(Pt. 2 of a 3 part series)

The model established by God through God’s people to instill God’s Truth within the Next Generation can be describe as such: begin religious instruction in the family home as spiritual practices, add knowledge through the larger [...]]]> “Biblical Rationale for Youth Ministry in the Old Testament”

(Pt. 2 of a 3 part series)

The model established by God through God’s people to instill God’s Truth within the Next Generation can be describe as such: begin religious instruction in the family home as spiritual practices, add knowledge through the larger community of faith, and provide mentoring from key spiritual leaders for specific practices and duties.

This model was utilized throughout the Old Testament era due to some foundational concepts about young people, a developmental stage that was not fully identified at that time outside of Scripture.  However, God has specific principles to follow in ministering to this pre-adult age group.

The priority of Youth Ministry in the Old Testament is evident is the important passage of Ecclesiastes 11:9, “Be happy, young man (bachuwr), while you are young (yalduwth) and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth (bĕchurowth).”  One short sentence utilizes three different words to define the time of adolescence.   The Hebrew word ילדות, yalduwth, describes the time period of youth, which differs from the Hebrew word בְּחֻרִים, bĕchurowth, which was used to describe a group of people, “youth” or “young men”; this is one of the three verses utilizing this arrangement (Strong’s entry). The latter word has its root in the Hebrew word בחור, bachuwr, which commonly (89 times in 45 OT verses) describes a young man of mature age, but unmarried as in Ruth 3:10 or of fighting age as in Isaiah 31:8. The Teacher Solomon reaches the conclusion of his thesis in Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1 that ultimate of life is to worship, “remember”, God while you are young and still can determine the course of your life, holding off the affects of age and unwise decisions.  This truth is emphasized by the repetition of the variety of Hebrews words that can be translated “youth”.

Solomon had pursued the most “popular” pathways of Life, seeking fulfillment of purpose and came up empty.  Many of these pathways are exalted by youth today through song, movies, TV and even academia, as each young generation before this one has chased after them. It is for this reason Solomon addresses his conclusion to youthful readers, and it is this conclusion that becomes our foundation for a Biblical rationale for Youth Ministry. Many adults have become entangled in the affairs of the world, missing the peace and joy that God designed us to live by according to His Truth.  The purpose of Youth Ministry is to teach, equip and motivate young people to “remember” their Creator, before Life is “wasted on the young” and becomes “troubled”.  This mission can be stated many ways, but we can all agree the benefits of a young life fully devoted to the LORD, living out his or her full potential to make a Godly Kingdom impact, is worth all the sacrifice and efforts made by youth workers around the world.

Biblical Rationale #1) Life-tested Truth that the ultimate of Life is to worship God from Youth, to fully grasp all that God has for each of us. (Eccl. 12:1)

The story of Samuel provides for us the second Biblical rationale for youth ministry in the Old Testament: God is calling Youth to himself.  Whether you hold onto “Sunday School assumptions” that Samuel was a small child when God called to him or was a Jr. High aged-teenager as Josephus states is of small consequence, either way – God spoke to Samuel, calling him to follow, obey and serve the Almighty God in his youth, not just later when he was an adult.  God was not designating Samuel for “assignment to be determined later”.  When Samuel was “old and gray”, he testifies himself that it was from the time of his youth that he was a leader for the people of Israel (1 Samuel 12:2).  This word “youth” is, na`uwr, used to describe “early life”.  Another example of God calling young people to serve Him is Joshua, who was Moses’ aid since “youth” [bĕchurowth] (Numbers 11:28).  Besides our previous discussion of Ecclesiastes 11 and 12, this is the only other time this word is used in the Old Testament (Strong’s entry).  As the Ecclesiastes context informs us that the conclusion to follow God in adolescence, we can assume Joshua himself is a young adult when chosen to aid Moses.

One young man whose exact age is recorded when God first spoke to him, initiating a relationship, is Joseph.  Genesis 37:2 tells us that, “Joseph, [was] a young man of seventeen” when God interrupted his sleep with some amazing dreams.  The Hebrew word used here is, na`ar, the range of this word in the Old Testament is birth through early twenties, but often centers on adolescence.  While Joseph may be described as an immature brat from a dysfunctional family (he is not smart enough to keep his dreams from his brothers who already hate him), he seems to have a faith in Yahweh that sustains him during the most difficult of circumstances.  After the betrayal of his family and being sold into slavery, instead of taking advantage of the sexual advances of an older married woman, Joseph refuses to have sex with her not because he fears her husband, or the potential of losing his job, but rather Joseph clings to purity out of his obedience to God.  Joseph declares, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9).  This relationship with God results in God’s favor resting with Joseph even when it appears Life turns from bad to worse.  God uses Joseph to save the world from starvation and deliver his family, the bloodline of Christ, to prosperity in Egypt.  It is was because Joseph listened to God, that he remained faithful for the 22 years that it took for the fulfillment of those dreams and the saving of many lives.  Youth workers bristle at the thought that ministry to youth is merely “baby-sitting” until they are old enough to do real ministry or make a true confession of faith.  Youth Ministry is a vital calling of the Church to engage teenagers to become fully-devoted followers of Christ both now and for future service.

