Why is Youth Ministry Important?

Hello dear reader,

I can see how a general question about youth ministry seems rather un-enticing, but if you're willing to follow me down this rabbit trail, I guarantee there will be some feelings of disgust, intrigue, offence, and possibly inspiration (if you finish this blog post with none of the four feelings, please comment and tell me how you DID feel - I'm rather curious to see the results).

So, I'm reading the meditation from John Piper's book, "A Godward Life," and this is the title: Does it Pay to Visit Vermin? Meditation on James 1:27 (look up the verse to see context - I'm not going to spell out everything) .
Aside from the title standing out, a lot of what J.P. said really bounced off the page:

"Local businessmen in Brazil call them 'vermin.' Garbage. 'If we let them grow up, they will be criminals, a blight on our society.' There are millions of homeless children on the streets of Brazil... They beg, they steal, they sell their bodies. They eat garbage. They start scared and end scarred, hard, and dead.

Some policemen and others moonlight by contracting to kill street children so that they will not menace the city. In 1992 an average of four-hundred of these children were killed monthly in Brazil.

It's the same in other big cities. the Philippine government estimates that there are fifteen thousand child prostitutes in Manila between the ages of nine and twelve. One estimate suggests in Thailand there are eight hundred thousand girls between twelve and sixteen years old involved in prostitution."

\\ Feeling disgust yet? //



I felt sick to my stomach after reading this. Since I am someone who is involved in youth ministry and has made relationships with the youth, and grow up in a society that seeks to provide child care and safe houses for those less fortunate, the very thought of people being hired to kill orphan youth, or youth having to subject themselves to prostitution, is disgusting.

Of course, some may think, "But, that's not happening here, why should it be our concern?" 
To that I say, read James 1:27, in fact while you're at it, go look up the word "fatherless" in biblegateway.com and see how many times God mentions too look after the fatherless and the widow. 

However, that's not the question we're tracking with, the question is "why is youth ministry so important?"
How about the fact Canada has the privilege to do youth ministry programs without the threat of their youth being killed off, OR that we can still teach Christianity openly?

Should we not be taking the opportunity to teach, show, expect our youth to be discipled, reading their Bibles WITHOUT BEING TOLD TO, praying WITHOUT HESITANCY, and attending youth group WITHOUT DEFAULT. 



\\ Feeling intrigue yet? //



But some would rather have youth groups play dodgeball, basket ball, or hockey, invite bands to play, or one hit wonder speakers to perform; just to draw the masses and say it's growing. 

\\ Oooohhh, feeling offended yet? //



Youth Ministry in Canada has the MOST AMAZING opportunity to teach youth how to read their Bibles, how to pray, memorize Scripture together, build relationships, and actively be doing discipleship - and when all of this is done right: with passion, excitement, practical application, hands on learning - NONE OF THIS IS BORING!

So often youth groups shy away from doing Bible related activities, mixers, or Scripture memorization because it's boring or awkward. MAYBE it's also because they do not now how to run one of those activities - BUT WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE NOW BECAUSE OF THE INTERNET.
Be warned, not everything on the internet is valid (say whhhaaaaattt?) BUT - one can ALWAYS use discernment when looking for inspiration.

Use these questions for yourself when seeking to run an activity or method on the internet:

1. Would I want to do this/have this done to me?

    A. No - DON'T MAKE ANYONE ELSE DO IT  
    B. Yes
         1) I'm I the only one who would do it?
             a. Yes - DON'T MAKE ANYONE ELSE DO IT

2. Does this really build relationships?

    A. Does it involve embarrassing someone
          1) Yes - DON'T DO IT... EVER
          2) No - WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION
    B. Do you actually learn about someone else that you would want to have a follow up conversation?
         1) Yes - WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION
         2) No - DON'T DO IT
    C. Does it involved physical contact (not including handshakes, high fives, fist bumps, or side hugs)
         1) Yes- hmmmm, physical contact with hormonal adolescent teens...
                                                                                       ...sure why not NEVER EVER DO IT
         2) No - WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION

3. Does this help keep Scripture to memory/ not contradict Scripture?
    A. Yes - WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION
    B. No - DON'T DO IT         



\\ feeling inspired yet? //


Seriosuly dear reader, I hope that this blog post made you feel something about youth ministry and how it's important. I could go through the pain staking effort of showing you the stats of youth that are falling away from the Church between the ages of 18-27, if that would help. 

