1. DEVELOPING YOUTH TO MATURITY
A. Developing Salvation Assurance
While assurance of salvation was dealt with as a part of evangelism in Youth 3, it is important to realise that this is an issue that may resurface later in the Christian life. The leader should recognise signs that the young person is struggling with belief and seek to provide the necessary plausibility structure that will help them develop assurance of their salvation. The writer of Hebrews dealt with people who were considering giving up the Christian faith to return to Judaism. He provided a plausibility structure for them that consisted of conversations with significant others; sanctions; rewards and warnings. In a pluralistic society youth hear of many options to the Christian faith. They may be tempted to exchange their faith for a different one. Leaders need to provide young Christian with a context in which they hear others speak about the Christian faith. They should also warn youth about the dangers of rejecting the faith. They should stress the rewards that are available for following Christ - both temporal and eternal. Leaders must also encourage youth who have accepted Christ to develop their relationship with Him. The following letter was written by the lecturer to a young person in the Windsor youth group:
Dear Yvette, the news of your experience with God at Camp is most excellent. I am sure that you will find that choosing God is a good foundation for living. Remember that the choice to choose God is not a once in a life time experience. While the initial decision to follow God is a once-off experience, in many ways, living as a daughter of God will involve daily choices to choose God. I hope this makes sense. Let me try to explain. I got married to Debbie on the 5th December 1987. That was the day on which I chose her to be my wife, theoretically for ever. However, in order for our marriage to survive, while about half don't, I must make further choices that will ensure the survival of our life together. Some of the choices include: to cultivate romance with her, to choose to be her friend, to do things that bring her joy, to help her find meaning and fulfilment, etc. Sometimes I may not feel like doing these things, because of my own feelings, moods, preoccupations, etc, but then I am choosing against her. I have found that in order to follow God there are certain things that make the journey easier: (1) Spending Time with Him - I try to get up at around 5:30 and spend just half an hour with him - I read a psalm and then speak to him or try to listen to what he may be saying to me. The length of time is not as important as being regular - I try to see it as an appointment in my diary, in fact it is on my weekly planner. (2) Being Aware of his Nearness - I try to do things that will remind me (I forget so easily) that he is actually with me. He has promised never to leave me, so I realise that the times when I feel alone, he is not the problem, it is my feelings, or something I have done wrong that is keeping me from sensing his presence. (3) Doing Things to Deepen our Relationship - just as I need to take Debbie out to dinner, bring her a gift when I arrive home from a trip or tell her how much I appreciate her, so I need to do certain things with God that will help us grow closer. This may include things like thanking him for his creation, doing good to people, giving him the credit when I do something well, etc. (4) Finding Out More About Him - in order to grow our relationship I must get to know him better. This happens as I read books about Him, including the Bible, listen to people preach about him in church or on a tape, etc. Just like a tree needs water and nourishment to grow, so I need the input of growth stimulants in my own life and relationship with him. These are some of the ways that I think that help my relationship with him. Maybe you could use these as a checklist to see how you can deepen your relationship with him. Stay close to Jesus - work on the most important relationship in your life and when you feel down, read Psalm 23 - even in the dark valley, he is with you - even if you don't feel him near, he is there! Mark.
B. Developing Godly Character
The development of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of the believer is vital. "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-24). Fruit does not grow overnight! Each fruit need special care and individual attention in order to be cultivated. This process begins when the discipler is willing to challenge the disciple to grow in specific areas of Christlikeness. James describes the nature of true wisdom as godly living. In this passage a number of areas for growth are identified: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom....the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness" (James 3:13-18).
C. Teaching Core Beliefs
The Bible warns about the dangers of believers who are not grounded in doctrine, and speaks of the benefits of a solid foundation: "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14). Disciples must gain a basic understanding of the doctrine of God (His nature and works); the Word; Salvation (the work and ministry of Jesus for the believer); Sanctification (the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer); The Church and the Future. The purpose here is not simply the transfer of knowledge about these doctrines, for the goal of studying theology is worship. The doctrines must lead to a closer relationship with God and a change of lifestyle. Youth need to be taught the basic doctrines of the faith. While they may not appreciate attending a series of classes to study Christian doctrines, they will participate in a group context that explores the key aspects of the Christian faith in a relevant and exciting way. The Group book, Get Real: Teaching Core Beliefs to Teenagers, is an excellent way of involving youth in learning doctrine. The doctrines covered are: the nature of God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, humanity, evil, suffering, creation, the spiritual realm, the bible, salvation, spiritual growth, personal character, God's justice, sin and forgiveness, the last days, love, the church, worship, authority, prayer, family, service, relationships, sharing faith. This material could be used either in a large group context or a cell group.
