- 0
Just the other day I had something happen to me that not only made my jaw drop, but brought tears to my eyes. Perhaps the most generous act I’ve seen in quite sometime, and one that has changed my world for ever. The funny thing is, it was all because of a young man.
It’s ironic, I am a youth minister, and still it’s those youth I preach to that touch my life more than I could ever have imagined. I was at one of my director’s house when their 15 year old son walked up to me. I was on the phone with his father, his mother and father both a director of Xtreme Fire, when he handed me $25.
In, to be honest, the most touching display of agape love he handed me the last of his money. I was told that he believed in the ministry and wanted to help see it get started. That was the start of a revelation to me, one that has been there all along but was renewed that night.
You see, all to often in our churches and ministries we give. However, we stick to what we feel comfortable with. What is so different about this young man’s gift and those we give in church? Coty was preparing to start saving up for a car, his first car. He set aside all his wants to try and bless a ministry he believes in, to help spread the love of Christ that he knows.
How much can we learn if we just watch our youth? How much more could we learn if we would listen to them? It’s funny how so many good ideas are started from the youth, yet are ignored by the older generations. I’ve spent many years in churches; from revivals, to concerts, to youth lock-ins. To this day it still takes my breath away when I watch the middle school to high school kids worship.
How often is our worship watered down, shortened to fit our time frames, or simply just sang to try and make it seem right? Have you ever stopped to watch the younger ones worship? If not, try it some time. You can see the passion, hear the love, and feel the Holy Spirit move among them.
If we could simply stop, watch, listen, learn then take that to help teach them how to lead when the time is right for them to lead…imagine how far we as a Christian nation could go!
In a changing world, a world that is constantly evolving, we as a church body need to evolve as well. We need to learn that the youth are the future of the church. We have to find a way to reach them, hold on to them, and teach them. It has to be a way that keeps them turned on to Jesus and keeps that fire alive inside them. We absolutely have to learn to disciple them in the ways that are true and righteous.
When we learn how to evolve to reach those that need God the most, learn how to disciple our youth, then and only then will we see an explosion in our churches. It is so very true, what I see when I look at the youth out there. We need to learn to change, for them. You see, we need to invest as much as we can in them because the future starts with them.
