Editor’s Note: I originally posted this in early 2012 as a follow up to a list of 10 ministry hazards. I realized recently that the link was broken and thought that it might be worthy of repeating, as a reminder of some of the entrapments and distractions that we must guard against as we carry out our ministry efforts….
1. Making “light” of the gospel
You might say that the gospel is light for a darkened world, right? But, that doesn’t make it easy. Promoting a “light” version of the gospel will do far more damage than good for your teens. The gospel is all about the love of God being demonstrated through the incredibly gracious sacrifice that the Son of God made on the cross. His death, burial, and resurrection comprise the good news of the gospel – that through His sacrifice we can have eternal life, by faith in Him. It’s not by works of righteousness that we perform, it is only by His mercy and grace that we can be saved. The gospel is not just bowing a head and asking Jesus into a heart, it’s about trusting in Him and on His love and His sacrifice to save. And then there’s evidence in the new creature that God makes when salvation comes – the evidence of salvation in one’s life. When your teens “get saved”, ensure that there is assurance, there is genuine faith, and there is a change. The gospel is not easy or light. To make it easy or light widens the path, but may bring destruction. Salvation is heavy, man… God’s only begotten Son bore the burden of the whole world’s sin on His shoulders, so that we could be saved. Don’t make light of the gospel. Preach it straight. Let the Holy Spirit prepare the way. And let God bring the change. The perfect antidote for the poison of sin is the gospel. Use its power – full strength!
2. Minimizing the Bible
It’s easy to get caught up discussion about current events and popular theories when ministering to teens. And in doing that, sometimes it becomes easy to leave the Bible out of the discussion. I’ve been a part of several youth meetings where there was plenty said about lots of things, but the Bible didn’t get opened. God’s Word has all of the answers for life. Regardless the event, the theory, or the situation, there’s something in God’s Word that you can relate to teens. I’m a firm believer in the practicality of God’s Word. I also believe that it is important to teach it, preach it, and memorize it. In many youth ministries, the Bible is secondary to programs, fellowship, and games. If you want to keep your teens from being poisoned by the world, give them a healthy dose of the Bible every chance you get.
3. Distorting essential doctrine
Over the years, I’ve learned that the clarity of doctrinal truth is essential. When that truth gets distorted, or even watered down, there is a setting for trouble. Teens are looking for something real and something dependable. No matter what I might think of my own ideas, or the new philosophies the world might offer, they pale in comparison to the truth and reality of the Bible. Doctrines such as the fall of man and the consequences of sin, the virgin birth of Christ, the propitiation of our sins, the persons of the Godhead and others are the “real thing” that teens need to hear and learn so that when they encounter a counterfeit doctrine, they will be able to tell the difference. And don’t think that Satan is not trying to deceive them with counterfeits. You and I know that he is out to trick them. It’s our duty as ministers to teens to give them doctrine straight, unembellished, and pure so that the Holy Spirit can establish them in truth. To keep your teens free from the poison of counterfeit doctrine – be extra careful not to distort the doctrine you teach.
4. Centering on entertainment
We live in a world that’s all about entertainment – especially when it comes to teenagers and young adults. It seems that there has to be something exciting going on to keep their interest and involvement. That idea has made its way into our youth group meetings and even church services, to the point that more time is spent on music, skits, games, and fellowship than on serious Bible study. We need to be careful to center our ministry on helping teenagers in the best way possible – by centering on Jesus Christ and God’s Holy Word. That doesn’t mean that studying the Word has to be boring. By no means is that so! As ministers to today’s teens, we need to do our best to present God’s Word in an exciting, lively, and innovative way – keeping them involved. Songs may have impact, skits may break the ice, and fellowship may build friendships, but it’s God’s Word that will change lives and make a difference for eternity. Guard against the poison of too much entertainment by centering your ministry on the Word.
5. Assuming you know God’s will for your teens
“But, I know what my teens really need…” I’ve heard that before and I’ve even said it myself. Realistically, only God knows for sure what His will is for each teen in your group. Hopefully, the teen will learn God’s will and surrender to it. I was once told by a pastor, “God doesn’t send me your mail,” implying that it was not possible for him to know God’s will for me. Likewise, we don’t have all of the answers for each of our teens regarding God’s will. Sure, there are some things that are explicitly God’s will for teens corporately – God’s will is not for teens to fall into sin; God’s will is for teens to be saved; God’s will is for teens to grow in the likeness of Christ… But regarding God’s perfect will for each individual is essentially between Him and the teen. For example, should every teen attend a Christian college after graduating from high school? My recommendation and my answer would be yes, if I had my way. But, my way is not necessarily God’s way. God may have something different in mind for that teenager that doesn’t include Christian college. And if I were to say I knew God’s will for that teenager and he or she missed out on something special that God had for them because they took my answer to heart, what then? Pray with and for your teens that they might find God’s perfect will. Help them understand ways that God’s will can be discovered and tested. Then help them avoid the poison that comes from trusting someone else, even their beloved youth pastor, for God’s will.
