In Hawaii, many Adventist youth have become evangelists. While on the job training for academy-aged young people usually refers to work on campus after school or employment with a fast food restaurant, for Hawaiian Mission Academy and students from surrounding Adventist elementary schools, it means doing evangelism. Young people aren't just talking about evangelism in Bible class, but preaching, teaching, and winning souls for Jesus.
"We're giving them solid academics, but we're also equipping them for winning souls for the kingdom," comments Josue Rosado, principal of Hawaiian Mission Academy.
From Palm Sunday (March 14) through Resurrection Sunday (March 31), hundreds of young people sang about, preached about, and testified to their love of Jesus Christ in an evangelistic crusade series aptly entitled "He's Alive!"
Twenty-four sites throughout the islands of Hawaii hosted youth evangelistic meetings where all the speakers, teachers, musicians, and presenters were young people. "This was not a [traditional] church series where pastors let a few of the youngsters take part," explained Pastor Larry Engle of the Waianae Seventh-day Adventist Church. "This was a series done wholly by the young people. It's part of a revival sweeping the state."
According to Pastor Engle, Waianae congregation featured a preacher who was only eight year old, Kahalia Natua. The girl had asked the pastor some months prior to the youth evangelistic meetings whether she could preach about Jesus. He asked her when she would like to do her first sermon, to which she replied, "before I am nine years old." As part of the youth evangelistic crusade, little Kahalia preached about Jesus on March 28, just days before turning nine on April 4.
Other youth preached throughout the islands. One of the child preachers at the Lahaina Seventh-day Adventist Church was eleven years old. Another young preacher at the Hauula Adventist Church was ten. And there were numerous others who were still in elementary school who got up behind pulpits, often standing on special steps so they could be seen.
A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM: Youth from the Lahaina Adventist Church led out in the praise and worship services.
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"This goes to show that one's tender age is no excuse not to share Jesus with others," observed Pastor Keala Thompson of the Kohala Church. "Paul's advice to Timothy rings true today that young people should not be despised for their youth!"
During the course of the eight-night series, 224 youth speakers preached "Christ crucified, risen, and soon-coming," said Deloris Trujillo, Hawaii Conference education superintendent. But there were more than 224 youth involved. There were actually "more than 600 children and youth mobilized to share their talents through music, skits, readings as well as preaching," according to Hawaii Conference president Arnold Trujillo.
There were 232 non-Adventist visitors who attended the meetings, 31 of which made decisions to enroll in Bible studies and 34 others who made decisions for baptism. On March 30, a family of five was baptized at the Honolulu Central Adventist Church in response to the heart-felt preaching of the young people. It is anticipated that many more baptisms will result from the seeds planted during the nightly meetings leading up to Easter.
Winning people to Jesus was the impetus behind young people preaching throughout the four counties of Hawaii. The Easter holiday just proved to be a fitting holiday. "Easter is about more than just egg hunts, parties, and chocolate bunnies," shared one youngster.
To spread the word about the youth evangelistic meetings, young people had T-shirts and banners which prominently advertised the youth-led events. Television commercials featuring young people from Hawaiian Mission Academy, Windward Adventist School, and Hawaiian Mission Elementary and Intermediate School aired for two weeks on all major local stations. One spot aired during the Academy Awards. There were also radio advertisements on four stations during the morning commute time.
WELCOME WELCOME EVER WELCOME: Children from the Honolulu Japanese Church and the Waiola Worship Center greeted visitors with aloha and hugs.
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The evangelistic crusade provided an opportunity to use mass media to build a public image of the Seventh-day Adventist Church through its youth. "We want people here to think of Adventists when they think of Easter, much like people think of the Salvation
Honolulu Japanese Seventh-day Adventist Church, pastored by Lyle Arakaki, took their evangelism to the streets. Under the leadership of Linn Madsen and Gayle Hori, their youth not only held meetings in the church but went out to meet people where they were.
"This is what Adventist education is all about," said principal Josue Rosado of Hawaiian Mission Academy. "We want young people to hear about Jesus Christ. And want them to have such a close relationship with Jesus that they can't keep the good news to themselves."
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ome imagine evangelism as a high tech international satellite series featuring Dwight Nelson, Doug Batchelor, or a local series with a conference evangelist preaching in a large auditorium or tent. Evangelism takes all of these forms--and so much more.
