Acteens challenged to ‘take up cross’

Acteens challenged to ‘take up cross’

CrossWalk, a program designed to encourage youth to live out the cross of Christ, kicked off March 17 at First Baptist Church, Prattville, in conjunction with Pizzazz, the annual Acteens conference.
Pizzazz participants were encouraged to literally carry the cross through all 75 associations and commit to being like Christ in their communities.
   
The idea of CrossWalk is based on Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ ”
Youth will be challenged to deny themselves through a pre-event Bible study where they will learn what it means to deny oneself for Christ.
   
They will take up their cross as they participate in local missions projects as they are challenged to apply what they learned in the Bible study.
   
Finally, youth will be challenged to follow Christ on a daily basis as they celebrate their commitment to continue to follow in Jesus’ footsteps through a celebration such as a church-led or association-wide youth rally.
   
“I pray that because CrossWalk Alabama happened, the world will never be the same,” said Candace McIntosh, missions ministries and youth consultant of Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU).
   
The idea for CrossWalk originated in 1996, when a group of Florida Acteens panelists dreamed of a program that would encourage youth to live out the Great Commission by being on mission in their own communities and at the same time draw attention to the Acteens and Youth on Mission program.
   
As the cross made its way through Florida, thousands of youth rose to the occasion and accepted the challenge of the Florida Acteens.
   
One CrossWalk site reported more than 100 decisions and professions of faith during a youth rally sponsored by CrossWalk.
   
At the 1998 National Acteens Convention, the cross was passed to the Kentucky WMU. The same cross was then passed to Mississippi the first week of March.
   
Alabama and Mississippi will hold simultaneous CrossWalks.
   
Ideas for missions ministries during CrossWalk include sharing the gospel using CrossWalk tracts, making and serving meals to the hungry, working beside migrants in the field for a day, painting a house for a needy family, holding a sports tournament for local children and youth and holding a prom for a retirement center.
   
Suggestions for methods of transportation of the six-foot cross include rollerblading it, having a group marathon and passing it off like a baton and moving it along on a farmer’s tractor.
   
“Be creative,” the promotional packet suggests. “However you transport your cross, be sure it’s visible and that people know what you’re doing and why.”
   
Each association has prayer partners through adults who commit to pray daily for youth involved in CrossWalk in their community before the cross arrives, participate in the CrossWalk worship service in their area, pray on site during the missions project and pray weekly for the CrossWalk events during the next year.
   
The cross was built by Harold Stockman in Prattville and was presented to the Autauga/Elmore Association Acteens during  the Acteens Pizzazz conference to begin the walk.
   
The chain of events will continue throughout the state until the week of March 11-17, 2001 when CrossWalk Alabama concludes. The cross will then be passed to another state.
   
The event is made possible in part by gifts to the Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering and the gifts to the Cooperative Program. (SBOM)