Where in the Bible is youth ministry?

[ReformedBaptist]

I imagine that this could be a fairly heated subject and my intention is not to stir up trouble. Having served in youth ministry in the past, I am no stranger to it.

It was when I was on staff with a church as their youth pastor that I really started to question the validity of the role of a youth pastor. What was my problem? I couldn't find it in the Scriptures. Concerning the training and teaching of children of all ages I kept finding that responsibility placed right in the lap of fathers (not to the exclusion of a mother's instruction).

Is then youth ministry strange fire on the altar of God? Does it do more harm than good in ministering to the family of God?

Now, I was a pretty bad youth minister. I rarely gave time in the "program" for siliness, horseplay, drama, skits, et. et. My handouts were merely reprinting the Scriptures and expounding the Word of God. Of course, this bored to tears some of my middle school and high school youth. lol

 

[Servent]

At the last church I attended I was heavily involved with youth as a lay person, we didn't just preach to them though we got them involved we took them to nursing homes to Mexico to a handicap orphanage even just to the mall to talked to people and every were we went there was a bible study, to answer your question I'm not sure it is in the bible, but I know these kids were shown how to do the Lords work, not just talked to about it.

P.S. Sometimes I wish I were still there.

 

[menageriekeeper]

What? You haven't studied the parts of the Bible where Paul ministered/taught the young Timothy? Timothy was YOUNG! Why do you suppose Paul told him to "let no man despise your youth"?

Young = youth = Paul had a youth ministry

My personal belief is that youth ministries should prepare the youth to "go forth...", just as Paul was preparing Timothy to minister to others.

 

[dan e.]

I imagine that this could be a fairly heated subject and my intention is not to stir up trouble. Having served in youth ministry in the past, I am no stranger to it.

It was when I was on staff with a church as their youth pastor that I really started to question the validity of the role of a youth pastor. What was my problem? I couldn't find it in the Scriptures. Concerning the training and teaching of children of all ages I kept finding that responsibility placed right in the lap of fathers (not to the exclusion of a mother's instruction).

Is then youth ministry strange fire on the altar of God? Does it do more harm than good in ministering to the family of God?

Now, I was a pretty bad youth minister. I rarely gave time in the "program" for siliness, horseplay, drama, skits, et. et. My handouts were merely reprinting the Scriptures and expounding the Word of God. Of course, this bored to tears some of my middle school and high school youth. lol

youth ministry isn't in the Bible. In fact, teenagers (as we define them) aren't in the Bible either. The idea of a "teenager" is only around 100 years old. Following the formation of this age group/life stage is churches creating ways to specifically target them.

As far as teaching them...there will be very little educating if all you do is a handout with reprinted Scriptures. That is just a philosophy of education issue. To teach anyone, no matter what age group, you need to understand the learner and use methods that they will connect with. Often times people look at those methods and call it "silliness" or "horseplay". But then again, sometimes youth pastors don't know how to teach, and all they know how to do is play.

 

[rbell]

*sigh*


Maybe if a person is a pastor, yet their focus is on the younger generation and their parents....is that a bad thing?

The hundreds of students we encounter whose parents offer no spiritual guidance...what about them?

Also....shouldn't a youth minister also strive to minister to the families of students?

 

[David Lamb]

What? You haven't studied the parts of the Bible where Paul ministered/taught the young Timothy? Timothy was YOUNG! Why do you suppose Paul told him to "let no man despise your youth"?

Young = youth = Paul had a youth ministry

My personal belief is that youth ministries should prepare the youth to "go forth...", just as Paul was preparing Timothy to minister to others.

But Paul still talks of Timothy's "youth" in the phrase you quote from 1 Timothy 4.12, some 11 years after the events of Acts 16. And anyway, Paul did not minister only to younger people, which is what the terms "youth ministry" and youth pastor" would seem to imply.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

*sigh*


Maybe if a person is a pastor, yet their focus is on the younger generation and their parents....is that a bad thing?

The hundreds of students we encounter whose parents offer no spiritual guidance...what about them?

Also....shouldn't a youth minister also strive to minister to the families of students?

Why the sigh? If the topic was a burdon to you, why did you reply?

 

[Joshua Rhodes]

There are plenty of other things that would qualify as "strange fire" before youth ministry, but since that discussion would hijack this thread, I'll refrain from going there.

The fact remains that all generations are going to hell quickly, and the Church as a whole is sitting on its hands. Unless the Church begins to reach outside its walls and comfy pews and begin to interact with the world on a relational level (in not of, remember?) then their blood will be on our hands.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

youth ministry isn't in the Bible. In fact, teenagers (as we define them) aren't in the Bible either. The idea of a "teenager" is only around 100 years old. Following the formation of this age group/life stage is churches creating ways to specifically target them.

As far as teaching them...there will be very little educating if all you do is a handout with reprinted Scriptures. That is just a philosophy of education issue. To teach anyone, no matter what age group, you need to understand the learner and use methods that they will connect with. Often times people look at those methods and call it "silliness" or "horseplay". But then again, sometimes youth pastors don't know how to teach, and all they know how to do is play.

So, the Scripture is not sufficient to be read and expounded?

 

[dan e.]

So, the Scripture is not sufficient to be read and expounded?

Reading Scripture is not teaching. Teaching requires more effort than the ability to read the English language.

No need to turn this into "you don't think Scripture is sufficient" just because I think there is some effort needed to succesfully teach someone.

 

[preachinjesus]

where in the Bible is the idea of a budget?
where in the Bible is the idea of associate ministry staff?
where in the Bible is the idea of a worship leader?
where in the Bible is the idea of Sunday school?
where in the Bible is the idea of Sunday night worship?
where in the Bible is the idea of indoor plumbing?
where in the Bible is the idea of a preschool department?

your question is what we in the biz call am informal fallacy b/c it presupposes everything we do ecclesiologically is rooted in Scripture and does not need some type of cultural contextualization.

