On the 3rd and 4th of June another annual conference for young leaders called "Influence Strategy 2.0" took place. The conference gathered about 350 participants from all over Ukraine, as well as guests from Moldova, Poland and the USA. The aim of this conference was to encourage, motivate, train and equip youth ministers to expand the influence of the Kingdom of God in today's world. It is especially important now, when during the war many people feel a great need for hope, support and care.
Meetings of this format in the conditions of military operations may seem inappropriate, but the organizers, the AUC ECB Youth Department and the partners of the event, i.e. Mission Eurasia, TCI and Christians for Ukraine are convinced that this is a good thing. It is now more important than ever to give young leaders the opportunity to recover, gain new knowledge and strength for further service. Many of them have been working non-stop for three years already, taking part in a number of important projects.
They regularly hold meetings with children and adolescents*, organize volunteer and chaplain trips to the front, provide mental care for people exposured to war traumas, organize summer camps, implement social projects, distribute food packages and help internally displaced persons (IDPs). Young people are very actively involved in serving the society, and therefore such a conference as "Influence Strategy 2.0" was especially important. The theme of the "Live" meeting actualized the issue of integral health, i.e. spiritual, mental, emotional and physical, of both the leaders themselves and those they serve.
The program of the conference was filled with various presentations and seminars, and the range of speakers was really impressive: among them were leaders of different churches and ministries, spiritual counsellors, counselors, doctors, athletes and trainers. All of them shared their knowledge and experience with the young leaders, giving them the necessary tools to improve their own ministry and help those who need it most. Particular attention was paid to the issue of renewal of leaders, as many of them need to step down and replenish their spiritual and emotional resources from time to time. Many participants of the conference said that these short days in the mountains became a real healing for them. They gained new strength, energy and encouragement to return to their ministry with new ideas and greater commitment.
In addition to personal renewal, the participants of the conference gained practical knowledge, which they have already started to actively use in their activities. Only a few days after the end of the meeting, some leaders informed the organizers that they had begun to use the tools they had received to work with those who are not yet part of the church. This gives hope that through the efforts of these young leaders more people will find their way to Christ. And this will undoubtedly be the best result of this and other similar conferences. It is important to note that such events not only help leadersto recover, but also help strengthen their community and expand the influence of the Kingdom of God in the most difficult times.
