Lessons from Mr. Gore

On a typical afternoon, two typical teens walked along a typical sidewalk in a typical town. Typically, they talked of things on the minds of teens. During their conversation, Bobby, age seventeen, began to speak of particular matters going on in his life. Things he was thinking, things he was saying, and things he was doing. As the slightly younger Jesse listened to Bobby, his heart was quickened. He realized that Bobby had sin in his life. Quite candidly Jesse told Bobby that he needed to remedy his sin situation. The plain truth of Jesse’s words brought conviction upon Bobby. In response, he suggested that they pay a visit to Mr. Gore. Even though Jesse didn’t know Mr. Gore, he agreed to go along.
 
Arriving at Mr. Gore’s home, they walked onto the porch and knocked on the door. Mr. Gore greeted them kindly and invited them inside. In no time, Bobby was explaining his predicament to this godly man. Then, as if knowing the answer but needing encouragement, Bobby asked if they could pray, right there in Mr. Gore’s living room. Mr. Gore was happy to oblige the two teens.

As they entered into prayer, Jesse was somewhat surprised to hear the others praying out loud, as if in conversation with other men. Jesse had never witnessed this type of prayer. However, he decided to join in this fervent effort. As they proceeded, the Spirit of the Lord entered into that home. Before long, tears were rolling down the faces of all three seekers. Jesse and Bobby spent time weeping in deep repentance. After some time Mr. Gore approached Jesse and laid his hands on him in special prayer. Within moments, Jesse was baptized with the gift of the Holy Ghost! A few minutes later, Mr. Gore and Jesse united in prayer for Bobby. As the two laid their hands on Bobby, he too received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Before the prayer meeting came to a close, passersby heard the prayers and entered into the house to join in the blessing. In no time, the living room was filled with hungry hearts. That afternoon was marked by a mighty move of the Lord upon Mr. Gore, Bobby, Jesse and all those who joined them in prayer.

I was privileged to hear this testimony from the one who experienced it. A gathering of young ministers sat reverently, gladly receiving each comment the preacher shared. Though many years removed from that prayer meeting, its effects still reverberated through the speaker’s message. Rev. Jesse Williams was impacted long ago by a man who was willing to open his home for prayer. A man named Mr. Gore. On that typical day, two typical teenaged boys were forever changed by an authentic move of God.

As those who are interested in youth, more and more I am concerned with the challenge of reaching today’s teens. When one considers all of the opportunities and pleasantries that clamor for the attention of youth, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and to get discouraged. How can the church get the attention of this generation? How can we persuade young adults to grant us some of their time? We can’t compete with the technology of Silicon Valley. We don’t have the financial resources of Wall Street. Our retreat announcements and rally flyers cannot contend with the fancy flair of Madison Avenue. We have neither the budgets nor the staff to offer comparable programs to those of the public schools and community centers. Hollywood’s entertainment machine cranks out material at an ever-increasing pace, far faster than we can create and implement new programs. Now, to make matters even more challenging, it appears that many characteristics of a United Pentecostal Church are no longer unique. We are not the only church in town offering exuberant, contemporary worship. It is not the only church in the area with an active youth program. Ours is not the only pastor who delivers his sermons in a passionate, charismatic style. Other churches are offering multimedia presentations, missions experiences, youth choirs and summer camps. In the midst of so much activity, how will our youth programs stand apart?

I believe that three low-tech, low-budget, yet legitimate lessons can be learned from Mr. Gore. These lessons can allow our youth ministries to make a profound impact in the lives of youth. On a typical day in Mr. Gore’s life, he made himself available, he expressed a heartfelt interest, and he fostered a move of God. Applying these characteristics will cause our programs not only to rise above the crowd, but also to make a victorious difference.

Mr. Gore allowed his day to be interrupted. When two teenagers knocked on his door, he was not too busy to give them his attention. Before he lectured the young men, or gave them his opinion, he took the time to listen. His schedule of duties and responsibilities was not more important than the individuals who had come to his home. Mr. Gore had a vision of the gospel that was more than a distant view of a lost world. He had not fallen prey to the belief that evangelism was only a grand and extravagant affair. He knew that God not only touches people in crusades and revivals, but He also changes lives one on one. So rather than excuse himself from the largess of global evangelism, he chose to affect a lost soul personally. He made himself available.