Youth/student ministry, when done well or excellently, is the way we will fortify the Church for tomorrow.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

Reading Scripture is not teaching. Teaching requires more effort than the ability to read the English language.

No need to turn this into "you don't think Scripture is sufficient" just because I think there is some effort needed to succesfully teach someone.

What do you think I meant by "expound" ?

 

[ReformedBaptist]

where in the Bible is the idea of a budget?
where in the Bible is the idea of associate ministry staff?
where in the Bible is the idea of a worship leader?
where in the Bible is the idea of Sunday school?
where in the Bible is the idea of Sunday night worship?
where in the Bible is the idea of indoor plumbing?
where in the Bible is the idea of a preschool department?

your question is what we in the biz call am informal fallacy b/c it presupposes everything we do ecclesiologically is rooted in Scripture and does not need some type of cultural contextualization.

Youth/student ministry, when done well or excellently, is the way we will fortify the Church for tomorrow.

I am not in whatever "biz" you are referring to. How does indoor plumbling paralell an office of ministry? I see how a position of worship leader, associate ministry staff, et. does.

I have not see anything in Scripture in terms of government of the local assembly except elders being overseers. In terms of gifts given to the church there are pastors...but where are these youth pastors? Where, when we say we practice our faith according to the Scripture, do we gain justification for creating a office of youth pastor in the local assembly?

 

[ReformedBaptist]

For clarification, when I am asking a question I am asking a question, not arguing a point. The only thing I am doing with this thread is questioning a tradition.

 

[christianyouth]

Good to see you back, Brother!

:wavey:

*watches thread to see where it will go*

 

[preachinjesus]

I am not in whatever "biz" you are referring to. How does indoor plumbling paralell an office of ministry? I see how a position of worship leader, associate ministry staff, et. does.

lol...I was being ironical...seriously man you need to chill

I have not see anything in Scripture in terms of government of the local assembly except elders being overseers.

So in the church where you attend/serve, do you only have an eldership?

In terms of gifts given to the church there are pastors...but where are these youth pastors? Where, when we say we practice our faith according to the Scripture, do we gain justification for creating a office of youth pastor in the local assembly?

Your argument breaks down to a very important detail...do you believe in allowing our churches to have eldership/leadership that is in a plurality and can seek to minister appropriately to varying groups or not?

Also, do you believe that we can incorporate so called "modern" elements into our ecclesial structures or should we return to the New Testament form of papyrus and quill?

BTW, I don't buy your position that the only form of ecclesial government and church polity is eldership/overseer. Read a bit more deeply into the Acts and epistolary literature and you will discover some deeper truths.

 

[dan e.]

What do you think I meant by "expound" ?

I don't know...maybe print it out on a piece of paper and give it to them.


"I rarely gave time in the 'program' for siliness, horseplay, drama, skits, et. et. My handouts were merely reprinting the Scriptures and expounding the Word of God. "

 

[Trotter]

We are to go and teach all the nations, which would include all ages as well. We have a responsibility to teach our own kids. While this shold be happening in the home, it usually doesn't, so it falls to the church corporate body.

Not only is a youth ministry an extension of the Great Commission to our own kids, it is also an extension to others. I know our youth group includes many kids who are not members of our church and do not attend our church. Several of these kids have been saved through our youth ministry.

Where else wold you find it in the bible? How about training up a child? The bible regards everyone who is not a full-grown adult as a child, which includes today's teens.

Handing out scripture is a hard way to try to reach teens unless they are already well-versed in scripture. I use the scriptures to teach the teens, but I use it in teaching, I don't just read it to them or just preach them an expository sermon. In order to get the truths of scripture across to them, you have to do so in a way that they will actually hear and not ignore. For my group, that involves getting where they are in their lives, being blunt honest with them, and showing them how the truth of God's word has a direct bearing on their lives, their actions, their thoughts.

Just because an individual is young, be they 17 or 7, they need to have God's truth taught to them. Sititng on a pew is not the most effective way to do this. The bible does not give specific instructions on how to conduct services, or even to have pews, so we take it upon ourselves to do this as best we can. having a youth ministry is just another way we do this.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

lol...I was being ironical...seriously man you need to chill



So in the church where you attend/serve, do you only have an eldership?



Your argument breaks down to a very important detail...do you believe in allowing our churches to have eldership/leadership that is in a plurality and can seek to minister appropriately to varying groups or not?

Also, do you believe that we can incorporate so called "modern" elements into our ecclesial structures or should we return to the New Testament form of papyrus and quill?

BTW, I don't buy your position that the only form of ecclesial government and church polity is eldership/overseer. Read a bit more deeply into the Acts and epistolary literature and you will discover some deeper truths.

My friend, why would you say I need to "chill" ? What do you think the state of my emotions are? I am quite calm.

The church I am member of has a plurality of elders. We have not yet moved to a role of "deacon" yet as we are still growing. But I believe we should.

What I was trying to explain to you is that I am not arguing or debating. I am discussing some of my thoughts and experience with my brethren.

I will bid farewell to you friend, I have debated and argued in the past with folks who display your form of sarcasim. It never turns out too well or profits anyone.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

I don't know...maybe print it out on a piece of paper and give it to them.


"I rarely gave time in the 'program' for siliness, horseplay, drama, skits, et. et. My handouts were merely reprinting the Scriptures and expounding the Word of God. "

Expoundng the Word of God means to explain the Scriptures. The content of my messages, the subject of them, was from the Word of God. Imagine that, a Bible study that actually studies the Bible! lol We went verse by verse, book by book, through the Scriptures.