6. Tolerating sin in the camp
This is (or should be) obvious, but things happen for the sake of… numbers… popularity… laziness… you name it. Dealing with sin is tough, but it must be dealt with. The Bible shows us the dangers of having sin in the camp (Joshua 7). But still, we will overlook sin sometimes because “we love teenagers” and we don’t want them to stop attending the youth meetings. This is wrong on several counts: 1) Sin is just wrong no matter what; 2) Other teens will recognize the situation and will wonder why it isn’t addressed; 3) Overlooking sin is rebellious on the part of a leader – which results in sin; 4) Allowing sinful behavior to be overlooked endangers all of the ministry members. There are certainly other concerns with overlooking sin, but I think those are sufficient to recognize that even with good intentions, if we tolerate sin, we are asking for disaster. Sin is a poison – it must be dealt with in an expedient manner or it will destroy your ministry.
7. Excluding parents from the ministry
Parents are an essential part of the teen ministry. Your ministry needs helpers. Some of the best helpers are the parents of your teenagers. By neglecting what parents bring to the ministry, you limit one of the great resources available. Sure teenagers don’t want their parents around for everything – and neither should you. But think of ways to get parents involved in the background. We have some parents who are great at providing food and snacks for youth activities. These parents provide their goods then disappear. And the teens always look forward to what was brought. Sometimes we need drivers for scavenger hunts. Parents are a great resource for that activity. I also recommend having parents make guest appearances for Bible study, especially when teen boys and girls have separate studies. Hearing a parent’s testimony or a life-lesson they learned can have an impact on your teens and pull the group together. Additionally, it’s good to publish news so parents can see what the teens are “up to”. I have more parents following our teen ministry Facebook page than teens. And it’s amazing to see how many teens “like” the comments parents make on the page.
8. Judging the teen by the coat he/she wears
To be honest, this is one of my early mistakes. I would look at the teenager on the outside and assign them a position in our group – and in my heart. I really messed up by doing that. God had to teach me the hard way, as I saw teens drift in and out of our youth group because I failed to give them the same love and attention as others, just because they dressed different or “smelled like the world”. The truth is we all taste the earth and think it’s good, none of us are holy or pure, and any self-righteousness we have is as stinky rags. So it is with every teen who enters your ministry. I recall one teen girl who came to our youth group wearing a dingy leather coat, worn out jeans, and unkempt hair. It appeared to me that she had been in her clothes and in the world a little too long. I had a hard time giving her the part of my heart she needed and deserved. But, thankfully, I have a wife who was much more soft-hearted than I was at the time. As a result, this young lady eventually became a faithful member of our group and I fell as much in love with her as with any of our other teens. But, in honesty, that first day, she could have drifted away because I didn’t see what God saw in her. By the way, she ended up attending a conservative Christian college; she married a missionary; she learned how to witness to the deaf; and she serves in South America. As I watched that teen girl grew in Christ, along with others like her who came into church seeking refuge from the world and finding a life change that only Jesus can bring, I realized that they (all teens) are precious to God and also should be precious to me, regardless of how they look, smell, act, or first believe. My Savior died for each of them and it’s my responsibility to minister to them with an unconditional love and pray that they would find Christ. I learned that a judgmental heart will poison the group and it will die.
9. Resisting change
The silliest words I have ever spoken are “We’ve always done it this way…” I have always found change hard to take. I am a radical fundamentalist – I don’t vary from what I know is true and what I know works. That’s a good thing when it comes to sound doctrine, the Word of God, and the gospel message. But, when it comes to methods for teaching or worshiping God, there are opportunities for change that helps the ministry. For example, I was a hard-liner on the right kind of music for church for the longest time. And then, attending a church service as a guest, I heard some of the “new Christian praise music” (something that actually had a beat) and it grabbed my heart. I was truly blessed by what I heard and it moved me to focus on God in a mighty way. The song was “Mighty to Save”. I recognized at that point that God gave us music, technology, and other new methods that can help us reach people and worship Him in spirit and in truth. Music is just one example. There are countless ways I have changed how I minister to our group. (Another example: I am a reluctant and late Facebook adopter… and it has been a tremendous help for our ministry.) While resisting change is a hazard, being too quick to change can be just as harmful. In every instance pray for discernment as you evaluate the change.
10. Neglecting the teens who are leaders in your group
Every teen group has leaders within the group. God is raising up the next generation of leaders. It is our responsibility as ministers to teens to seek out the potential in our group and provide opportunity for leadership growth. Teens will naturally sense the leadership around them. We need to be tuned in to our group to identify those leaders. Once we identify them, we must give them small responsibilities and teach them the responsibilities of leadership. Teens can be prayer leaders, help with ministry activities, and even form a leadership council. If we don’t make the most of the talents God provides through these teens, they will find ways to use their talents elsewhere.
These are 10 things that I thought of that are hazardous to the youth ministry. I’m sure there are many other things you could share. Why not share them by commenting to this article?
