BibleSponge

It’s been a while, but hopefully I’ll be able to finish this series within the next week.

Tell your senior pastor that you want to take the youth in a new direction, and his brow will raise.  Step out a bit further and mention that you think one of the reasons you think things are struggling is because your searching for direction for a ministry that not specifically outlined in the Bible and he’ll raise both eyebrows and cross his arms.  Throw in a remark that there’s technically no steadfast biblical mandate for it and he may lose his cool as you lose your job.  Eventually the dust will settle and if nothing else, the inconvenient truth you’ve revealed will have to be dealt with.

One of the most vital parts of any ministry is the simplest.  How does is line up with scripture?  Most youth ministries today fall flat on their face when held up to scripture.  Why?

It’s Not There
For example…The most common argument for a YM striving for validity is the “Titus 2” approach.  When you consider factors such as age closeness among the young ladies and separation of groups, this argument is laughable at best.  To go even further, do these types of youth ministries really take verses like Titus 2:3-5 in the sense that Paul tells us?  For example, I have yet to see a youth ministry that, “teaches young women about motherhood, homemaking, child rearing and biblical submission..” (VBM, Youth Ministry: Part 2).

Consider these thoughts from Mike Yaconelli.  This guy was a pioneer for youth ministry.  Watch this video.  I love it.  Churches need to take heed to it.  After you see this guy in action and how big of a heart and mind he has for youth ministry, then, consider the following quote from him…

"[T]he curtain must be pulled back. If we are to keep young people involved in the church and if we are to renew our congregations, we first must acknowledge that many of our current forms of youth ministry are destructive."  (Mike Yaconelli,"Youth Ministry: A Contemplative Approach,)

While you’ll get berated with every scripture from Genesis to Revelation referencing a young person, you’ll not hear one that solidly outlines youth ministry.  And, if you try and pursue something different than what we have come to know as the “norm”, and try to line it up with scripture, you’ll get lined up with other youth workers who have sounded the same alarm.   Ouch.

JS