Youth

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

I've been reading a lot on youth ministry lately: books, emails, and papers written by friends in seminary. One of the themes that keeps coming up is relationships, and how relationships with youth are an important part of youth ministry. This is youth ministry 101, so it's not surprising it comes up. One of the things I've been thinking about though, is that it's not just about adults having relationships with youth, or even youth having relationships with each other.

Youth ministry's ultimate goal is to make new Christians. Therefore successful ministry must not only model healthy relationships, but teach its participants to create new relationships and sustain them. Most of my closest and longest-lasting relationships are with people I grew up with in the church. These are the relationships I come back to - the people I fall upon in times of need. They are also the people with which I share my joys.

1 Timothy is called one of the pastoral letters. It is written to leaders. It is famous for the above verse. This verse is calling youth to mentor others. You do not have to be an adult to work with youth. Ministry of any kind is about relationships and you are never too young to minister.

http://kairosverse.blogspot.com

Ministering to Our Brothers and Sisters

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart

1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)

When looking for today's verse I was inspired by the people God has sent to me over the past few days, and who God has sent me to. I have had many conversations over the past few days. In many I was ministering. In some I was ministered to. In one more than the others, I felt that I was both being ministered to and ministering at the same time. In all these conversations, I heard God.

I realized today that I hear God speaking to me differently than some people. For some people, they hear God in their hearts, or in the words in the Bible. I hear God in those places as well, but it is my relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ that helps me put everything together. Do not overlook the power and value of a conversation with a fellow Christian. You never know when God wants you to be ministering to each other.

http://kairosverse.blogspot.com