam of my undergrad, and completed writing the first draft four days before I got married to Kara-Lee that summer.

What and Why Behind the 3 Parts of Beautifully Simple I grew up with severe chronic health issues and had to go through many challenges as result of this at a very young age. Before I encountered Jesus, my life was defined

by my circumstances. Once I encountered Jesus and His love, my life changed forever.

I learned I am no longer defined by my diagnosis, my past, or my circumstances, for I am a child of God in whom my Father designed me to live a life thriving through circumstances and not just surviving with them (Part 1 of Beautifully Simple).

the Church and He softened it. Over the four years, I went from a place of wanting to break out of the Church to now having a heart that breaks for God’s Church.

This happened to me as I dug deeper into the historical context of Jesus of Nazareth.

I discovered the world Jesus lived in had very similar gaps and holes that I see our I believe my story of churches and society finding freedom from “I WENT FROM A having today. Instead my circumstances and PLACE OF WANTING of simply rebuking the learning how to thrive I learned how Jesus through them can be TO BREAKOUT OF THE gaps, entered into them and experienced by anyone. redefined and restored No matter what you have CHURCH TO NOW them through the faced or are currently planting of seeds of truth facing, I believe God has HAVING A HEART THAT in them. I believe the designed you to live free BREAKS FOR GOD’S seeds Jesus planted are from your circumstances CHURCH.” completely relevant to and I believe your the seeds that are needed freedom is dependent to be planted once again upon a choice (Part 2 of in the holes that I see in the Church today Beautifully Simple).

(Part 3 of Beautifully Simple).

I studied the Bible and psychology in my If you are interested in learning more about undergrad and dedicated 4 years of my life the book, feel free to read previous articles I’ve going deep into the context of the world written for Love Is Moving! If you would like that Jesus lived in. To be real with you, a copy of the book, it is available in paperback I am not a super big fan of the current on Amazon under the title Beautifully Simple.

Christian culture that we embody in North If you have any questions, concerns, or are America, and I truly believe there is a great interested in having a conversation surrounding gap between Jesus Christ of Nazareth and the book, feel free to reach out on the Beautifully the institution we call the “church” in our Simple Facebook Page. Thanks for taking time society. to read these articles; I hope something in it has I am sort of a rebel at heart, and I recognize been encouraging. Have a great summer! now retrospectively that I subconsciously went into my undergrad hoping to be able to justify leaving the Church altogether because of the faults that I saw so clearly in its people. But God took this stubborn Josiah Piett heart of mine that was so hardened against Newmarket, ON Rawpixel

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Words by Katie Pezzutto

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odelling is not as glamorous as it looks.

It took me a year of sore-butt-frommakeup-chair-sessions syndrome, over a hundred awkward poses and enough nervous sweat to fill an Olympic swimming pool for me to figure this out.

Modelling is also not as body-image bolstering as you might think. Sure, the likes and comments are nice at first. But after a while, they didn’t make me feel any better about my appearance.

Intensive scrutiny revealed untoned thighs, locks of stray hair, awkward expressions, and crooked teeth. Other people found flaws, while some were enamoured. Creepy people were attracted in droves, persistent marriage proposals from far-away lands were had.

Really I had to expect it. I had put myself on a pedestal. People were watching, and I knew it. After I signed with an agency, I became more aware of what I was wearing and how I was presenting myself—not to mention way more careful about what I ate.

I was focusing on my success and not a whole lot else. My mental health started to suffer. I became anxious, almost to the point of not feeling comfortable even going outside. I lived in fear of What will people think of me.

Spending all day in sweats and a greasy bun? Glamourous? Mmmm, no. Point proven.

eyes, but doing nothing for what would really bring me joy.

That day, my Heavenly Father asked me to let it go for Him. That day, I decided I would, but it wasn’t easy. When I felt shame for not being a success in the world’s eyes, I would sit down and tell God about it. He would always affirm me where I struggled.

He showed me how He saw me, through Father’s eyes. His abundant love crashed over my thirsty heart in waves, filling in the dry space and creating new life.

Through this experience, I’ve learned that the first step to freedom comes from being open, honest, and raw with God. Give yourself permission to be vulnerable, realize the areas you may be lacking, and accept God’s loving correction in those places.

What Modelling Taught Me About Affirmation

We all need to receive affirmation from someone, but fame is fickle.

Would you choose to receive affirmation from people whose opinions are not altruistic and will change in a matter of minutes? Or would you rather be validated by the God who created you, the One who is enraptured by you, the One who knows the intricacies of you, and what you need so desperately?

Take it from me, the latter is so much better.

In His abundant love, K.L Pezzutto

A little after a year of modelling, I was preparing for law school, had been dabbling with acting and was writing a novel. I was feeling run-down, exhausted, and essentially not where I was supposed to be. It was in the quiet, when I had finally set down my phone that He spoke. His intoxicating presence felt like sunshine on my cool skin.

“Katie-bug, do you know who you are?” I rubbed my arm nervously.

“Uh. A chocoholic?” His smile widened momentarily but His voice was pensive.

“You’re my girl. You don’t belong to the world. You gave that up, and I’m jealous for your heart.” I let out a deep sigh.

“Oh.” “You need Me, not affirmation on social media. Likes are fruitless. Let Me develop your character. It’s what is most precious, will impact people’s lives and last into eternity. When you have reached the end of your days, you will not be standing before the people who liked you on Instagram.

You’ll be standing before Me.” My heart hurts. What He is saying is true and I know it. I know that I’ve been following popular opinion down a path that was taking me somewhere in the world’s

Katie Pezzutto Lethbridge, AB Anton Van Der Weijst

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Words by Laura Puiras

A

pril 23, 2018 began like any other Monday morning: rushing out the door to get to work on time. I made my way down to the Yonge and Sheppard area of Toronto, ready to start another busy workweek. Near the end of my shift, my boss told me that a van had gone off the road, driving along the sidewalk killing multiple people. Yonge Street was shut down and there was no subway service between Finch and Sheppard stations.

The messages began flooding in soon after. Multiple WhatsApp channels were lighting up with inquiries about safety from my housemates, Bible study group and high school friends. Within minutes I was sending my own check-in requests to friends living and working along the route the van took.

So far everyone was okay.

Haunted by the possibility of personal connections to what had happened, I found myself checking my phone even more incessantly than usual. The feeling of dread only grew as the day continued; no longer for myself and for the people I know, but for a neighbourhood I call my own.

Listening to radio announcers trying to piece together the events from the afternoon kept me in the loop until I was able to get to a computer. The tweets and images were simultaneously horrendous and informative. Alternating between Twitter and Facebook had me watching the unfolding story and tracking as friends marked themselves safe. The connection capabilities available to me that day, in the midst of a too-close-to-home crisis, made all the difference.

A small group of people representing the church in that neighbourhood known as Willowdale met together that night, united in our response to what had just happened.

Introductions were made as we checked in about our loved ones, confirming their safety and whereabouts. I found myself hugging my friends a little tighter, beyond grateful to see them. We began to try processing the devastation and what it meant for our community. How could we possibly respond and reach out to the neighbourhood?

We passed ideas around the table and left that night with plans for a prayer walk, a music initiative to move forward with, and a Facebook page to share information through. We Love Willowdale was born. And as it usually is with the birth of something new, none of us could have imagined the impact it would have.

Our world is longing for and needing connection now more than ever. We see evidence of this when people are driven to carelessly take the lives of others who represent groups that have rejected them, when isolation and loneliness begin to rise

in our society. Ironically, we are known as the “most connected” society in history.

It seems the more connected we become through our online worlds, the further away we move from face-to-face, physical interactions with one another. We are constantly hearing about the danger of social media pulling us inward and out-of-touch.

However there is something truly magnificent that occurs when the opposite takes place. When the connections made online transfer to our physical worlds; when the virtual becomes reality.

Terror in Toronto A Community Called to Action

Having experienced firsthand the way in which an online presence became a tangible presence in our community has been inspiring. We have had the privilege of joining together with hundreds of people who also love Willowdale and desire to be part of seeing healing come to our streets.

While deceptively usual in its offset, April 29, 2018 was another day which would be marked by record-breaking events.

