Why I Love Youth Ministry

Why I Love Youth Ministry

To preface, hanging out with teenagers is awesome; working for God's glory - together - is awesome. Discipling, building up, praying for, sending out, inviting in, teaching and learning from young people is awesome. You can say it... everything {youth} is awesome!

I'll admit... a lot of the time I'm like: 

and when they use words like 'bae' my face goes:

and in our group, I'm the one who's like:

"WHATUUUUP, iss time to WORSHIP."

and by the time I'm finally in on the # thing, it's a dead art form. So when I # things, it's like:

And even though I fully utilize the unholy social media trinity (FB, Twitter, Instagram, what's up), I'm still behind because, hello Tumblr, Snapchat, Flickipedia. Oh. You haven't heard of Flickipedia? Pffsh. It's new; no big. Just a movie encyclopedia thing... y'know...for your phone...and your brain... patent pending. {And I'm still out for using a word like 'utilize'!} << SMH

Here are my Top Reasons why I Love Youth Ministry (or Why Youth Ministry is Awesome):

... #enjoy.

1. The Games/Food of Sunday Nights: Sundays. On no other night would I find it awesome, or even remotely permissable ("inconceivable!") to stuff myself full of pizza rolls immediately after running barefoot through a sometimes dark parking lot chasing a frisbee (or person/volleyball/Nerf dart/other kind of ball/bandana/bag of colored powder/etc.) Nausea? Bueller? Anybody? Basically, we eat a lot of junk, and chase after a lot of stuff. Not the least of these being, Jesus. #boom #transitions

2. Jesus: in/with youth, we do a lot of learnin'/lovin'/livin' Jesus. It doesn't get much better than that. Throughout the week too, our house is youth open-house. And that's awesome.

3. Activities/Retreats/Mission Trips: Youth ministry is just FUN. 'Nough said.

4. You Can Be Silly/Yourself and it's Not Weird: There's definitely a genuine 'celebrate each person for who they are' kind of vibe in youth. Everyone accepts each other. And that's awesome.

4. The People: To each of you, I pray for you, and I love you; we are in it together.

5. Vision and Hope: The main reason why I love youth ministry revolves around who Jesus is, who He calls us to be in Him, and how young people are seemingly so readily hard-wired for this. For the most part, young people are the passionate, go-getters of the church. Youth believe like how we ought to believe, approaching Jesus with open hands, excited and ready for what He will do, and how He will move. Youth believe, and they act on these beliefs. 

It looks like, "I really believe nothing is impossible with You, Lord!"

 "I believe God is going to change this; I believe You are who You say You are!"

It's a fervent, unified battle cry: "I LOVE the LORD!" 

It's that kind of powerful, raw faith that moves mountains.

"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Matthew 17:20

Throughout 1 Samuel, especially chapter 17, I circled every time David was called (or discredited as being) a 'youth' or 'just a youth'. It makes me {lol} and reveals how awesome our God is, that He has always chosen (and continues to choose) those who we would vote 'least likely to succeed'. Because David, chosen by God, ('just a youth'), goes on to slay a giant.

It's that mustard-seed sized, underdog kind of faith you find in Youth, and it should become an epidemic. The youths of our church, of the church worldwide, are vital people with fiery faith, with purpose and destiny written all over them. Youth is not 'big church in training', and young people are not just a bunch of cast-off's/misfits (a beautiful reminder, not an exhortation).

"Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

I started walking with God seriously when I was 17, after my own 'youth' was nearly over. I see now how God redeemed this lost time, however, giving me youth ministry (and parenting) training while working in a movie theater. I worked for Cinemark theaters from age 16-22, in 3 theaters across 2 states, working alongside other teens, and then managing teens as a young adult. All throughout this time, I was racking up valuable skills, not knowing they were rapidly gaining divine interest in the bank. Also at this time, and early in my walk with Jesus, I noticed I was always among the youngest, if not the youngest, at conferences and in bible studies. I also noticed there were never very many of 'us', young people, amongst a sea of older believers. I believed then {as I believe now} that this dichotomy needed to change. I know now, our God is the master-agent of change, and even now He is rallying and raising up young people across the globe for His purposes and for His glory, a tribe of radical, young, idealistic believers who want to make His name famous {and age, doesn't really matter - you can be 103 with young, idealistic faith!}. I want to help light and then pass this torch of revival to the upcoming generations. I want to be a part of this dynamic movement, to help strengthen young people in their faith and in their zeal, right where they're at, so that it carries over into adulthood.

Simply put, I want to be {and motivate others to be} world changers.

With <3 - Lex 'just a youth' Webb

#therealme

{Who am I? What gives me worth?} The plight of teenagers, twenty-somethings, and anyone who has ever wandered or felt displaced. For centuries, it's been the stuff of books and songs, then movies.

