“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity,” 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV).
Over 300 enthusiastic youths from across Guyana and around the world gathered on Saturday March 19, 2022, at the Vreed-en-Hoop Wesleyan Church, West Bank Demerara, Guyana for the inaugural Georgetown Ministers’ Fellowship (GMF) Youth Conference. The curtains opened with prayer by Shequaine Corbin, in virtual attendance from Switzerland, and erupted in vibrant hybrid worship with renowned artists Samuel Medas, Dallas Forte and Andray Haynes.
Speaking on the theme ‘Youth and Kingdom Influence,’ with scriptural text from 2 Timothy Chapter 4, keynote speaker Rev. Dr Marlon Hestick, commenced his address by establishing that God is the King of the Kingdom, and encouraged the youths to embrace God’s principles of excellence, while influencing, occupying, expanding, and dominating the kingdom of God on earth. Dr. Hestick posited that, “…every Christian has an important sphere of influence, and is a divinely appointed kingdom ambassador.”
Influence and God’s Kingdom
According to Rev. Dr. Hestick, influence may be defined as, the capacity to affect the character and development or behaviour of someone or something. Referring to Genesis Chapter 5, the biblical example of Enoch’s faith and devoted walk with God, Dr. Hestick affirmed, “…a person is saved to effect influence.” He then challenged the youths to examine what their ministry has done to influence the kingdom of God.
Rev. Dr. Hestick shared three broad biblical concepts of influence: purpose is a tool of influence (Matthew 25: 14-30), God establishes his kingdom on the earth through cultivation and kingdom standards (Genesis 2:8), and kingdom cultivation maximizes kingdom Influence (Genesis 2:15).
Concepts of Influence
To illustrate the principles of kingdom influence, Dr. Hestick referred to the book of Genesis and advanced that Adam was essentially cultivated by God’s authority for the purpose of taking care of God’s creation (Genesis 2:15-18). This kingdom influence and cultivation is endorsed by Genesis 22:17, where God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants is recorded.
Dr. Hestick admonished that kingdom influence requires adherence to God-given principles which establish authority and accountability. He encouraged youths pursuing ministry, to seek the blessings of their church leaders and stated that being grounded in God’s authority is a sure recipe for excellence. Sharing a personal example of authority to minister, Dr. Hestick disclosed Bishop Dr. Massiah, the visionary of the GMF Youth Conference gave him authority to minister at the forum. Therefore, he was empowered to do so.
Pillars of Kingdom Influence
The keynote speaker exhorted Christians to strive to achieve the ‘Apex,’ of their capabilities, as this attribute will facilitate winning souls for the kingdom of God, which Dr. Hestick categorised as one of the highest pillars of kingdom influence. Additionally, Dr. Hestick named family and finance as pivotal factors in the development of the pillars of kingdom influence. Stronger families and a better understanding of the fundamentals of economics and finance contribute to the enhancement of the family unit and the socio-economic fabric of the community at large. The benefits are multi-faceted, but notable among them is the ability to build generational wealth and finance the ministry of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The second part of the Youth Conference was dedicated to a panel discussion, which generated intense discussions from youth attendees around themes such as seeking counsel from church leaders, cultivating a personal relationship with God, seeking to be a positive influence for God’s kingdom, staying under God’s covering, guarding the gifts of God, and not being overly confident in one’s own abilities.
The Georgetown Ministers Fellowship (GMF) was founded forty years ago by two Pastors, one from the Assemblies of God and one from the Full Gospel fellowship, with the aim of fostering unity among Ministers of the Gospel. The GMF Youth Conference was birthed by Bishop Dr Murtland Raphael Massiah, the current Chairman of the Georgetown Ministers Fellowship. With the successful hosting of this inaugural event, it is likely that this will become an annual feature on the GMF calendar.
