The Idea of Youth Ministry
“Youth ministry is a good idea. But there's a better idea...it's called Church.”
-Mike Yaconelli
There has for a long time it seems been an opinion in Christianity, particularly in the west, that it is important to be able to communicate the Christian worldview in a way relevant to the different people groups and demographics in our churches. This has evolved in our day into churches having an elderly ministry, a young adult ministry, a singles ministry, a ministry for those who are married, as well as many others. I believe these have their benefits and of course it should be no secret that I believe, like Mr. Yaconelli that a ministry for our youth is a good idea.
Teenagers today live in a very different world than you lived in when you were in middle school and high school. They live in a very different world from when I was in high school (class of '99). They have never had to wait more than an hour to develop photos, they never have known a time without the Internet or even cable modems! They would much rather text than talk and are deeply dependent on personal digital assistants (PDA) for their social connections. They are bombarded with a secular humanistic understanding and view of the world through the media (movies, television, radio, Internet) that tells them that they have the right to be free and do whatever they want with their bodies, their money, their lives, though this way of living is not at all free, but a life in slavery to sin. The kicker here is that they are seeing that this way is something that not only works but is the most prominent in their world.
Now enters the youth worker. He has the task of competing with the culture and demonstrating that it is full of lies and deceit. He must show them that the new world of Jesus is what they really long for as humans and through his work he has secured for them a place there. I believe that in our day we need to realize that though youth ministry is a good idea, we need to know that the better idea is the Church. Our local church is a community built upon a very deep and trusted foundation. We are a physical manifestation of the universal and glorious Kingdom of God. We are called to reflect our great God's beauty and justice in a dark, messy and hurting world. We need to allow our Lord's prayer to come true in our churches, that we would be one as he and the father are one (John 17:22&23), so that we would be known by our love for one another.
As your Youth Director, I believe that the only hope I have for a successful ministry and program is if I can show the youth that they are not just part of a youth group, they are part of this community of faith. Beloved, I need your help to do this. The time of thinking youth ministry is enough is over. Our Lord has great desires for our youth and for our church.
We must ask ourselves and one another two questions: What does it look like to plug the kids into the life of the church? What does it look like for our community, our local church to be plugged into the lives of the youth? God's word is very clear that the community of faith is to be active in teaching and demonstrating his Law to our youth. For example we read in Deuteronomy 6:6&7, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” When children are baptized in the presence of the congregation we are pretty much reaffirming our commitment to carry out the huge task assigned to the people of God in these verses. It is never solely the parents responsibility to raise their children, not when they are part of the Christian community. It is not solely your Youth Director's job either. We are all committed to this. There are a few practical ways in my opinion we can as a community plug into the lives of our youth and to plug our youths into the life of the church.
One way is to volunteer your time for interacting. Our youths need meaningful close relationships with adults in addition to their parents. Some things will always be effective no matter how much technology seems to distinguish this generation: camping, fishing, shopping, lunch, amusement parks, zoos, concerts, all these are but a few activities that make for great opportunities to pour into the life of a youth.
Meeting with one another for the purpose of praying for our youth is another way we can plug in. Paul teaches Timothy that prayer is a means through which God accomplishes his purposes from government to the individual salvation of people (I Timothy 2:1-4). He desires to work through our prayers in the lives of our youth, so please pray!
And finally, demonstrating the truth of God's glorious gospel to our youth. They are watching us so let us show them how great our God is. The Christian is one rescued from the kingdom of darkness by the victorious work of Jesus (Colossians 1:13). We are united in that wonderful act and it no longer matters what color we are, how we were raised or how much money we make, we are all now the same people, the New Humanity. Let us love one another and may we strive for love and peace above all else. We are known by our love for one another and evil works primarily through the destruction of relationships and divisions in the community of faith. Our youth need to learn the gift of loving in diversity and showing grace and mercy to their fellow image bearers and they will follow our examples.
-Mike Yaconelli
There has for a long time it seems been an opinion in Christianity, particularly in the west, that it is important to be able to communicate the Christian worldview in a way relevant to the different people groups and demographics in our churches. This has evolved in our day into churches having an elderly ministry, a young adult ministry, a singles ministry, a ministry for those who are married, as well as many others. I believe these have their benefits and of course it should be no secret that I believe, like Mr. Yaconelli that a ministry for our youth is a good idea.
Teenagers today live in a very different world than you lived in when you were in middle school and high school. They live in a very different world from when I was in high school (class of '99). They have never had to wait more than an hour to develop photos, they never have known a time without the Internet or even cable modems! They would much rather text than talk and are deeply dependent on personal digital assistants (PDA) for their social connections. They are bombarded with a secular humanistic understanding and view of the world through the media (movies, television, radio, Internet) that tells them that they have the right to be free and do whatever they want with their bodies, their money, their lives, though this way of living is not at all free, but a life in slavery to sin. The kicker here is that they are seeing that this way is something that not only works but is the most prominent in their world.
Now enters the youth worker. He has the task of competing with the culture and demonstrating that it is full of lies and deceit. He must show them that the new world of Jesus is what they really long for as humans and through his work he has secured for them a place there. I believe that in our day we need to realize that though youth ministry is a good idea, we need to know that the better idea is the Church. Our local church is a community built upon a very deep and trusted foundation. We are a physical manifestation of the universal and glorious Kingdom of God. We are called to reflect our great God's beauty and justice in a dark, messy and hurting world. We need to allow our Lord's prayer to come true in our churches, that we would be one as he and the father are one (John 17:22&23), so that we would be known by our love for one another.
As your Youth Director, I believe that the only hope I have for a successful ministry and program is if I can show the youth that they are not just part of a youth group, they are part of this community of faith. Beloved, I need your help to do this. The time of thinking youth ministry is enough is over. Our Lord has great desires for our youth and for our church.
We must ask ourselves and one another two questions: What does it look like to plug the kids into the life of the church? What does it look like for our community, our local church to be plugged into the lives of the youth? God's word is very clear that the community of faith is to be active in teaching and demonstrating his Law to our youth. For example we read in Deuteronomy 6:6&7, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” When children are baptized in the presence of the congregation we are pretty much reaffirming our commitment to carry out the huge task assigned to the people of God in these verses. It is never solely the parents responsibility to raise their children, not when they are part of the Christian community. It is not solely your Youth Director's job either. We are all committed to this. There are a few practical ways in my opinion we can as a community plug into the lives of our youth and to plug our youths into the life of the church.
One way is to volunteer your time for interacting. Our youths need meaningful close relationships with adults in addition to their parents. Some things will always be effective no matter how much technology seems to distinguish this generation: camping, fishing, shopping, lunch, amusement parks, zoos, concerts, all these are but a few activities that make for great opportunities to pour into the life of a youth.
Meeting with one another for the purpose of praying for our youth is another way we can plug in. Paul teaches Timothy that prayer is a means through which God accomplishes his purposes from government to the individual salvation of people (I Timothy 2:1-4). He desires to work through our prayers in the lives of our youth, so please pray!
And finally, demonstrating the truth of God's glorious gospel to our youth. They are watching us so let us show them how great our God is. The Christian is one rescued from the kingdom of darkness by the victorious work of Jesus (Colossians 1:13). We are united in that wonderful act and it no longer matters what color we are, how we were raised or how much money we make, we are all now the same people, the New Humanity. Let us love one another and may we strive for love and peace above all else. We are known by our love for one another and evil works primarily through the destruction of relationships and divisions in the community of faith. Our youth need to learn the gift of loving in diversity and showing grace and mercy to their fellow image bearers and they will follow our examples.
posted by John Howell at 7:34 PM
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