Mr. Gore was not put-off by young people coming to his home. What was it that caused Bobby to consider going to Mr. Gore’s residence? Why did Bobby and Jesse feel free to knock on his door? Likely it was more than an announcement that proclaimed Mr. Gore’s interest in youth. It was probably more than a sign on his door welcoming teens to approach. Something had been done on Bobby’s behalf that made him realize Mr. Gore was interested in young people. Maybe it was the time he spent chaperoning youth events. Possibly he had taken time off work to be a counselor at Bobby’s youth camp. Maybe he was a Sunday School teacher that showed his burden well beyond Noon on Sunday. It could be that Mr. Gore often prayed around the church altar, laying a hand on the shoulder of struggling teens, encouraging them in the Lord. Whatever the specific action may have been, Mr. Gore expressed clearly and visibly that he was interested in young people.

It was typical to pray in Mr. Gore’s home. Somehow people in the neighborhood knew that he was comfortable with prayer. This man cultivated his reputation as a man of prayer. Prayer was not only practiced in his church, it was a part of his home life. His was not the type of prayer that one fell asleep uttering. His was the kind of prayer that summoned a move of God. Prayer that was genuine and desirous. When he sought the Lord, he meant business. He expected a move of God’s Spirit. It did not matter what other events were taking place, when there was a move of God, people would take notice. Folks would hear from the street and desire to join in. Mr. Gore expected and cultivated a real move of God.

While it may be unlikely that one will be able to finance his youth program like Wall Street, market events like Madison Avenue, or use the very latest technology of Silicon Valley, he can learn and apply the lessons lived by Mr. Gore. Each one can make himself available to youth, show an interest in their lives, and foster an authentic move of God. Certainly there are many more typical teens like Jesse and Bobby in our neighborhoods. The question is, will I be a Mr. Gore?

Creative Teaching Techniques

Synopsis: In order to apprehend the attention of youth on a weekly basis, we must prepare sessions that are more than “just another lecture”. Their schools have likely adapted various teaching methods over the past number of years. Since they are increasingly accustomed to these alternative teaching methods, students will dread classes that do not offer variety. They are likely to lose interest, and may eventually quit attending altogether. Successful youth leaders realize the need and actively pursue creative methods of teaching.

I. Introduction: If teens are not listening to a lesson, it may very well be that the speaker is not doing what he should in order to grasp their attention. While easy to berate a group that is not attentive, genuine response is not fostered through fear of humiliation or correction. Rather, people listen when the presenter has something valuable to say and he presents it in a desirable fashion. An audience will actively receive and respond to a session that is enticing.

II. Enticing Meetings Draw Youth: Concerning the validity of the previous statement, consider the following questions. Does Hollywood “make” kids come to their movies or watch their television shows? Does Madison Avenue “force” youth to buy clothes at Ambercrombie or the Gap? Do Sony or Nintendo “require” kids to rush to Toys R Us and buy the newest video games? Do BMG, EMI, or Warner “coerce” teens into Sam Goody, Wal-Mart, Target, or Tower Records to buy their latest musical wares? Of course not.

Rather than coercion, these companies know to entice their customers. We should know to do the same. If we will work to make our meetings enticing, then we will witness participation by a willing group of teens. We will more readily be able to affect the youth who are in attendance because they have chosen to be there.

III. Enticing Meetings Require Work: It is not easy to host an enticing meeting. Lazy leaders need not apply for this job. When one is short of time, has many other responsibilities, and tries to work youth ministry into his other obligations, it is often easiest to do what requires the least amount of preparation. Standard lecturing requires studying given material and praying for the Lord’s anointing. When very pressed for time, one might pray and study very little. Then that leader stands at the lectern and reads from the teacher’s manual, praying that God somehow honors it. Or possibly, one reads a verse of Scripture and proceeds to share a number of unconnected stories that come to mind, hoping that, in the end, the teens “get something out of it”.

If a teacher makes a habit of studying little, and then asking God to help him make it through this week’s lesson, then that teacher will inevitably lose the interest of the youth within his ministry. They will soon recognize the lack of preparation. Once they feel that the leader is not concerned enough to prepare, they will not believe that the material presented is very important.

Presenting enticing meetings requires a change in attitude and mindset if we are accustomed to merely haphazard lecturing. To prepare meetings that catch the attention of teens, we must work very hard to prepare for each session. A successful youth leader will labor intensely on the meeting’s content and format.

Developing Mission-Minded Youth

I. 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.

It’s All about Me

I first noticed her as she was unloading her luggage from the car. She had barely started to lift a suitcase when three guys nearly tore it out of her hands trying to help her. When she finally stepped on to the bus, I knew why. She was drop-dead gorgeous. As she made her way down the aisle alone, there was no question in my mind that she was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. I can’t say that it was the color of her hair, the shape of her face, the way that she walked, or her style of clothes that made her look so incredible. Maybe it was all of them put together. Who knows? In fact, who cares? Regardless of why she looked that way, the fact remained: she was stunning.

