Wonder, Welcome, and the Wisdom of Youth By Pastor Jonathan Westerlund
Feb 25, 2026
Our young people are the church of today. Not only that, but young people are the leaders of the church of today if and when we don’t hold them back. I know this to be true because I had the opportunities to be a leader when I was young, opportunities that led me to become a pastor and to serve as synod staff. Now that I am older, my hope and prayer is that I will continue to listen to our young people and to encourage their leadership.
In Matthew 18, we read, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
To truly experience the kingdom of heaven, Jesus calls us to have the humility and faith of a child. Only through a child’s eyes can we wonder at the mysteries of faith and the limitlessness of God. So often, it is from children that we hear the most wonderful questions, and our minds are opened into new avenues of thought. This is the faith to which Christ calls us: an open faith full of wonder. Who better to guide us towards this faith than the young people in our lives, our communities, and our congregations.
Our national church, our synod, and our congregations already have ways that we welcome children and opportunities to do so even more. The 2027 National Youth Gathering is quickly approaching where thousands of young people will worship together and experience God in new and miraculous ways. The Gathering will occur in Minneapolis, June 28-July 2, 2027, with a theme of “Imagine More.” In our Synod, we Pinecrest Lutheran Leadership Ministries gathers for a week each summer to learn, worship, and grow in leadership and faith. About 40 schools within our synod’s territory are affiliated with ELCA Schools and Learning Centers, focused on teaching and caring for children. Our congregations are full with Sunday Schools, and youth programs — but more importantly we have opportunities for our young people to lead. Children, youth, and young adults sing in choirs and play instruments; they learn and teach; they acolyte, usher, read, and preach; they paint, build, cook, serve, and in so many other ways they live into their faith when they are given the opportunity to.
We can learn from our young people. We can grow alongside them. We can encourage them and serve God with them. We can accompany them as we trust God does and be available for them when they need us. Above all, we can listen to them and make sure that they know that God loves them who they are and how they are.
Listening to our young people and encouraging their leadership is incredibly important for their sake, but also for the sake of the church and the growth of our own faith as well. Children, youth, young adults, and families have a variety of different needs and gifts and there is no one idea or program that will fit the mold for everyone. However, we can uplift the good ministry we do while continuing to seek new opportunities. Over the next few weeks, this series of blog posts from our synod staff will focus on ministries that serve and encourage our young people and how we might listen and learn from each other.