OUR VISION: To see the Methodist Movement alive, vibrant, growing and yearning to spread the good news of Christ Jesus throughout the whole world through word, deed and sign!
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The 7th International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism
Newtownabbey,
Northern Ireland
July, 2002
Young people came from 37 countries and every continent to participate in World Methodist Evangelism’s 7th International Christian Youth Conference. Delegates from Japan participated in ICYC for the first time.
The delegates experienced the reality that the world may be a village, but there remain many fences that divide the people of the world. Because of the international focus on terrorism and war, some young people who had been named by their church as delegates found the travel very difficult and some were even denied visas to enter the United Kingdom.
With the reality of the world’s divisions so close at hand, Rev. Grace Imathiu, a Kenyan-born pastor and international speaker, challenged the young leaders to “cross the seas” that divide people from one another. She described Jesus as “the one who crossed the sea for me and for you. We are called to be the sea-crossers, the bold ones. Our world needs it so badly. We are called to get to that other side. Get out of the boat and take the risk.”
Around the room, young people wearing traditional dress from cultures as diverse as Japan, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and Indonesia responded to the challenge to be “sea crossers in the name of Jesus.”
Conference planners and participants knew they were meeting in a place where religion is often seen as divisive and destructive. Dr. H. Eddie Fox said, “Christ is the reconciler, not the divider. Christ is the great healer.”
Fox said the decision to bring the conference to Newtownabbey was done in consultation with and at the invitation of the Irish Methodist Church. The leaders of the Methodist Church in Ireland, especially Rev. David Rock, General Superintendent of the Youth Department, were part of the planning team that organized the conference at the University of Ulster.
Rev. Winston Graham, president of the Irish Methodist Conference, described the significance of the conference being held in Northern Ireland. He told the young people, “Your presence here this week is Good News for us in Northern Ireland.”
During the week, every participant attended sessions on “Faith-Sharing” in which they learned to follow the “graceful pattern” for sharing Christian faith. Each of the delegates participated in a variety of topics in the areas of Christian Mission, Christian World View and the Christian Spiritual Life.
They shared in worship led by Bishop Sunday Mbang of Nigeria, president of the World Methodist Council. They were involved in mission projects, went to churches and had lunch with local families. They made a trip to the famous Giants Causeway, a spectacular natural stone formation along Ireland’s northern coast and spent a night celebrating Irish culture, courtesy of the Irish Methodist Church. They did all these things and still had time to talk and listen to music in the ICYC Coffee Shops in the evenings.
The delegates were challenged to make sure that their vision of Jesus is big enough by astro-physicist and English preacher, Dr. David Wilkinson. The Rev. Taavi Hollman, a young leader from Estonia, gave encouragement to the young people that God is with us. Sharing his own faith-story from the days of Soviet occupation, Hollman challenged the young people to witness courageously in today’s world.
The famous St. Patrick prayer, “Christ Be With Me,” came to life in a song specifically written for the conference by the outstanding musician Dirk Damonte of California. The song continued to build throughout the week as the youth sang with great joy and enthusiasm, “Christ Be with Me.”
Each morning a different area of the world led the entire conference in Bible Study and worship that focused on different aspects of the St. Patrick Prayer. The final morning the conference experienced fervent praying of the Lord’s Prayer in many languages.
During the final Commitment Service, Fox reminded the conference that the gathering is a “defining moment” for us. He shared that he and leaders were meeting at the University planning the conference on September 11, 2001.
“ The defining moment of all of history is the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. For the whole world, ‘Christ Jesus is God’s way,’” Fox declared to the delegates. In a time of prayer the young people experienced “defining moments” in response to Christ and in commitment to ministry and mission in the world.
Since the conference, the delegates, through an ICYC internet chat room, have continued to testify about the life-changing experiences in ICYC. Many have shared the story of their experience of faith and their willingness to step forward to witness and serve Christ. Some have testified to the “defining moment of change” in their life during the global event. One young woman from Latvia shared with her conference that she had come to a genuine conversion and experience of faith. Leaders of the Methodist Church in Latvia told of the impact of the witness of this young delegate from Latvia to the Annual Conference, “Our entire conference was inspired and encouraged to be faithful witnesses of Christ through her testimony.”
THE FACE OF THE MOVEMENT IS BEING CHANGED
The face and direction of World Methodism is being shaped by the faith, zeal and commitment of these young disciples of Jesus. This movement is not dying. God is raising up a new generation of world ambassadors of the Christian faith. During the Executive Committee of the World Methodist Council meeting in Oslo in September, 2002, three persons shared their witness that they had key experiences in previous ICYC events. Hundreds of persons around the world, lay leaders, pastors, evangelism conference leaders point to “defining moments” in the ICYC World Evangelism Conferences in England, (1980), Bahamas (1983), Australia (1987), Mexico (1990), Germany (1994), USA (1998) and Northern Ireland (2002).
As the young people embraced one another on the final evening, it was as if they were experiencing the hug of God around them and around the whole world. Young Christians and leaders left Newtownabbey to follow Christ Jesus—God’s way.
ICYCE-VII a Defining Moment for Young People from 37 Nations and Every Continent!