Friday 1 March 2013

Untouchable in Youth Ministry


There are many topics that we cover over the years of our youth ministry careers. Topics that bring hope, challenge, truth, salvation, theology, belief, social justice, and so many more.

I have come to realize that those of us in youth ministry also have topics that we will not touch. Oh we might brush over them or mention them but we not get deep down and research them enough to make them a topic or series for our kids. Topics like:
  • homosexuality
  • abortion
  • bullying
  • disability
  • prejudice
  • finances
  • gluttony
  • cutting
  • etc…
We must embrace all topics from a biblical standpoint, yet we must tell the truth in love. If we tell the truth without love, the truth becomes irrelevant.

We must be willing to tackle these and other topics that our youth are talking about, hearing about, experiencing, and wrestling with so that you can teach them to see love in action from a biblical perspective.

Tackling any one of these issues will take great courage. You will need to be well researched, submit it to prayer and God's leading, as well as having others praying for you. You are heading in to uncharted waters.

The one thing I beg of you is this; if you cannot talk truthfully about any of these topics without love, please don't. We have had too many others that have spoken about these topics without love and they have made us all embarrassed that they are claiming to represent the rest of us by calling themselves Christians.

What untouchable topics have you opened up in your youth ministry?
What topics or research are you currently doing on and untouchable?
What questions do you have about these untouchable topics?

2 comments:

Alison D. SPRINGER said...

Good word yet again Jeff. You are my favourite writer on here. It's so true! Thanks for writing faithfully. You've got a message that's got to be heard.

Peace.

Anonymous said...

how do all those subjects tie in to the Ten Commandments ...(Galatians 3:24) and knowing that we all have broken the law at one point (James 2:10) that all are in need of God's mercy and forgiveness and He is a gracious God to save from sin ...lead in to the Gospel (2Corinthians 5:21) and that Jesus has gained victory over death by rising again (the wages of sin is death Romans 3:23) …Acts 17:30 God commands all people everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel

you will likely find that some will not like this answer but there it is...truth…God bless