Jun 6, 2024 | by Emma Edelman
“Our kids are disappearing,” declares Major Jamie Satterlee, southern territorial youth secretary. “Studies show that if young people are not rooted in faith when they finish high school, by the time they go to college they will likely leave [the Church] and never come back.”
In late April, more than 250 youth workers, officers, and Salvation Army employees from around the Southern Territory gathered in Orlando, Florida for the bi-annual EQUIP conference to deepen their knowledge and enrich their ministry to children and youth in their corps and communities.
Based on Ephesians 5, this year’s theme – Unrelenting – pushed youth leaders to make the most of every opportunity. Major Jamie continued her startling opening statement by claiming, “We believe that does not have to be our story. We believe that this is a generation who loves Jesus, that can be a force for the Kingdom, who can mobilize for a mission. But we must be unrelenting in teaching them what it looks like to be a mission-minded people.”
Guest speaker and Southern Territorial Commander Commissioner Kelly Igleheart paraphrased a quote from Urie Bronfenbrenner in the first session saying, “To raise a healthy child, that child must have at least one adult who is irrationally involved in his or her life.” He prompted delegates, “Guess what? You get to be that one adult for a season, so take advantage of it.”
A giant hourglass stood as the main focal point for the week. Here delegates were encouraged to participate in intentional prayer and reflection, writing their prayers on ping pong balls and dropping them into the display. As the week progressed the hourglass filled, a visual reminder that time is unrelenting.
In addition to youth ministry training the conference included four specialized tracks: Boys and Girls Club, Jesus Theater, BAIT (Basic Archery and Air Rifle Instruction Training), and for the first time in EQUIP history, a track specifically designed for adult ministries which included training in Corps Management System and workshops led by instructors from the Evangeline Booth College School for Leadership and Educational Development.
“You are some of the most important leaders in the Kingdom of God at this time,” Tommy Nixon, CEO of Urban Youth Workers Institute, declared during the second main session. “We are called into the margins,” he continued, emphasizing that young people are leaving the church in dramatic numbers, and that we need to be wiser in how we minister to them.
Robert Yi, CEO of The Global Leadership Network, shared interesting and alarming statistics on how the world’s population will dramatically decrease by the year 2100, and that Christianity will no longer be the largest religious population in the world. He challenged, “we need to figure out how to change that.” Yi concluded by encouraging delegates to help the youth they serve to develop skillsets that will empower them to bring the love of Christ to others.
Southern Territorial Youth Secretaries Majors Matt and Jamie Satterlee closed the final session with several points they wanted the delegates to take back to their corps and units. “Sometimes we forget the wonder of God when we are just going through the phases,” Major Matt cautioned. He also reminded those present that youth leaders need the Word of God in their own lives to “sing it to our young people.”
Delegates were encouraged not to chase the ‘shiny things’ in ministry – the newest, trendiest, and most exciting things can sometimes cause us to lose focus and the substance of the Gospel. Major Jamie told the delegates, “Young people need intentional leadership in ministry. Give them substance. Youth ministry is about spiritual life and death.”
“The farsighted see better things,” she continued. “Not what they are now, but what they can/will be.” Youth ministry is a long game, and the payoff doesn’t always come immediately. It can take years for the spiritual fruit to come, so we must be intentional and unrelenting now to make a lasting impact.
EQUIP was filled with exceptional teaching, genuine encouragement, self-reflection, prayer, and the constant presence of the Spirit of God. The theme verses for the week truly summed up the message that time is unrelenting. “…Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!” Ephesians 5:15-16 (The Message).
