The Value of Youth Ministry
2/5/06 • 7/22/07
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The
Investment and the Reward
Youth Ministry is perhaps one of the most worthwhile investments in ministry around today.
Disappointing?
Heart-breaking?
- Yes, at times. But the potential rewards are greater than the almost-certain hurt of the hardships!
Is it possible that we can reach into the life and heart of young people and transfer them to the kingdom of light during the most influential years of their life? Before they get hard and set in their ways, while there is still hope of stirring up that faith and passionate pursuit of Jesus, will we hone their passions toward heaven? As it says,
"Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more, (Ecc 4:13 WEB)."
"I have more understanding than all my teachers; for Your testimonies are my prayer. 100 I understand more than the old men, because I keep Your Commandments, (Psa 119:99-100 MKJV)." "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the evil days come, and the years draw near, When you will say, "I have no pleasure in them," (Ecc 12:1 WEB)."
While some speak of building "Mega-churches" of unregenerate pew trophies, there lies an opportunity much more urgent and worthwhile in the hearts of a generation that is soon slipping through the hands of today's church leaders.
You got to admit, there is something special about teen-age years that makes people more prone to totally sell out to a cause with vibrant faith without holding anything back (See Exo 33:11). Seeing this, will we fail to tap into what God has set up in such eager hearts before they are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3:13; Ecc 4:13) that this life slowly kills us with?
The Path to
Heaven
Hopefully we will remember Jesus' words and agree with them:
Mat 18:3-4 MKJV …Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. 4 Therefore whoever shall humble himself like this little child, this one is the greater in the kingdom of Heaven. (Also see Mk 10:15)
Luk 10:21 WEB …Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight." (Compare Mat 11:25)
Mar 10:14 MKJV …Jesus… said to them, Allow the little children to come to Me and do not hinder them. For of such is the kingdom of God.
No, it’s not "the church of tomorrow," but rather the only real church of today! Instead of speaking of the church tomorrow we should rather say "Lord renew my youth and make me like-wise so I can have a shot at Heaven!"
It’s kind of strange. Though we know that the renewal of godly youthfulness is supposed to be our goal:
Ps 103:5; Jer 2:2-3; Ezk 16:43; Hos 2:15; Rev 2:3-5
And we also know that the Bible repeatedly exhorts us not to despise youth:
1Sam 2:18, 26; 3:1, 4, 7, 10-20; 17:33-37, 42-50; 2Ki 22:1; Jer 1:6-10; Dan 1:17 wisdom; Zach 4:10; Mat 18:10; 21:16; 1Cor 1:28; 1Ti 4:12; Jol 2:28/Act 2:17; Heb 11:23
…yet we still do it anyway!
Though we all seem to know and quote so many passages about how we are to enter heaven like a child, we still habitually look down on youth as being a disgraceful quality, even if a young person’s faith is greater than our own!
The
Potential
Though most youth are observably fickle, we must choose to believe that it is possible to see them walk up-rightly from their youth:
1Sam 12:2; 1Ki 18:12; Ps 71:5, 17
"Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn't depart out of the Tent., (Exo 33:11 WEB)."
Oh that older and younger alike would learn to pray with the desperation of Joshua!
"My zeal has eaten me up, because my enemies have forgotten Your Words… 141 I am small and despised; yet I do not forget Your Commandments, (Psa 119:139-141 MKJV)."
It’s so easy to say, "Boys will be boys," but it takes faith in Jesus to set your face for greater things, and realistically "…exhort the younger men to be sober-minded, (Tit 2:6 WEB)."
The
"Bottom Line"
YOUTH is not everything. Rather, youth in-and-of itself is vanity, (Ecc 11:10) and has no value apart from pursuing Jesus:
Mar 10:14 MKJV …Jesus… said to them, Allow the little children to come to Me… For of such is the kingdom of God.
And yes, youth is said to have the foolish sins that we are to flee from: Pro 7:7; Jer 3:25; 32:30; 2Tim 2:22
In fact, godly age is greater that godly youth:
Pro 4:18 MKJV But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
Pro 16:31 WEB Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.
Ecc 7:8 WEB Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Also see: 2Cor 3:18; 1Tim 5:1; 1Pet 5:5
But the important point here is that we typically assume that age alone
makes us greater and more godly. We say in our heart, we
were not sensible at all until we got older, so there’s no way that
those youth could have it any better or more figured out than we did when we
were young…
It is clear: Godly age is indeed greater than godly youth.
But at the same time, may we never reject, belittle, despise, or turn away from the value, potential, and overall exciting profitability found in stirring up youth to come after Jesus. May we not forget that spiritual youth is of more value than physical age. This is why I believe in youth ministry, and this is why I am determined (whether vicariously or directly) to: "…train the young women… 6 [and] …exhort the young men… (Tit 2:4, 6 MKJV)."