Parents don’t lie in bed at night wondering about the topic the pastor will speak about on Sunday. They don’t even lie in bed at night thinking about God. They lie in bed thinking mostly about their kids. Our teenagers should be a part of our volunteer team. What would happen if we simply decided that our best resource for unleashing this generation and volunteerism is found in our teenagers. Here’s a novel idea. Let’s try saying to our students, “Here are the ropes. Here is a class or here’s a small group, or a worship platform and some technical equipment. Here are some things you can do to be a part of rescuing a generation, and we want you to plug in. You are enough of an adult now that you need to begin developing your skills and you need to begin seeing what God wants to do in and through you.” I think that kind of mentality sets a teenager up in a way that nothing else does. If students experience God at work in them, they’ll have a hard time getting over it. Engaging a teenager in ministry is the best way to ensure….a dynamic faith in God, a personal identity in Christ, and a responsive heart toward others. Churches have the potential to turn a generation around by handing them the keys to ministry and saying, “Guess what? Not only do we need your help, but God designed you and God created you for this very reason. You were called to use your gifts just as much as the pastor was called to use his. Each one of us has a personal responsibility to be the church, and if you recognize that, it will revolutionize your life.”
