Why Does CRBC Have A Youth Ministry?
Youth Groups are not found in the Bible! This is not as bad as it may seem. There are many good things that we do which are not in the Bible. For instance: Sunday School, bus ministries, mission agencies, radio ministries, etc.
This is not a problem as long as these things are Biblically based. The problem this causes is that it becomes extremely easy for Youth Groups to stray from the proper Biblical guidelines.
Unfortunately, many Youth Groups do stray far from Biblical guidelines. The average Youth Ministry falls into one of two categories:
1. A Youth Ministry that suffers from a LACK of emphasis.
Þ The Youth Ministry that meets only on Sunday mornings.
Þ The Youth Ministry that is run by the only person available.
Þ The Youth Ministry that is run by the overworked pastor.
Þ The Youth Ministry that is run by the stepping stone assistant.
2. A Youth Ministry that has an ENTERTAINMENT emphasis.
Þ Teens are entertained so that they will desire to come.
Þ Preaching on sin is avoided so that they will not be offended.
Þ Kids must be kept happy so that their tithing families are happy.
All of this comes from not grounding a Youth Ministry on a Biblical basis!
WE HAVE A BIBLICAL BASIS!!!
Deuteronomy 31:12 – Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law.
II Timothy 2:5 – And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
I Chronicles 13:9,10 – And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.
Ecclesiastes 12:1 – Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
I Timothy 4:12 – Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Some areas where Biblical principles are violated in Youth Ministries are:
THE FOCUS OF THE CRBC YOUTH MINISTRY IS SERVICE
The principle of being a servant is found all throughout the Bible (Luke 22:27; Phil. 2:7; John 13:4-17; Luke 17:10; Romans 12:1). The Youth Group must understand and realize that the reason we have a Youth Ministry is to reach others with the gospel of Jesus Christ, to grow in the grace of the Lord, and to serve in a local church.
Teens (and adults) develop a service attitude and a burden for souls by being directed toward the harvest. Jesus pointed to the harvest:
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. – John 4:35
Soul-winning and outreach must be a top priority.
Offering fun activities is good. Offering a clean alternative environment is good, but these things can not be the focus. We must have our goal clearly set on Biblical service.
If the teens focus is service, then no activity will be a failure!
SERVICE FOCUS?
? Constantly point people to the harvest.
? Have a devotion, or some period where you open the Scripture at every Youth Group meeting.
? Make it clear that they should attend ALL activities and not just the ones they like.
? Have a teen soul-winning time.
? Have teens phone the teens that need rides and line them up for the services.
? Have teens work bus and van routes.
? Get preacher boys preaching.
? Keep the overall goal in front of them.
PRESS TOWARD THE MARK!