Yonge Street was closed off for a second time that week—this time filled with thousands of people and various grassroots organizations who had come together to walk in solidarity to reclaim Yonge Street.

An idea that had originally begun with We Love Willowdale (which had since grown into a coalition of city leaders and local individuals) had taken root with many others. It was a powerful demonstration of broken-hearted people mourning, grieving, and healing as one.

Our journey towards wholeness is a multi-faceted one and will undoubtedly include aspects of social media. And that’s okay! The Lord has a funny way of speaking to us in the ways we understand best.

Seeing His redemption shine through our online presence can be one of those ways.

This will look different for each of us, and isn’t that the most beautiful part? Whether it’s an actual coffee date or the perfectly filtered Instagram post about it, be actively watching for how God is speaking to you and how He is speaking through you.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice! Mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).

Be it online or in person, let’s put our love into action and join together as the Body of Christ.

Laura Puiras North York, ON Annie Spratt

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JUSTIN STUART INTERVIEW

BY CONOR SWEETMAN CS: These days, you’re a successful YouTube personality and prankster with hundreds of millions of views and millions of followers. You’re also an outspoken Christian who desires to see young people discipled. Where did it all start?

JS: I’ve always loved being in front of the camera. Ever since I was a young kid, I was making home videos, and then when I met my friend Andrew, we started to get into YouTube for fun. We just wanted to make videos that made us laugh and share them with friends and family. So, ever since we created the YouTube channel, it was this slow progression of realizing, “Wow, we can have viewers that don’t know us,” and seeing new subscribers became intriguing.

We started with skits, which led eventually to pranks—one of which went viral and allowed it all to start snowballing. God’s definitely blessed us with our endeavours on YouTube.

When did you start talking about your faith through your online venues?

The beginning of our YouTube career didn’t express much of our faith directly, it was mostly just for fun, never something we’d talk much about. But even in this year alone, we’ve seen significant growth in our own relationships with God, which then bled over into your content. Everyone in our devoted follower base knows that we take our faith seriously. I’m actually starting a new channel where I’ll be uploading weekly Bible studies, along with a podcast. God’s definitely doing some new things over here.

Your posts show a depth that definitely isn’t your average, everyday Christian social media influencer. What has brought you to that point?

It’s crazy, ’cause I was raised a Christian my whole life, but most of my life was lived under the title rather than in a relationship.

This past year, I really started to evaluate my life. It’s hard for me to pinpoint a

moment that everything that changed for me; it’s been a progression since I decided to start getting more serious and focus my life more on Christ. It’s been going from a need to a want; I want to share the life-changing love of Christ. God’s been changing my affections; things I would never think about before are now coming up all the time. I love sharing my story and struggles with people who I know are going through the very same thing as I have in the past. God is the only one who can satisfy us, seeing as He knows us even better than ourselves.

Is there a relationship between your rise in success on YouTube and your focus on the things of Christ?

Throughout our YouTube career, we’ve always been giving credit to God, but we weren’t all-in. We were saying certain things, but then, on the side, we were actively engaged in a life that wasn’t representative of lives that have been renewed by God. Once I turned my life around, He was able to use this platform that He’s given us for good.

Where do you find your growth in your community?

My YouTube partner named Andrew is a huge support to me, and we’ve started a Bible study along with a few other brothers.

We set aside a day of the week to just be vulnerable with each other because we know that iron sharpens iron. Because of this, we’ve seen radical growth, just knowing that these guys will walk through any situation in life together; it’s not just surface-level relationships.

Do you ever interact with the people you may have met through YouTube endeavours?

Yeah, it’s been cool! I’m constantly getting questions or requests through Instagram, and I’ve seen God work through people’s lives through simple posts online. This LOVEISMOVING.CA | 11

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SO MANY PEOPLE FIND THEIR AFFIRMATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT IT’S JUST A DEAD END. I’M SPEAKING TO MYSELF HERE TOO, BUT IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO GET INTO THE WORD MORE THAN WE GET INTO THE WORLD OF ONLINE AFFIRMATION.

one guy used to always reply with very disrespectful, rude things on our posts. But one day, I’m not sure what happened, but he messaged me with an apology saying, “Hey man, I’m sorry about all those things I’ve said in the past, I want to take this stuff seriously and start going to church.”

How do you think the average social media user can be a faithful steward to the Lord even on small platforms?

First, it’s important to ask ourselves why we’re even using social media. We have to be intentional in everything we do, rather than just going on to scroll through mindlessly.

What message do you want to get across and receive through our time on social media?

The other day I heard my dad preach a message on “living a life worth following,” and I thought that was such an important thing to hear. We can so easily pick and choose what we want to publish; being an example is so important, not just posting useless things or because you’re bored. We need to think about how we can use everything for the glory of God. There’s this quote that I think is so true: “Self-promotion is easy, but characterdevelopment is valuable.”

Be bold, be humble, have persistence with faith, to love people well through social media. I used to always focus on what would bring more likes and retweets, but that doesn’t have value. Talking about God has so much value. Social media is either a big missions field, or a huge waste of time.

So much of our identity is tied to self-promotion. How do you maintain a distance while still engaging with it?

So many people find their affirmation through social media, but it’s just a dead end. I’m speaking to myself here too, but it’s so important to get into the Word more than we get into the world of online affirmation. If you are rooting yourself in

the Word on a consistent basis, if you’re putting on the armour of Christ, you’ll be able to fight. You’re much more prone to the attacks of the enemy if you’re going to the world of social media more than the Word. Where are you finding your value? It’s possible to find yourself more lost than you were at the outset!

Since getting more serious in my relationship with Christ, I’ve tried to be more intentional in everything I do, even down to who I follow online. Recently I actually went through and unfollowed a lot of people, even friends, just because the content they were posting didn’t offer value or was even harmful to my walk with Christ. Even online, you can work towards surrounding yourself with more truth, more encouragement, and not just empty things.

In terms of orienting our lives towards Christ and having intentionality, my wife and I were talking the other day about how God is so gentle on us. He doesn’t just make us do a 360 every single day, He slowly reveals things to us as we walk with Him. It’s like planting a delicious garden; it doesn’t happen overnight.

We have to tend to it, water the seeds, uproot the weeds, and it’s all beautiful and valuable.

I see a lot of young people being hard on themselves because they feel like they have too much to work on and they’ve messed up so much. But as God cultivates you, everything is valuable. God knows what’s best for me, I just need to be faithful in walking with Him each day.

Is it possible to access the depths of the Christian life through social media platforms? If so, how?

I don’t think it’s possible to experience the depths of the Christian life, rather, social media can be used to express it.

It can give you glimpses into a life with Christ, but experiencing it is completely separaten quiet times in your room, fellowship, spending time in the Word. I have an analogy for it: Social media for the Christian life is like looking at a poster or a movie trailer. You don’t get the full depth of the movie from it, but it can attract and intrigue you. True depth is like watching the movie itself, sitting down, engaging with it, asking questions, and paying attention.

Through this, we can actually get to know the characters, ourselves, the story, and who this God is that we serve.

Conor Sweetman Markham, ON Justin Stuart

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STARTING WITH THE LIGHT Words by Cassandra Wolfe

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ike a mighty storm, stir within my soul

I recognize my own inner voice crying out to Jesus to stir within my soul as I awake from sleep in the morning. I surrender. I wanna know you, Lord. Hillsong’s lyrics echo my heart perfectly.

I’ve set an intentional goal for myself in the morning—to pick up my Bible before I pick up my phone. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes, the first thing I do in the morning is open the Word of God, the Word that went before me, that holds absolute Truth, and that wants to change me.

Other times it doesn’t, and I reach for my phone instead, and, before I know it, I’m mindlessly scrolling on Instagram, thumb to the screen and taking in photo after photo as though that could be more important than taking in the doctrine of my God. Whether I know it or not, I’m absorbing these photos, and have images and new truths about what my body should look like, what my time should be filled with, and what my mind should be set on.

And from what source?

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

me over a year ago with a prayer on her heart that Jesus used to save my life.

I’ve had conversations with people through social media about the eating disorder I’ve overcome through Christ that would not have been possible without blogs and media outlets that God used as a tool.

