Recently I met with some college grads to talk “best practices” in youth ministry. At the end of our time we closed in prayer. The room quieted as each bore their souls to their beloved Savior. They repented for the time they do not seek His face first. They pleaded that they would only do His will in life.. .in their ministry. They stormed the gates of hell for a group of youth who don’t know him yet. We sat and sought the Lord and remembered who he is and what he is capable of.
In the stillness the Lord tugged at me. You see, I can get so caught up in the “doing” for the Lord, I can forget all about him. I can be so in love with the “cause” of youth ministry that I can forget to be in love with the people. Over and again from Deuteronomy through to the New Testament we are told what the Lord requires of us. It boils down to this: “Love the Lord with everything and then love your neighbor as yourself.”
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In other words as we have been told this week, “Love God, Love Students. That’s what we do.” More accurately, I would argue it is what the Lord charges us to do… in that order.
I believe God set it up this way because it is circular. We love the Lord first with total abandon. It sputters over. Then all we can do is pour that love out onto those around us.
However we forget “our first love.” We forget that the reason we do anything at all is because of whom we belong to. We forget that love is an action. When we are fully loved, we are compelled to love. On the days we don’t “want” to crack the binding of our Bibles, pray, or find time just to belong to him, why aren’t we questioning this? Our love of him should compel us.
Ministry can so easily become the business of doing. When the Lord has placed us with youth it ought to be that our hearts are drawn towards them and their families. They are our “neighborhood” so to speak. Yet, so easily we run the checklist of responsibilities. We forget their faces for what needs to be accomplished in a typical day.
So what do we do? Love the Lord With Everything You’ve Got… then let this love spill out onto our youth.
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How?
Make Time to Fall Back In Love With Christ:
Be purposeful. Don’t make excuses. We can not be afraid to understand that before we can make time for anything else we have to make time for God. Be with him. Fall in love with him- totally. He wrote it all down for us. Read – Study- Contemplate the Word. Worship. Repent. Celebrate. Cry. He wants YOU first before anything you DO for him.
Make time to get to know your students:
I am not talking about finding a 14 year old BFF. Put aside the “to do” list in ministry and let your heart break for and with your kids. All of the “stuff” we do is great. They are wonderful goals. But never forget that Christ celebrates the people far more than he celebrates the “stuff.” Take a moment to walk around at the start of service just for the purpose of growing in knowledge of who they are. Find creative ways to truly dig deep into their hearts.
Love Jesus… Love Kids…. In that order. Let the Lord nudge you when you forget. I know I needed to remember.