Developing Mission-Minded Youth
September 15, 2008I. Introduction
The challenge of leading youth to living a life of purpose centers on the tendency of teens to focus only on the here and now. Too often little or no attention is given to significant matters of the future.
While many have hopes and visions for new cars and next years clothes, many do not give much thought to the things that will matter five, ten or twenty years from now. Thinking about their career, their future spouse, or their involvement in the Kingdom of God is deemed as being too far removed to demand their current efforts.
As such, youth ministry must continually emphasize eternity. While our world centers its desires on the here-and-now, the church resides as the publicist for eternity. The heart of youth ministry is to broadcast that promise.
Preaching, teaching, and programming should be designed to clearly and continually remind students that what they do today has an impact upon their lives tomorrow. Today matters. Youth will not make it to heaven on accident. Therefore they must be compelled to live their lives on purpose.
II. Expectation Evaluation
• In the mind of the youth leader, what is expected of youth?
• What are the goals for them?
• What are they envisioned accomplishing ten years from now?
• In planning weekly meetings and functions, what should be accomplished?
• How far into the future are we looking?
Consider the value of a goal.
Having worked with youth, how many teens achieve the goals that have been set before them? Often times, when goals are set, there is a rare individual or two who surpass the goal. Likewise there are a small number who achieve the goal. Following that, there are increasing numbers of youth that fall further and further short of the appraised goal. (Use fundraising example)
What can this phenomenon mean spiritually?
For too long the highest expectation of youth has been their salvation. The highest goal has been for them to make Heaven their eternal home. While certainly wanting to see this happen, should it really be the highest goal? Could it be that there is more to the Kingdom of God than finding salvation? Could it be that the Lord has a plan of ministry for every child of God? Salvation is an entrance into the Kingdom of God. Having entered into His Kingdom, He then has a plan for each life to fulfill.
If the highest goal has been for teens to find salvation, then what happens to those who typically fall short of the goal? They never obtain salvation. Consider then the benefit of making ministry in the Kingdom the highest goal. If this were the case, then those who do not achieve the goal, having fallen short of ministry, are still likely to have found salvation. In effect, raising the goal has increased the percentage of youth that make it to heaven. It is time to raise the goal.
