Next-Gen Leadership: No Minimum Age Requirement!

When does a “next-gen” leader start leading?

The textbook definition of leadership tells us that leadership, in its simplest form, is influence. If this is true, then AJ Adlawan—at 8 years of age—is a leader!

AJ is a great kid who loves to read and play soccer. When he lists his favorite books, it's everything from Captain Underpants to “Little Visits with God!”

Until a recent move to Red Deer, Alberta, AJ and his family attended Immanuel Fellowship in Abbotsford. It was here where AJ connected with the Kids Club Program. Under the leadership of Mikey Pierson, director of Immanuel Kids, AJ was encouraged to invite his school friends to join him at Immanuel Kids Club.

AJ extended invitations to all 30 of his classmates, and one friend, Seth, mentioned that he thought he had been to that church before! Seth went home and asked his Dad about it; he came back to school the next day and told AJ that indeed he and his family used to go to Immanuel.

That invitation to Kids Club turned into a return to church for Seth and his whole family. AJ’s mom, Peach, explained that this in turn led to even more people showing up at church!

AJ’s invitation to Immanuel Kids Club exponentially impacted more than just Seth and his family, and the far-reaching effect is still growing.

This is what happens when we invite just one person to know the truth about Jesus.

We often think of next-gen leaders as our “20 somethings” and we need to be reminded that God took a young boy's lunch and multiplied it and fed thousands of people.

8 (almost 9) year old AJ is impacting his culture with the truth about Jesus one invitation at a time.

Next-gen leadership has no minimum age requirement.

Hallelujah for that!