In the Philippines, Young Leaders Commit to Faithful Service and Mission

Hundreds of young leaders from across the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD) gathered at the newly established conference hall of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Baguio City, Philippines, August 27-31, for the division-wide senior youth leadership (SYL) summit. With the theme “These We Commit,” the event sought to strengthen the commitment of Adventist youth leaders to be Spirit-filled disciples in their local churches and beyond.

Organizers framed the summit around a single yet profound challenge: to equip youth with the skills, character, and conviction needed to lead the church through the changing landscape ahead.

A Gathering of Leaders and Mentors

The five-day summit brought together youth directors, church leaders, and young delegates representing Adventist organizations within the division. Heshbon Buscato, newly elected SSD Youth Ministries director, opened the summit with a keynote on leadership principles from the life of Moses. Other devotional messages were led by Busi Khumalo, General Conference Youth Ministries director; Ginger Ketting-Weller, president of the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS); and several union Youth Ministries directors from Southeast Asia, Myanmar, and beyond.

Plenary messages explored biblical leadership through the lives of Joshua, Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther, Jacob, Samuel, Paul, and ultimately Jesus Christ, emphasizing spiritual resilience and servant leadership.

Equipping Through Breakout Sessions

Delegates joined a series of growing leaders’ breakout sessions designed to equip them with practical skills for ministry. These included the Ambassador Basic Seminar Training (BST), SYL Series lectures, and Public Campus Ministry (PCM) Certification Level 1. Topics ranged from “Friendship Evangelism” and “Digital Strategy for Mission” to “Basic Apologetics” and “Tertiary Culture and Multicultural Ministry.” Specialists such as Ron Genebago, former SSD Youth Ministries director and now General Conference associate Youth Ministries director, and Ian Felicitas, SSD field secretary, guided sessions on church leadership, doctrinal purity, and Adventist identity.

Worship and Commitment

The summit balanced leadership training with worship and fellowship. Each day began with united prayer and devotionals, while evenings featured Bible writing projects, cultural presentations, and musical worship led by youth delegations. On Sabbath, Khumalo delivered the Sabbath message, entitled “Leadership Principles From the Life of Samuel,” reminding leaders of their sacred calling to guide others with integrity.

The highlight came during the SYL commissioning service, where leaders dedicated new senior youth leaders. Jose Zabat, Jr., SSD Mission Refocus director, closed the commissioning with a commitment message, calling youth leaders to anchor their service in Christ and mission.

Why Senior Youth Leadership Matters

The senior youth leadership program is a vital initiative of the Adventist Church, designed to mentor young people into strong, Spirit-led leaders who will influence their peers and communities for Christ, regional church leaders explained. “By focusing on character building, doctrinal grounding, and mission-driven leadership, SYL provides tools for young leaders to strengthen their local churches while actively participating in the worldwide mission of the church,” they said.

SYL exemplifies the church’s mission to enable and equip young people as future leaders—an urgent task in a world in which many young Christians drift away from active faith, they added. Research by the Barna Group reveals that nearly two thirds, or 64 percent, of young adults in the United States who were once active in church during their teenage years eventually disengage as they reach adulthood. Yet the same studies highlight hope: about 10 percent of these young believers are identified as “resilient disciples,” young men and women who remain deeply engaged with their faith communities and Scripture despite cultural pressures. Even more encouraging, 77 percent of teenagers report that they are motivated to continue learning about Jesus, with more than half saying they are “very motivated.”

These insights point to the critical importance of youth leadership initiatives such as SYL, church leaders explained. “Far from being optional, programs like this serve as lifelines for the church. They provide young believers with mentorship, doctrinal grounding, mission strategy, and a supportive community, all of which help nurture the resilient disciples the church needs to thrive in the years ahead,” they said.

The original version of this story was posted on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.