{"id":2522,"date":"2021-02-18T16:29:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T16:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/2021\/02\/18\/icoc-youth-and-family-service-team-report-2020\/"},"modified":"2024-02-06T18:01:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T16:01:57","slug":"icoc-youth-and-family-service-team-report-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/icoc-youth-and-family-service-team-report-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"ICOC Youth and Family Service Team Report 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cIt is a glorious phrase of the New Testament, that \u2018he led captivity captive.\u2019 The very triumphs of his foes, it means, he used for their defeat. He compelled their dark achievements to sub-serve his end, not theirs. They nailed him to the tree, not knowing that by that very act they were bringing the world to his feet. They gave him a cross, not guessing that he would make it a throne. They flung him outside the gates to die, not knowing that in that very moment they were lifting up all the gates of the universe, to let the King of Glory come in. They thought to root out his doctrines, not understanding that they were implanting imperishably in the hearts of men the very name they intended to destroy. They thought they had defeated God with his back the wall, pinned and helpless and defeated: they did not know that it was God himself who had tracked them down. He did not conquer in spite of the dark mystery of evil. He conquered through it.\u201d \u2013 James S. Stewart <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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In an unpredictable and unprecedented year for all, the ICOC Youth and Family Service Team offers an update highlighting the fact and ways that God worked not \u201cin spite of\u201d a dark year, but “through it.” <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As our team (who aims to maintain connection all over the world) asked around, we found out many great things that God continued to do in the midst of the pandemic and even through it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the year, in different parts of the world, we continued to see youth baptized into Christ. For some, the pandemic brought to them the reality of how short and fragile our lives really are. The words of James rang true that our lives are but a mist. As many life activities (and with them distractions) were removed, families were together more. Parents were thus more available to their children and they faithfully seized the opportunity to be the primary instrument of instilling faith into their children, just as God calls them to do. The slow down also helped the youth give a greater focus to pursuing their faith and God rewarded their efforts. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many adjustments that hard-working people all over the world implemented that ministered to our families in a great way. Some of these were on local congregational levels, but there was also an incredible, synergistic sharing and collaboration through our unified worldwide fellowship that was a blessing to thousands. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n