John Gil: the new leader of Christian youth

La Semana recently had the chance to have a lengthy talk with one of the youngest pastors of the Tulsan Christian community, John Gil.

John follows in the footsteps of his mother, Carmen Gil, pastor of Victory Hispanic Church. He started studying in 2008 while working with a small group of Christian teenagers that today has become a group of 90 young adults.

The pastor has a difficult challenge with his group, advising a community that is trying hard to forge an identity in the USA while facing the loss of its original roots. The challenge is helping boys and girls to live in a bi-cultural reality, feeling the rejection of the American society, the lack of certitude of the near future and believing at the same time that faith will provide.

John knows what it feels like to be in those shoes.

“I recall when I was a teenager feeling a sense of rejection towards my family’s traditions. I even stopped eating Hispanic food because I felt that these roots would make me different from the rest, and I wanted to fit in; it is very hard to be a Latin American kid in the USA,” said John, who now tries to enlighten the path for the youngest through the teaching of the Gospel.

John has become a leader in the Tulsa community, and as such is quick to express his opinion on every matter of public interest, most recently the Orlando massacre.

“News like this take your breath away, it is sad and at the same time it causes a lot of fear,” said Gil. “I hope the families involved find the strength needed to survive this hard moment. Just like God loves every human being the same, we as a Church follow the same example without taking into consideration the sexual preferences of our worshipers.”

The Pastor is still a bit conservative with regards to homosexual marriage, and believes marriage is a sacred sacrament that should follow the scriptures.

“The perfect union [is] between a man and a woman,” he said. He later explained that the results of this union are the children that with guidance and love will become honest adults. Families are supposed to lead the child onto the right path, and for that husbands and wives need to remember what their roles are, advised the pastor.

Gil considers his purpose as a pastor is to guide the youngest in the community so that one day they can lead by example. (La Semana)