Exciting things are happening on Fridays. Indeed, some of our best ministry takes place on Friday nights. Those leaders involved, those with children and Teens know what I’m talking about. MAD is doing great things with its outreach. But I especially see what is happening with our youth at WAY, and it's exciting.

It’s dawned on me, and it's become clearer over time that what is taking place at WAY on Friday nights is church. Often, we think of church as a group of Christian believers. This is the default way we generally take the word church. But the word for Church in the bible is usually used to express the activity of gathering. And we see that with WAY. Teens gathering around God’s word to hear God speak. This is a clear reflection (or expression) of the heavenly church of which all God’s people are gathered around Jesus and will be seen on the last day.

One of the great things that is happening on Friday nights is that Teens are excited to gather together to hear God’s word and seek to live in light of the amazing work of Jesus. As we have continued to develop WAY, it has been met with much enthusiasm and Teens are more and more eager for their friends to be a part of this as well. I want this reality to be expressed and known clearly. And I wonder if for our Teens to recognize WAY for what it is we should call it so – ‘Youth Church.’

Obviously, this raises many questions. I will have much more to say soon and will be communicating through multiple channels. All I have space to convey in this little post is that that a change in name doesn’t mean a change in what we are doing. It’s a recognition of what is taking place and what it is.

Wouldn’t it be exciting if our Teens were part of a church where they own it, love to serve and through all this grow as disciples of our King, Jesus.