YCF Issues

Just over twelve months ago, a small group of just four bloggers was dubbed the Young Christian Force. The group grew to over 25 members within five months, and built up an awesome group of friends over the Internet. Laughs and fresh thoughts were plentiful, as well as a few debates – but there was one problem: we were all already Christians. Though many of our posts were great, insightful, amazing thoughts, we remained far less effective than we should have been as a Christian group.

Now, over a year after the YCF’s formation, an issue has arisen that was never thought of before: taking the step of electing leaders.

I have thought about this for a while now, and my opinion has come to this.

I don’t think we should have the elections.

Why not? Well, first of all, one of the original rules was that everyone in the YCF was equal, no matter what. That would be rather difficult to wholly maintain if we elected leaders, wouldn’t it? But even if we did somehow overcome that and manage to keep everyone in equality, what would it do?

I don’t think that we should have a few certain people telling everyone what to do with their blogs. Blogs are personal, for one, though I am confident that the leaders would not go so far as to command everyone to post certain things (I doubt they would even have that authority). But so that you all don’t think that I want to lay back and be as apparently ineffective as we have been, here is what I do think.

I think that it’s time for all of the members of the YCF to band together under the banner that sits in the corners of our blogs, the banner that seems to have become nothing more than a token or a symbol. The YCF should not be like a Facebook group, where all you can do is display your membership and nothing more. We should join together and go out, with the promises and weapons of God in hand, and strive to conquer overwhelmingly as Christ said we would. Not by sword or fire, but with the Word and the Love of God. If we try to do it separately, without helping one another, how much less effective would it be than if we all, all thirty or forty of us (however many members the YCF is supposed to have right now), joined our efforts under the glorious name of Christ?

I have no doubt that God wanted this group to be formed for a reason even if it has taken us over a year to live up to that purpose.

One thing, however, that we should not forget, not for a minute, not for a second.

The YCF was formed as a group of friends, who were there to encourage each other. Fellowship is hugely important for Christians, and we should not forsake that in our quest to push forwards the Lord’s Kingdom. We have to continue doing what we have done for the past year, to share our thoughts with each other, to help one another, and to encourage each other. But now, we have to do more.

“6Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7if (service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12)

If anyone among us has the gift of leading, then let him lead; not with commands, but by his example, by encouraging words, and with truth. And if anyone has the gift to show the love and compassion that we will essentially need to accomplish anything, then let her show it to everyone that we come across. We all have gifts, each one different and each one important. We cannot have gained so many members and not have accumulated amazing potential. Pray for each other, and for our success. Be there for each other in defeats. Be a support to one another.
It was established a long time ago that the ultimate leader of the YCF is Jesus, and will ALWAYS be Jesus. So before we elect leaders from among ourselves, let’s try following His lead. We never really gave His leadership a chance to guide us before now. I say we give it a shot before we go and try something else.
Ciao!
P.S. By the way, I think we should organize some kind of census, to figure out how many members we have and who all of them are.