Biblical Rationale #2) The Old Testament is full of examples that God calls teenagers to Himself to be with Him and serve His purposes.

We see the last element of the “New Pathway”, spiritual mentoring, in the life of another Old Testament hero, Joshua.  Joshua went wherever Moses went.  When Moses interceded with the LORD in the Tent of Meeting outside the camp, Joshua would go with him.  After Moses received the message to pass onto the people, he would leave “but his young aide Joshua son Nun did not leave the tent” (Exodus 33:11).  This unique benefit of being Moses’ mentee was part of God’s plan to rise up Joshua for future leadership.  Joshua’s preparation also included: watching Moses leadership style change from single ruler to developing layers of leadership (Ex. 18), listening in on the intimate conversations between Moses and Yahweh (Ex. 33), and taking on challenging assignments given by Moses (Ex. 17, Joshua led the battle against the Amalekites while Moses prayed).  Joshua learned well how stand upon his convictions of God’s provisions as a spy in the minority, and later declared his obedience in leading the people of Israel to take possession of the Promised Land.  Joshua modeled the “New Pathway” by declaring that he and his “household” (family) will serve the LORD (Josh. 24:15).  Joshua’s strong leadership was developed through the many years of mentoring by Moses.  The impact of this leadership was the people of Israel continued to live faithful to God even after his death.  “Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel” (Josh. 24:31).  However, the “pathway” broke down after that generation died.  Somewhere along the line, parents failed to instruct their children and the larger spiritual community failed to honor God; “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” (Judges 2:10).  This highlights the third Biblical rationale for Youth Ministry: each generation must be taught who God is and what He has done for mankind.  We cannot assume past faithfulness will continue or that future generations will be aware of the great historical legacy available to them.  The pathway must continue to be refreshed with each generation.  Spiritual mentoring within the community of faith is perhaps the greatest methodology to insure the formation of each generation.  (Note: I have discussed mentoring in other blogs, check out past articles for more information on this topic.)

Biblical Rationale #3) Each generation must be taught who God is and what He has done for mankind.

            The picture is not complete however, we must consider implications of the New Testament to fully understand the Biblical mandate for youth ministry.  Part 3 is coming soon!

“Ancient Roots of Modern Day Youth Ministry”(Pt. 1 of a 3 part series)

By Dave Keehn

            Adolescence is a relatively new phenomenon. G. Stanley Hall was probably the first to use the term in the early 1900s when he wrote Adolescence: Its psychology and its [...]]]> Biblical Mandate for Youth Ministry

“Ancient Roots of Modern Day Youth Ministry”(Pt. 1 of a 3 part series)

By Dave Keehn

            Adolescence is a relatively new phenomenon. G. Stanley Hall was probably the first to use the term in the early 1900s when he wrote Adolescence: Its psychology and its relation to physiology, anthropology, sociology, sex, crime, religion and education in 1905 (Senter, p.93). However, it was the emerging education system of the 1800s that created an age group that presented unique needs and parental desires.  In 1875 the government permitted the first public high school to “educate young people prior to college” (Senter, p.93).  Prior this era, the expectation of pubescent children was to take on adult responsibilities. While churches had already begun various types of Sunday school efforts to teach children the gospel as well as academics, and the YMCA had programs for young men, “the discovery of adolescence both from a legal perspective and from an educational point of view meant that youth work would have to change” (Senter, p. 93).

The confusion of how to approach this age group has continued for a hundred plus years. The classic writer Mark Twain’s suggestion, “When a boy turns 13 put him in a barrel and feed him through the knot hole.  When he turns 16, plug up the hole”, reflects a communal frustration of what to do with adolescents who are struggling to transition from childhood to adulthood.  Many parents wring their hands in worry as they contemplate the decisions made by their aging children.  Godly parents search the Scriptures looking for insight on how to raise young adults, who are no longer mere children.  The difficulty is that the Bible is silent about teenagers, as adolescence was not a mindset in that culture. However, this lack of specific instruction does not necessitate reverting back to Mark Twain’s methods of “controlling” young adults.

