150 Leaders Learn How to “ReCharge” Youth Ministries

Story by Visitor Staff​

“These ministry leaders are working tirelessly in their local churches to reach out and engage their youth and young adults,” said Frank Bondurant, Columbia Union vice president for Ministries Development. “To retain and enlist these youth and young adults in our local church ministries is one of the greatest challenges we as a church are facing, and I am grateful that [we] could support and assist these leaders in this important ministry.”

Bondurant was referring to the 150 leaders from six out of the union’s eight conferences gathered on Sabbath at the Columbia Union Conference headquarters in Columbia, Md., to participate in “ReCharge,” a training event for youth and young adult ministry leaders. The union partnered with the North American Division Youth Ministries, Potomac, Chesapeake and Mountain View conferences. The youth leaders chose from three seminar tracks for youth leaders (in English and Spanish) and young adult leaders.

“I enjoyed seeing how the youth leaders were eager to learn,” shared Walter Cardenas (pictured), Youth Ministries director for the Mountain View Conference. He also led the Spanish-language track for youth leaders. “I could tell that all of them truly have genuine burden for the youth to whom they minister.”

The praise team from the Washington Spanish church in Silver Spring, Md., led the song service and James Black, the North American Division Youth Ministries director closed with a challenge

Photo: Walter Cardenas, Youth Ministries director for the Mountain View Conference, helps to present “Ministerio Juvenil en el Siglo 21” (21st Century Youth Ministry).