Community Q & A by Jennifer Denning
NICK: If I didn’ t have those relationships, I would probably get in trouble a lot more at school. They provide an example for me. Even if there are kids at my school who don’ t do the right thing, the people at my church help me out and show me what I should be doing. They have a positive influence on me.
© istockphoto / jacob wackerhausen
JD: Give an example of how have other believers have helped you. NICK: When my grandfather died last year, my youth leader encouraged me and helped me get through it. He came to visit me and attended the funeral. He talked to me about it at youth group. Also, another leader at my church took some of us young people through a video series about the creationist theory of the earth’ s origin and taught us about apologetics [ defending our faith ]. It really prepared me for all the teaching of science material that conflicts with my faith at school. It helped me stand up for what I believe at school.
Nick is an eighth grader in Raleigh, N. C., who attends public school. He knows very few professing Christians in his school but has found community in connecting with other believers in his church. Nick has attended church all his life. He became a Christian when he was 7 years old. Here’ s what he said about what it means to him to live in community when ec magazine writer Jennifer Denning recently took the opportunity to talk with him.
JD: Nick, what are some ways you connect with other believers? NICK: My church is small, and so is my youth group. Because our church is small, I’ ve gotten to know everyone there pretty well. I have relationships not only with other teenagers but also with adults as well as kids younger than me. I’ ve gotten to know a lot of the adults by going out to eat with them after church and talking to them. I can relate to them a lot because the things they talk about I like to talk about, too. With the kids younger than me, I have already been where they are now, so I can understand them.
JD: Why is it important to you to have close relationships with other Christians? How would your life be different if you didn’ t have those relationships?
JD: How have you helped other believers in your community? Can you give an example? NICK: A friend in my youth group also lost one of her grandparents this past year. When my friend’ s grandmother died, I tried to comfort her.
JD: What advice would you give to a teen who wants to connect with other believers but doesn’ t know how? What could that person do to build solid relationships with fellow Christians? NICK: Try to connect with people and work to become friends with people at your church. Just be yourself and don’ t try to be all good and different just because you’ re at church. If you do that, people will grow to know you as someone you aren’ t really. ec
30 | jul 2009 ec magazine