GLORIOUS SPLENDOR #ItsAllAboutJesus: Eastern Reef Youth Convention

Editors Note

Queen Mdluli

Firstly I would like to appreciate the 2015/16 Eastern Reef Youth Committee for all the remarkable work done while serving in office. Namely the move from IPY to Eastern Reef Convention to generate more bursaries for our young people at school ,although majority of the youth were at rage (dramatic souls really) ,I included hahaha, we thought our lives were over (to exaggerate a bit LOL) thinking no more TUT or ever brushing shoulders with our fellow brethren from Bushbuck Ridge. Change is always hard.

We often resist it when it is actually the main source of our growth.

2015/16 ERY Committe

But without doubt the first Eastern Reef Convention we had last year was incredible, we sure started on a high note - and it's all the planning of the committee.

And as for this past convention, WOW what can I say. just wonderful( our leaders are sure people of prayer) from the planning of the speakers to the entire program you can just tell that God was involved.

I would specifically appreciate the recognition of teenagers and involving them in the program. It was wonderful and pleasant to witness. They too are young people and should fully function in the church with their gifts & talents -- lets cease to create a gap between young adults & teens.

The Poetry - how amazing it is to see that we have come to realize that this isn't just a passing time activity but an actual ministry. Once again props to the committee for making an entire segment for the spoken word session & may God bless and raise more poets in our mist.

The Discussion was necessary,it came at just the right time, the committee couldn't have gotten us a more fitting and inspiring panel to address us(secret sins were exposed)

Apostle Nkomonde
Saturday 2nd Session

Scripture: Acts 2:16-18

Our kids are neglected whilst in fellowship in the local churches all because we have no time to attend spiritual lives our fellow brethren. Time is spent preparing for our programs and organisation agendas.

We no longer speak of the Holy Spirit as Peter in this passage was quoting prophet Joel's prophecy on the day of Pentecost. All who were present received the power of the Holy Spirit,none was left behind to inspect as some have accustomed to doing(while other worship in truth and in Spirit others observe)

On the day of Pentecost all received and were enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak in other lounges. Nowadays we saints are esteemed by their eloquence and being good orators. It was not so with the first church saint were enabled by the Holy Spirit. The crowd was drawn to them, wine was thought to have been the cause of action yet they got drunk by the Holy Spirit.

To all male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophecy revealing God's message in the right time. Our churches have a lot of young people,id only this scripture would manifest. All will be anointed no one will come to church to spectate but all will come with something to serve with.

It was never the plan of God to have a few serving and a majority are spectators/an audience. This led us to the problem we are faced with on our locals that if a certain individual has not yet arrived the service will not commence. The service sadly depends on certain individuals.
All members should function, male and females should function, males and females received equally from the Lord. The doctrine that women shall not prophecy or preach serving with their gifts was taught by man. Man with their African mentality suppresses women sitting them down. When a woman emerge they are told "hold your horses sister". The word says sons and daughters servant shall all prophecy used by God, because all has received from the same Spirit.

Discussion Review by our very own Lesego Mashilo

Saturdays discussion was something else, I was emotional from the beginning to the end.

1. Consequences of sex before marriage.

Young people mentioned a few consequences such as pregnancy out of wedlock, trust issues with opposite sex and soul tie(Soul tie talks about being knit together, becoming one flesh. A soul tie can never serve many functions , but in it's simplest form it ties two souls together in the spiritual ream. When a person has ungodly sexual relations with another person, an ungodly soul tie is the formed: 1 Corinthians 6: 16 " What ? know ye not that which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh") This soul tie fragments the soul, and is destructive . People who have many past relationships find it very difficult to 'bond' or be joined with anybody, because their soul is fragmented.

My opinion on the consequences is having trust issues/insecurity moving further especially if you end up marring the person you're intimate with. If you see them with another person, you will think they are cheating on you. Another consequence of sex before marriage based om my personal experience is pregnancy out of wedlock, with pregnancy it becomes worse because until you heal you feel like you have failed in life which isn't really the case.You have to reach a point where you forgive yourself, learn from your mistakes and move on with God. Moving on is hard when you do not involve God, the healer. Our mistakes scar us most of the time and some people end up leaving church due to that, but when one is reminded of how much God loves them it is easier to embrace His love in their lives and move on.

I fell pregnant at the age of 18 and gave birth to a wonderful baby girl. One consequence I am now faced with or have to face is that if God blesses me with a home of my own and more children my daughter's siblings will have a different last name to hers.

2. Pornography and Masturbation(Secret sin)

Certain issues needed to be addressed so that we become aware of things affecting us as a youth.

Again this discussion was an eye opener. In particular I never saw pornography as a sin.

Reason being that you are not actually having intercourse with an individual, so the discussion around it made me realize how big of a blasphemy it is before God. Some of the young people addressed their addiction,it shows that it is a demon that has been killing most of our youth in secret. God saw how important is was for it to be discussed. In exposure deliverance for most had began. God loves His children and wants to see them as holy as He is.

Sexual abuse (rape) addressed by the wonderful Phetile Skosana

Sister Phetile took me back, she reminded me ukuthi ngidlulile ezintweni ngempela. When I was 13 years, doing grade 7, I was also raped.Till that weekend I had thought I moved on from that incident, then the topic made me realize how hurt I still am. But when she shared her own experience on rape, hurt and grief I was moulded.

I am a victim of all the topics that were discussed and all this showed me that God has a plan with my life and He loves me. He is busy training me. I LOVE YOU GOD.

Spiritual Dance review by our own Thato Mathe

Hilbrow AOG teenagers graced us with a spiritual dance on Saturday afternoon, they did three dances but there's one that stood out for me.

Those kids gave an evocative picture through dance of what will it be like when we get to heaven.

They were dancing to 'kuzobongwa namachawe' by Zaza Mokghethi.

They picked four elders our of the crowd to demonstrate it. They had to kneel down while they were crowning them and sat them down on their gold chairs with their crowns on and fanned them after a job well done.

It was a beautiful/moving picture to see, I was astonished by the whole demonstration.

After watching that demonstration I was moved, all I want is to work more harder towards getting to heaven, to get crowned and hear the Almighty say "WELL DONE MY CHILD"

Poem Review by our Glorious Splendor Tech guy Emmanuel Mkansi

It is good to see that we have began to recognize poetry as a Ministry in our church not just an activity.

We saw Rap/(that's young men from Thorntree AOG. Pure talent & it was moving to see him using his talent /artistry to Glorify God

Young Mr Rapper

Poem titled: Who is Jesus?
-Our young people have to stick more to originality to avoid repeating one thing over and over again, eye contact with the audience should be maintained at all costs

The poem presented in Zulu:
It was Wonderful!!!
However, our young lady was strictly reading and giving us very less or no attention at all as the audience.
More practice is needed so to avoid speaking to the paper (to engage with us more)

without doubt though our fellow young people will grow in their ministry as the continue to serve and bless us

Nomthandazo Mdluli

Then there was HEYI WENA ngisho wena by Nomthandazo Mdluli

Nkosi Yam, very short and straight to the point, you grab the message easily and it still echoes even

the young lady did absolutely well I would rate it. "bangathula bonke kodwa hayi wena!"

Tshegofatso Rankapole

And lastly Tshegofatso Rankapole my word

She is the definition of Poetry itself

Titled "FOREVER AFTER"

Well-presented, audible enough and interactive with the audience, it was long yes,the message was clearly conveyed to the audience, it was moving, it was touching, it was alive.