adults in the community value youth

CONFESSIONS FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE

A local youth minister shares the benefits for youth to belong to a faith community. While her experiences are Christian-based, any faith community can be a benefit.

Ileft the church for many years. As a teenager, I had experienced some difficult times. I did not ask questions and decided God either did not exist or was not good and I turned away from Him. However, when my children were toddlers, I wanted them to attend Sunday school. Why? Because I had positive memories of Sunday school and I wanted my kids to learn about God. After returning to church, I started reading the Bible and God showed me He is there during tough times and He has a plan. He showed me Romans 5:3-5: “not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” He may allow us to go through a trial, but we must hold on to His promises and persevere. The Bible makes it clear that faith in Christ does not guarantee a good life, but a perfect eternity.

Now I work in youth ministry and get to hang out with teenagers who are going through their own trials, including the Covid epidemic. I am blessed with the support of an amazing team of volunteers. Each one has different life experiences, is gifted in different ways and all have a heart for teens.

Benefits I have experienced and witnessed with being connected to a faith community include:

CONNECTION: We are made to be in community with others. Youth group gives teens an environment that offers nonjudgmental, trustworthy, and safe social engagements—such as eating and worshiping together, playing games, listening to a lesson and discussing those lessons, and life, in smaller groups. Each of us have different gifts, we need each other and are more effective together. Proverbs 27:17 says, as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

SERVING: We come together as a group to serve people in our community. Whether it is making blankets to support kids going through a tough time, playing Bingo at a housing facility for seniors and disabled people, or assembling boxes for Operation Christmas Child, together we make a difference. Hebrews 13:16 says, and do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

LEADERSHIP: Teens on the youth group leadership team learn leadership skills by attending monthly meetings and an annual retreat. They put these skills into practice by assisting in leading youth group. At youth group they pray, greet, lead games, teach lessons and plan events. They also greet and read at church and serve in Awana and Kid’s church. Timothy 4:12 tells young people, let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

KNOWLEDGE OF FORGIVENESS:

Teens grow in their knowledge of the Bible and forgiveness. They learn how they and others can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; how Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins, was buried and rose from the dead, and; how to take God’s Word and apply it to their lives through the receiving and practicing of forgiveness. People make mistakes that impact us and there are even people who purposefully hurt us. Although this is often out of our control, responding positively is not always easy, but with God’s help we can forgive. Lewis B. Smedes: “to forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Ephesians 4:32 says, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

PURPOSE: Teens find purpose in knowing that as followers of Christ, they will have eternal life after death. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

While non-faith communities may have many of the same benefits, by being able to openly speak about our faith, we are able to express to the teens exactly where our joy, peace, kindness and strength comes from.

I invite you to connect with your local church youth groups and other faith organizations like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life. ■

YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR STORY AT: ktate@tlc4cs.org

For many of us the kitchen table represents the typical family experience. We have laughed while having family game night. We have cried over our children’s choices. We have blown out the candles on many cakes. We have argued our way out of doing the dishes. We have struggled through those “three more bites.” We have learned hard lessons and celebrated many deserved successes. One thing is for sure though—if our kitchen tables could talk, there would be plenty of stories! So often it is in relating to others’ stories that we realize there isn’t always one answer, or even a right answer. Parenting is hard work! If you have a story of lessons learned, we invite you to share it with our readers. Sometimes, knowing we aren’t the only ones struggling to find the answer is all the help we need.