That Kid Can Preach! Or Can He (or She)?

Hey All,

Recently, I was asked to be a short sermon at our Statewide Fine Arts Festival. This was my first time judging this category so I had only a vague idea of what to look forward to. Fifty-two sermons later I could barely think. I think it is awesome we had so many want to undertake the task of many of us take for granted every week.

I sat through 3 hours of short sermons. I heard passionate young people one after another share a 5-7 minute sermon on our year long theme: Everywhere. I either don't have to go to church for the next year or got my 52 messages for the next year. These teens were sharp looking, sharp acting and are a credit to their respective youth ministries.

I heard teens take the theme in various directions.

10% of the sermons I heard were focused on subjects like abortion or missions.
20% preached on various parables and on David and Joshua, 50% were on revival and our need to share Jesus everywhere.
20% I'm not quite sure where they were coming from and
0% made love or grace the central theme of their message.

Now, the point: Of all the messages I heard; I did not hear about the love of God as a central message. God's love was mentioned but was not the central focus. In fact, not only was love not the central theme of any message but neither was God's grace. Aren't those attributes of God that are everywhere or should be? Many of the messages left me feeling discouraged. Many of the messages hammered at the fact that we are not good enough or do enough. Is it possibel that is what we have been communicating to our teens and they are just mimicking us? That being said, I understand that I am not good enough and never do enough. I need to hear a message like this once and a while but 52 times (exaggerated) in a row?

I did hear compassion in a few voices. They were not the fiery one's. They were soft and calculating. They were thinking as they spoke. They looked me in the eye as if they cared for my soul. Isn't that what we're shooting for?

Let me preface this section by saying this:

1. These are teens, I get it. But these teens are the same teens we want to go to foreign countries and share the gospel.

2. This is a competition. Each teen brought their A game. I get it.

3. These teens are gifted, sincere and passionate. I do not want to dampen their enthusiasm I want to help focus it. The scriptures says zeal without knowledge is not good (Romans 10:1-3)

This begs us to ask our selves, "what are our students learning from our preaching and how we are preaching it?" I guess I am proposing the larger question as a denomination. As spirit-filled group of believers, what kind of preachers are we raising up? Are they going to preach a revival birthed out of love an grace? Or a generation that's all smoke and no fire? Or all fire but no love and grace to balance it? I don't know but the scriptures tell me:

"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." Colossians 4:6

Let's mentor these young preachers as Paul mentored Timothy. They have a message, a story. Let's help them declare God's story and share their own story seasoned with grace and love for a hurting world.

Let the sparks fly,

Paul Turner

These views are that of the poster and does not represent the views of our District, other FA judges or The Assemblies of God.

The Passionate Youth Worker Part Uno

Have you ever stood in front of your apathetic, passionless students and wondered, "What is wrong with these people?" If I had a dollar for everyone one of those thoughts, let's just say I would be writing this from a beach somewhere sipping virgin daiquiris. Passionless students could be the result of a passionless youth worker. Now, that does not mean that the youth worker does not love God or their students. Let me offer a few ideas to raise the passion level of your group.

Enthusiasm and passion play a large part in motivation.

When you are plugging your next event are you excited about it even if it''s a lock in? it's hard to be excited about everything so pick an event of the month to put all your energy and enthusiasm behind. If we are passionate about too many events our students passion will be divided.

Did the students plan it? Or is this just another great idea from the youth worker?

The more students plan and have input into to the more excited they will be. You can always refer to the last leadership or planning meeting you had to remind those students of the time and effort they put in. Better still allow your more excited students to get up and announce the event for a few weeks.

Be passionate about the tough stuff.

This would be a no brainer except for the fact that some events may be mandated by your church or pastor. Students will know when you are excited and when you are not. Gain courage and throw yourself into that mandatory event and then figure how to put a twist into it, how to make it uniquely your own. This way you can still pull off the event and be proud to promote it to your students.

Be positive in the face of fear.

Fear can often steal our passion. We maybe afraid that no one will come or no one will like the event when they get there. You have to be the most positive person about it. Your even may have challenges and maybe even some clunkyness but even that can be turned around to make the event memorable but you have to stay positive. Your positive attitude will be infectious and others will catch on and spread that attitude around. Suddenly, you got the best event going.