Our group was leaving this Friday morning for a unique trip. Early in January, Webster Groves High School began to advertise a different sort of Spring Break get-a-way. While we would get to see some interesting places and sites along the East Coast, the emphasis of the trip would be on helping others. Over the course of eight days and five cities we would hand out toiletry items to the homeless, prepare and serve lunches in three soup kitchens, spend two days in activities at senior centers, and put the finishing coats of paint on a Habitat for Humanity home. And these were just the main service projects. Our head chaperone, Mr. ReLeaf, Chemistry teacher and Christian Fellowship sponsor, had assured us that there would be additional opportunities to offer our support to those in need.

At this point, I was in need of a way to keep from staring. As any red-blooded American teen, I was certain that I knew the name of every beautiful girl at my high school. It’s not like I was ever going to do anything with that information, but as one man said, “I have a dream”. And that’s all that knowing these names would likely be for me. I might learn a little about them, possibly sit near enough in a class or two to strike up some conversation, and maybe even begin a friendship with some of them. But to actually end up on a date with one, or call one my girlfriend would only be a dream. They were just out of my league.

It wasn’t long into the bus ride that the progression of the brave began. When she first walked onto the bus, many of the girls and a few of the guys said hello and introduced themselves. Then each of the girls spent a few moments chatting her up. As time wore on, the self-confident young men began to make further advances toward her. This was territory for those guys with all the skills, all the talent, and personality to spare. These brave few would dare to go where others feared to tread. And each of them made his best attempt.

One by one, my classmates and friends worked their way from his seat on the bus to where this wonderful young lady was sitting. I watched in admiration as they did their best to appear calm and with-it. I watched as each one did all he could to win her attention, to gain a time advantage over the others. Yet, none was able to keep her conversation for more than a few moments. This continual parade of willing lambs continued for the first few days of the trip. Then an interesting thing happened. With each passing day, fewer guys were showing their interest in her. They seemed to be less impressed with her unique beauty.

I too had begun to realize some things about her that I hadn’t noticed before. During our stops for lunch and dinner, she never seemed to like the chosen restaurant. In fact, even if she approved of the restaurant previously, once we arrived she would speak poorly of the service she received or of the way the food was prepared. Maybe she was just a picky eater.

When we stopped at the hotel for our first night’s stay, she made a loud sigh when someone called out “Holiday Inn”. She said something about preferring that hotel that serves the warm chocolate-chip cookies at check-in. Once inside, though she never said anything, she seemed to be perturbed that she would be sharing a room with one or even two other girls. Evidently this too was not the preferred method of travel for her. But hey, maybe she was just tired after a long day of travel.

Then again, maybe that wasn’t the problem. When we were handing out the bags of items to the homeless, she insisted on rubbing her hands with disinfectant every few minutes, and in plain view of the recipients. At the soup kitchens, she complained about the smell of the food and the length of time it took to serve all of those who came to eat. While in the senior centers, she barely said a word to the residents, and wrinkled her nose at the slightest hint of an unusual smell. Then at the Habitat House, forget the thought of her actually painting. She stood at a distance and boldly proclaimed all of the decorating ideas that she would bestow on this home if given the chance. And these are just the items that I remember. Since we’ve returned, others have mentioned some statements that they overheard her saying. To this point, no one remembers hearing her say a kind word during the entire trip. Maybe she was just struggling to adapt to her new school acquaintances.

As the bus made its way back into the school parking lot early Saturday morning, all of us were groggy from the lengthy trip. Yet at the sound of the air brakes, everyone began to stir, grab their travel items, and make their way to the side of the bus to retrieve their luggage. Many were mumbling to one another and smiling, sharing thoughts from the journey. Most were helping each other with their bags. Quite a few guys were shaking hands, slapping each other on the back, and generally noting friendly goodbyes. The girls were having their usual hug-fest. In the course of helping a wide variety of needy people, we had learned a great deal about ourselves. Except for the new girl.

Visually, she was still quite appealing. And yet she was leaving the bus alone. Not one guy was racing to carry her luggage. Few of the girls even noticed her exit; none invited her into the hug huddle. Lacking the interest and acceptance of her peers, she made her way back to her car alone. Somehow while attending a trip designed to reach out to others, she was leaving unaffected. I began to feel sorry for her.

Then I saw it: on the back of her car, just below the trunk. It was just one bumper sticker, but it seemed to say it all. It was yellow with black letters, and it simply said: It’s All about Me.

Then I really felt sorry for her. She was evidently living her life according to that false phrase, and the one she was hurting the most by living this error was herself. It was at that point that I determined to join the ranks of the brave. With the help of the Lord, I would approach this very pretty girl. Not to win her affection, but to somehow explain to her that life is not all about me; rather, life is all about Him.

Then He (Jesus) said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:23-25, NKJV).