I’ve learned so much from fellow bloggers, and from articles about the Word; gained access to podcasts and sermons I never would have before; and been granted job opportunities, such as in writing, that allow me to use my giftings to serve God.

When I come under the posts of peers as if they are truth, and actually give them first priority in my day, I’ve “... being in [the world] realized, I’m exposing myself to shame, means recognizing that Jesus comparison, and lies.

So, while I could give technology the power to shut down my reception to Jesus, I can instead recognize the possibility of that, but allow Him also is in technology. He’s to use me through it.

It’s like I cut off the When I give it to Him, moving in it, transforming Holy Spirit as He is I’m not mindlessly stirring within my soul, lives through it, and using it scrolling or consumed wanting to break in me or vegging on social for His glory.” and make me dance in media. But I’m aware of praise of Him, and said, that Spirit-stirring that Nah, I’m gonna look to the is light in a place that world instead. This is my conviction. could otherwise only be dark.

Equally, I know that I am in the world And because the light is Him, it starts with while I am not of it. And being in it Him. So, I think I’ll start with Him, too, means recognizing that Jesus also and still pick up my Bible first thing— is in technology. He’s moving in it, better yet, I’ll talk to Him, too. transforming lives through it, and using it for His glory.

I’ve witnessed that life-change, as I met my dear friend Josee through the Internet, and it is my dear friend Josee who called

Cassandra Wolfe Waterloo, ON Velizar Ivanov

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Crowd Crowd Servers Pleasers Crowd Crowd Servers Pleasers VS Crowd Crowd Servers Pleasers Crowd Crowd Servers Words by Grace Young

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he way Jesus sought after the hearts of the people rather than the approval of the people teaches us an intense, humbling lesson about the world we currently live in.

I am completely enamoured by the idea of how we use social media and technology.

It has advanced in such a way that you can make yourself appear as the person you want to be, even if that means you’re being dishonest. We are so surrounded by edited photographic biographies written as a means of telling your followers your achievements. And numbers, lots and lots of numbers.

So, how do we take something as advanced as technology and connect it to our spiritual walk with our greatest companion, Jesus Christ?

Easy. Numbers.

I am so in love with Him because He had twelve followers. (Eleven, if you want to get technical.) Yet, He changed so many lives, healed so many people and spoke with so much zeal that we’re told in John 21:25, “If every one of them were written down, even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

Here’s the connection. Jesus didn’t grasp onto a social status or support from the crowd. Rather, He walked into a crowd with open arms, asking them to come to Him. He

cared for the hurting, homeless, and dirty, healing them with the touch of His hand.

I believe in the complete divinity of Jesus, and I believe He saw crowds knowing that there were some who would walk away with a scowl. Yet, that never stopped Him.

They will love someone who is remarkably hard to love. They will make someone believe in the purpose of life. They will stand unconcerned if what they say challenges someone because they are seeing the big picture.

We need to enter into a place where we’re praying for that same strength. Often we will only post photos that we know will be received well. We will only send out a tweet if we know it will be reposted. We will pretend to like stuff that we don’t even really like. For approval. For numbers.

They are looking past ground level-approval and seeing the eternal stuff that actually matters, seeing people as deeply loved sons and daughters rather than a photograph of an attractive person. When God starts to change the way you see His people, trust me, your world shakes and sings and dances in a way it never has before.

I want to All the challenge you backlash and today to take “So, how do we take something as all the small your social advanced as technology and connect concerns following— as little or it to our spiritual walk with our greatest of today that seem as grand as companion, Jesus Christ?” to bother it may be— us so much and use it to will always be genuine. fade away. The Lord is our eternal hope Use it to love people. Use it to glorify your and strength. Our lives are vastly more Father. Use it as a means to do what Jesus important and interesting than we give the did in the crowds: serve. Uncover the gift credit for. perfect face you’ve put on and be real.

There is such an immense difference between being a Crowd Pleaser and a Crowd Server. Crowd pleasers will say or do anything to gain the approval or respect of those in their lives. But crowd servers make waves.

Love others when it’s hard. Be yourself.

Don’t paint a picture of yourself to match everyone else’s.

There’s our connection.

Grace Young Port Hope, ON Eddi Aguirre

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INFORMATION ISN’T KNOWLEDGE Ministry and the Internet Words by Hannah Trail

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rowing up, my father was a pastor, and my family including most of my extended relatives were active, passionate Christians. Because of this upbringing, I had a lot of information floating around in my head about this religion, but until I was older and in university I wasn’t a Christian myself.

Sure, I went to church every Sunday, and sure I sang in almost every service, but that was the extent of my faith. To be perfectly honest, when compared to what I was taking in from going to church and hearing my family talk about God and the Bible, I was getting ten times the information from outside sources.

From what those outside sources were telling me about religion, I had no interest in being a part it.

Later, when talking to non-Christian friends of mine, I was surprised that despite the information about Christianity they had read or heard or seen, they had even less knowledge about God than I did growing up.

As young people, I think we all understand the opportunities that technology grants us in terms of learning and discovering for ourselves. I don’t think we are ungrateful or ignorant of that at all. But with the sheer amount of information we read online, I do think that we overestimate the amount of knowledge we have on a lot of subjects, including Christianity and other religions.

In Western culture—at least what I’ve been exposed to—everyone is familiar with the concept of Christianity. The rise of technology and the internet have led to a huge availability of information for most people, and when looking back at Scripture and how evangelists like Paul travelled constantly and wrote letters upon letters which were successful in spreading

the gospel, one would think that these new tools would make ministry that much easier for the modern Christian.

To be honest, though, it seems like it’s having the opposite effect. As someone who has grown up alongside modern internet and tech, I have seen and been a part of this phenomenon.

In the time of Paul’s evangelism, every piece of news and every social or religious movement was spread almost entirely

knew while growing up (not to discredit their faith or intentions) always assumed that because my dad is a pastor, I had a strong faith and no misconceptions about Christian theology, which couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

In the same way, we still often assume that because all the knowledge necessary to understand our faith is freely available to most Westerners, it is simple for them to sift through all the information surrounding it.

I’m still young, and even younger in my faith, and I have a lot of growing and learning still to do. But I know enough to beg you, when ministering to nonChristians or even when speaking with members of the church, not to assume anything about what they know or where they stand.

It can make a huge through word of difference if you simply “I do think that we mouth. Even the ask, before saying length and number of overestimate the amount anything else, what they letters written by early already know and what of knowledge we have on Christian missionaries they think of it. Without was really abnormal a lot of subjects, including putting everything on the at the time. As we all table right away, there Christianity and other know, word spreads could be something huge quickly and can easily religions.” slipping through the be distorted, but cracks. that speed and lack of reliability is so heightened when we Paul and other early evangelists had a bring the internet into play. Anyone can lot of pseudo-Christian ideas to combat, say anything online, and it can reach any but we cannot forget that with the rise number of people around the globe almost of technology and the internet we have instantly, which is both exciting and even more today, and the first steps to terrifying for those concerned with truth. fighting them come from recognizing and acknowledging them.

From my own experience, most Western evangelism ignores this issue even though it should be a very prominent Hannah Trail consideration. Adult Christians that I Riverview, NB Clem Onojeghuo

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COMPASSION GENERATION This series is about youth who strive to develop this generation into one of compassion. They are responding to the brokenness in the world by taking action with Compassion Canada. We hope these stories inspire and encourage you.

Confronting Poverty through Technology Meet three students who are transforming the world around them through technology.

For many of us in Canada, the word technology brings to mind tech startups and exciting up-and-coming careers. Technology is a way to connect with friends and do schoolwork. Or perhaps it is invisible to us—we take things like lights, appliances, and transportation for granted.

But for many young people living in poverty, technology is a tool God has uniquely gifted them with. Through it, they have been able to transform their circumstances and even their communities, ultimately to glorify God in all that they do.

