Does God Have a Youth Program?
by Bryan Gibson
“What kind of youth programs do you have?” That’s a common question asked by many when looking for a church to attend. So what kind of youth programs should we have? What should a church offer its youth?
Gospel preaching. No, the gospel is not too outdated for today’s youth. It is as relevant today as when it was first preached by the apostles. It contains the words of eternal life (John 6:68); telling young and old alike how they can be saved (Acts 11:14). It is, as Romans 1:16 says, “the power of God to salvation.” Consider the question posed in Psalms 119:9: “How can a young man cleanse his way?” The answer: “By living according to Your word.” Young people cannot live according to God’s word unless they first hear it. They need to hear gospel preaching, and they need to hear it regularly.
Bible classes. The Bible tells us about a church in Antioch, where many were involved in teaching God’s word (Acts 13:1; 15:35). What a great example for us today! It is indeed a blessing when a local church has enough teachers to offer classes for different age groups. Young people can greatly benefit from classes like this, where the truth is taught on “their level.” It does, however, need to be Bible study—not an art class, not a social hour, not a time to discuss “more relevant issues.” You would be amazed at how many Bible stories even two and three year olds can learn.
Worship services, patterned after those in the New Testament—where edification (1 Corinthians 14:26), not entertainment, is the goal; where the activities are spiritual, not carnal. Many churches have gone to the “contemporary style” services, where just about anything goes. Yes, our young people may enjoy this; it may capture their attention, but it will not feed their souls. They need worship services where their minds are directed to the Lord, to His will, to what He has done for them, and what they need to do in return. God knows what they need, if we will just follow His plan. Look in the New Testament, look at what those local churches did, and then just follow their example. That’s God’s way, and we simply cannot improve upon that.
Godly or righteous examples. The Bible is filled with them, and they will learn them as they listen to preaching and participate in Bible studies. They especially need to hear about Jesus, the one perfect example. But they also need examples from those with whom they come in direct contact. They need folks around them who can say with Paul, “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). They need patterns or examples to follow (Philippians 3:17), people who are “living sermons.”
Christians who will look out for their soul. God has certainly seen to this need, with the provision that elders be appointed in every church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5), men whose responsibility is to watch for the souls of every member—including the young (Hebrews 13:17; Acts 20:28-31). The burden, however, should not fall completely on the elders. Young people need to be surrounded by those who “sincerely care” for the welfare of their soul (Philippians 2:20). Churches that designate one man as the “youth minister” have missed the point. Scripturally speaking, every Christian is a minister or servant (Philippians 2:3-4), and so our young people (and everyone else) should have plenty of people to minister to them. Basically, a local church should provide a family atmosphere, where we all look out for one another.
Let’s not cheat our young people. What they need more than anything else is the bread of life. This will not only sustain them in this life, but it will also give them eternal life (John 6:35, 58).
Editor’s note. This is not to imply that good, wholesome entertainment is not only necessary but also a good thing for our young people. We know of no Christians who do not enjoy these things with their young people, often on an organized basis. The question is: is it the responsibility of the local church to organize these activities, or is it the responsibility of the families involved? We hope that this article as well as the others in this general topic, have answered that question.