When Joanne and I came to Greater New York in January 2003, we were wondering why God has brought us here and what were His plans for us; at that time it was just the two of us. Little did we know that we were soon to find a great family of Adventurers, Pathfinders, Master Guides, Teens, Young Adults, Bible Bowl participants, College and University students, and many adults throughout our Conference territory. As if that was not enough, the Lord blessed Adventist Youth Ministries in our Conference in a tremendous way; today we have very strong and large Adventurer & Pathfinder Programs, many Master Guide Classes in different languages, PLA & PIA classes, the brand new Adventist Youth Leadership Certification program, greatly attended camps, an active National Service Organization, a program for College, University students, and young professionals. Working together with the Adventist Community Services Department, we have developed the Adventist Youth Emergency Services Corps (AYES CORPS) Curriculum. Our Conference Executive Committee has voted to give Camp Berkshire 5.8 million dollars for development and reconstruction, which means we will have an improved camp in the next two to three years. Our teens, young adults, and many adults have been involved in significant Mission Trips in our territory, throughout the country, and through the world. Our Department has also partnered with Doctor Herbert Goulding and several Conference Physicians to sponsor his initiative to teach sexuality from a Christian perspective to our Teenagers. And as I write this page, Pastor Steve Siciliano is working on a special curriculum to educate teenagers to be great citizens. God has truly blessed us through these five wonderful years, and we are grateful to Him for that. We are also very thankful to you, the young people, the leaders at each church, the AY and Pathfinder Coordinators, the AY, MG, PLA, PIA Instructors; and of course, our colleagues, the Pastors, office co-workers, our administrators, and all the families who sacrifice to make sure ministry is done well in our Conference. Thanks for your dedication, zeal, and commitment; for your willingness to support, send your young people, show up, and work hard each time God has called. Thank you for five wonderful years.
To top all of these blessings we have received and enjoyed, God gave us the biggest blessings of all, Jose III and Joel Benjamin. As we begin 2008 we pray that God’s blessings upon you, our family, and the Adventist Youth Ministries Department will double. We don’t want all of the above to stop here; we would like to see it doubled.
Prior to His ascension to heaven, Jesus said: “Therefore go and make disciples…” A disciple of Jesus is someone who has the same priorities Jesus has. Statistics show that a majority of the baptisms that our pastors have carried out in our Conference through the years are people under the age of 35, young people and kids. What happens to these young people and kids as time goes by? Do they stay with us? Sadly some leave, in some places, many leave. Why? Because we make them church members, we don’t make them disciples.
How do you make a disciple? Jesus said it in Matthew 28:19, 20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." It begins with baptism but it does not end there, there must be training, teaching, obedience to the commandments, (He did not say to obey traditions) and then the new disciples need to be given the opportunity to make more disciples. At times we teach obedience, train them with methods, and expect young people to sit down and wait till they get more experience so they can go out and make more disciples. A disciple that does not make more disciples for Jesus is not a disciple but just a church member, in danger of leaving the church.
In 2008, if you are young and would like to remain close to God and in church, you must become a disciple. If you are an adult and you would like your sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandkids to stay close to the Lord and in church, you must enable them to become disciples through baptism, teaching, training, obedience, and the opportunity for relevant ministry in your church. The entire leadership of our Department, Coordinators, Instructors, and Event Team will be working with this theme in mind: “I am not just a Church Member…I am a Disciple of Christ.”
A disciple of Christ,
Jose
Pastor José H. Cortés Jr.
Director of Adventist Youth Ministries
Greater New York Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
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