{What defines me? What am I really wrapped up in?}
Friends, followers, taste...words? Is it what they call me; how they see me?

Satan, and His influence on the world, seek to combat and crush the Truth inside of you, one believed lie at a time.

In Him, you are so much more than a carelessly slapped-on label, more than a genre, more than a body in a clique. Hold fast against lies, even when they feel like truths, within the unfailing armor He provided you {Ephesians 6:10-18}. Expose darkness with light {5:11}, and ask your Father, "Who do you say I am?" Who better to clarify who you are than the One who made you?

I am who I AM says I am.

             {See, #therealme never had anything to do with me. The real "me" was always about Him.}

Each label I attach to myself {or believe about myself}, that's not from Him or for Him, is another stone in the altar of 'self'.

"I am" leads to idolatry; I AM declared "it is finished." I have been ransomed. I am taken. I am Loved.

In Him, I have new Boldness. Confidence. Drive. Purpose. Destiny. Urgency. I am not characterized any longer by my flaws or by my shortcomings. I am no longer characterized by insecurity, timidity, or anxiety, rather through these weaknesses, my God is illuminated all the more. Where I am weak; He is strong {2 Corinthians 12:10}. I have all of the affection and affirmation I will ever need; they are no longer sought after in dark places. He is the source, the fuel, the light, the passion - the Craftsman whose handiwork is excellent, and a continuously carefully tended to work-in-progress {Philippians 1:6}.

Being His, #therealme, is where purpose and faith catch fire.

A House Divided Cannot Stand

billygraham.org

This is a plea. When we are divided in any way (frustrated, pacing, praying, talking, arguing, planning, plotting, avoiding, bystanding, keeping silent...) I picture Satan observing from a corner, just listening and watching, nodding, saying... "look what I've done". Dissension amongst believers and friends is his brand of chaos, to render His church sidetracked and ineffective to the world that needs it.

It's not even enough to say 'don't be influenced', or 'think for yourself', over a loud minority, because sometimes our 'self' can't see clearly either; our hearts and how we 'feel' are not indicative of the reality of things, (Jeremiah 17:9) not at all. With 'talk', and potential harm within the body, for me and for you, please, ask Your Father first, for clarity, for help. Let's trust God; trust what He says, His character; begin looking for how He thinks; then match and conform our thinking to His (Romans 12:2), swapping our behavior for His. Seek Truth.

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."

Ephesians 5:11

We are brothers, we are sisters; we are a family. I guess it's okay, easy, and even good for some of us still here to be able to say, "it's okay. Let that go, let them go. God will move us forward; don't think about it." But for me, in that, I see a dark path I don't want to walk down. It's where firestarters go to become mummified. Where young, zealous, passionate believers gradually become encased in their own cynicism and weird forms of pride, disguised as 'experience'. Where rich, soft, teachable soil goes to die. It was like a vision into my future, a warning. I don't ever want to ignore, forget, marginalize, or minimize Your commands to love You and to love my brothers, and to exemplify the first by the latter. Keep me near your heart, God; keep me with You! I won't listen when they tell me to harden up! I'd rather feel the weight of this a hundred times over, every single time, in the moments of this glorious walk together, and break over it, than harden myself to it.

Words wound (James 1:26, 3:2-10, 4:11, Proverbs 15:4, 17:9, Titus 3:1-2), and it's a check for all of us.

And maybe these words sting too, because what You've created here is my home. It's where and how You brought me back to you, through the body, not a building. It's where You gave me growing pains, it's taking first steps, learning to ride a bike, growing up together on this messy, holy ground. It's where I was married, where my babies slept and made their first friends. Where we learn together, and teach together, and fall down together, and 'get back up again' (Proverbs 24:16) together. A hundred times over, it's grace.

Personal conviction: {We are not called to jump ship; we are called to drop anchor.}

There may be problems; there may be big problems, and hurts, and lack, and weakness, and apathy, ignorance, pride...it's okay, keep going! The list of issues could go for miles, in and out of many rooms, trailing down the hall, and out the front door of this broken House.

But God loves broken. Anything redeemed reveals evidence of His presence and faithfulness to us: His penmanship, His fingerprints, His ownership over these beautifully flawed works in progress, each church, each person. Please wait, please be patient. Please give more grace, please remain faithful.

Please...

Pray. (Philippians 4:6, James 5:16, Colossians 4:2, Hebrews 4:16). Pray for your leaders. Meet with them. Encourage them. Then, keep praying. Meet with each other, lovingly confront. Never give up; He doesn't!

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

Romans 8:26-27

Stay unified.

Love each other.

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you not look only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Philippians 2:1-4

"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future."

Ephesians 4:1-4

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:35

"Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."

2 Corinthians 13:11

Born of God - Jesus Culture