D. Discovering Spiritual Gifts
One of the main contexts in which leaders should encourage the practise of the spiritual gifts is in small groups, ie. cell groups. People involved in cell ministry, such as Ralph Neighbour, Willow Creek, etc. encourage the discovery and exercise of spiritual gifts in these groups. Leaders should:
(1) Provide a Context to Exercise Gifts
In places where the practise of the gifts are discouraged or forbidden they tend to stop happening or never start at all. Youth leaders, or cell group leaders, should ensure that the meeting is a place where people feel comfortable with each other and are willing to be used by God as they exercise their gifts.
(2) Teach Youth About the Various Gifts
Young people will not know about the gifts just because they are Christians. The small group could spend some time discussing various gifts from a Biblical perspective. Ralph Neighbour in Where Do We Go from Here? explores the gifts in various categories in chapter 8. Jim Burns, in the YouthBuilders series, has one of the curriculum books dedicated to spiritual gifts: The Word on Finding and Using Your Spiritual Gifts.
(3) Help Youth Identify their Gifts
There seems to be some disagreement concerning spiritual gifts: Bill Hybels at a conference in South Africa said that people have primary and secondary gifts and that they need to minister mainly with their primary gift, while Ralph Neighbour, at a cell church conference in South Africa, said that people do not have spiritual gifts, but that God may operate any gift through them. The writings of Paul do seem to indicate that people have been given specific gifts. He says that the church is a body: one person is an eye, another an ear, another a foot, etc. Church members need each other because they cannot operate in all the gifts!.
A spiritual gifts inventory could be used with youth to help them identify their spiritual gifts. Leaders can help youth discover their spiritual gifts through the following process: (a) Open yourself to God as a channel for His use - begin by affirming that the Holy Spirit dwells within you (1 Corinthians 6:19). The gifts are the gifts of the Spirit, so youth must surrender to his working. (b) Examine your aspirations for Christian service and ministry - the purpose of the gifts is to serve others (1 Peter 4:10). (c) Identify the needs that you believe to be most crucial in the life of the Church - you should look at your concerns as God often guides people by creating within them a sense of burden for a task that needs accomplishing. (d) Evaluate the results of your efforts to serve and to minister - gifts, like talents, grow as they are used. A clear indication that God has given a particular spiritual gift is growth in effectiveness as the gift is exercised. (e) Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as He leads you into obedience to Christ - John 14:21 and Matthew 25:23. (f) Be alert to the responses of other Christians - God calls people into fellowship with other members of Christ's Church. Since no Christian will manifest every spiritual gift, they all need one another (1 Corinthians 12:27-31). The affirmation and support of other Christians will prove of great help in discovering and manifesting spiritual gifts.
(4) Guide Youth in the Use of their Gifts
Paul offers very specific guidelines in his writings to guide the use of gifts because he knew how they could be misused. The leader should be mature enough and well trained to handle the use of gifts. The scriptural guidelines should be explored and a general code of practise developed for their use. The misuse of spiritual gifts should not cause leaders to reject them, but ensure that they are correctly used for the strengthening of the body (1 Corinthians 14:26).
E. Practising Spiritual Disciplines
The disciple also needs to begin to practise spiritual disciplines. The spiritual disciplines are the personal and corporate means of spiritual growth (Colossians 2:20-23 and 1 Timothy 4:7,8). The way to spiritual maturity is through discipline. God uses three primary agents to bring change in the believer: people (Proverbs 27:12), circumstances (Romans 8:28) and spiritual disciplines. The word translated discipline in the New Testament is a Greek word gumnasia from which we get the English word gymnasium and gymnastics. The spiritual disciplines can be thought of as spiritual exercises.
Spiritual maturity is not primarily concerned with outward performance - it concerns who we are. When we substitute activity for communion with God, we live our spiritual lives on the surface. The primary method that God has given for the nurturing of the spiritual life is discipline. A disciple by definition is a disciplined person. Communion with God is not going to just happen - it is not spontaneous. Discipline is required if we are going to go deeper with God and have fellowship with Him.