Perhaps Mark Twain was onto something significant though, as historically the age 13 seems to begin the transitional years from childhood to adulthood.  Many cultures have ceremonies celebrating this arrival of adulthood, although the exact age varies greatly from age 7 in some Hindu cultures to as late as 20 in Japanese celebrations (Wikipedia: adolescence).

Jewish Bar and Bat Mitzvah have become cultural institutions unto themselves.  However, these elaborate parties have significant spiritual roots in the Old Testament. Dating back to the time after the Exile, Jewish leaders sought to teach their children the Hebrew language to be able to read the Torah.  Not wanting to see their faith extinguished with age, the synagogue schools become a primary method for the instruction of reading, writing and speaking the Hebraic language. “Young boys attended once they reached the age of manhood at thirteen” (Anthony, p. 35).  This rite of passage entitled the boy to privileges and responsibilities of adult men, such as serving with other men in the synagogue and in the courts (Anthony, p. 35).

Providing a “language” for their faith was, and still is today, a primary need for adolescent faith development.  While not specifically discussed in Scripture, this shows the purpose of discipleship classes: equipping our students to live and pass on to others the doctrine of God.  The Hebrew roots of Youth Ministry are also found in the educational roles of the priests.  While only boys were allowed to participate in formal education, older boys from the tribe of Levi were apprenticed by older priests (Anthony, p. 28). Elisha’s “company of the prophets” listed in 2 Kings 4:38 provides another type of leadership training group that was present in Ancient Israel. These “prophets schools” are an example of God’s design to rise up the next generation of Spiritual Leadership through mentoring that begins in the family and continues through the larger spiritual community. These various methods of spiritual instruction would look very similar to discipleship groups of today’s Youth Ministry. Small groups of adolescent boys gathered around the local priest or prophet, being mentored in the duties of the synagogue or the teachings of Scripture. The continuation and expansion of faith in the generations to come, we can assume, was their goal, as would be the same for Youth Ministry today. The model established by God through God’s people can be describe as such: begin religious instruction in the family home as spiritual practices, add knowledge through the larger community of faith, and provide mentoring from key spiritual leaders for specific practices and duties. This pathway we will see was practiced and praised throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, which be discussed in parts 2 and 3 of this series… stay tuned for more!

 My daughter is 4 and as I write this another one is in the oven, so my perspective is from a child’s (mine) who grew up in a wonderful family of what I would call healthy and very open communication.

I grew up in a pastor’s family where my [...]]]>  Open Communication with your Children

 My daughter is 4 and as I write this another one is in the oven, so my perspective is from a child’s (mine) who grew up in a wonderful family of what I would call healthy and very open communication.

I grew up in a pastor’s family where my father was a senior pastor and my mother was a youth pastor. This could have been a disaster for a child resulting in major rebellion, however my parents seemed to get a lot of it right! My sister and I are both in full time ministry and we have an incredible tell our parents anything and I mean anything relationship and had that while growing up.  Here are some things that may be helpful for you as a parent as I thought back to what my parents did right.

1. Not Two Faced

I believe it is crucial to have consistency in your personality.  Be the same person in your family life as you are outside the home. If I had witnessed two different conflicting personalities from my parents  when they were at church leading to when they were at home, there would have been automatic trust lost. I instinctively wouldn’t trust my leaders in my home.

1. A Circle of Protection

There needs to be a healthy sense of “family against the world”. There should be the protection that they feel safe within your family unit. I didn’t feel pressure from my parents to be the perfect little pastor’s kid. And I didn’t really feel that from the church. If it was there, I was protected from it. There has to be that separation from the world that makes the child feel safe. And so within the home there needs to be safety as well. This includes not being sarcastic within the family unit even among siblings and no putting down or making fun of each other. There can be fun joking and teasing that isn’t degrading. Also, be careful how you talk about your kids out in public. Parents don’t realize how damaging it is when their children overhear common talk among mothers/fathers of how their child is so this or so that. I didn’t hear my parents say things about me to their peers in a negative or sarcastic tone.  In fact I have heard my mom stand up for me if I was misunderstood and they would brag and protect me.

1. A Trust Bond

I felt that I could come to my parents about ANYTHING. Literally anything! And they wouldn’t put me on the judgment seat or make me feel bad or punish me. My parents knew how far I ever went in a dating relationship, were the people I felt safe saying my first big cuss word around (because didn’t want my friends to hear), knew some of my bad thoughts that I didn’t know how to deal with etc… All because, I tested the level of openness with them and they proved trustworthy. We currently are trying to teach our daughter at 4 how to tell the truth by asking her if she had participated in a certain action or behavior (knowing all along, the truth). When she lies about it, we tell her we need her to tell the truth. We tell her, “please tell us the truth and you won’t get in trouble, however you will get in trouble if you lie.”

