Young Hearts Shine for Jesus During Pentecost 2025

Story by Anthony Chornes II

The Allegheny West Conference (AWC) youth, young adult and children’s ministries recently collaborated with 88 ASI Mission 2000 & Beyond missionaries that came to Columbus, Ohio, from the United Kingdom, Curaçao, Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Belize and Guyana to host Youth Pentecost and Pentecost Kids. The program was themed “Rescue Ohio.”

During the first week, 42 youth and young adult evangelists preached a proclamation series held in English, French, Creole, Spanish and Portuguese across seven churches: Beacon of Hope, Columbus Central, Manantial de Vida, Fruit of the Spirit, Columbus All Nations, Luso Brazilian and Philadelphie Haitian. The churches experienced the diversity and dynamism of the true meaning of Pentecost 2025.

The program continued the second week with the addition of a Vacation Bible School in the fellowship hall by Tanya Muganda, AWC Children’s Ministries director.

Each day, the ASI missionaries impacted the community through health fairs, volunteering at the Neighborhood Services Inc. Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, they trained AWC youth and young adults to preach sermons for the Rescue Ohio proclamation series.

“The greatest tool and discipleship program is equipping the talents and gifts of youth and young adults to rescue their friends and followers for Jesus,” says Jamal Franklyn, (AWC) youth and young adult director. “Pentecost includes youth because Acts 2:17 prophetically affirms that in the last days, God says that He will pour out His Spirit on all people. Sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will see visions, old men will dream dreams.”

During the series, 12 youth from the Philadelphie Haitian Pathfinder Club were among the 52 baptized. Wilkenson Bissereth, Philadelphie Haitian pastor, had the opportunity to baptize his son Willens Bissereth. At Beacon of Hope, eight young adults were baptized as a direct result of young adult-led ministry initiatives.

Organizers report that, together, ASI missionaries and AWC youth and young adults combined forces to distribute 250 care packages, 100 backpacks and boldly proclaimed the gospel, testifying of God’s power in their problems and leading their friends to be rescued by Jesus.