Junior Talent Showcases Diversity of Church of God Youth
For the second time at a Church of God General Assembly, young talent was on display, on the stage, on canvases, and on tables as Church of God young people between the ages of 7-12 participated in Junior Talent last month at the 78th International General Assembly in San Antonio, Texas.
If anyone was concerned about the future of the Church of God, the competition that took place at the Lila Cockrell Theatre confirmed that the Church of God is in good hands for years to come. Children gifted in singing, drama, poetry and so much more (even a ventriloquist) filled the stage throughout the week. Not only did Junior Talent show off an array of talent but also allowed the youth of today to experience all that is a General Assembly.
Church of God Youth and Discipleship Assistant Director Brian Yaun believes that Junior Talent being at General Assembly is a true reflection of the vision of the Church of God Youth and Discipleship department.
“International Junior Talent competition has enriched the General Assembly experience for students and families, reflecting the multigenerational emphasis of the Church of God and the mission of Youth and Discipleship to cultivate our students’ gifts and talents for Kingdom ministry.” Yaun stated.
Junior Talent was also a change of pace throughout the day. While the General Council was all business throughout the day, the Cockrell Theatre was lively with cheers and excitement, from the parents and youth leaders throughout the world.
Possibly the most impressive thing is the nerves, or lack thereof, with the students competing. Junior Talent includes kids 12 and under but while performing, they show a maturity that is well beyond their years. Performing or speaking at anything related to General Assembly would work up nerves and anxiety for even the most seasoned of speakers or performers. But the students competing in Junior Talent hid the nerves and performed on the highest of levels. The ones showing the most nerves were not the students competing. The nerves came from the parents nervously squirming in the seats; the pastor, the youth pastor, the siblings and all the family that accompanied each student to Texas; that is where you found the nerves!
The competition continued through Thursday, July 28, with an award ceremony that took place on Friday, July 29 at 10:00 am.
(Source: This article was adapted from an article originally written by Justin Holbrook, which was published in the Wednesday, July 27 edition of General Assembly TODAY)
