Youth’s Ministry
Ministry
Youth’s Ministry
The Youth Ministry is also referred to as Youth Fellowship. The Youth Ministry started a few years after the Limba Congregation was established. Rev. Kennedy and wife brought with them their children (twins), Francis and Frances. These two, Francis and Frances who were interested in the affairs of young children and youths, organized the youths and not too young children into a group who were meeting on Fridays. This was how the Friday Class Youth Fellowship/Ministry was established in the 1950s.
The Youth Ministry of the National Pentecostal Mission is one of the best things if not the best that ever happened to the Church (the Limba Church). This group was zealous and was fired up with courage and desperation to succeed in all it ever ventured to undertake. Being the second oldest group in the history of the Limba Church Community, the Youth Fellowship developed and transformed itself from the simple to the complex but humble state it is today. The presence of youths in the Church became distinct and instrumental to the development of the Limba Church. The first members of the Youth Fellowship were the luckiest to have interacted with the White Assembly of God Church Missionaries in their earlier stage whilst attending the Friday Class Children Ministry sessions.
Because of their vigilance and commitment to doing the work of God, Pastor Daniel Aribo Conteh referred to them as “…the captains I have trained to steer my ship in my absence.” Indeed, the youths of the present day National Pentecostal Mission have since been demonstrating what was perceived about them by Pastor Daniel, they have been at the center of all the transformation in the Mission. Pastor Bankole Sesay referred to the Youths in the Mission as “…hot pepper that should be treated with caution, too much of it will cause you unrest when eaten but a little bit of it will be enjoyed.” This means that the youths should not be taken for granted.
On Sunday 6th June 1975, the youths formed what is up to date referred to as National Youth Fellowship with Bro. Baba Musa Conteh (late) as its inaugural leader and Bro. Momoh S. Bangura (late) as its first Secretary General. The group consisted of youths from churches in the Mission and the Loko Church as well with a view of promoting cooperation among youths among youths within and outside the National Pentecostal Mission. Today, the National Youth Fellowship has extended its membership to accommodate youth groups in the north, south and eastern regions.
The Youth Ministry has its membership classified into two categories namely; Group One and Group Two. The promotion of members to each of the two is based on performance and a high level display of maturity. Group Two consists of members graduated from Children Ministry whilst Group One members are those promoted from Group Two. This is why the history of the Youth Fellowship stems from the Children Ministry and as such can never be disconnected.
Discipleship
The youths in the Mission have been faithful in promoting the work of God. This was identified by the church authorities who spared no time in getting the younger folks of the church capacitated. Like Pastor Daniel stated, they were trained and capacitated to take over the Mission’s administration at some point in the future which is clearly evidenced today.
A lot of young and hardworking personalities who successfully went through the training, teachings and principles of the Youth Fellowship in the Mission have and are still serving the Mission in various capacities. In the early 1990s youths in the Mission being filled and inspired by the Holy Spirit sought for admission and attended the Freetown Bible Training Center (FBTC) to be capacitated to do the work of God and to edify themselves. Today, about 90% of the Mission’s Ministerial Council is made of Pastors coming from the Youth Fellowship.
Among many other functions, the under mentioned are some of the responsibilities of Youths in the Mission;
- Evangelism
- Supporting the education of youths in the Mission particularly the less fortunate.
- Complementing the efforts of our Spiritual Heads and Church’s administrations.
- Raising funds to support both the Mission and operations of our respective local groups.
- To always keep the Spiritual state of the Church alive and strong.
Leadership
The Youth Fellowship has since its existence being the training center for leaders in the Mission. Being to take over the mantle of leadership in the Mission, the youths have always prepared and positioned themselves well to take up leadership responsibilities whenever they are called upon. The youth fellowship have produced leader who have served both their local churches and the Mission, the likes of; John Samba, Alpha Samura (late), Eld. Sorie Kahota Sesay (late), Moses Khally Koroma, Eld. Samuel Kanu etc… the most influential of the leaders from the Youth Fellowship that was trained and equipped to take over leadership is Bishop Benjamin Boinor Bangura the 4th Head of Mission of the National Pentecostal Mission, Sierra Leone.