Shepherds in Mission: Role of Jesus Youth Leaders (BJMM053)

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Shepherds in Mission: Our Role as JY Country Coordinators 

(by Dr Edward Edezath, DVK Bangalore, 19 Nov 2025)

 1. Jesus Youth is a response to the call to COME and to GO. 

Jesus Youth is a friendly space where people learn to walk in the Spirit — a joyful family to belong to. In this community, one finds acceptance, encouragement, and a renewed motivation towards mission. One who comes into JY embarks on a unique journey: a journey through life, a journey in the world, a journey with the Lord, and even a journey toward discovering themselves.

It's no surprise that many people end up alone, confused, or stuck in the muddy pits of discouragement along their journey. What they need most in those moments is a comforting voice, a renewed light, and the confidence to keep moving forward. Jesus Youth offers exactly that — whether for a newcomer trying to rediscover faith, a mature Christian seeking fellowship, or a missionary already filled with the Spirit.

 Life unfolds in seasons, and in each season the pilgrim’s needs and longings are different. The beauty of the Jesus Youth family is the awareness of these seasons — and the ability to respond with practical support “for the place on the way.” Here, the gentle wind of the Holy Spirit awakens hearts, stirs the gifts within, and leads each pilgrim forward on the path God has prepared.

We gather today as travelers in our own special seasons and stages to renew our commitment to walk with others and to create spaces to connect and go on together.

 2. Emerging Leads and Emphases

As we listen to what the Spirit is highlighting in this season, several key themes are emerging:

i. Reviving Joy and Thanksgiving – Reclaiming the foundational joy that drew us to Christ, cultivating hearts overflowing with gratitude rather than duty or burden.

ii. A Culture of Lively Belonging through Small Groups – Creating intimate communities where authentic relationships flourish, where people are known by name and held in love.

iii. Multi-Ethnic Style and Groups – Embracing the beautiful diversity of God’s family, celebrating different cultures, and creating spaces where all backgrounds feel welcomed and valued.

iv. Feminine Emphasis to Promote Healthy Balance – Intentionally elevating feminine gifts of nurture, intuition, and relational wisdom to complement and balance our leadership culture.

v. Meeting People on Their Journey of Healing and Maturity – Recognizing that spiritual growth and emotional healing walk hand in hand, creating safe spaces for both.

vi. Natural Exercise of Charismatic Gifts – Making room for the gifts of the Spirit to flow organically in community life, not as programmed events but as normal expressions of God’s presence.

vii. Talent-Focused Fellowship and Mission Groups – Connecting people’s God-given abilities with opportunities for service, where passion meets purpose.

viii. Incarnational Evangelization – Following Jesus’ example of becoming present in people’s lives, sharing the Gospel through authentic relationship and loving presence rather than programs alone.

 3. Leadership Priorities for Jesus Youth

As country coordinators, we are called to embody a particular style of leadership:

a) Reflect on Our Unique Charism and Style – Regularly returning to the wellspring of our identity, discerning what makes Jesus Youth distinctively called and gifted for this moment.

b) Encouraging to transition from Self-referential to Missionary - Helping leaders grow from self-protective habits to a missionary posture, where listening, generosity, and evangelizing presence become the natural expression of their discipleship.

c) Promote Listening and Synodal Style in Teams – Cultivating a culture where decisions emerge from deep listening—to the Spirit, to one another, and to those we serve. Walking together rather than directing from above.

d) Be Catalysts More Than Executives – Our role is to spark, inspire, and facilitate rather than control and manage. We create conditions for the Spirit to move, not systems to contain Him.

e) Be Mothers More Than Managers – Leading with the nurturing heart of a mother who knows each child, celebrates their uniqueness, tends their wounds, and believes in their potential—not the detached efficiency of an administrator focused on outputs.

f) Sing and Pray in the Spirit and Listen for His Guidance – Maintaining our own vibrant connection to the Source, allowing worship, contemplative listening, and sharing inspirations to shape our decisions and direction.

 Finally,

As Country Coordinators, we are invited not to run an organization but to shepherd a movement of the Holy Spirit. Our call is to create spaces where people can encounter Jesus, heal, grow, and be set on fire for mission. When we walk gently, listen deeply, and lead in the Spirit, Jesus Youth becomes what it is meant to be — a family on the move responding to the signs of the times, a school of discipleship in the wider arena of the Church, and a joyful field of mission with a preferential focus on the young and the needy.

 


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