“I’ve noticed something happening among our youth over the past couple of years,” says Raleigh Street Christian Centre Youth Pastor Aaron Hodgson. “They have been a group of young people who are just really keen to speak up, get involved, openly invite friends along to youth group, show a real desire to grow and for their friends to hear about Jesus.
“One girl recently told me that, ‘all we do at morning tea is talk about youth group, we want all our friends to hear about Jesus and we want them to come to youth group’—what an encouragement that is for us to know that Youth Group is the place where they know they can bring people to hear about Jesus!
“She followed that up with, ‘Oh, and three of my friends want Bibles.’
“One of the things we do is give free Bibles, along with a field guide of how to read the Bible. It has been mind blowing for me to see what is happening and what God is doing.”
Since the start of the year, RSCC has had a couple of weeks where 100 teenagers—plus leaders—have turned up on a Wednesday night. And they’re not just there for food and games.
“Games are a very small part of what we do, our main focus is teaching and discipleship: each week someone preaches a 15 minute message, then we go into small groups and discuss that passage. We’re mostly preaching through different books of the Bible and every now and then we’ll focus on topical stuff or Alpha.”
One of the highlights of Aaron’s week is the Bible study he and his wife Jess run for Year 12 and 13 students.
“We’ve been looking at the book of 1 John, and for 45 minutes to an hour we’re reading and talking and praying through the Scriptures.”
A few weeks ago, five Year 12 girls from the youth group were baptised as a public profession of faith, inviting friends and family to nearby Christian camp Finlay Park.
Camping ministry has played a significant role in their journeys, Aaron says.
“A lot of our teens go and lead out in Finlay Park’s kids’ camps. Last year I got a message from one of the staff saying that three girls were wanting to be baptised, asking if RSCC could help them take the next steps and disciple them.
“So, we ran a baptism class and the three girls, plus two others took the next step. Two of these young women are from Christian families, and another two had been told about God by people close to them, like a grandparent—then an Easter Camp or HM Rage really confirmed that for them. The fifth girl had no Christian input but came along to HM Rage and had her life changed by Jesus—she now talks to anyone about Jesus. And we’ve got two more baptisms coming up next month.”
Connecting the wider church family with the growing youth ministry is also a priority. Recently, the group held Youth Camp at Hartford Farm, the site of Festival One.
On the Sunday, the whole church was invited to join them for a special service, followed by a picnic, games and time together—bringing church and youth group into the same space.
For Aaron, it is a privilege to witness what God is doing.
“I had to drive back into town on Sunday morning to get something and I was in tears thinking, ‘man, I am so unworthy of the fruit God is allowing in our ministry.’ I’m just observing God at work, the Holy Spirit working powerfully in the lives of our young people. God is working over here. And in our young adults who are leading in this space, to be a part of that in any way is awe-inspiring.”
