The past couple of weeks have seen quite a few internet kerfuffles and dust-ups. Blogs I visit have been discussing the importance of the Trinity, because they believe that some actions and statements by a “celebrity” pastor have undermined it. Carl Trueman, Tim Challies, and Thabiti Anyabwile wrote some of the most helpful posts on the controversy, if you’re interested.
(Trueman’s disdain for my country’s sacred cows like football make this red-blooded American girl a little cranky, but he’s right on about this one — and he’s usually right on about problems with American culture, I just don’t like to hear it.)
Anyway, in a chain of events that would take too long to explain, talk then shifted to how we in the church teach our youth. It’s a question that comes up time and again on the interwebs: Are youth groups really necessary?
I’ll admit, this also makes me cranky (even crankier than when one criticizes American football). You see, I’m a youth group kid, and when I look back on my years in church youth group — and my own church’s youth program, in which my two oldest participate — I see it as a positive thing.
And every time, just when I feel my blood pressure start to rise, I realize that the kind of youth program they’re talking about is quite different from the ones I’ve experienced. You would think I would have learned this by now, but no, I make this mistake over and over.
The youth ministers I know and love wouldn’t dream of keeping teenagers (or any kid older than ten or so) out of the regular worship service period, let alone to play games. And while there is a time and a place for Nerf wars and bowling, teaching the Word is always the priority.
Not that they hit the bullseye every time. I remember attending a regional youth conference where the speaker played a Beatles record backwards and started warning us about subliminal messages hidden in rock music. Keep in mind that this was the mid to late eighties, when Beatles music was only found on Musak and in our parents’ record collections. We were the generation that made Milli Vanilli a national sensation.
But even at that, the take-away message about using discernment was not wasted. And and I remember several lessons on foundational truths, like, for instance, the importance of the Trinity.
So today I am thankful. I am thankful for youth ministers and leaders, past and present, who feel a burden to teach the truth. I’m thankful that my experience with youth ministry is so overwhelmingly positive that I’m momentarily confused when I see it criticized.
And I’m thankful for the knowledge that Christ continues to build his church, and that the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)
Today I’m joining my friend Kim and a few other bloggers in remembering some things I’m thankful for.)
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