Journey to Glory: How a Group of Rwandese Young Adults Live Their Faith
By Neat Randriamialison
I haven’t seen this kind of fire for Jesus in a long time.
From May 30 to June 1 in Salt Lake City, I witnessed something remarkable. A group of Rwandese young adults who have created what many churches are still praying for: a spiritual community that’s alive, consistent, and mission-driven. They call it Journey to Glory.
This group, made up of young adults ages 18 to 30 from across the United States, started meeting online just a few years ago. Twice a week, they gather on Zoom to study the Bible. And at the end of each month, they serve the homeless in their local cities. And once a year, they meet in person to reconnect, meet newcomers, but most importantly, worship together.
What impressed me most was their intentionality. They’re not just participants, they’re leaders. They’ve formed a board. They assign roles. They plan and execute their retreats with purpose. No one is a spectator. Some prepared food. Others handled logistics. A few coordinated community outreach. Others booked speakers and managed the weekend flow.
It’s simple. They are a church. A movement focused on growing in Christ together while finding ways to make an impact in their community.
One of the young leaders, Robin, flew in from Tennessee. He’s 25, turning 26 in July, and his passion is impossible to ignore.
“We started this group to grow in Christ together,” he shared. “We don’t want to just talk about faith, we want to live it.”
Robin attended the first retreat just two months after arriving in the United States. That experience stayed with him. So when the second one came around, he made up his mind to attend, even if it meant risking his job.
“This year, I asked for Friday and Monday off,” he said. “They didn’t approve it. But if my job doesn’t value my spiritual life, that’s a problem. I’m not a money lover. If Jesus left heaven—Heaven!—just to be nailed to a cross for me, then I can give Him a weekend.”
Robin served as a worship leader throughout the retreat and believes his talents are gifts from God to be used for ministry.
“God wants the best of me. My energy. My voice. My time. My resources,” he said. “There are people who want to dance but don’t have legs. People who want to sing but are on oxygen. I still have all of that, so I use it for Him.”
He doesn’t see worship as performance. For him, it’s a form of prayer and intercession.
“When I sing, I’m preaching. When I dance, I’m praying. I’m thanking God for my salvation, and I’m praying for others to experience it too. This is the only way to God, and I want everyone to have it.”
Journey to Glory is more than a Bible study. It’s a spiritual movement led by young people who aren’t waiting to be given a platform; they’re building one. And they’re doing it with humility, vision, and an unshakable passion for Jesus.
I pray that every church community can be inspired by what I saw that weekend. When young people are given space, responsibility, and the freedom to lead, this is what it can look like.
