Why Youth Ministries?, Part 2

August, 2002

by: John Richard

Youth are a blessing and a headache, or so people think. Many often value youth to a certain extent, but minimize their effectiveness due to their own misconceptions. People often treat youth as those who can be spiritual giants later in life, but not while they are younger in age. However, as was discovered in last month's article, youth are a valuable part of the church. In fact, those who are believers make up the church. Last month, I specifically addressed two of the reasons why we should invest in youth, for God invests in youth and God saves youth. This month, I will articulate the last two reasons youth are an integral part of the Church. It is my hope and desire that these four reasons will propel us into having biblical views of youth.

The third reason why people should invest in youth is because Satan values youth. That is right, Satan values youth, because he knows what they are capable of doing for the Lord.

Youth ministry is not a party — it is a war! The Enemy throws billions of dollars, an entire entertainment industry, a powerfully relevant music culture, and a seductive advertising conspiracy at influencing youth. He is clever, calculating, cunning, and creative. He has no intention of waiting until these young people are “old enough” to be influenced. He believes they are capable of great understanding, commitment, belief, responsibilities, and influence. In short, Satan is focusing his most intensive firepower at the battleground of youth. – Holland, C-4, A Biblical Approach to Student Ministry

He goes after youth, because he knows that God can use them in a great way. He wants to deceive them and will do anything he and his followers can do to stop them from following God. He wants glory to be taken away from the Almighty God. If Satan spends much time focusing on youth, why doesn't the Church? There is a battle going on out there and youth are in the middle of it. The Church needs to treat youth as capable of following God and serving in the Church, because God knows they can and Satan tries to prevent them from doing that.

Besides the fact that Satan values youth, there are a number of problems with the youth. For example, less than ten percent of the junior high students in churches today will still be involved with church by their senior year of college. Why does that happen? Well, it often happens because many aren't truly saved and wander away when they are older. Another reason is that many youth weren't challenged as adults and were treated as incapable of growth. They were given a “dumbed down” message and will suffer eternally for it. These teenagers are involved in more crime and sexual promiscuity in all of history. Many of them come from broken homes and are confused about what to believe. So what does the Church do as a whole? They have the least theologically trained staff member serve as the Youth Pastor. These teenagers are struggling in many areas, have many pressures, are being attacked by the enemy and are being taught by someone who doesn't really know how to help them. That is a plan for failure not for success. They need a physician of the soul, not an entertainer. They need the truth, not five steps for happiness. They need medicine not a Band-Aid.

The youth, teenagers, and young adults are vital and extremely important. God believes that they can serve Him, God saves them, Satan tries to deceive them, and they are dealing with many problems. So what do we do? We invest in them. We get involved in Youth Ministries. We pray for them. We urge all the parents of youth to train them in the admonition of the Lord. You need to teach them the Word if you are a parent. You need to pray for the youth. You need to give the youth opportunities to serve. Let us follow the non–age graded Bible and serve the Lord by serving the youth.