BEAUDESERT can flourish through faith in the town’s youth and a recent combined youth night gave young people the space for their faith to grow.
Local youth groups Mercy Youth, St Mary’s Youth Group and Youth Ignited came together to bring Beaudesert’s first ever combined Praise and Worship night – ABIDE.
Youth Pastor Ryan Mitchell and Youth Minister Jess O’Donoghue supervised over 80 young people and leaders on a night filled with praise and togetherness.
“We’re all about creating a space that’s engaging, in terms of games, but really uplifting and empowering young people to be confident, competent and belonging,” Ryan said.
ABIDE offered young people a safe place for their faith to grow individually and as a community.
“I think kids need different stages in their faith and it’s like a sense of belonging first and the believing in becoming,” Jess said.
“I think why praise and worship is so powerful is because you’re dancing, but for the Lord, and it’s fun – it’s like ‘woah, God is alive here’.”
The night consisted of collaborative games, dancing to upbeat Christian music and a time dedicated to praying together.
“There is a misconception about going to church or being a Christian is very dutiful and there’s no fun – I guess why young people enjoy praise so much is because there is this realisation that ‘oh, I got this wrong,’ and that joy is an aspect of being Christian,” Ryan said.
“In the response time, it was really special because you had 80 people there just being still together, just resting – I think that in itself is a sacred time,” Jess said.
Lily Pellow was brave enough to share her thoughts to the collective of young people by providing a testimony of her own.
“Even though you may feel that sometimes God isn’t with you, especially in the tough times, and you’re praying and praying for something to happen,” Lily said.
“He does hear them and is still moving in your life; he’s just waiting for the right time for it to happen.”
Ryan and Jess hope to be able to celebrate ABIDE more frequently and eventually reach out to surrounding areas.
