The Call
An article on the Youth Work Program.
by Andrea Ykema
“What is that sound?” A group of us had walked onto the campus last Sunday night and were greeted with the pulse of a bass and an electric cloud of sound emitting from the gym. We could feel the movement and the explosive energy reach across the sidewalk, beckoning us to come and join the excitement, whatever it was. The gym was lit up and positively vibrating.
“Yeah, what is going on?” I asked.
“It’s Citywide,” my friend replied. “Bunches of area youth groups are here tonight, rockin’ out, singing… all that good stuff.”
I now noticed the yellow school bus in the parking lot, and all the cars that would otherwise be absent on a Sunday evening. And as we stood there chatting about the noise coming from inside, I thought to myself – who planned this? Where did it come from? Since when did CBC start hosting concerts?
Ron Friesen, Director of Youth Work here at Columbia, was able to answer those questions during our time together the following Monday. Citywide was his brain-child, an active response to the feeling that we as a college could give more to the community. “Here I’m thinking, we have a youth ministry degree, we’ve got youth ministry students, and we need to give to the community. We need to give to the church,” Ron stated. And so he and five area youth leaders pulled together to plan this night of inter-denominational worship and celebration. Citywide was attended by more than four hundred students in both middle and high school, and about $1000 was raised for donation to the local food bank. “We want our students in this community to realize that they can serve,” said Ron. Citywide was a hit and plans are being considered to make it a more regular event.
As I was to discover over the rest of our time together, the planning and execution of something like Citywide is quintessential Ron. Ron Friesen is a visionary man with a strong heart for God’s purpose, and for leading other people to see their calling in relation to God’s story. Whether they’re teens in a church or students here at the college, Ron wants to help shed light on who they are in Christ, and who they can become.
At Columbia, Ron’s call-driven heart flourishes in the first-year program. Incoming students start their educational experience with a weekend course called Invitation to Youth Ministry. “We go away for a weekend – a day and a night where we hear each other’s stories. I find that to be very crucial in terms of me understanding the student’s walk, where they’ve been, and where they want to go, versus understanding that totally in the classroom.” Students continue to articulate their calling and their passion throughout the year, and throughout the rest of their time at the college. “[The call] is a process that will happen on a continual basis here at Columbia, through the classroom, through mentorship, through practicum, and through opportunities for being involved in varies ministries here.”
Why is having a call to this ministry so essential? As Ron said at one point during our chat, “You can’t work with kids in youth ministry without a strong passion.” While it is true that every area of employment requires passion and commitment, it is all the more relevant when toying with the prospect of dedicating your life to the development of teens. As soon as you walk through those doors into youth ministry, you are agreeing to a life driven by youth group activity schedules, literacy with pop culture, and hours of overtime with no pay. You’re committing to young adults that will walk in and out of your life, to little gratitude from students and parents and co-workers, and to Oreos and juice becoming your primary form of hors d’oeuvres.
But you’re also committing to being part of someone’s waking up – part of their “coming-to” about their call and their purpose and their life. You’re committing to the development of human beings and to the health of their hearts. You’re committing to giving those kids memories and experiences that will encourage them for their entire life. You’re committing to showing them the face of God.
“Youth ministry is not about me,” said Ron, when asked about a concept that is foundational to the Youth Work program at CBC. “It is about the Lord. We will be successful and we will at times be failures. And it’s easy to run long and hard when things are going well, but when there are issues and tough times down the road one of the things that students have to remember is that it is not about me. It is and always will be about the Lord, regardless of whether things are going great or falling apart at the seams.
“And of course, in that is built in this whole idea of relationship; its always one student at a time. And that’s always a key ingredient for any ministry – if you don’t know them, they won’t be there.”
Ron leaned back in his chair, paused, and smiled for a moment. “And there again that’s integrating that call. When God is in charge, and he has placed this call and burden in your life, well then, run with it.”
Visit http://www.columbiabc.edu/academics/yw.html for more information on the youth work program.
