Rarely seen, never heard is
how many churches prefer to treat teenagers, confined to separate
ministries. But I also know of a traditional church where teenagers sat
front and center each week. It's no coincidence the senior pastor had
been a youth minister and often addressed those teens specifically.
If we're serious about
passing the gospel to the next generation, what do we need to learn from
youth about how we preach? Here are six suggestions youth would offer
to their pastors.
1. We don't know what sanctification means, but we know about the process of growing in grace.
I'm a word person. I majored in Latin and English and enjoyed SAT
prep vocabulary flashcards. (Yes, I was a really cool kid.) I like big
words, especially in the realm of theology. A mentor listened to a talk I
gave to students and had a list of about seven theological terms the
kids probably did not know. Kids mentally check out when they hear
abundant, arcane jargon and the presumption that everyone knows what it
means. Students need to learn how to define terms like justification,
sanctification, imputation, and substitutionary atonement. Preachers
should not shy away from using Christian terminology, but they should
make sure to explain the terms in a way that is not condescending toward
those who do not know it.
2. If you are personally vulnerable, we will listen to what you have to say.
In homiletics, many debate the level of vulnerability pastors should
exercise. If you share too much, you risk sounding self-absorbed. If you
never share any personal stories, you may appear aloof. Regardless, I
can say with confidence that teenagers of this generation embrace people
with a willingness to share their story, particularly those parts that
reveal the preacher is an imperfect person with whom students can
identify. Continue at Cameron Cole
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