Gabriela is an aspiring aviation mechanic from El Salvador. Born into poverty, such a career should have been impossible for her. “Only a miracle could have gotten me this far,” she says. Miracles did indeed happen—in a field dominated by male students, Gabriela received one of three scholarships to study aviation mechanics at her school. Though still in school, she has already been promised a job in aircraft maintenance at El Salvador’s international airport. Gabriela credits her determination to succeed in this field to the foundation she gained at the Compassion program. “Girls like me are usually already pregnant or quit school for many other reasons,” she says, “I’m incredibly thankful and blessed for the support I have received throughout all these years to stay focused on what God wants for me.”

Around the globe, in Ghana, a teenager named Richard regularly wows his community with the things he creates using spare parts he finds at a local garbage dump.

He built a fully functional radio without any training, then a motorized toy ride-on car, complete with a built-in MP3 player. He also creates solar-powered cellphone chargers, flashlights, and more. Amazed by his gift, the staff at his local Compassion program arranged an apprenticeship for him with an electrician. Richard now earns extra money fixing radios, TVs, and other electronics.

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His dream is to become a mechanical engineer and eventually build cars and planes.

Five thousand kilometres to the east, in Kenya, a young woman named Synthia and four of her schoolmates developed an app to help protect girls from the horrific practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).

The app, called i-CUT, connects girls to emergency services, survivor resources, and law enforcement.

FGM is illegal in Kenya, but the key to abolishing it is empowering and equipping girls in seeing the law enforced—a need these girls hope their app meets. Synthia and her classmates entered the 2017 Technovation challenge at Google headquarters and were the only African team selected as finalists, placing second overall in the competition. For them, this was a stepping stone to a bright future in the tech industry. Synthia aspires to become a computer scientist and a role model to other girls. “I want to develop solutions that will help the world become a better place,” she says.

God wants you to live in the fullness of his Kingdom no matter what your gifting or interests are. Missionary, engineer, developer, social worker, or inventor—we all have something to contribute to the Kingdom. God delights in seeing us use our unique gifts to glorify Him. These three students are proof that no matter your background or what gifts and interests God gives you—be it science, technology, art, or something else entirely—you can use it to live out your calling to the fullest and impact the circumstances of the world around you in transformative ways.

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Alyssa Esparaz Pickering, ON Compassion Canada

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Can I Be Confident in Knowing God’s Will?

Words by Erin Ford

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love the certainty of John, one of Jesus’ closest friends, when he writes to fellow Christians to assure them of the confidence they can have in prayer.

John writes, “Now this is the confidence we have before him: Whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked him for” (1 John 5:14-15, HCSB).

Whenever we ask anything according to his will. Sometimes I struggle with knowing what God’s will is. Do you?

You may be trying to determine if it’s God’s will for you to go on a mission trip this summer. Or you may be considering your future and which path to pursue after graduation—marketplace or ministry? With so many options and voices influencing us, it can be hard to know what God wants and to be certain which path is the “best” one. It can be difficult to discern: is this just what I selfishly want, or is this what God is asking me to do?

John says that we can be confident that when we ask God according to his will, He hears us and answers us!

The key is figuring out what God’s will is—then praying accordingly and with expectation that He will answer! Here are six considerations when trying to figure out what God’s will is:

1

Ask yourself: Do I have a growing relationship with God? Before you can discern what God’s will is, it’s imperative that you are growing in your walk with God. Are you consistently spending time with him? Do you read the

Bible? Are you praying regularly? Are you finding God is changing your desires to be more like His? Are you aware of sin that you need to confess and turn away from?

Jesus said the most important thing in life is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37, HCSB). It’s also known as the Great Commandment. Until we pursue the Great Commandment, it is going to be hard to accurately hear what God is saying to us, or understand His instructions and commands in the Bible.

Real talk: I’m never going to love God perfectly with all my heart, soul, and mind. God knows this and doesn’t require perfection from me in order for me to understand His will for me! As long as I am taking steps towards God in loving Him and pursuing a growing relationship with Him, He supplies the rest. The same is true for you as well!

2

Do I filter my decisions through the Bible?

We need to constantly turn back to what the Bible clearly says, and then we need to obey. For example, we know with certainty that God’s will for us is to share our faith with others because Jesus commands, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18, ESV).

We can know with certainty that God’s explicit will for us is to remain sexually pure when Paul writes, “For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, so that each of you knows how to control his own body in sanctification and honour” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, ESV). Hmm, no confusion there!

actions against to make sure they align and match. It is the lens through which we must look when making decisions.

3

Do I pay attention to what God is doing in my life?

If God’s word gives you assurance to move forward, ask yourself if God has arranged certain circumstances in your life to direct you toward a certain path. Sometimes, situations occur in such a way that can help bring clarity to what God may be guiding you toward.

I experienced this in my third year of university while studying abroad in South Asia. I sensed God’s leading to go on a mission trip with Power to ChangeStudents (P2C-S) the following summer, but I felt unsure about which location to go to.

After prayer and talking with some trusted mentors, I eventually realized that God had just granted me a semester of missions prep being overseas, and I needed to return to South Asia with P2C. My personal experience with the location and culture would help immensely in building new friends and sharing my faith.

When I looked at my circumstances, God showed me He had been preparing me. I needed to simply pay attention to what He was doing in my life. That following summer while on the P2C-S missions trip to South Asia, I found that my previous experience in that cultural context helped me adjust quickly to the culture. I was able to build authentic trust with the students in a short time, share the gospel, and even saw one student pray to receive Christ!

If you focus on Jesus’ command to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33, ESV), then providential circumstances can bring alignment to your options and God’s will. If you are pursuing God, then there should be no concern that He will speak and

The authority of Scripture is what we need to compare our thoughts, words, and

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“As long as I am taking steps towards God in loving Him and pursuing a growing relationship with Him, He supplies the rest. The same is true for you as well!”

guide you, as you obey Him and spend time with Him.

4

Do I know that the Holy Spirit gives me a sound mind?

If you want to know God’s will, you need to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Apostle Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy: “For God has not given us the Spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” (2 Timothy 1:7, HCSB). It isn’t the Holy Spirit stirring up fear in your heart. The Holy Spirit provides the power, the strength, and the ability for you to serve God boldly. He fills you with love: the ability to love God and others.

He also provides sound judgment and clarity with regard to the truth of God. If you are walking in step with the Spirit, you will be able to discern God’s will for your life through using the brain that God has given you! I know, crazy right? While God can speak to us supernaturally, God most often speaks to us through the straightforward and logically obvious, using our reason to discern a good direction.

It’s important we take our logic and reasoning back to the authority of the Bible to compare. If our reasoning aligns with what’s written in the Bible, then we can know that the Holy Spirit is aligning our thoughts to His. If they don’t, then we can

know that we shouldn’t proceed with that decision.

5

Who are wise friends and mentors I could consult?

Seeking wise counsel is critical when discerning God’s will. God created you to live in community and you need the collective wisdom of those who know you best in order to make your decision.

Personally, God often speaks to me through the voices of trusted Christians in my life, so seeking wise counsel is a must.

Proverbs 12:15 states: “A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise” (HCSB). Why is this?

We all have blind spots. We are blind to our own sin, our spiritual giftings, and understanding Scripture properly every time. On your own, you are prone to make foolish decisions and misunderstand God’s will.

While the Holy Spirit is there to help fight against this, so is the built-in safeguard of community. Wise counsel can give us another perspective on our strengths, weaknesses, and giftings, thereby helping guide us into a greater awareness of who God has made us to be. This can help us determine whether one option may be a better fit than another. It can also help you discern whether the path you are going down is a good fit

6

Ask yourself: What do I want to do?

Often, God’s will for our lives is more flexible than we think; there may be several good options. In many situations, God grants us freedom, allowing us to pursue the concerns and passions that he has placed on our hearts.

Psalm 37:4 states: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires” (HCSB). As we delight in God, our hearts will change to look more like God’s heart. As a result we develop desires in our hearts that align with God’s desires for us: when He gives us those things it brings him glory.

Have Confidence If you are growing in your relationship with God, obeying the Bible’s commands, paying attention to what God is doing in your life, walking in the Spirit, and listening to wise counsel, then you can trust that God is aligning your heart to His. There is freedom to make your decision with confidence.

