Pioneer Memorial Church (PMC) and Andrews University in Michigan, United States, hosted a special weekend event organized by Generation Youth Christ (GYC) on October 24 and 25, 2025, under the theme “Follow Me.” The program invited Andrews students and visiting young people to reflect on what it means to truly follow Jesus and to find their identity in Him.

The invitation for GYC to come to Berrien Springs originated with Shane Anderson, Pioneer Memorial Church lead pastor, who expressed an interest in GYC’s programming.

“I felt like they have an inspirational value, Bible-based value, that I certainly would want at Pioneer, and by extension for the campus as well,” said Anderson.

GYC has been working as an affiliated lay-led organization within the Seventh-day Adventist Church since 2002, engaging youth and young adults through annual conferences and regional spiritual events.

According to promotional materials, the “Follow Me” theme was designed to explore “what it truly means to walk with Jesus through life’s highs and lows.” Anderson highlighted the relevance of the focus for today’s students, noting that a Christ-centered life runs counter to many cultural pressures. He said he viewed the weekend as a valuable opportunity to explore that theme more deeply, supported by afternoon seminars.

The weekend began with a Friday night vespers program, where North Carolina-based public speaker Sebastien Braxton spoke on the topic “I’m Not Following.” Braxton discussed the necessity of discipleship and adequately following God, as modeled by Jesus’ disciples in the Gospels. He spoke again on Sabbath for the second service at PMC, with a sermon titled “It’s for You.” During the sermon, he highlighted the story of Samuel, who, prior to being a prophet, actively worked for God during his youth. Braxton called for today’s youth to bear their weight in doing spiritual work for God within the church.

The first service at PMC on Sabbath (Saturday) featured speaker Sikhululekile Daco, associate editor of the Adventist Review, with her sermon titled “Mind Your Own Business.” Daco spoke about Jesus’ rebuke of Martha in the Book of Luke, where He preferred her to, in Daco’s words, “mind her own business” when criticizing her sister. Daco explained how it is better to focus on one's personal relationship with God rather than seeking to critique others.

On Sabbath afternoon, the event closed with breakout sessions led by David Buruchara, a clinical mental health counselor based in Virginia; Chad Kreuzer, director of Anchor Point Films; Daco; and Anderson.

Generation Youth Christ is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The original article was published on the Andrews University news site.