Equip Day is a special time to encourage the Service Team at TeenStreet (TS) to be part of God's mission. Taking the time to prepare before the teens arrive is proving to be a valuable addition to the annual TS schedule.
For the second year, TeenStreet (TS) has dedicated a morning for the hard-working Service Team. Relationships, empowerment and impact are at the heart of TS and how it’s done. Everyone involved with TS believes that when we are in a right relationship with God and others—when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and our leaders—we can have a big impact on the people and communities around us. Equip Day is the launching point for the Service Team, encouraging everyone to live out these values at TS and beyond.
The worship band started Equip Day with a few songs, hundreds of voices lifting in praise. From the main stage, Rich shared an important message from Luke 24:15-17, 31-32. “God is walking with us this whole week, and far beyond that. Knowing that God is here now will change this week. Be inspired every day, knowing God is with us every step of the way.”
Rachel encouraged the group with a valuable lesson she learnt through her own struggle from the morning: “What we do this week, we do not do alone. What is on your heart? Share it with God, remembering that He is already with you.”
After the main hall session, Service Team members could choose from a variety of seminars to attend. For the musically inclined, the TS Band held a session in worship leading. Coaches and M&Ms could attend a session on ‘Building a Discipleship Culture in Your Small Group.’ As an encouragement to continue the values of TS, there was also a session about ‘Going into All the World: Missions with OM.’
“My favourite part of Equip Day was probably the seminars,” Silka (Netherlands) on the photography team shared. “You’re going deep into a topic, which you don’t get the rest of the week. It’s specifically for us.”
“They prepared it specifically for us,” Yara (Portugal) from the worship team agreed, “because they are calling us to be part of God’s mission. That’s why they put all the publicity about Missions Discipleship Training (MDT), OM, Open Doors… so we can feel encouraged to go and be part of God’s plan. That’s why they have the seminars to prepare us and equip us for that.”
“Equipping us for after TS,” Silka added.
The afternoon was set aside for team building, giving each team a chance to get to know each other before the teens arrived and all jobs started with full schedule and responsibilities. Then at the end of the day, everyone gathered again for a special Service Team Throne Room complete with communion. By the end of the day, the Service Team had been heartily equipped for the week ahead (and beyond).
Yara lit up as she looked back on the day: “If this is just a little part of what TS is, then TS is going to be huge! I’m so excited!”