There are hundreds of congregations in this nation who have a full-time man, paid by the church, working with their youth group. In fact, there are several larger congregations who actually have more than one man working with their young people. Have you ever stopped to wonder why? Why pay someone whose sole purpose is to “work with kids”?
There are hundreds of congregations in this nation who have a part-time man, paid by the church, working their youth group. Have you ever stopped to wonder why? Why pay someone whose sole purpose is to “work with kids”?
There are hundreds of congregations in this nation who have a man working with their youth group, but he is not paid by the church. He may be a devoted deacon, a marvelous member or a faithful father, who sets aside personal time each week to spend time with and work with the young people at church. Have you ever stopped to wonder why? Why do some congregations have a deacon whose sole deacon duty is to “work with kids”? Why do some congregations have meritorious members who give up their time to “work with kids”?
No matter which of these congregations you might attend (one with a full-time man, a part-time man, an assigned deacon or a committed volunteer), the purpose of the youth work is exactly the same. The number one reason for having a youth program in any church is found in Colossians 1:28. This is not just “a reason” to emphasize youth work in a local congregation, it is “the reason.” (Let me say this in passing—if a congregation has elevated any purpose for a youth program above this one, they need to rethink why they are doing what they’re doing.) Read Colossians 1:28 in your Bible. Paul uses the word “anthropos” for man, which means “human being.” Since young people are human beings, consider this “version” of the passage:
“Him we preach, warning every young person and teaching every young person in all wisdom, that we may present every young person perfect in Christ Jesus.”
The purpose of every youth work in a local congregation must be to “present every young person perfect in Christ Jesus.” Our goal must be to get them to heaven! How do we do that? Preach Christ! It doesn’t get any more fundamental than that! May God help us to have this as the focus of all we do: preparation for heaven.