Knowing and being confident of God’s will is both possible and achievable. If you feel easily confused, afraid, or freeze up when it comes to decision making, I hope you will experience greater peace and confidence as you apply these principles and pursue God’s will for your life. Remember that God is sovereign, and that He will never abandon nor reject you!

Your Turn What is a choice you are being faced with right now?

Find a trusted friend and pray through these six considerations together, trusting that God will lead you to make the right choice.

This article was originally published on p2c.com/ students and has been republished with permission.

Erin Ford Toronto, ON Austin Chan

TIP

Before you turn to the next page, close the magazine and flip it over to start reading at the beginning of the other side.

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TIP

Before you turn to the next page, close the magazine and flip it over to start reading at the beginning of the other side.

Words by Joerg Wacker

I

never wanted to do this.

Growing up as a pastor’s kid, I made one decision fairly early in life: “I am not going to be a pastor.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my Dad and I never had—like many other people I know who grew up in a pastor’s home—a bad experience where he chose his ministry over us. I loved having him around with his office being in the same house we lived in.

a great plan for your life!” But rarely were these assurances very helpful.

For me, it was always the opposite—I had a plan of what I wanted to do (and what I didn’t want to do). So, I told God I wanted to be a lawyer. One of the good ones of course, that gives a lot money and helps people who need legal counsel. It all sounded very pious in my head. But if I am honest, I mostly liked this plan because it was my plan. I had control over it and the job would give me the security for the future

follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:14b-15).

So, I had to learn to lose myself (and I am still learning that), but I came to the point where I was willing to let go of my plan, my dream. And then I asked for peace; not the normal peace of mind we have on the third day of a three-week vacation, but the peace that would sustain me if I would be going into full-time ministry. God gave it to me, and I knew this was the new plan—His and not mine. There was no great epiphany or a voice from heaven, just peace and the knowledge that I would not have to do it alone.

I never wanted to do this Following God’s Call On Your Life

Being a Christian means foremost being a follower of Jesus. So make plans, dream big. But never forget it is always about Him and for Him. Our lives don’t belong to us anymore.

But imagining myself in full-time ministry? No, thank you.

Over ten years later, I am sitting at my desk, thinking about how to best start and grow a new church in Toronto. As the pastor and only full-time employee of our church, I have to wrestle with questions I never had before, try to problemsolve for our next event, plan for our next core team meeting, connect with people who don’t know Jesus yet, all while trying to deal with personal struggles in the lives of both myself and the people around me.

How did I end up not only in a different job than I imagined, but also in a different continent from my home in Germany?

One of the toughest things for many of my Christian friends is to decide what they want to do with their lives. I heard phrases so often from well-intentioned people: “You need to find out what God’s calling for your life is!” Or even better “I just know, God has

that I craved.

And then, a few years on, my sister started to tell me that she was praying for me to become a pastor. This was not the thing I wanted to hear from her at all, but how do you stop prayer? At the centre of the Christian message is the gospel of grace. I am helplessly lost without the grace of God shown in Jesus. I can’t add anything to it to earn it. But if that new life in Jesus is fully given, that also means it’s God’s to use. I didn’t earn it, so I don’t have a right to it.

Grace has an edge to it.

“Being a Christian means foremost being a follower of Jesus.

So make plans, dream big. But never forget

Our calling is it is always about Him to follow Him and do what He and for Him.” did. Love God and love others.

Give ourselves for the sake of others, so it might be for His glory. Maybe that means you will become a pastor, but mostly likely not. Who needs that many pastors? What we need is people that are living their lives in a way that draws people to Jesus. And that usually starts with losing your life, so that you can find a new life in Jesus.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and

Joerg Wacker

Pastor of Reach North York Toronto, ON Edwin Andrade

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A Refugee’s Miracle Words by Daniel Kim

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very Friday, my friend Joo-eun and I visit in the house of an older woman from our church to have fellowship together. Joo-eun and I are both from Korea, coming to Canada to study only a few short months ago. It was at Willowdale Baptist Church where we met Stefanie.

Joo-eun and I both have grown closer to Stefanie through her care of our Korean friend Esther.

At these Friday fellowships with Stefanie, we never miss the opportunity to help her video chat with another Korean friend, Esther, who has since gone back to Korea after experiencing great miracles at the hand of God. Every time we do this, we all end up in tears of joy, completely overwhelmed by His grace. What happened to Esther is a true testimony showing His unfailing love that transcends national boundaries.

I have known Esther for more than five years since I ran some missional businesses in Korea. She was an amazing Christian with a great passion in mission work.

When I faced some financial hardships in my businesses, she even worked for them without pay just to help me break through all the obstacles. Therefore, without any doubt, I expected her to be serving Jesus in an amazing way.

However, I happened to hear the news that she got married to an African Christian in Korea, got pregnant, and faced some harsh racism and prejudice from her people. As a result, she had a fear of being around people and suffered alone to an extent that

she was on the verge of giving up her study in Canada and her passion in music.

Upon hearing of all that she had gone through following her marriage and pregnancy, God made me consistently pray for her both in Korea and in Canada.

I never stopped praying for her and kept emailing her, assuming she would read it, so that she could have her life go forward and upward in God. I knew she had to come to Canada to finish her language course to get accepted to a college she applied for.

I kept encouraging her not to give up her dream just for her marriage and pregnancy.

I shared my prayer request at Willowdale Baptist Church and we prayed together for her, even though they didn’t know her personally. As Job broke through all his tribulations by praying for his friends, the unceasing intercessory prayers of the church reached Esther and started to move her in His way. She finally made it to Canada, and she became the first pregnant woman who topped her language institute and finally got accepted to Seneca College.

However, when she finished her course and was about to go back to Korea for the delivery of her baby, it became difficult for her to take the flight. Additionally, her Plan B—which was to invite her husband to Canada—didn’t work out because the government didn’t issue any other types of visas to him because he’s a refugee in Korea. To make matters worse, she had to find a place to stay during the winter; it seemed obvious that she needed some help from above.

Upon sharing this story at Willowdale Baptist Church, the people kept praying for her, and that’s when Stefanie stepped forward to share her residence with Esther and take care of her, not even expecting anything in return, like the Good Samaritan. The church organized a baby shower for her as if they had known her for a long time. In addition to this, with the help of a pregnancy care centre, Esther was also able to get help in many respects, ranging from baby clothes, financial supports, and finding a midwife for her delivery.

God must have wanted everyone to be the witness of His miracles in Esther. Thanks to His unfailing providence and blessings from His people, she became a mother of a beautiful baby boy in February, and she has returned to Korea to be reunited with her husband. Now they are looking forward to coming back to Canada as one family to worship our Lord at Willowdale Baptist Church.

Though the world was trying to separate us from the love of God by racism and prejudice, Jesus united us in love. I am still in awe just thinking about what happened to Esther, because it’s not what I did but what God did. Yes. His Love is moving among us.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

Daniel Kim North York, ON Eric Froehling

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 12F

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2018-06-18 9:51 PM

BE SOCIAL

Words by Angel Kivia

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our alarm goes off—what’s the first thing you do? Go on your phone to turn it off, duh. What’s the second thing you do? More likely than not, it’s the decision of which app to open first. Social media has become a part of the morning routines of those with smartphones and wifi access all around the world. Not just the developed parts of the world—all around the world.

It is highly unlikely (nearly impossible) that you have met someone who has yet to be affected by social media. Consumer brands, politics and even different organizations within our community, have all taken great recognition of what I believe is the best tool we have to share the story of Jesus with our community and beyond.

We are living in the greatest communication shift the world has experienced since the creation of the printing press in the early 1400s, but some parts of the church have been slow to change methods of evangelizing and sharing the gospel. After all, smartphones are not mentioned in the Bible. The Apostles did not command the ministry leaders of the church to create Instagram accounts to share the good news.

However, we are called to share the good news through whatever platform reaches our neighbour where they’re at in their walk with God. This used to look (and sometimes still looks) like salvation DVDs and blasting print media on every bulletin board in town. The digital age challenges each local church on how to tell the story of Jesus.

This is a gift! God reveals His blessings in

many ways, one of which includes the free resources of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, among others.

