Guest Post: Leading Young People During a Racial Pandemic
Thando Zulu from Heart Church, Nottingham, shares some practical ways youth leaders can lead themselves and their young people well when it comes to the issue of racism.
We are living through what could be the biggest civil rights movement of our lifetime. And at the same time we’re facing a global health pandemic – neither of which made it into the Youth Leadership handbook! So, as youth leaders, how can we respond?
Here are some thoughts that have helped me in recent weeks.
1. Listen
Listen to God, listen to yourself, listen to your young people
LISTEN TO GOD
in Genesis 4 we find the first crime committed by humans against one another. Cain killed his brother Abel in cold blood because ‘sin was crouching at his door and he did not master it.’
Notice that as this story unfolds God is present and is speaking to Cain both before and after this horrendous act. God hates injustice and has a lot to say about it. The Bible has a lot to say about it. As Christians we should always seek to hear God’s voice through scripture to gain a biblical perspective on current world issues.
LISTEN TO YOURSELF
Give yourself time and space to reflect. Listen to where your default response and God’s response (found in scripture) do and do not align. Don’t be afraid – realising our need for repentance is part of maturing in Christ.
LISTEN TO YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE
One of the most powerful things we can do as youth leaders is to create a safe space for young people to speak and be truly heard. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful things we can do as humans! Henri Nouwen reminds us, ‘Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality.’
2. Learn
Learn from God, learn to understand yourself, learn from your young people
LEARN FROM GOD
In Hebrew the word translated as ‘listen’ is also translated as ‘obey’. It means that we ought to act when we hear God’s voice. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we must aim to close the gap between what we hear and what we do in light of the gospel. (Matthew 7:24–27).
If God hates injustice, what will we do in response? If God hates racism, what will we do in response? Remembering that ‘No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.’
LEARN TO UNDERSTAND YOURSELF
At the moment there are lots of resources available that will help you to find your role in both the problem and solution when it comes to racial inequality. Understanding your present state is an integral part of growth. It’s the reason that you have an initial consultation session when you first start working with a personal trainer, and I believe it’s the same reason God’s first question to Adam and Eve after the fall in Genesis 3 was ‘Where are you?’
We need to know where we are (present) and how we got here (past) if we are going to move forward with purpose (desired future).
3. Lead
Lead people to God, lead yourself, lead your young people
LEAD PEOPLE TO GOD
As youth leaders, our chief aim is to lead people to Jesus so that we might see his kingdom come and his will done on Earth as it is in Heaven. The kingdom of God looks like justice, it looks like dignity for all people, it looks like peace. I believe we will only see true justice in the kingdom of God.
If we lead people to Jesus and his kingdom we will find justice there (Revelation 7:9–12). If we lead people to human justice we may get neither the justice we desire or the Jesus we need.
LEAD YOURSELF
Leadership is difficult, and at times we will want to quit. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unequipped – and if you have ever felt like that, join the club along with Moses, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul and every other Christian leader since!
Make a commitment to lead yourself well. As the Andy Mineo song ‘You Can’t Stop Me’ says, ‘My biggest enemy is me…and even I can’t stop me.’
LEAD YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE
As youth leaders we are in a position of influence. We have an amazing opportunity partner with God in seeing young lives thrive in him. What a privilege and honour! God has chosen us at this time and in this season for his purposes. Let’s not allow fear or shame or exhaustion to rob us of the opportunity to lead our young people well.
God is with you. Keep going!
Here are some additional resources you may find helpful:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CA2fqP0HlNa/?igshid=ov3bnw3dubbo
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CA2j53jnlfk/?igshid=1j4f40af8gzw8
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBMLtGgH6oA/?igshid=1i38o05fqmpzw
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CA16Ry1gQBp/?igshid=1u9sl7wrg4zxo