If we in youth ministry are not taking seriosuly the urgency and necessity of teaching youth how to read their Bibles and pray through discipleship in youth group, and how to be applying what they are learning in their daily lives outside of youth group and the Church, how can we expect them to be strong in their faith when they enter adulthood? 

Please, dear Reader, take this all into consideration, talk about with with your friends and family, your church members, your youth leaders and pastors - don't just dismiss this. Please, please do something, something that can help youth ministry. 

God, my Heavenly Father, do not let this post be a waist of space on the internet. Let this inspire someone to do something for the Church of Canada, for Youth Ministry as a whole. Let this offend someone that they will talk about it and therefore affect someone who needed to hear it. Let this intrigue someone that they would seek to further youth ministry in a productive way. Let his disgust someone that they would do something about youth ministry or the lack there of in the world. 
If this post cannot do any of that, or anything at all... may it float in cyberspace making no difference whatsoever. 
In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

~To God be the glory

Begin again

Hey team!
Youth group starts up again this week!

Jr. youth begins tonight, and Sr. youth on Friday!

It's been a good break, but I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things with youth group and our leaders.

SPEAKING OF WHICH.

We have lost some leaders and have gained a few this new year.

Please continue to pray for the future youth leaders, who are not in youth ministry yet, will come either on their own by the prompting of the Holy Spirit; or that the youth pastor, our current youth leaders, or myself, will have someone brought to our minds that we can seek out.

When it comes to youth leaders, age does not matter, in fact I would prefer to see more adults and grandparents being youth leaders in youth group. We need the older generation disciplining our youth, and if they're not doing it already they should be with youth group being a great facilitator. 

Oh... another thing... I have withdrawn from my involvement with Sr. youth, so I will not be sharing as much stories about what's going on their, but my hope is that I can assist our Youth Pastor by checking in and regularly seeing how our leaders are doing (sort of what I've been doing with Jr. youth leaders, just not attending the meetings).

Believe me, I'm not thrilled with the decision myself, but for now I think it may be for the best; until I can get a handle on my life and what responsibilities I can take on without burning out.

Till the next youth group update!

~To God be the glory

The Mystery, misery, and marvel of marriage

As I got up at the crack of 8am (I know, I'm slipping in my early morning wake up hours), I read a chapter(? - the sections are called 'meditations') out of John Piper's book "A Godward Life, Seeing the supremacy of God in all of life," about marriage.

I have been reading another book about celibacy (a topic which I said I would talk about at some point) and seeing many people on social media sites, friends and strangers, getting married and having babies - so I figured writing out this meditation by John Piper would be helpful and insightful not only to those who are married, but also to those who are thinking of marriage, or are not but value the concept of it. 
Without further ado, here's John Piper's meditation, 'The Slow Fires of Misery - Enduring the Pain of a Flawed Marriage' - ps. the underlined sections in the write out are not in the book, but are my own highlights of what I thought was important or noteworthy.

"Abraham Lincoln's marriage was a mess, and accepting the pain brought deep strength in the long run. 

I write this bit because it is wrong to seek refuge from physical abuse, but because, short of that, millions of marriages end over the agony of heartbreaking disappointments and frustrations. They do not need to. There is much to gain in embracing the pain for Christ and his kingdom.

Our culture has made divorce acceptable and therefore easier to justify on the basis of emotional pain. Historically, the misery of painful emotions was not a sanction for divorce in most cultures. Marriage durability - with or without emotional pain -  was valued above emotional tranquility for the sake of children, the stability of society, and in the case of Christians, for the glory of Christ. In Christianity such rugged, enduring marriages, through pain and heartache, are rooted on the marriage of God to his rebellious people whom he has never fully cast off.  