Like any other gift that’s been abused or perverted, social media often has a negative connotation on how it can encourage comparison and, most heartbreaking, the need to be fake on the internet. But there is nothing fake about the gospel. There is nothing fake about what Jesus is doing in

our community to heal the hearts of the broken.

Despite the unhealthy messages often communicated through our social media feeds, we the Church are called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are called to evangelize, celebrate and testify as to what God is doing in our communities.

It’s important that we maximize this gift. Why? Because everybody is doing so! The church should not fall behind

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taking advantage of the opportunity to engage with our community the 167 hours they are not in church every week. In overseeing social media at my local church, I’ve learned a couple of things that have pushed forward our vision of “Loving All People to Jesus.”

“Nobody knows the story of what God is doing in your community better than the people who have actually experienced the move of God in your specific context.”

Cass Langton, global creative pastor of Hillsong Church, often describes the creative team as the visual and communication evangelists of the church.

Within your local church, they are individuals God has gifted and called to communicate the Good News through a different platform than the traditional one.

It might look like design, photography, videography, editing, writing, etc.

Just like everybody else, we want to be pursued; creatives often want to be pursued. Therefore, you might find that these individuals might hide in the back row struggling to find their place in ministering to the community. The Holy Spirit will highlight these individuals to you and call out another part in the Body of Christ.

They say that Millennials and Gen Zs are two of the most collaborative generations to have ever existed. We are called to do this together and I believe there is a grace on young people to evangelize to their community through social media.

As we experience the complex communication shift of the digital age, we are challenged to keep up and retain

the attention of our followers! If your Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter is used to update your followers on the next youth event, eventually they will stop caring and continue to swipe! Social is a creative playing field and the whole world is playing.

The social platforms themselves regularly innovate new methods for us to engage with our followers. Take advantage of Instagram Stories and Twitter polls (to name a few).

According to the 2016 Social Media Report

by The Nielsen Company, Gen X (ages 37-58) spend the most time on social media: almost seven hours per week, with every other generation falling below seven hours. Gen Z (ages 8-23) are known for their short attention spans. The most valuable commodity on social media is the attention span of the follower. It’s going to require us to be innovative in our methods of communication.

Nobody knows the story of what God is doing in your community better than the people who have actually experienced the move of God in your specific context. Social media does not discriminate! People want to hear about what God is doing in both kids and senior adults ministry, in your local high schools and workplaces. “For by grace

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you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Before any post, or share, or like, remember the goal is to tell the story of what God is doing in our community.

Social media is more than we can imagine it to be. Take pride in a gift that is continuously creative in its approach to move the hearts of those who take part in it. Seek those who are gifted and called to be visual and communication evangelists of the church. Collaborate with those of all demographics within your church community on ways to be innovative in your digital communication approach.

Testify about what God is doing in your community.

We are called to be the light of the world, even on Instagram.

Angel Kivia Calgary, AB

Nathan Dumlao (left) Toa Heftiba(right)

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 10F

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2018-06-18 9:51 PM

Loving Willowdale Before & After the Van Attack Words Joel Gordon

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housands of people marched and sang in solidarity moving south on Yonge Street just a few days after the tragic van attack in Toronto. The day following this devastating event, on April 24, 2018, our neighbourhood gathered to mourn and grieve at a memorial located at the corner of Finch and Yonge. How did these events come together so quickly and bring together so many people? Who are some of the key individuals who helped to engage the city and our nation in a response of solidarity, grief, and love? How did youth workers lead the way in turning cries of sorrow into songs of healing?

A few hours after the van attack, Yonge Street was eerily quiet. I received a WhatsApp message from a friend and fellow community worker named Jesse James, inviting me to a meeting at Puck N’ Wings, a local restaurant and pub near Yonge and Finch. On my way, I walked along yellow police tape lining the street.

The few pedestrians walking with me were visibly troubled. Some people we weeping, others walked with their hands covering their mouths and many had their eyes glued to the most tragic sight I have ever seen in this neighbourhood. Willowdale is a community I have been connected to my entire life. I saw a black tarp covering a victim—a fallen neighbour.

The road was closed to all traffic except for a single stretch of sidewalk for foot traffic.

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“ Police cars were stationed around the large black van that was parked beside the body.

The air was still. The neighbourhood was silent and everyone seemed to be walking at half speed. Even though I was in shock, I was reminded that I was walking with a purpose, on mission, being led by a loving Father who was with me, His Spirit was comforting me, and Jesus was quietly prompting me to respond faithfully.

I picked up my pace, but before arriving at the meeting I stopped into a local restaurant where I know the owner and some of the servers to let them know that we were praying for them. The server I visited was thankful, yet visibly shaken. Two years ago, that same server had introduced one of her patrons to our congregation. As I left the restaurant, I saw a large blind that was raised up and behind it, the body of a victim, a fellow neighbour, was placed with dignity inside the black van.

The stretch of road where the van attack began is 40 steps away from my church building. As the van with the body inside drove south on Yonge, I continued north to my meeting. Jesse James who invited me is a friend, a fellow leader, a member of the Youth Unlimited team (Youth For Christ) and a youth worker in Willowdale.

As I replayed in my mind the image of the van driving away with a fallen neighbour, I could almost feel the evil in the air like moisture on my skin during a humid summer afternoon. As I arrived at the meeting place, Romans 12:21 surfaced within me: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

I waved hello to Jesse and others through the front window as I arrived. On most Monday nights you can find Jesse at this Puck N’ Wings studying, chatting with a stranger, or having a meeting.

Jesse is a Master of Divinity student at Tyndale University College and Seminary.

Jesse loves Willowdale; he lives in the neighbourhood, serves in the community, and has built a vast network or friends, brothers, sisters, and allies here over the last seven years. He’s even forged a good relationship with Toronto’s mayor and local councillor. Jesse is also a friend to underserved families and a brother to many.

Most of us who gathered on the night of the van attack were part of a Willowdale Collaboration Network that Jesse started in 2011. Through the collaboration network,

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

pastors, community workers, local businesses, neighbours, and youth have come together and built relationships of trust and love. YFC’s Youth Unlimited was instrumental in providing Jesse with the support, mentorship, and freedom he needed to grow into the leader that he is today. Praise God.

While in the restaurant, I learned that Alek Minassian was the name of the person who was apprehended for the van attack.

There were a total of 25 people injured on Yonge between Finch and Sheppard. I took a seat near the window and greeted the other local pastors and ministry leaders at the table. We prayed for our neighbourhood and we prayed for Alek and the Minassian family. Then, we started to plan how to respond to this crisis.

Jesse and another dynamic leader, Lily Cheng, brought leadership to a group called “We Love Willowdale.” Jesse describes us as “a bunch of nobodies.” In a matter of minutes, Lily set up a Facebook page for the group.

Our building at Willowdale Baptist is the closest church building to the where the van attack started. The day after the attack, we opened our doors to the public and offered parking, free coffee, and restrooms to our neighbours and the media.

That same day following the attack, We Love Willowdale planned an event to observe a moment of silence at the Olive Square memorial site and spearheaded an initiative called 25 Days of Music on Yonge—one day for every neighbour, family member or friend killed and injured in Willowdale from the van attack. Musicians were invited to help “turn cries of sorrow into songs of healing” at 1:30 p.m. for 25 consecutive days.

This group of nobodies, inspired by somebody, helped to plan several other events including a Willowdale Prayer Vigil and Walk, a Community Safety Town Hall, Reclaim Yonge Walk of Healing & Solidarity, a decommissioning ceremony, and a grief share group hosted by Willowdale Baptist Church where I currently serve as the community pastor.

A large part of the success of the planning and implementation of these events

was based in the intentional network of churches and youth workers already in place—the Willowdale Collaboration Network has been missionally engaged in Willowdale for seven years leading up to this tragedy.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, publisher of Love Is Moving magazine, is committed to “uniting Evangelicals to bless Canada in the name of Jesus.” I see this uniting happening as God’s gift to Willowdale through a YFC worker, Jesse James. We have a new level of unity in our community worth celebrating.

Even through this horrific tragedy, our bond in Christ has been strengthened.

Jesus’ prayer in John 17 is that the Church be one, just as He and the Father are one.

