“People plan their path, but the Lord secures their steps.” — Proverbs 16:9 (CEB)
“We have three!” That was the initial response I received as the transitional minister at the Reformed Church of Bushkill when I asked about our young adults. Two of them were already serving faithfully, leading Sunday studies and Friday youth worship.
Eager to support our Gen Z community, our leadership partnered with Generation Spark to help guide us forward.
We quickly discovered that God was already doing more than we realized. Guided by the Generation Spark Leadership team and our Coach, we widened our lens to include anyone connected to our church family– like the grandson of a member who visited occasionally, the brother of an attendee, or a special-needs young adult sitting gently on the margins—and our count grew from three to 11 young adults.
The journey hasn’t been a straight line. We faced a setback when our two core young adult leaders stepped down from their volunteer roles. Yet, where there was mourning, God brought joy. More young adults began attending worship, and we recently received two new members, ages 18 and 24!
To create a low-pressure, non-judgmental space for this group to explore faith at their own pace, our church’s Generation Spark team (affectionately called the “Sparklers”) launched Bushkill After Hours for ages 18–30. We’ve hosted two events so far filled with pizza, games, honest conversation, and prayer. The crowd is small, but the vibe is energetic, and we are moving to bi-monthly gatherings.
Our plans didn’t go exactly as expected, and we don’t have 11 in one room yet, but we clearly see God in our midst.
When we let go of old expectations, beautiful things happen. Moving forward, our focus is simply to nurture what God has already started growing so naturally. Instead of forcing rigid programs, we are committed to continuing this organic work by showing up, listening well, and sustaining this safe space so our young adults can thrive deeply in their own time.
We plan, and God directs.
Rev. Marisol Ferrer Malloy
Rev. Marisol Ferrer Malloy is a transitional pastor, currently serving the Reformed Church of Bushkill.
