As I survey the landscape of local youth ministry, culture and the individual adolescent, a chill runs up my spine, simultaneously bringing an air of excitement, and terror. We live in a time that is exploding with opportunity, resources and desire for an authentic encounter with God and His call to life, among youth. At the same time, the world, personal desires and the devil have never been more creative in utilizing those same opportunities, resources and hunger to deceive and delude our target group.
You can quickly see the ironic tension. Often the very tools we find so meaningful in introducing youth to Christ can and do become distractions, nothing more than self propagating entertaining social fares rather than life transforming God encounters.
I believe part of the answer lies in partnering with communities and local churches to do two very important things;
1. Train paid and volunteer youth staff, to be “the expert” when it comes to authentic transformation. They must become “shepherds” of youth, not operators of church educational programs and social events.
2. Provide a local community resource that understands and caters to without isolating, youth culture, allowing communities and churches which have limited resources to challenge youth on a larger scale while enhancing their own goals and ministries.
You can quickly see the ironic tension. Often the very tools we find so meaningful in introducing youth to Christ can and do become distractions, nothing more than self propagating entertaining social fares rather than life transforming God encounters.
I believe part of the answer lies in partnering with communities and local churches to do two very important things;
1. Train paid and volunteer youth staff, to be “the expert” when it comes to authentic transformation. They must become “shepherds” of youth, not operators of church educational programs and social events.
2. Provide a local community resource that understands and caters to without isolating, youth culture, allowing communities and churches which have limited resources to challenge youth on a larger scale while enhancing their own goals and ministries.