The practise of spiritual disciplines have always been regarded as a vital part of faith development. By definition, a spiritual discipline is the intentional practise of some aspect of the Christian life (such as prayer or reading Scripture) in a regular and habitual manner. Practising spiritual disciplines is like learning to play the guitar: drudgery during the early stage, but in the long run the effort is worthwhile.
The benefits of spiritual disciplines: (1) They Help us Develop Intimacy with God - the goal of the disciplines is not salvation - we are saved by faith in Christ (Romans 10:9-10) but as we practise them, we are helped in our walk with Jesus and develop intimacy with God. (2) They Help us Become like Christ - they also shape us into godly people (1 Timothy 4:7). We need them because we are weak, enslaved to ingrained habits, and cannot live a Christlike life on our own. As we live under the discipline of God we are able to overcome these weaknesses and habits. (3) They Help us Receive the Grace of God - in a sense the spiritual disciplines are a means of grace - they put us in the path of God's grace. The blind beggar (Luke 18:35-43) and Zacchaeus placed themselves in the way of Jesus and thereby received healing or forgiveness.
Various books describe and help people to apply the spiritual disciplines, such as: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People by Keith Drury; Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster; Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney; and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard. Each writer suggest a different way in which to categorise the disciplines.
Keith Drury divides the disciplines as follows: (1) Inner Personal Disciplines: grudges - releasing old hurts; thought life - overcoming impure thoughts; humility - putting off pride; ambitions - abandoning selfish ambition. (2) Interpersonal Disciplines: restitution - making things right; restoration - restoring a fallen Christian; honesty - speaking absolute truth; peacemaking - mending broken relationships.
Richard Foster divides the disciplines in this way: (1) Inward Disciplines: meditation; prayer; fasting, study. (2) Outward Disciplines: simplicity; solitude; submission, service. (3) Corporate Disciplines: confession; worship; guidance, celebration.
Dallas Willard suggests that the spiritual disciplines can be grouped into two categories: (1) Disciplines of Abstinence (things you do without): solitude, silence, fasting, simplicity, chastity, secrecy and sacrifice. (2) Disciplines of Engagement (things you do): study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession and submission.
F. Practising Personal Devotions
The devotional life of the disciple begins to grow from the day they pray the sinners prayer or make a public confession of their need for Christ. As they gain assurance of salvation and are grounded in basic doctrines they will begin to desire to fellowship with God their Father. Leaders should encourage them to spend time in daily devotions - hearing from their Father, expressing their love and devotion and requesting His wisdom and guidance for the day. Often the best way to teach a new disciple about personal devotions is to have devotions together with them and then encouraging them as they continue on their own, making time to reflect and share insights about how their devotional journey is going. A key area that should be focussed on is the practise of the presence of God. The disciple must be taught that God lives in them, that he will never leave them and that they can experience his presence as a reality. David, the Psalmist learnt to practise the presence of God. We read these words of David in Psalms 16:8, "I have set the LORD always before me." It is literally, "I keep the Lord continuously in prominence". In Psalm 63:1-8 when David was out in the wilderness he worshipped the present God. He had a spontaneous relationship with God because he was continually aware of His presence. To help the new disciple to practise the presence of God, a leader should teach youth to remind themselves of the reality of God's presence; make it their aim to experience God at all times, decide to talk to God continuously; when they forget that God is with them they should confess and continue with Him; do everything, even common tasks, as unto the Lord (Col 3:17,23); and take control of their senses, sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and let them direct their mind to God.
2. INVOLVING YOUTH IN MINISTRY
There are a number of spheres in and through a youth group in which young people can be involved in ministry.
A. Involving Youth in Evangelism
The Youth 3 course dealt extensively with involving Christian youth in evangelism, missions and service projects. Someone has said: evangelism is not complete until the evangelised become the evangelists. Not only is this important in the ministry of multiplication but it is also vital for the development of the individual. As young people begin to share their faith with others, they will have to gain a better understanding of what they believe; they will have to find out how to answer objections to their faith; they will develop confidence as they effectively witness to others; and they will be enthused as they see the power of the gospel in action.
