John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, St. Augustine. These are names that are normally reserved for seminary courses much less a youth minister’s sermon. Some student ministries often focus on relevant issues such as friendships, dating, and lifestyle evangelism.
These are important things to emphasize. However, could it be that youth could handle much more? Could it be that some churches are selling students short by only giving them baby food when they desire steak? In school, students are tackling calculus, advanced history, and chemistry. They are writing 10 page papers and taking college level courses. But when they get to church they are often exposed them to light and fluffy sermons on dating.
Maybe it is time that we raise the bar on what students are taught.
So what does this look like? Here are a few suggestions for those who work with youth. First, preach through biblical books or major passages. This will give students a more complete exposure to God’s Word. Second, tackle some deeper issues. Look into topics such as the Trinity, the purpose of God, or the three phases of salvation. These are topics that may not have an easily discovered application but are vital to our Christian faith. Finally, spend more time in preparation. Crack open those commentaries, refer to some of the previously mentioned great theologians in our church history, or reference the wealth of sermons online at places such as www.desiringgod.org. Finally, challenge students to take steps to grow in their faith outside of church. Encourage them to memorize Scripture, develop a bible reading plan, and read some challenging books.
Our churches today are full of adults who are immature in their faith. One way to solve this problem is to provide our teenagers now with a faith that is deep, intellectual and authentic. This will enable the next generation of leaders in the church to possess a more mature and solid faith.
