All The Children Of The World (Part 5)

Much More Than a Youth Group

(Whew! It's been a while.  To catch up on the previous posts in this series click on the Label, 'Dan's Thought Spot')

Tito was a youth when he received Christ while sitting in our living room during our first term in Paraguay.  A Paraguayan with an infectious smile and warm personality, Tito had been attending youth events long before we arrived in his community.   After I shared the Gospel with him I asked if it made sense to him.  “Yes, it’s very clear”, he replied.

“Do you believe what the Bible says about Jesus it true?” I asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Then what’s keeping you from receiving Christ and living for God?”

“Nothing.” came the reply.

After that conversation Tito’s life was changed.  The Holy Spirit’s work in this life was obvious.  Tito began reading through the entire Bible and he would arrive to discipleship hungry to know more about God.  Sadly however, our church at the time was struggling to grow because of the recent death of its only local leader who was also a good friend of mine.  Because of this, reaching out to youth like Tito was not at the top of the church’s priority-list.  In fact it may not have been on their list at all since the church was struggling to survive.  For a new Christian who didn’t have any saved family and few Christian friends, it was critical that Tito get involved in a local church.  But since there were not many opportunities for him to belong at our church at that time Tito remained largely uninvolved in regular events including Sunday morning worship.  Today Tito is a youth who, I believe, loves God, but has little to no involvement with the body of Christ in his daily affairs.  Either by choice or circumstance, Tito is a homeless Christian- a member detached from its body- a believer without a place to belong.

Tito’s story is happening in the lives of countless youth around the world today.  If churches fail to provide their youth the opportunity to be involved and belong we will only continue to see the modern day exodus that is happening among young people who have grown up in the church but are now leaving it in search of somewhere else where they can really belong.  This is why biblical youth ministry also cannot solely be defined by the traditional ‘youth group’.  This can only be one facet of youth ministry.  Youth meetings and programs definitely have their place as churches must reach out to youth as a specific target audience.  But if the only ministry a church offers to their youth is one that segregates them from the rest of the body it will result in just that- a permanent separation from the church. 

Church leaders, not just the youth leaders, must understand this.  Churches must see their youngest members as having something essential to offer.  If youth remain separate and uninvolved in corporate worship, church leaders must be convicted of the fact that their church is incomplete and missing an invaluable element in its experience.  Youth must be given opportunities to exercise their spiritual gifts in all areas of church ministry.  They must be made to feel that they too are an active, valued and essential member of the Body of Christ.  A body comprised not only of various nationalities and abilities, but also comprised of various generations- in which all members, both young and old work together to accomplish the great and glorious work of the head- Christ.   

It wasn’t until I was allowed to lead in ministry that my faith became real to me and I felt that I truly belonged to the Body of Christ.  The first time I ever led in ministry wasn’t in the church though- it was at a Christian boy’s summer camp.  For two weeks we backpacked in the Adirondack Mountains and at the end of our training, one evening I found myself sitting around a campfire with the other boys my age and our leader.  “If you’re willing to give God your summer”, our leader said, “I want to challenge you all to give Him your lives as well.”  Though I was a Christian in name before, that night my identity changed.  After that evening I was no longer a Christian because of my parents, I was a Christian because of Christ- He was my Savior.  After I returned from camp that summer I was allowed to lead in my local church for the first time.  I was given opportunities to sing on the worship team, teach in youth group, help out in Sunday school, and lead Bible studies.  Those experiences instilled in me an undying commitment not only to Christ, but also to His bride- the Church.  But my commitment to the local church was rooted in the sense that I was a needed member and I was a part of what God was doing.  It wasn’t until I was offered and had accepted the opportunity to use my spiritual gifts in the local church that I had this sense.  I had investment and ownership in the church because I was being involved.  When older generations are regularly offering their youth opportunities for meaningful relationship, to be taught and be involved in the Christian community, then we are getting closer to what biblical youth ministry should look like.