Hey dear friends!!
I would like to share with all of you some things that has happened. Good things and some challenges that I have seen through my job here in Bergen.
Well, as you already have seen by my facebook, the last few weeks I've spending some times to think about the youth in Norway. My question is How the Youth in Norway see the Norwegian Church and How is the relationship between Church and Youth?
I know, maybe you ask me, Why I’m thinking about that and Why I have this kind of questions? I would say that I’m thinking about that because I have seen and felt that Norwegian Church looks like ‘something to high’ to youth people. Then I’m just trying to understand how it is and trying to learn something from that.
Well, actually I have talking with some Norwegians friends and almost all of them have answered me that sometimes is boring to go to the church. So, it is one bad thing between Church and Youth that don’t help anyone! I've went in some confirmation class as well and I could see how is the relationship between youth and church and I can say that I’m a little bit worried bout that. I need to say that Norwegian Church has really good views about mission For example, they're thinking not just inside of Norway, but they have so many missionary work in others country also, they are always trying to get more money to help missionary work in whole world. I’m sure that Brazilian's Church has so many things to learn from this kind of views! But about the youth people, I think there is one problem, something is not working well and that is why the youth don’t like to go to the church.
I'm not saying that the church must be like an amusement park, I'm saying that it isn't possible to lead the youth of today as young people were led to several decades ago. the world has changed and the church has stayed the same, when in fact we know what should stay the same is God and his word, but the church needs to change, the church needs to find people and their changing needs, exactly where they are! I believe that was what Martin Luther had on his mind, was this needs of change. The living God can not be forgotten at the altar!
Well, but what can I do about? Only see the problem is not too difficult, but to try to help is more difficult because I need to involve myself, my life. Then I have decided that I’ll share my history and my faith with them. So they (youth) needs to try to change something in the church and to make more, as Norwegian youth says “Det er Konge”. The church needs to be closer the people and more close the youth as well!
I arrived today from one small city about two and half hours from Bergen, I was there trying to help in the confirmation class, Mateus and me was helping in the service and to talking about Brazil as well. I saw that was good time to share my history and my faith to youth, as I wrote above! Then I would like to share with you also how I am trying to do it! Below there is my little text that I have used to share my life to youth where I have been!
Hey! My name is Welton Neres, I come from Brazil, North of Brazil. I will tell you a little bit about my life and my faith, I really would like to share it with you!
Well, I wasn’t Christian and my family was not Christian also, but even today I can remember that every night before to sleep I was thinking with myself about God, I had some questions like: There is a God? If there is God, why there are so many children dying because they don’t have food? Why the people in the church do nothing about it? Why the church is too boring?
Now I can understand, God was putting those questions in my heart to bring me close Him. And it was working very well because after those questions I started to go to the church, I was trying to get some answer to my questions and I have found many friends and I have found the most important thing of my life, I found Jesus, actually Jesus has found me! Then my life started to change and my family was seeing that my life was changing. They were rejoicing because I was becoming a good guy at home, at school. So, my family could see that it was good and they started to go to the church also. And Jesus has found all of them as well, now all of my family has a relationship with God, they are friend of God! As you say, “Det er Konga!” to finish I would like to say one important thing also! You youth, show your face to the church, show what you can do, now is the time to do it! If you think that the church is too boring as I was thinking, you can do something different in the church! This is your challenge, and my challenge as well. This is why I am here in Norway, just to say it to you and to try to do my best to the church and to Jesus. God Bless you.
I would like to share with all of you some things that has happened. Good things and some challenges that I have seen through my job here in Bergen.
Well, as you already have seen by my facebook, the last few weeks I've spending some times to think about the youth in Norway. My question is How the Youth in Norway see the Norwegian Church and How is the relationship between Church and Youth?
I know, maybe you ask me, Why I’m thinking about that and Why I have this kind of questions? I would say that I’m thinking about that because I have seen and felt that Norwegian Church looks like ‘something to high’ to youth people. Then I’m just trying to understand how it is and trying to learn something from that.
Well, actually I have talking with some Norwegians friends and almost all of them have answered me that sometimes is boring to go to the church. So, it is one bad thing between Church and Youth that don’t help anyone! I've went in some confirmation class as well and I could see how is the relationship between youth and church and I can say that I’m a little bit worried bout that. I need to say that Norwegian Church has really good views about mission For example, they're thinking not just inside of Norway, but they have so many missionary work in others country also, they are always trying to get more money to help missionary work in whole world. I’m sure that Brazilian's Church has so many things to learn from this kind of views! But about the youth people, I think there is one problem, something is not working well and that is why the youth don’t like to go to the church.
I'm not saying that the church must be like an amusement park, I'm saying that it isn't possible to lead the youth of today as young people were led to several decades ago. the world has changed and the church has stayed the same, when in fact we know what should stay the same is God and his word, but the church needs to change, the church needs to find people and their changing needs, exactly where they are! I believe that was what Martin Luther had on his mind, was this needs of change. The living God can not be forgotten at the altar!
Well, but what can I do about? Only see the problem is not too difficult, but to try to help is more difficult because I need to involve myself, my life. Then I have decided that I’ll share my history and my faith with them. So they (youth) needs to try to change something in the church and to make more, as Norwegian youth says “Det er Konge”. The church needs to be closer the people and more close the youth as well!
I arrived today from one small city about two and half hours from Bergen, I was there trying to help in the confirmation class, Mateus and me was helping in the service and to talking about Brazil as well. I saw that was good time to share my history and my faith to youth, as I wrote above! Then I would like to share with you also how I am trying to do it! Below there is my little text that I have used to share my life to youth where I have been!
Hey! My name is Welton Neres, I come from Brazil, North of Brazil. I will tell you a little bit about my life and my faith, I really would like to share it with you!
Well, I wasn’t Christian and my family was not Christian also, but even today I can remember that every night before to sleep I was thinking with myself about God, I had some questions like: There is a God? If there is God, why there are so many children dying because they don’t have food? Why the people in the church do nothing about it? Why the church is too boring?
Now I can understand, God was putting those questions in my heart to bring me close Him. And it was working very well because after those questions I started to go to the church, I was trying to get some answer to my questions and I have found many friends and I have found the most important thing of my life, I found Jesus, actually Jesus has found me! Then my life started to change and my family was seeing that my life was changing. They were rejoicing because I was becoming a good guy at home, at school. So, my family could see that it was good and they started to go to the church also. And Jesus has found all of them as well, now all of my family has a relationship with God, they are friend of God! As you say, “Det er Konga!” to finish I would like to say one important thing also! You youth, show your face to the church, show what you can do, now is the time to do it! If you think that the church is too boring as I was thinking, you can do something different in the church! This is your challenge, and my challenge as well. This is why I am here in Norway, just to say it to you and to try to do my best to the church and to Jesus. God Bless you.
Takk for Meg!!
