Teenstreet take-away

Over 3,000 people crowded into the main hall of Weser-Ems Halle in Oldenburg, Germany for TeenStreet’s opening session. Slips of paper were passed throughout the crowd, and a stillness settled as each teen read their own. The notes carried portions of Psalm 23, such as, “He leads me beside quiet waters,” and “He anoints my head with oil”, in keeping with this year’s theme of PS.XII.

That night, everyone left the auditorium with a bit of Psalm 23 tucked behind their name tag. Most were already familiar with the passage and many could have recited it – yet there was something personal about receiving the words this way. This was just one of the ways that teens left for home with something new, something God had spoken to them.

The teens represented nineteen countries this year, and translators worked hard behind the scenes to put live sessions and daily newsletters into their own words. The teens' personalities and backgrounds varied as well, and conversations with their leaders and small groups were extremely meaningful.

German translator and pastor Christian Kleinloh observed a “readiness and willingness” to probe deeper and study the Bible from the teens this year. During the week, he led a series of sessions that allowed teens to ask questions about what they were learning. “The discussion went from Genesis to Revelation, and it all had to do with the topics of Psalm 23,” Kleinloh said. “That's the beauty of God's Word: how it's all connected.”

Programme leaders Josh and Debs Walker spoke in the mornings and evenings, drawing from David's life and writing. Sessions emphasised the sufficiency and protection of God, our dependence on Him as our Shepherd, and understanding how David could say “I shall not want” when he experienced God's presence.

When everyone converged for Throne Room each evening―TeenStreet's worship session―it was easy to be swept up in the immensity of the event and the volume of people. Standing onstage, Kleinloh had a good view of it all, but it isn't the numbers of people that excite him.

TeenStreet cannot be goal-driven, but always spirit-led,” Kleinloh said. “This is what TeenStreet has always been and how it has to stay. If we are more concerned with how great it looks or how many people are involved, then we are not waiting on the Lord.”

Indeed, while the sights and sounds are impressive, it's a simple attitude of worship that is TeenStreet's heartbeat. Workshops demonstrated how cooking, graffiti art, martial arts, chess, choir, fashion, or film-making can all be used to reach others and glorify God. Other sessions focused on evangelism; in the past, one day was set aside for teens to do outreach in the city; this year, they dispersed into Oldenburg every afternoon.

TeenStreet celebrated its 18th birthday this year. It may have reached “adulthood,” but it continues to grow and resonate with teens. That's because the ministry extends far beyond one week spent in a conference centre; ultimately, the event is a vehicle for God to initiate something that lasts a lifetime.

OM’s role in the Church is to mobilise people to share the knowledge of Jesus and His love with every generation in every nation. OM pioneers and leads initiatives to redeem lives, rebuild communities and restore hope in over 110 countries.