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Monday, April 23, 2007
How Bad do you want to see them know Jesus? My youth group is so ghetto! And to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. We have kids who are Black, Hispanic, White, Asian and European. It's extremely culturally diverse. I love it! I moved here about a year ago from a church that is about 90% White. It's all good, I love white people - my wife is white, my kids are half white. (I guess that would make them swirl chocolate) But moving on, it's nice to have a little color around me too, you know what I'm saying?! My hearts cry has always been, Lord, save them! Black kids, White kids, Asian kids, Hispanic kids - It doesn't matter. They all need to know Jesus. No matter their race or color it's important for us to have a heart that cries out to God for them. When our hearts cry for them, we want to go the extra mile in reaching them. In order to go the extra mile in reaching them, we have to go into their culture and attempt to understand them. This generation of young people speaks a different language and thinks much differently than even a generation ago. They want something real and they definitely want to experience Jesus, but they don't want it in the package of religion that we have to offer them. So we have to work hard and be creative. Keeping the message the same, but the delivery has to be fresh and innovative. In my messages, I use popular movie clips, all kinds of music, well known sayings and slogans, etc. I try to speak their language and drop the Word of God in their laps like it's HOT! You better recognize they are most definitely going to know what the Bible has to say. I speak straight from the Word of God, that's the only thing that can change their lives. As much as I try, my funny stories and illustrations can't change their lives. The life experience that I have to share doesn't have the power to get kids to change their ways. No movie clip that is extremely funny, no wise saying that my grandmother told me, none of that stuff has the power to change their lives. Only the Word of God can transform their lives and make them a new creation. All this other stuff can help me enhance the delivery of the Word, but they have to ultimately know what God is saying to us through the Bible. Youth pastor, are you preaching the Word? Well the other day, as I always do at the end of my message, I was going through the steps of salvation. Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's standards. As a result of that sin, we need forgiveness. God sent his only Son, Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins to pay the price instead of us. All we have to do to be in right standings with Jesus is ask for forgiveness for our sins and believe in him and we can be saved. You know... the salvation message. Well, one of my students came up to me after the service and told me he brought one of his best friends. Now, I already told you my youth group is ghetto and this particular student is one of the most ghetto of them all. He walked up to me with his dreadlocks, baggy jeans and "wife beater" t-shirt on. Let me pause and say this; if you are reading this and you don't know what a "wife beater" t-shirt is, you have to acknowledge that you are not down with the youth culture. If that's the case, stop reading right now and go hang out with some students! But anyway, he proceeded to tell me that all night he and his friend were rolling and cracking up with all the funny jokes I told. He said it was good and he "felt me". I told him that I noticed his friend raise her hand for salvation. He said: "Yeah, I told her that she needed this stuff 'cause it's real good. And if she didn’t raise her hand, I was going to punch her in the face." That's how bad he wanted her to know Jesus! How about you? Do you want them to know Jesus that much? It's tight, but it's right. Word... Pasta' Alex posted by Pasta' Alex # 4:03 PM 1 Comments Links to this post   |
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