1. Activities that Help Foster Communication
2. Devotions

We tried to have a practice of each night meeting somewhere and having family prayer and a devotion. My parents let us have some freedom in what we read and who prayed first, second, third etc…so we had ownership. But this closed out the night with togetherness and a sense of security with of course the good night tuck in and saying I love you. We had devotions even when we were teenagers.

1.  Family Night

We also had a weekend night that was reserved for family night. It could vary on the night but it was usually a time where we helped pick the activity. This became so important that we occasionally turned down friends because of this time together. We had great conversation at many restaurants and bonded as a family unit. It’s a family date!! So date your family not just your spouse!

1. Kid’s Sports and Events

My parents tried to make our events priority. So I knew and always felt their support! This is huge! My dad said that he learned it the hard way by having his dad, who was a minister; have to miss his events because of work. Even as early as age 4, my husband worked his schedule around for my daughter’s little tiny preschool pumpkin carving night to start a good habit and make her feel loved.

1. Be Present Emotionally

When your children are sharing with you try to make sure you give them your full attention. I realize this isn’t always possible like in a busy grocery store or at church etc…However make sure that you make time to come back to them with that thought and look them in the eye to make sure they get that you are listening! This is HUGE with teenagers, they can tell right away when you aren’t really present, and they might never say anything…they will just mentally or subconsciously take note.

1. Family Dinners

When talking about the above point of being present. Family night dinners are an excellent way of being present and making sure that your children are being heard. This was a time where we as a family sat around and told about our day and shared with each other. My mom is a very busy person, always doing for others. And the dinner table was a great place to capture her full attention. Even better, when my mom worked full time and dad wanted to relieve her, we would go to a restaurant and have great family time together talking, with no dinner to set out, prepare or clean up.

1. Know Your Kid’s Love Language

Even before the book came out, my parents knew that they had to parent us a little differently. They were intuitive enough to know that we needed different things.  Try detecting this early by asking them, “How do you know that mommy and daddy love you?” I would have probably said, because they tell me they love me or spend time with me.

Parenting takes work, yet it is our most important ministry. Those we minister to in our churches will often forget us when we move on, but our kids and our family and how we minister to them will impact numerous generations to come. Make sure your family is your top ministry priority.

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children [...]]]> I was reading Deuteronomy 4 with a friend this morning, and we both paused at Deuteronomy 4:9 -

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children. (ESV)”

The way this is written in Hebrew is fascinating. The verse starts out with the same command twice – ‘to keep or watch’. Literally, Moses commands the people “only be watchful to yourself and watch your souls greatly lest you forget…”

Be watchful and watch greatly. As the people are about to enter into the land, they are to be very careful, doubly careful even, to watch lest they should forget. They are to watch themselves in such a way that they can make known to the coming generation and the generation after them the things that God has done. As my mother would often nag, “Some things are worth reminding.”

I think that’s why the church liturgical seasons are so important – they remind us to remember, to be watchful lest we forget the things that God has done through salvation history culminating in Jesus. Seasons like Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Common time keep us in the story of salvation year after year, season after season. We need that because just like many memories of my life, I have forgotten far more than I have learned. What a tragedy to forget the Story of stories!

And that’s exactly what the people of God were in danger of from the very beginning. That’s why they needed to be watchful and to watch greatly. They needed to take intentional measures to be watchful and to keep watch. This applies from the youngest to the oldest of them. Even if they were eyewitnesses to the saving acts of God, they needed to be watchful.

I think as ministers of the Gospel, we need to pay attention to this command. Having been out of seminary and grad school for a little bit now, I can sense the dulling effect that ministry to real people in real situations can have on my theological acumen. We feel the immediate urgency to be practical, to be present, and to speak in language that’s intelligible. While I may want to be immersed in the world of Barth, Calvin,and Lewis, most people are living in the world of Tebow and Lady Gaga. So if I want to live where they are, minister to their situation, I must take up residence in the neighborhood of pop culture – a place that dulls me into forgetting.

The cumulative effect is a loss of precision, a loss of the appreciation for the complexity of the stuff of heaven on earth. I forget “how wondrous are your thoughts, O God, how unsearchable your ways!” In short, I cease being watchful and to keep watch. Paul reminds his young disciple, Timothy, of the dangers of this -

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Tim 4:16 NIV)

Much like the message of Deuteronomy 4, failing to watch has serious implications not just for us, but for those we minister to – whether in our generation or the next. In this Christmas season and the upcoming new year, how will you keep yourself from forgetting? How will you continue to keep yourself sharp in both life and in your doctrine? What impractical, other-worldly, intellectual, abstract, and theological endeavor will you submit yourself to in order to be watchful and to keep watch diligently?