09 Apr God at Work: Redemption London Young Adults Ministry
Written by Tomi Ladele
There he was, a young kid, alone, 3,000+ miles away from his parents and everyone he loved in a new, foreign land, Canada. Fast forward to today, a decade later, it is evident that everything I did and everything that’s happened to me has been God-ordained, to which I’m grateful for. I moved to London in the fall of 2016 and started attending Redemption (formerly Harvest) shortly after.
I will begin by saying the Young Adult (YA) ministry is different now, in my opinion. Throughout my short time here, I’ve seen this ministry always have a Bible-focus and concern with people’s personal walk with Christ rather than just an infrequent social gathering. Don’t get me wrong, the social aspect is important too, but it shouldn’t be the main purpose and I feel like that balance is working well in YA’s.
The YA ministry has had a tremendous impact on my life. First of all, I’ve met people from different walks of life who I wouldn’t have normally met in my daily life. The memories and conversations we’ve had has expanded my perspective on life. Additionally, I’ve made friends who I can trust and rely on for sound biblical advice and help if the need arises. I have also been blessed spiritually during my time here. When you’re surrounded by people who spend time in the Word, it motivates and encourages you to do so as well. This is exactly what has happened to me. I cannot quantify how inspiring it was seeing my peers spending time in the Word. It made me reflect inwardly and question myself on why I wasn’t doing the same. Of course, I didn’t have any valid reason, so I decided to change my life’s trajectory and focus on what/who really matters the most, God.
Being a part of the several ministries at Redemption has really pushed me out of my comfort zone of just knowing general memory verses, bible stories, the overall purpose of the Bible, and living like a Christian. I have made deliberate efforts to study the Bible, serve/help when an opportunity arises, pray consistently for myself and others and in general, live a Matthew 5:13-16 life – a life that brings glory to God.
You know what the most amazing thing is? God isn’t done with me and the YA ministry. That excites me because I know how far He has brought me and it is impossible to imagine where He’s taking me. I know one thing, wherever He takes me, either in the hills or valleys, He’s always going to be by my side, leading, comforting and protecting me with His staff. He does this for each and every one of us, regardless of our past. He truly is a great, faithful, loving shepherd.