Jesse shared from this passage during one of the first meetings of the Willowdale Collaboration Network.

The relationships that have been built in Willowdale through Jesse and other leaders allowed for a faithful and sustained response to grieve with our community and continue on a journey of healing with them.

Collaboration and collective impact is a gift from God. My hope is that leaders like Jesse will continue the work of building bridges between the hurting and the Healer, the underserved and the All Powerful, the lost and the found, and among all churches who hold high the name of Jesus.

Who’s in your network of nobodies being led by Somebody?

Use the Love Is Moving app to scan this QR code and watch a short documentary about Jesse’s work with YFC’s Youth Unlimited.Or visit: loveismoving.ca/toronto-vanattack-documentary

Joel Gordon North York, ON Ariel Domenden

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 8F

2018-06-18 9:51 PM

Social Media Does Not Know God’s Plan for You

becomes a louder voice than God’s in my life.

Let’s remove social media from our lives for a moment. Our purpose as Christians is to love God and cultivate a relationship with Him. Through our relationship with Him, we get to know His voice, His thoughts and His purpose for our lives. His hopes and plan for our lives become our purpose! When we go through a tough time in our lives, where we are unaware of the next step to take, or even just a feeling of loneliness sets in, we usually turn to Him for the answer, whether quickly or slowly, we make the journey in our hearts to hear Him. God is our source.

Now, let’s bring social media back into our lives. It’s great! It shares highlights of our lives and brings a lot of beauty to our screens. I love seeing people celebrate moments in their lives and share them with me.

However, if we are not careful, social media can slowly edge its way into being the louder voice in our lives.

It can be the voice that now sets the standard of how we are to live. How? Well, we all need to remember that every person’s story is different, they are on a path that is designed for them and the time they take to walk their path is different than ours. We can slowly allow these highlights to set the standard of how our lives should be unfolding.

Words by Angela Jones

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ocial media is a great tool, but it can also have a negative effect in the form of inciting comparison. I have a love/ hate relationship with social media, and I don’t think I am alone! I love it when I am strong spiritually and emotionally and my response is celebratory when I see other’s moments. But whenever I feel like those two areas of my life are a little weaker, social media then becomes negative for me, and comparison sets in strong. Comparison

So when life gets difficult and frustration sets in about the pace of events unfolding in our lives, we can start comparing. Discouragement becomes our mood, taking our focus off what God had originally shown us for our lives. Comparison and complaining are now a stronger theme in our mind because God seems to not be favouring us with amazing moments.

I speak from experience—I have complained about areas in my life because they seem to be stuck, compared to what I’ve seen on the screen in my hand. There

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are things in my life where I wish they were further ahead than they are, and when I see specific moments people share from their lives, due to my human nature I can become discouraged.

In those moments of discouragement, I start to question God’s goodness towards me. If I never opened my phone would I have these wrestling conversations with God? Yes, but probably not as frequently, and my motivation for the conversation with Him would be about His spoken promises for me, not about so-and-so and their moments and successes.

There are moments in our lives when we are at the fork in the road where God meets social media. See, in the past, when social media was out of the picture, we went straight to God regarding things in our lives—now that social media has entered our world, the fear is that we go to social media to see how well we are doing. Social media does not know God’s plans for you; it is unaware of the path He has for you and what will unfold! Yet, somehow we take its cues to let us know if we are succeeding.

What we are to do is go to God’s Word and measure our lives and growth against it.

When we start to compare our lives with the pictures and words we see on a screen, stop! We need to take a breath and turn our hearts toward God and ask Him for His heart for our lives. Ask Him to unfold what He has you do! His dreams for you are “exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). It would be sad if our lives were capped at what social media says is greatness, when I know God’s plans supersede all of that.

“... if we are not careful, social media can slowly edge its way into being the louder voice in our lives. It can be the voice that now sets the standard of how we

Instead of are to live.” comparing through social media, celebrate! Learn to celebrate what is happening in other’s lives. Trust me, it can be difficult, but it is so worth it! When you celebrate others, you are saying to the world that you trust God and His plans for you! God will see your celebrating heart and honour you! He’s just that good!

Remember we are all on a unique journey designed specifically for each one of us and we are the only ones that can live it out well!

Angela Jones Calgary, AB Gian Cescon

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HOW CAN I HELP?

Words by Kevin Haggarty

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ower and position. It’s how the world works. Presidents, CEO’s, politicians, teachers, managers, pastors— leadership roles come with influence and power, and it’s a power that affects others, especially if it’s misused.

It’s also at the heart of most of our family problems. Dads have power.

Moms have power. Children rebel against power because they feel powerless. Husbands and wives wrestle with power, or for control.

today! Imagine what your relationship would be like if, instead of “What have you done for me lately?” you ask, “What can I do for you today?”

Parents, we are always looking for teachable moments; they are important. But what if, in a moment when your son or daughter is in crisis, you leaned in and said, “I know, this is a mess, what can I do to help?” Don’t be surprised when they tell you!

Children aren’t excluded from this either—and we are all somebody’s children.

Obedience isn’t just “Do what you are told,” it’s more like, “Whose team are you on, yours or everybody else’s?”

What makes it hard is that we (or they) are not always worthy of being submitted to, right?

That’s why “in reverence to Christ” is so important. It’s the why. It’s a Jesus thing.

Jesus submitted everything for us; He

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I know, some of you are thinking: “But, the buck has to stop somewhere.” You are not wrong. It does.

The principle of mutual submission leads us to the practice of mutual decisions.

Husbands and wives, I really hope you make decisions together; it makes for a good team.

Parents, try engaging your children in big decisions. Ask their opinions. Submit your authority to them and bring them on the team. You may just see them doing the same when it comes time for their big decisions.

There will always be a time when people can’t agree, and someone has to make the call. So, do it; lovingly and humbly. It will minimize the angst.

Unconditional love allows us to submit to each other without fear. It tells the other person you are there for them.

Unfortunately, like any other battlefield, family members are often casualties, innocent bystanders left with wounds that need tending but sometimes aren’t.

You know it’s true. Moms and Dads, think back to the last family squabble.

Was it about a real issue, or was it about who was right? Or perhaps, more to the point, about who was loudest?

If that’s true of your family, you’re far from alone. If that’s true of your family, I have good news: it can be different.

Paul points to it in Ephesians 5:21-6:4.

In the NIV translation it’s titled Instructions for Christian Households.

I’m sure you’ve heard verse 22: “Wives submit to your husbands.” The men love this one—women, not so much.

However, the passage starts in verse 21. It says this: “Submit to one another, out of reverence to Christ.”

Did you catch that (especially men)?

Submit to one another! Let’s call this the Principle of Mutual Submission. The term submit isn’t popular today. It generally means you are weaker than, or less than, or you lose.

Here, it refers to a humility that says, “I’m not more important than you, regardless of my role, or age, or stage in life.” It demonstrates that you live for something more than just yourself. It is often characterized by this question: “How can I help?”

submitted His life for us. He gave up all the power, position, and privilege He had as the Son of God. He took on the role of a servant, all because He placed others above Himself.

For example, in John 13, Jesus gets down on his knees with a bowl of water and washes the sweat and grime off His disciples’ feet. What a beautiful picture of “It’s not about me.”

It comes down to this. Do we have the courage to let go of our power and position to elevate the other members of our family above ourselves? Are we secure enough in our identity, rooted in Jesus, to let the “in-charge” become “in-service.”

Will we ask the question, “How can I help” and not be afraid of the answer?

I guess it all depends on who you think is more important.

If we follow Jesus, letting go of power and serving others should be our goal.

Kevin Haggarty

Husbands and wives, hopefully you already use this question, but if you don’t, start

Youth Pastor at Bedford Baptist Church Igor Ovsyannykov

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 6F

2018-06-18 9:51 PM

Do I Dare Go Public With My Faith?

Words by Corey Porter I kept my faith private in high school In high school, I didn’t have close Christian friends. I didn’t feel like there was any place for my faith in the classroom or hallways. I didn’t dare speak of my faith for fear of mockery from my partying peers.

