The Leadership Pipeline at Mission Adelante - Mentoring a New Generation of Leaders
by Carla Flores, Kids Ministry Director
As seen in Reformed Worship
Music has always been a great way for young people to express themselves and worship is no different. Worshiping God through music whether it be singing or playing an instrument or simply humming along to your favorite hymn, is a transcendent experience. It is a sacred practice that allows us to get closer to Him, helps us surpass differences, and unifies us as the children of God.
At Mission Adelante, we get the blessing of partaking in a beautifully diverse and culturally rich community. This means my home on Earth looks a lot like my home in heaven will. People from a multitude of places join us on a weekly basis to worship the Lord either through our programs or our Latino Church.
When I first attended Mission Adelante Latino Church, I was just 16 years old. What stood out to me the most was the diverse worship and the involvement of young leaders in every aspect of the worship time. Not only did we sing songs in Spanish, but also in English and Nepali! Young leaders were on stage, playing instruments, singing together, and praising God for His love and grace. It was a beautiful sight to see and it encouraged me to worship God loudly and fearlessly.
It has been 9 years since I was first introduced to Mission Adelante and not much has changed. People from all places continue to gather and worship God freely. In just nine short years, families expanded and grew, so now we see grandparents worshiping alongside their grandchildren, mothers worshiping with their children, and children continuing to find unique ways to praise the Lord. I love seeing families worship together and especially love seeing the evident impact it has on their lives. When these families face hardships, their faith remains strong because worshiping together has fortified their faith both individually and as a familial unit.
Besides families growing in our community over time, another change has occurred. In August 2021, I had the opportunity to take on the role of Children’s Ministry Director at Mission Adelante. I quickly learned the importance of guiding and supporting young leaders in our community.
At Mission Adelante, we have a leadership pipeline model that we follow and I’m lucky to have participated in the later stages of it. First, we begin with Leaders in Training, a program designed for students ages 8 to 12. Here students begin to learn the fundamentals skills of a good leader. We focus on visionary and strategic thinking, empowerment, and servanthood. When these students turn 13, they can partake in the Leadership Training Project. This program focuses on spiritual and character development as well. As students grow in their faith and leadership skills, they can participate in our Summer Internship which is a more rigorous program as it entails practicing those new skills. From there, summer interns may be asked to join our staff as apprentices where they will use their leadership skills to plan events, organize programs, and grow deeper in their faith. Once their apprenticeship is completed, students can choose to use their leadership skills in another field or remain on staff and learn more about ministry. It is fascinating to see young leaders from our community grow, learn, and thrive!
My role as the Children’s Ministry Director is to guide these students to find what they are passionate about, support them in exploring the world around them, and encouraging them to draw closer to God. I feel blessed to be able to see how young leaders are making an impact in our neighborhoods. From worshiping God in unique ways to learning new leadership skills to fortifying their faith, these young leaders have not only left their mark imprinted in our community but also in my life.