'Your husband is your Maker... For the LORD has called you, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even like a wife of one's youth when she is rejected,' says your god. 'For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you' (Isaiah 54:5-7).  

Abraham Lincoln brought debilities to his marriage with Mary Todd. He was emotionally withdrawn and praised reason over passion. She said that he "was not a demonstrative man... When he felt most deeply, he expressed the lead." He was absent, emotionally or physically, most of the time. For years before his presidency, he spent four months each year away from home on the judicial circuit. He was indulgent with the children and left their management almost entirely to his wife. 

Mary often flew into rages:
She pushed Lincoln relentlessly to seek high public office, she complained endlessly about poverty; she overran her budget shamelessly, both in Springfield and in the White House; she abused servants as if they were slaves (and ragged on Lincoln when he tried to pay them extra on the side); she assaulted him on more than one occasion (with firewood, with potatoes)l she probably once chased him with a knife through their backyard in Springfield; and she treated his casual; contacts with attractive females as a direct threat, while herself flirting constantly and dressing to kill. A regular visitor to the White House wrote of Mrs. Lincoln that 'she was vain, passionately fond of dress and wore her dress shorter at the top and longer at the train than even fashions demanded. She had great pride in her elegant neck  and bust, and grieved the president greatly by her constant display of her person and fine clothes' (Mark Noll, "The Struggle for Lincoln's Soul," Books and Culture, vol. 1, no. 1, September/October 1995, 3-6). 

It was a pain-filled marriage. The familiar lines in his face and the somber countenance reveal more than the stress of civil war. But the two stayed married. They kept at least that part of their vows. They embraced the pain, even if they could not (or would not) remove it. 

What was the gain? God will give the final answer, but here are two historical assessments. (1) How was it that Lincoln, when president, could work so effectively with the rampant egos who filled his administration? "The long years of dealing with his tempestuous wife helped prepare Lincoln for handling the difficult people he encountered as president." In other words, a whole nation benefited from his embracing the pain.  (2) "Over the slow fires of misery that he learned to keep banked and under heavy pressure deep within him, his innate qualities of patience, tolerance, forbearance, and forgiveness were tempered and refined." America can be glad that Lincoln did not run from the fires of misery in his marriage. There were resources for healing he did not know, and short of healing, embracing the fire is better than escape. 

Increasingly, contemporary culture assumes the opposite. Pain-free relationships are assumed as a right. But God promises his people something better. "Blessed is the man who endures trail, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12, RSV). "

How's that 8am food for thought?

THANK YOU JOHN PIPER

I legitimately have no say on what an ideal marriage is or looks like on a personal level. However, as someone who knows marriage to be a sacred and highly symbolic thing in biblical terms, I know this is a topic that cannot be avoided or neglected if one is in a marriage or not.
I have seen and heard of Christians in marriages end in divorce, I see young adults get married and problems come up and they do not know how to deal with them, or know who to turn to, and struggle in the relationship. I know things like this pains the heart of God, because He is the author of relationships and created intimacy in marriage to be a beautiful thing... and sin taints everything.

Yet, like John Piper pointed out, God can still redeem and use misery in marriage for good, as He can in all things. 
THIS IS WHY GOD NEEDS TO BE KEPT AT THE CENTRE OF MARRIAGE. He forms, binds, and redeems all things in a marriage covenant. He is familiar in suffering with relationships because of His with Israel, and through Jesus and his time on earth as a human. 

Oh Christians who get and are married, will you not see the importance of your vow beyond your personal needs and realize you represent Jesus and the Church? You are more than just yourselves, you are made one in God, and God will be there through it all. You were called to marriage when you said "I do/I will" and God will not abandon or forsake you in trying times. YOU MUST ALSO FIGHT to endure the hardships of marriage in a fallen world, you must submit yourselves to God for the strength, wisdom, and love for the sake of your spouse and the rest of the world that sees your marriage.

Carry on with determination found in God's love for His creation, and know your struggles are a benefit, and you are not alone, ever. 

~To God be the Glory