My first weeks of university were no less intimidating for my weak and unproven faith. I assumed that I had to quietly hold onto my faith alone. It was my habit to keep my faith separate from my school environment; I never considered there might be opportunities available for me to grow my faith at university.

My intentions for university were pragmatic: attend classes, get good grades, get my degree, graduate, and get a good job—I had no intentions of getting involved in social or spiritual activities on campus. I felt safer to keep my faith contained within the margins of home and church. Can you relate?

My peers went public with their faith In the first week of classes, I was settling into my surroundings and becoming familiar with the layout and routine of classes. Each week, it was always stressful walking into my psychology class, as it was in the biggest lecture hall on campus. As usual, I had to step over fellow first years to get to one of the few open seats left.

There were more students than the 450-seat theatre accommodated. If I didn’t come early enough, I’d be sitting in the aisle.

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like I did right then. I felt shaky and faint.

I thought, “What are they doing? They can’t talk about their faith here, can they?

Is this allowed?” I waited for my professor to intervene and stop them. I feared being associated with them. They had just shattered my notion that faith is to be kept quiet in the classroom.

I had never imagined a peer could be so bold about their faith in a secular academic environment. I was in shock. Some tough guys sitting around me at the back of the lecture hall started joking and making fun of them. For fear of those guys, I didn’t fill out a survey.

To go public or not go public with my faith Although part of me was terrified to associate with those bold students, part of me felt drawn to the hope that there might be a place for my faith at university after all. When they came again to my chemistry class I filled out the survey and even left my contact info.

After getting connected, my new friends invited me to join them in going public with my faith. I needed to re-consider what place and priority my faith had in a secular university.

I settled myself in, relieved to have found a seat. But my relaxation didn’t last for long.

Suddenly at the front of my mega class, I noticed a group of students trying to get our attention. It took a few seconds for chatter of the packed room to die down. What came out of their mouths next instantly struck fear in me.

“We are with a Christian student club on campus. We want to know what students like you are thinking about spiritual matters. Please take a moment and fill out a survey. If you are interested, you can leave your name and number. When finished, please pass your survey to the aisles for us to collect. Thank you.”

A panic attack for my faith My heart started beating faster. I froze. I wanted to vanish in my seat. At no other time did I want to keep my faith private

Corey Porter Toronto, ON Gian Cescon

5F | LOVEISMOVING.CA

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2018-06-18 9:51 PM

A WILD RID E Words by Alex Street

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here is no end to the possible connections with the art, stories, and lives all around us. God can use just about anything to grab your attention on this wild ride, including a 40-year-old photograph, stories of Jesus, and a girl from Toronto.

My dad, David Street, was a photographer for 40 years. He passed away three years ago, and I have his entire photography library in storage. This includes about 20,000 negatives and a few hundred large prints. His work was respected and well known many years ago, but what impact could it possibly continue to have now?

Last September I was speaking at a retreat with a group of 150 teens and hoped to combine our storytelling abilities as a photographer and as a speaker, father and son creating something new with something old. It’s downright beautiful really.

As I walked through the four talks over the weekend, I had selected some of my dad’s prints to have with me on stage representing the theme of the story I was telling at that moment (personal life stories, Saul from Acts 9, or about Jesus meeting people). Saturday morning is when it got really interesting, and by Sunday morning, I was blown away.

Saturday I stuck another hundred or so prints on the wall around the room, artgallery-style, and invited everyone to spend time looking at them to try and find one or

a deep breath and said, “I guess, I’ll brush myself off, get back on, and keep going.”

What impact does your work have in this life? The truth is, we may never know. It may have to be transformed into something totally new by someone else years from

Sunday morning after we had wrapped up the last session, a girl came to me in tears saying she had a question. “I know these photos are special for you because they’re

Then I sent her off with a bit of a blessing, “When you look at it, may it remind you of how God encounters you in all kinds of ways, and is always cheering you on to keep going.”

two that described their faith journey right now. The opportunity for conversation after this was outstanding! So many people were able to put language to something they couldn’t before: “My life is like that road— I can’t see what’s next but I want to move through it” or “I feel like that dancer, poised and ready for what’s next in life.” And then there was the rodeo horse.

I smiled, “Okay, you can have it.”

“My life is like that road— I can’t see what’s next but I want to move through it” your dad’s, but I’m wondering if I can have one?”

The boldness of her request had me intrigued. As I attempted to process just how attached to these photographs I truly was, she walked me over to an 11x14 black and white print of a cowboy falling off a rodeo horse and holding on with only a few fingers.

now. This stack of random photos of dancers, cowboys, CEOs, and celebrities was somehow able to help transform the life of a young girl from the city on a wild ride, looking for hope to keep going.

I wonder how God might be trying to get your attention today?

“This is my life,” she struggled to admit to me, “I feel like it’s such a wild ride and I’m just barely hanging on.”

“What happens if you fall off?” I asked her.

She looked at the photo, looked at me, took

Alex Street Toronto, ON Ilnur Kalimullin

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2018-06-18 9:51 PM

just on their social media profiles working Words by Alex Street for likes, comments, shares, and reposts, “We don’t just want your attention, we want but at the dinner table, in the living room, you to be authentic!” out with their friends, in the cafeteria. had been doing some research on young Everywhere they go it is between their face adult ministry in the church and this and the phone you hold. It is no wonder we sentence, proclaimed by a young adult think they are desperate for attention. with conviction in his voice, clarified Consider how it feels when you want to talk everything for me. Youth and young to someone and they pause to answer a text adults today want authentic relationships. from someone else, or hear the ping of an Unfortunately, this is a rare commodity in email and their attention moves away from a world thriving on attention rather than you for just a second. It’s not the fact that authenticity. you lost their attention that hurts, it’s the To understand that, let’s take a closer look apparent lack of authenticity—are you here at the journey of someone in Generation with me, or are you there with them? Do Z. These are today’s teens: you even see me? born between 1995-2010, I’m finding that although it 8-22 years old currently. may seem like teens today They are about 15 per cent are striving for attention “Jesus didn’t just of Canada and 26 per cent at any cost, they are in fact of the U.S. population. give the people seeking authenticity. They They are often referred attention but shared are desperate for someone to as the “iGeneration,” to see them and help them authentic relational “Digital Natives,” or see. my personal favourite, When Jesus was walking space with them.”

“Screenagers,” because through the streets, there smartphones have existed were hundreds of people for almost all of their lives. crowding around him. I Not to mention their habit can almost hear the people of spending an average of shouting, “Jesus! Teacher! four hours a day in front of a screen, and Rabbi!! Look here, come here!” In one growing up in a world in which most of the particular story, a woman reached out from people around them are doing the same the crowd and touched just the hem of His thing. robe and was then healed of her 12-year sickness. Jesus could have kept moving, but instead He stopped, looked at her, called

I

This simply means that Gen Z has always felt connected to the entire world and have always been competing for attention—not

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her daughter and gave her courage to live in new freedom.

There is a difference between attention and authenticity, and Jesus didn’t just give the people attention but shared authentic relational space with them.

When I asked one young adult recently what he meant by authentic relationship he compared it to punk rock and pop music. Top 40 pop music is catchy and has something to offer, but it’s made to make money. Punk music is grungy, rough, messy, and can’t be manufactured or else it has lost its very essence. In a world of young people seeking authenticity, we are left wondering how to deliver what they need when it can’t be reduced to an event, a program, or an app.

Our response to this culture requires two steps, following in the way of Jesus—pause, then see. Pause, stop what you’re doing, put down your phone for long enough to listen. Then see, tell them what you see, and encourage them to step forward in confidence. In a world of addictions, apps, and attention-seeking, may you go and be one of the few authentic people in a teenager’s life.

Alex Street Toronto, ON Sticker Mule

3F | LOVEISMOVING.CA

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FLIPSIDE For leaders, by leaders. Flipside offers resources, articles and devotional tools for you to use personally or in your youth group or specific ministry context.

5F Plan

11F

9F Willowdale

12F Mirical

Socal

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 2F

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ISSUE 28

JULY/AUGUST 2018

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CANADA’S CHRISTIAN YOUTH MAGAZINE

FLIPSIDE FOR LEADERS