Back in the year 2010 I had just matriculated at the high school I attended, and I didn't have much direction. In 2011 I served with a vibrant ministry called Yeshua Missions. We sought the Lord's face, fasted, were trained and went out to do the work of the Lord. I remember probably sometime in February that year, a team of us had been introduced to a Christian school called Shiloah Christian School in Cape Town. I honestly did not know that such a school existed close by, it felt like heaven. After we had facilitated a few of their camps and helped out here and there, we were offered a voluntary job at the school and that was the start of my journey there.
I had learned a lot about youth and children's ministry, especially youth (Grades 7 to 12). One thing I realise every time is that your message has to be relevant. If we not going to have a relevant message, they are going to listen to another relevant message that will appeal to them as young people and it might not always be good. Relevance in authenticity is key. You can try to be relevant so bad that you lose authenticity and that is just as bad, if not worse, than not being relevant at all.
Another thing I learned about working with young people is that they need to be affirmed. By the unction of the Holy Spirit I had started an intercession team a few months after I started at Shiloah. As the Lord leads we would follow Jesus' example and wash each others feet as a sign of honour and humility. At the end of most years we would get together to celebrate and kick off our shoes in the summer time. During that braai and fellowship gathering we would affirm one another, and most times we would end up in tears. Affirmation is much needed on an individual basis and a group basis so that others see and recognise the affirmation going forth. Youth crave to be accepted and to be a part of something. They want to belong to a label, to a name of some sort.
In all the joys of youth ministry, it truly can drain you. Mike Bickle, a mighty intercessor, said in one of his sermons that we can so easily be burned out in the great commision if we didn't follow the first commandment, and that is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength. There are many times after I lead worship that I would feel so drained. As the children worship with us, there are days I can feel their depression and days I feel their anger. They are always drawing from us as a ministry team. Whether it is in prayer agreement, leading or preaching, one on ones, councelling and deliverance sessions where the Lord just shows up in His glory - they draw it out of you. Amongst all this, this is a joy and a blessing to serve the generation of now and the little ones still to come. We fight for them day in and day out to help them understand, to help them come to know the love we came to know. We walk with them to a place where they can now walk on their own, a place of standing.
The other day after school one of Shiloah's ex matriculants walked into the room. To my idea she was kind of the artistic rebel girl who didn't care much about the Lord we preached about. I was so wrong! I asked the usual, "What are you doing now with your life?" question, and she replied "I am working for Jesus". I was awestruck. And then a million questions came after. She had just come from a missions trip with her dad and she wants to use her art as a message and medium to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here this cool chick who I thought was rebel had said that she loves Jesus and she wants to serve Him in the best she can. Nothing changed. She still wore the same style of clothes she did, she still had her cool lingo and she was still herself, but her soul changed! I thought and was so reminded once again, that all our hard work, as we are used as vessels, pays off. Now all the kids don't turn out to be angels, but most of them turn out to be warriors in the faith as seeds are sown each and every school day.
I pray those mighty young people will arise in this day. A young generation who will not compromise the statutes of the Father. Young people who will have the revelation and encounter of the Father heart of God and be the best Jesus followers the earth has ever seen. We prophecy that! We call forth those mighty intercessors who will be like Anna's and Mary's of Bethany in this day. We call forth those apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. We call forth the worshipers and preaching and mercy deeds missionaries. We call a people who will stand before the Lord as priests and kings in the kingdom.
The Lord loves young people. I pray God gives us a passion for them. Many are not understood and they are often judged because of their age and what they wear or if they have piercings or not. I pray that people will start to see with the eyes of Jesus and look at us and see the greatness that is so ready to be brought forth.
Today I just want to honour our youth leaders all around the world for pressing in and serving the young people in the kingdom. We bless all those who has taught us and rebuked us when we were wrong.
To the young people reading this post, here is a scripture for us.
Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
#weareyoungandfree
Another thing I learned about working with young people is that they need to be affirmed. By the unction of the Holy Spirit I had started an intercession team a few months after I started at Shiloah. As the Lord leads we would follow Jesus' example and wash each others feet as a sign of honour and humility. At the end of most years we would get together to celebrate and kick off our shoes in the summer time. During that braai and fellowship gathering we would affirm one another, and most times we would end up in tears. Affirmation is much needed on an individual basis and a group basis so that others see and recognise the affirmation going forth. Youth crave to be accepted and to be a part of something. They want to belong to a label, to a name of some sort.
In all the joys of youth ministry, it truly can drain you. Mike Bickle, a mighty intercessor, said in one of his sermons that we can so easily be burned out in the great commision if we didn't follow the first commandment, and that is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength. There are many times after I lead worship that I would feel so drained. As the children worship with us, there are days I can feel their depression and days I feel their anger. They are always drawing from us as a ministry team. Whether it is in prayer agreement, leading or preaching, one on ones, councelling and deliverance sessions where the Lord just shows up in His glory - they draw it out of you. Amongst all this, this is a joy and a blessing to serve the generation of now and the little ones still to come. We fight for them day in and day out to help them understand, to help them come to know the love we came to know. We walk with them to a place where they can now walk on their own, a place of standing.
The other day after school one of Shiloah's ex matriculants walked into the room. To my idea she was kind of the artistic rebel girl who didn't care much about the Lord we preached about. I was so wrong! I asked the usual, "What are you doing now with your life?" question, and she replied "I am working for Jesus". I was awestruck. And then a million questions came after. She had just come from a missions trip with her dad and she wants to use her art as a message and medium to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here this cool chick who I thought was rebel had said that she loves Jesus and she wants to serve Him in the best she can. Nothing changed. She still wore the same style of clothes she did, she still had her cool lingo and she was still herself, but her soul changed! I thought and was so reminded once again, that all our hard work, as we are used as vessels, pays off. Now all the kids don't turn out to be angels, but most of them turn out to be warriors in the faith as seeds are sown each and every school day.
I pray those mighty young people will arise in this day. A young generation who will not compromise the statutes of the Father. Young people who will have the revelation and encounter of the Father heart of God and be the best Jesus followers the earth has ever seen. We prophecy that! We call forth those mighty intercessors who will be like Anna's and Mary's of Bethany in this day. We call forth those apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. We call forth the worshipers and preaching and mercy deeds missionaries. We call a people who will stand before the Lord as priests and kings in the kingdom.
The Lord loves young people. I pray God gives us a passion for them. Many are not understood and they are often judged because of their age and what they wear or if they have piercings or not. I pray that people will start to see with the eyes of Jesus and look at us and see the greatness that is so ready to be brought forth.
Today I just want to honour our youth leaders all around the world for pressing in and serving the young people in the kingdom. We bless all those who has taught us and rebuked us when we were wrong.
To the young people reading this post, here is a scripture for us.
Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
#weareyoungandfree
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