The Los Angeles District NYI is a ministry of the Los Angeles District Church of the Nazarene that seeks to support, resource, and develop youth ministry on the Los Angeles District Church of the Nazrene.
A quick breakdown of all those words, areas, and acronymns:
Church of the Nazarene – Is a global Protestant Christian denomination in the Wesleyan Holiness tradition. The denomination is made up of approximately 2.3 million people worshipping in 30,000 churches in 159 world areas.
Los Angeles District – The Los Angeles District is a network of Nazarene churches in the Greater Los Angeles area that work together to make Christlike disciples in their local churches. The area includes most of Los Angeles County, the Central Coast (as far north as Atascadero), and part of Central California (as far north as Bishop).
NYI – "NYI" stands for Nazarene Youth International. This is a global ministry of the church of the Nazarene whose mission is to call our generation to a dynamic life in Christ.
Los Angeles District NYI – Is the Los Angeles District's auxillary ministry that supports and resources youth ministry in local churches on the Los Angeles District.
Who leads the Los Angeles NYI?
The NYI is led by a council of people voted on by delegates at the annual NYI Convention. It's our desire that this leadership team accurately represent the cultural, socioeconmoic, and geographical diversity of the LA District. If you are interested in participatin in leadership on this council please email the district president.
How does my church get involved with the Los Angeles NYI?
Step One: Communication
Email the LANYI district president with your email, phone, and chruch address information. This is the quickest way to receive updates regarding LANYI updates and event information.
Step Two: Make participation a priority
It's an obvious step, but make it a priority to show up to events is the best way to get your students plugged into the district and to get the youth leadership team at your local church connected with other youth workers on the district.
Step Three: Serve
The LANYI is always looking for youth workers and churches who want to impact youth ministry on our district. There are various ways you can help serve the LANYI:
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Take a leadership position on the LANYI Council for one year
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Offer your church facilities for an event
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Stand in the communication gap for your local chruch, receiving updates about the LANYI and delivering them to your church
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Encourage other churches to participate in ministry with the LANYI
Why should my church get involved with the Los Angeles NYI?
First, to express the value of unity of the big "C" Church. The LANYI offers the students in your local church access to the broader Church. It's important for your students to have a broader vision of the Church than the local expression they worship with regularly. The LANYI is made up of leaders and students that are the similar and different than your local expression. Ongoing participation with the district gives your students a concrete connection to the broader Church and its mission in the form of shared experiences and friendships with students and other youth workers.
Second, to celebrate diversity of the big "C" Church. The LANYI is one of the most diverse districts in North America. Our socioeconomic, cultural, language, and ethnic diversity is something to celebrate! We cannot do this if we do not gather together. What a beautiful picture of the people of God when our diversity is unified in the person of Jesus Christ when we gather and worship!!!!
Third, you can be assured that our events will teach from our shared Wesleyan theological tradition. Whenever the gospel is proclaimed it will be aligned with what the stream of Wesleyan tradition has taught for centuries. We do celebrate the diveristy of theological viewpoints but hold fast to an expression of Christian theology that is core to our experience of the gospel.
Fourth, your ministry can become a ministry to the broader church. Your precense at events gives other congregations on the district access to the people and gifts God has given to your community. The LANYI can become a place where those gifts and people can bless others, broadening their influence.