B. Involving Youth in Discipleship
2 Timothy 2:2 speaks of the process of discipleship being completed as the person who is disciple goes and disciples others. As youth grow in the faith they should be equipped to help others grow spiritually. Youth at the Develop level of commitment are starting to take the initiative for the spiritual growth of other youth, so must be taught how to teach others to practise daily devotions and spiritual disciplines. Workshops should be run within the group to impart the skills that youth need to disciple other youth.
C. Involving Youth in Missions
The Youth 3 notes stressed the vital role of mission trips in the development of Disciple, Develop and Multiply level youth. Leaders should build into their yearly planner some short-term mission opportunity that members of the youth group could be involved in. This could be helping with a holiday club in the community, running a beach mission at the coast, helping with an inner-city mission or ministering in a rural context.
D. Involving Youth in Service
Duffy Robbins, in The Ministry of Nurture, speaks of the final stage of Jesus' plan for nurturing people as calling people to a life of service (John 13:12-17). In order to motivate young people to service one of three approaches are used: Guilt (negative pressure); Goad (positive pressure); or Guide (exposing youth to situations in which God can move them and mould their hearts). The learning process has four stages: (1) Familiarisation - use strategies to help youth see the need and be called to service; (2) Feedback - give youth a chance to discuss and offer feedback about the input they've received; (3) Exploration - give youth a chance to explore various ways they can serve; and (4) Responsibility - get youth to the stage where they have a sense of responsibility to serve. Leaders will nurture a mentality of servanthood if their youth programme provide information about needs to be met, examples of the ways that youth can meet these needs and opportunities to go out and try meeting these needs.
Service projects should be used to develop in youth the servant attitude found in Christ. They should explore the concept of service and engage in practical acts of service. If a group decides to embark on service-orientated programming it would be wise to prepare youth with input on servanthood and then expose them over a few programmes to different service opportunities. This is to give them a taste of service and challenge them about how they should respond as Christians. After a term of service projects it is time to sit down with the group and decide on an extended service project that the group could handle. One example is to present a monthly programme in a children's home. This will show youth the more committed and disciplined aspect of serving that goes beyond the first terms approach. In fact, the first term activities probably do more for the members of the group that the people being served as it changes attitudes and challenges youth to further action.
Random Acts of Kindness involve looking for opportunities to spread unprovoked shots of God's love to unsuspecting victims. The group could type up a card that says: "Congratulations. You have been hit by a random act of kindness by the ________Youth Group. We hope that our encounter has made you day a little brighter and has painted a smile across your face. Please feel free to pass this kindness on to someone else. Your friend, the ________Youth Group. Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another." The following guidelines are suggested: (1) Do not take anything in return. To take a payment or gift would defeat the whole point of grace and giving. The important reward for youth to get is the inner feeling that they have done something right and to be able to find reward in someone's response to a random act of kindness. (2) Tell people who you are and what you are doing. People today are very sceptical of anything free or of religious freaks. Youth should be prepared for some of the negative responses they might get. (3) Run a programme on giving or grace before and after the event. Youth should be allowed to share how it felt and what they experienced. Stress that every day can be a random act of kindness day. (4) Consider the following ideas: during a hot day take a cooler full of cold drinks and give them to people who are working in the sun; buy a bunch of balloons and hand them out in front of the grocery store to children; go into the store and randomly pick someone in the express lane and buy their groceries; take flowers to a nursing home or to shut-ins; rake someone's yard or driveway; set up a free hot chocolate stand at the mall or grocery store on a winters day; go to the grocery store and carry people's bags to the car; go to the airport and stand at the baggage claim and welcome people to your city or help them find their way if your airport is big; drive through a big apartment complex on a Saturday and find someone that is moving in or out; go a mall and ask if you can wash people's windows for free.
E. Involving Youth in Leadership
Leaders should look for opportunities within the youth group to involve youth in leadership. A care programme could be implemented within the group to share the load of the youth leader in contacting and following-up on youth (both group members and newcomers). The leader should assign to each young leader between five to eight people to care for. The leader takes the responsibility to follow-up newcomers and then hands them over to one of the care leaders to be nurtured. This takes some of the pressure off the leader, and is a fulfilment of the Biblical role of leadership with is to "prepare God's people for works of service" (Ephesians 4:12). Youth can also be involved in leadership in young age group ministries. For example, teenagers can function as teachers or group leaders in the children's group, while young adults can function as adult leaders in the teenage group.
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