It Takes Two

A family and youth ministry should reflect its title. If it is made up of just the youth and their friends, there is a very important element missing. The parents must be actively involved and become the backbone for any successful youth group. Are we really so naive, that we would think that someone who saw our kids 2 or 3 times a week would have as big of an impact as the ones who are raising them and hopefully leading them to Christ all along. I believe our philosophy should be a simple one. The youth minister will partner with the parents to decide what exactly we want these young men and women to know before they leave home. In Proverbs 22:6 it says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” The youth minister exists to help equip the family to accomplish the spiritual goals they have set for their children. We must see the need for one generation to pass on the teachings of God to the next. In Judges 2:10 is says, “After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.” We see in 2nd Timothy 1:5 the deep faith that Timothy had that was passed down to him from his family. 2nd Timothy 1:5 says, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” We are here to assist the youth in finding and developing their spiritual gifts so that they can use them to build up the body of Christ.