Transforming teens

Before any TeenStreet activities can be held, there must be leaders and small group coaches prepared to give their time and energy to help bring young people closer to God. In Russia, ahead of the annual large TeenStreet event in March 2025, the OM team held a conference for 60 coaches in preparation.

"The format of the conference itself was new for the participants, and they liked it very much,” Lika*, from OM in Russia, said. “Many participants had good feedback.”

David*, one of the coaches who attended, found the training sessions helpful and applicable. “At the conference, we were told how to communicate with teenagers, which problems teenagers might face and how to [help them] solve their problems. I especially liked the storytelling courses — explaining stories in simple and easy language for teenagers, so that they could understand and remember them,” he shared.

Following the conference's success, the OM team plans to continue working with the coaches, regularly holding meetings and encouraging and inspiring them in their work with teenagers.  

Small groups, big questions

The coaches put their training into practise at the annual TeenStreet event, which welcomed about 180 teenagers and 125 volunteers and coaches from Muslim republics and least-reached areas.

Small groups provided times for teenagers and their coaches to connect during the event.

“On the very first day, it was a bit difficult to conduct small groups because the teenagers were quite reserved,” coach Galya* said. “Due to free time and the opportunity to communicate more, teenagers got to know each other better and became more open. In the following days, our communication in small groups was very rich and edifying.”

The young people valued the privacy of the small groups, where they could share their thoughts and worries in an atmosphere of trust.

Participant Vova* said: “Small groups were the most cozy time. We all know each other, so our communication was very open, and I was sure that no one would judge me, but on the contrary, everyone would support and inspire me.

“We discussed important topics such as obedience, motivation to be a disciple and how to be a good disciple. All these topics were very important to me. I learnt how my life could change through active participation in ministry.

“Personally, I have made the decision to repent of my sins. This decision has not been easy for me, but I am glad to have taken it. In the future, I want to continue to serve God.”

Connecting with God

Throughout the event, participants were asked to reflect on the question: “Should I connect my life with God?”

In one small group, a coach shared his own story of stealing money from his parents when he was 14, finding faith in God and how he was freed from that sin. Within the small group, nine teenagers decided to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

“It is really God’s miracle!” volunteer Ivan* said. “From my church, there were four non-believing teenagers, and at the TeenStreet event, they all repented. Another of these teenagers had stopped going to church before TeenStreet, but after the conference, he returned to church and began to actively serve.”  

Many decisions were made on worship night, which took place on one of the last days of the event. The evening was a time when teenagers heard and responded to the call to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

During the evening, volunteers were available for the teenagers to speak to or pray with. Galya said, “We stood in white t-shirts with candles in our hands, and this meant that we were ready to listen to the teenagers, and pray for and with them. When girls came to me, prayed with me and repented, we cried together and rejoiced that God now lives in their hearts. It’s a time when you feel the work of God with each teenager.”

One of the teenagers, Daria*, shared about her experience. “Before TeenStreet, I didn’t understand what repentance and baptism were for,” she said. “This conference made me feel the love of God and realise what it is to live for God.

“During the worship night, I felt how God touched my heart, but I thought for a long time whether I needed to take a step towards God — something stopped me. God sent me different signs that I should accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and eventually, I decided to approach the volunteer and pray with her. The feeling of lightness and freedom that I felt is hard to describe.”

In total, more than 30 teenagers prayed and became followers of Jesus Christ at the TeenStreet event.

Pray that these teenagers would be firm in their decision to follow Jesus Christ, and that God will work in and through them.  

*name changed