Home Sweet Simple Home

Update on Voddie & Youth Ministry

Update: I wrote my 4 part series on youth ministry without having had the opportunity to read all of Mr. Baucham’s sermon. Thanks to Mominpa I was able to read a transcript online. Let me just say that I was pleasantly surprised to hear so much of what I’ve been saying. I agree with Mr. Baucham- “any youth ministry that's going to exist at all had better have a mission statement that says, "We exist to equip and assist parents as they do what God called them to do and not the church.”
Yes, I agree. Youth ministry must co-exist and help parents- not replace them. With that said- I pray that there will come a time when my job is obsolete. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Families all attending church together, sitting together, worshiping together! All the families having daily devotions together and on their own. Prayer happening more frequently than just at meals. All parents being the spiritual leaders and go-to-persons in their children's lives. Think about what church would be like?! What the community would be like? Ooooh, I'd love to live and go to church there! But it isn't very realistic is it? [Doesn't mean I don't pray for it though!]
Youth ministry must be more than games and food and hang-out time. More than just a place to find a “good Christian to date”, more than a drop off spot. When people within the church have issues with a teen they should take it to the parent, not the youth pastor.
Parents shouldn’t leave it up to the youth pastor to teach their kids about s*x, drugs, dos and don’ts of dating and so on. They should be learning it at home! Like I said before, youth ministry should be about reinforcing what teens are learning at home and being a help to parents.
I agree with Mr. Baucham’s message and would like to hear more of what can be done to change this trend. Yes, parents should dig into the Word and pray mightily but I have been challenged by parents who say to me “my kids are more spiritual than I am” or “I just don’t understand it [the bible], how can I make them understand it?” As parents, we have a responsibility to maintain spiritual fitness. We cannot teach what we do not, ourselves, know.
So dear readers, I think we must evaluate it in terms of what it will do for our own families. Will youth group be a help to your teen? Does the youth ministry agree with and teach what you do? How is discipline and responsibility handled within the group? And any other questions you have- as parents it our responsibility to check out any group our teens want to be involved in.
If you are okay with it and your child joins the youth group- don’t forget to re-evaluate. If you are seeing negative traits coming out in your teen and you aren’t sure where they are learning those or your teen tells you about something that happened at youth group and it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up in warning  . . . . . talk with the youth pastor and perhaps, remove your teen from the group for a time or for always. Bottom line- you are the parent- you decide (with the Lord’s blessing) what is right for your child and for your family as a whole.
Don't forget to step forward and be involved in your church! If you don't like what is going on- speak up. Talk with your pastor; share your vision of family ministry and how the church can stop being all about programs and more about bringing families deeper together and helping them grow together spiritually.
God bless us all in this mighty, mighty ministry of raising a family that carries with it generations of blessings. Think about your great, great, great, great grandkids. I pray for generation upon generation of my family to be Christians. I daily ask the Lord for that blessing because I know that the only things I can take with my to heaven are my children and their children and their children and their children- if they know the Lord.

I want to join that church

6:31 PM, 2006-Nov-11 .. Posted by Tinakay

We have been looking for a church to join. And so far nothing that is directed to the whole family. They seperate and do their own thing. Which I do not like. I do like the idea of a curch you described. We will find that someday with God leading. Thank you for your post.

Tina Kay

Woo-Hoo!

8:27 PM, 2006-Nov-11 .. Posted by oldpathsfamilyfarm

Oh, Amy...

I am so absolutely excited to hear you talking like this! ( I am running a victory lap around my kitchen now.) I am so glad I read all the way to the end to see that you did eventually get to see what the sermon was about. Voddie was saying exactly what you just did in all these great posts.

When I originally asked about it, I was wondering what your take on this was, and if you were of the family-based youth group mentality, then did your church support you, and especially did the parents support you(?). I am so glad to hear that *most* of the parents are with you. What a powerful ministry you have with those kids! It is so encouraging to hear the passion for this ministry in your writing!!! (The whole time I was reading these posts, I kept saying,"Preach it, Girl!", "Amen!", and "Yes, yes, yes...that's IT!".)

I was one of those kids you mentioned that came to church alone, from a wreck of a home, and my youth minister was my only chance at discipleship. I will forever be grateful for his efforts on my behalf. One day, many kids will say that about YOU, my lady.

Thank you for these posts, and for all the effort you put into answering my question.

For HIS glory-alone,

Julie