Read: Ecclesiastes 12:1 2. critical of us. pastors, missionaries, Christian school teachers, servants in Christian When you think about the future, what makes you most uneasy? 1. You can serve God by living a life that honors and glorifies him. Youth leaders need to know that it matters when theyve stayed the course long-term. who offer a one-time complimentary consultation from a Christian perspective. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; 121 Inspiring Words of Encouragement from the Bible for Youth Serving at the . Thats because God answers prayer, so you can know that the time and attention you give to pray for your youth leaders will be a true source of encouragement for them. You don't know what possibilities the future holds for you or how each decision you make will impact those possibilities. Paul understood his sufferings for the gospel as an essential means to bring about the salvation of the elect. God doesnt just show His love in the Gospels; He displays His love for us throughout all of Scripturethe Old and New Testaments. Buy Now! Local: 704-401-2432 There is a world of difference a universe of difference between You can do this and God will be with you. And yet how often does our encouragement fall more in line with the former? Get your copy for today for FREE with a donation of any amount! eyes as you talk about another missionary coming to the church, if they hear James 1:19 Youve heard the age-old relationship advise communication is key, or. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. To start serving God, you have to discover who God is to you. Leading praise and worship? Couples who cherish each other understand that God created everyone different, and as a result, they treasure the unique characteristics in their spouse. the attitude those around us have about God and His work. Even when were sick or set aside because of our age, we still can pray. Lilly shared that her middle school pastor really emphasized knowing Gods vision for us. A common question many teenagers have is why serve God instead of living however they want. It may be good on Winning Your Inner Battles is a free series of eight short videos featuring Levi Lusko. Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Flattery makes God seem nice but unnecessary. 4. All rights reserved. Paul gives us insights into reaching them for Jesus Christ. You could encourage people to light candles for people they are praying for, for a specific area of their life they need more of Gods Holy Spirit in, or to put on a map of their community to pray for more of Gods light in their area. He commends what is commendable without feeling the need to exaggerate. The thing is, Gods plan isnt a game. A speaker, writer, and volunteer youth pastor, Brad is the coauthor of over a dozen books, including 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager, Faith in an Anxious World, Growing Young, several Sticky Faith books, Every Parents Guide to Navigating Our Digital World, and Can I Ask That? Put your ear buds in for this Christian parenting podcast and get practical, faith-based inspiration through all stages of parenting. Weve created a free five-part video series called Recognizing Your Sons Need for Respect that will help you understand how showing respect, rather than shaming and badgering, will serve to motivate and guide your son. Honor the spirituality of youth Appreciate and validate youth as persons of sacred worth with legitimate spiritual needs and responses. Here are a few questions you can use to process with students in your ministry who are stressed about finding their purpose: Tweet this: Sometimes finding Gods plan feels like a puzzle teenagers cant solve or a game they cant win. You did a great job on that project. Youre a very good mother. Everythings going to be okay. But biblical encouragement, though often rich with affirmation, offers something far stronger and more invigorating. Gods first gifts were to Adam and Eve when He placed them in the garden and gave them an abundant source of food. This one simple verse tells you five ways you can serve God in your youth: in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. (Col. 1:1517), This is an incredible plan! Serving God in your youth does mean that even when trouble comes, God can bring something good out of it (something else I can personally attest to). the things that are visible and the things that are invisible. You want to defend the truth, to expose the realities so easily confused during these times. He knows the spiritual danger of pride, so as he affirms, he takes care to not indulge or stimulate it in others. God uses all kinds of people to accomplish His workmost of whom will never make the headlines or even be noticed by others. Actually pray for them (don't just say you will) While it may feel encouraging to tell them you'll pray for them, it goes a lot farther if you actually do! Somewhere along the way I picked up this little trick: before saying something take a moment to consider these three things: If your answer to any of these three questions is no then it doesnt need to leave your lips. The more time our youth spend surrounded by others who speak life into each other, the more that becomes the norm for their own speech. As caring leaders, we often need to take it down a notch or two. Then give them space to reflect alone on these questions and maybe get into pairs after to share their ideas. Lifes full of so many questions. There are lots of good quality video clips available online and on YouTube which you can use to help people worship. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. This time spent serving others truly lays a solid Biblical foundation for them as they enter into adulthood (and the problems and obstacles they'll face there). I knew I should be reading my Bible and praying every day, but other than that I was at a loss. We sometimes just give up and let them be, because changing them feels impossible. Perhaps many of us fail to experience and extend encouragement because we dont yet know what encouragement is. I will have spent four years studying something only to scrap it and start all over. These words will speak deeply to them. Cultivating a habit or culture of true encouragement may begin with taking more seriously the severity of Gods warnings about flattery. They might feel closest to God and loved by Him when they read the Bible and talk with God about what they have read. Jesus touched a man with leprosy, willing to touch even the untouchables of His day. To share a personal story, while I had many wonderful youth leaders, including my own parents at one point, I remember fondly the times that Clark and Sharrie were serving as our youth leaders. Relationships with children change, and the stepparent-stepchild relationship adds another dynamic. b. Pastors often serve as support people when those in their church are hurting. We pray about them. What could be more affirming than these words? You can help your youth leaders remember the big picture by sharing the win with them when an alum of the ministry is doing well. This one can be difficult, especially when dealing with difficult people or when others are not kind and loving in return. Encourage your teen to discover how he or she best receives Gods love. But heres something more from Scripture: all things are held together in Jesus. Here are some to get you started. But ministry made out of the right materials will last forever. Ive often used this in youth services where you set up a wall with lining paper on and people are encouraged to write down things to thank God for or prayers they may have. Bake cookies, bread, or pies to give to first-time visitors at your church. If He did, which love language did He demonstrate? Youth Are Encouraged to Serve Others Secretly both in the heavens and on the earth, Even better serve God by sharing Jesus with others. 7:9, 14) There, they will experience untold blessings as they continue to grow in appreciation for Jehovah, and they will be able to praise him to time indefinite. While youth activities may still be held in the summertime, your youth leaders need a lull in the activity in order for them to be at their best when school starts again. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. And how did he encourage them? Clark and Sharrie demonstrated to us how to love him like Jesus and treat him with dignity while still communicating in a way hed understand. But most of the time, no matter what, they stick with us. Yes, there will always be people who are I probably asked myself that very question a million times during my teen years. They could find some space to sit, kneel or lie down and allow the verse to soak in and encourage them to memorise it. What does your teen request most often? If youre complaining about your youth leaders, theyre very likely to find out about it. Someone Needs Your Encouragement | Desiring God They just have this confidence (some like to call it God-fidence) about them. Give a couple of questions for them to reflect on such as what would you ask God to do today if he was sitting opposite you? or what difference would you like to see God make in your school?. A man who flatters his neighbor, says Proverbs 29:5, spreads a net for his feet. Or even more severely, A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin (Proverbs 26:28). are serving as laymen and women in our ministry. And when the youth group kids are acting wild, remind your youth leaders that this is not the end of the story. . 148:12, 13. About the Text: 1) It is good to remember God in our youth. Romans 15:13 says, Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.. I was surprised that she came up with many of the same things that I did! Why serve God? Sign up for our email today and choose from one of our popular free downloads. I have always been told that our purpose as humans is to advance Gods kingdom, and I want to do that. When the man went and washed, he was able to see. The problem is, their family is much larger than most peoples! Affirmation alone is not encouragement. Heres the good news, by the way! Bring in Slightly Older Mentors. **We use verses from different Bible translations. 3. Leading our small youth group was not the endgame for them personally. The apostle Paul hated flattery (1 Thessalonians 2:5), because he had tasted the bitter and divisive fruit of flattery. Plus, youll be the first to know about our sales, offers, and new releases. If he or she is often touching you, its likely because your child wants to be touched. I dont think either of them had ministry training, and they were just volunteers. 2023 BGEA Its something I struggled with greatly, especially since I encountered many older adults who had a similar mindset and didnt take my desire to learn how to serve God seriously. It is important because it puts Jesus at the centre of the meeting. And Gods desire isnt to trick anyone or lead us the wrong way or shame us for choosing badly. There are also some good ones which focus on a particular Bible passage. It includes scripture and questions to discuss with someone close to you, who can support you in conquering your bad habits. If your daughter is regularly asking you to take a walk with her, its probably because her love language is quality time. And they will say, I felt Gods presence.. Here are 11 specific benefits of serving God in your youth that my daughter and I came up with: The Bible speaks often about the importance of serving God and serving others before ourselves. Youre not alone, my precious friend. This kind of rest is hard to achieve if a congregation is expecting them to crank out lots of activities or other forms of work in the summer. Those who work with middle- and high-schoolers are some of the greatest unsung heroes around. In the world you will have tribulation. If they are musically inclined, get them involved with the worship team. The second way you can serve God in your youth is through your behavior; you can reflect your faith with how you treat others! someone who looks really thirsty - give them a bottle of water or a small gift card to a place that sells drinks. Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. This will help him or her to carry on in the day-to-day fluctuations of student ministry work. Sticky faith: What keeps kids connected to church? So, what sets these words apart from flattery? When they come home, we always So, tell your teens that God loves us in all five languages, but we feel His love most deeply in our own love language. Are you an advocate for the unborn? "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.".
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