A Warwickshire youth leader explains what God is doing among Gen Z in her church
What we have seen over the last three years at our church has been truly mind-blowing and so exciting! There is a hunger for God’s presence rising and we’re seeing young people meet Jesus and surrender their life to God in a way we haven’t before.
Just one example of this (and there are many!) is of a 12-year-old girl who walked through our doors one Friday night knowing no one and having never attended youth group before. After hearing the gospel message, she gave her life to Jesus.
Over the next couple of months, she brought her older brother to youth group, and they both started attending church. Soon after, her mum and grandma also started attending. She says that when she met Jesus, he completely changed her life and set her free from suicidal thoughts and mental health struggles, replacing them with a passion for his presence and the word.
Over the next year, we watched her openly share her faith at school, which resulted in many of her friends coming to youth group and giving their lives to God. Having grown up not knowing Jesus, this young girl now regularly receives pictures from God and has dreams of her friends coming to know him.
As a youth pastor, it’s incredible to see God building his Church and bringing the young into a place where they can experience his presence and be set on fire with a passion for his name.
We are seeing courage rising; young people sharing their faith in school, starting Christian Union groups and seeing their friends come to know God. We have seen young people set free from mental health struggles, experience hope and be given a new reason to live for something more than themselves. They are kingdom carriers, not only in church, but in every sphere they walk into.
It’s incredible to see what God is doing among the young people in and through Life Church Bedworth, but what is amazing is that we’re hearing these stories all across the country.
God is moving among the next generation, and playing just a small part in this is the greatest privilege. We are believing for more stories, to see an army raised to build the kingdom of heaven.
Gemma Symonds is the youth pastor at Life Church, Bedworth
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