Serving two MASTERS

[Anthony]

Its a sad state in today's society where alot of our young people are caught up in activities that are not spiritually geared to christ.

Yet alot of these youg person are active memberes of the church, They are not bad just misled, misguided misjudged. But how do we get these young people to remain focus for christ.

[Jerry]

As far as the young people in my church are concerned, they all ask me to create interesting things for them to do in church. As you said they are not bad kids. They also know that they may do bad things when they have too much time on their hands. They love it when us adults ask them to be a part of some project, help plan an event, help produce the bulletin for the church, etc. That makes them feel good for something and appreciated. Even this site was made because of them and the whole idea is that the young people will run this site (with guidance). They will write articles, make videos of church programs, plan events , etc. We just have to keep inventing new ways to keep them occupied. There are way more distractions today that in our day so we just lots more work to do.

Jerry

[claudette]

I agree that the young persons who might be caught up in activities other than "spititual" are mostly misguided, misled and misjudged. however, when did this all start? Not just now. In my youthful days the same thing could have been / was said. But the role models and the positive influences around made a difference. Who do the young people today emulate? Rising stars who might be semi-literate/ people who society look up to who are cheats and liars? We need to get back to the BIBLE- Basic Instructions Before Leavng Earth.

[Anthony]

I agree with you, but i must also say that the church need to rtealize that as times change certain aspects of the church need to church. The first thought at the mention of change is normally the message (we know the message cannot and should be changed) however, we need to realize that we are competing with the world for our young people and need to put in place activities and programme that help to keep them focus. More social activities that bring the church together, youth forums, active pathfinders club, ciculate the youths among various departments of the church help them to ralize that the work of the ministry is not as boring or burdensom as they have it. Teach them to use what they have (the technology etc...) to minister to others. And as for our leaders, we need to look into the leaders we choose each year to run our church. We need leaders who are spiritually guided and motivated and not just educated or rich.

[Tricia]

Yes! I too agree with what you are all saying. To add my bit, I must say that we need to stop talking and dragging our feet when it comes to dealing with our youths. We are quickly running out of time and loosing them. We the adults in the church are maybe to closest and only positive role models left. But yet, we are so caught up in our own stresses, frustrations, confusions, battles etc., that we do not want to find the time to spend with our youths. We find it so much easier to break them down with our tongues, forgetting that we too were once their ages.
As a Pastor once said, and as echoed in a conversation above, if we spend more time with them in certain activities, they may have less time for other distractions. Get them involved, utilize their talents, let them know that they are important. Have fun night every week with different activites of their choice. Don't criticize them, but listen to their problems and judge not. Create a meaningful relationship with them first, before bringing Christ to them. Infact let them see Christ in us. Minister to them through our actions. When Jesus mininstered, he first got their attention by dealing with issues that mattered to them most during that era. Then he answered their problems using stories they could relate to (parables). He didn't use technical theoretical jargon, and he didn't segregate them into groups. Too many of us Adventists are self righteous and turn our noses up at some of these young people when they do certain things. They need OUR proper guidance in their misguided lives. The secular competition is tougher now than when we or our parents were younger. They are really wrestling dark forces, therefore our battle is greater and our strategy needs to involve more prayers, more attention, more love, more patience, more streamlined interesting activities they like, opening our hearts, arms, Bibles to their friends, and most important of all MORE MONEY!!!!

[Sydney]

It is not that we as young ones are misled or misguided but we do not have the correct amount of influence to be guided more narrowly toward Christ...

We are not bad, we are just in the time of the Double-Edged Sword...

[mark dave bermudez simyunn]

Serving 2 masters is a very realistic issue of todays christian youth, Especially SDA's.
even here in my town, which most would consider a left out in todays trend, has that existing problem.
in my time, as a youth leader i struggled to keep youth inside the church, sometimes its so hard that you would think of giving up and surrender to the thought of " they will come along later " . but in those strugle, one of the important lesson that I learned is to keep on thinking of something new for them. innovation in stereo-type programing did work for us, where in, so far still effective. we just have to keep on praying for Gods guidance.

[Robbie]

I completely agree. We are not always mislead or misguided just sometimes not enough influence. We see so many rappers and drug dealers make millions of dollars but the person with an honest hard-working job is struggling to feed his family. And some churches don't offer a lot for the youth to do. A lot of times adults turn other youth from the church by always being quick to tell them “Now that you’re an Adventist you can’t do this, that, or this.” Instead of just encouraging them and teaching them along the way. And some adults discourage youth by their words or actions. A friend of mine was going to an SDA church on a regular basis and was attending and having fun at Sabbath school, church, Ays, etc. Even helping out around the church until one day an older church member asked them “What you only come to church to have fun at our activities? When are you finally going to get baptized?” Even telling him that he couldn’t do certain things in church anymore until he got baptized. Feeling discouraged he left the church and got caught up in wrong things because they “accepted him”. Until recently he joined another church (non-Adventist) where he says they let him be an usher and let him be involved in the church service. Not feeling forced into anything.

But ANYWAY before I preach a sermon I think that in order to keep young people geared to Christ is by always encouraging us. We cannot read adults minds we need for you to tell us “good job.” Don’t be too quick to judge us. We’re young we are still learning like adults had to learn when they we’re our age. Remember we are listening and watching you as our role models. So don’t let us down. And GIVE US SOMETHING TO DO. While our friends are at the game on Friday nights, have a fun social. Be creative have fun games and activities to do. And even though a lot of people say that we are the church of tomorrow, you must start teaching us today. Let us know about and be involved in the different departments. Teach us how to put a program together, let us experience teaching a Sabbath School class.

This subject will probably be my next sermon. You can tell I’ve been working on this for awhile. lol
God Bless

[Tricia]

Thanks Sydney, Mark Dave & Robbie for your insight from a teenager's point of view. Over the years while I was growing up in the Adventist Church, I have felt as though the older generation spent so much time being 'The Corrector', and so little time loving and guiding our younger generation, that I started growing up thinking that Christianty is all about 'do this', 'you can't do that', 'Sabbaths are about solemn worship', 'you can't go there' etc. . That painted such a wrong picture about Jesus.

It is only recently that I am realizing that Jesus IS a practical, creative, down -to -earth VIP! He has always been and will always be bigger and better than any one of those top richest persons in the world on FORBES list. Bigger and better than any top artist. The sweetest, most loving, gentle' Sugar Daddy' in comparison to all pimps out there etc. As rich and important as He is, He hung out with the poorest of the poor. As righteous as He is, He hung out with the most sinful of the lot, and He was well liked and followed. How did He get along so well with these people that were considered to be not worthy of stuff or considered to be doing all the stuff an upstanding Christian wouldn't do? He certainly did not use 'The Corrector' method. He met them on their level. OK, so some may have dressed in too tight clothing, too pimped out suits or too much bling, but at least they showed interest in listening and making a change, so He basically said come as you are and I will give you the rest. He didn't even say come to my church and meet me where I am. Nah, He met them on their turf and showed no scorn or disapproval or ' I am better than thou' attitude. He didn't yell at them (only when it was really necessary), He didn't criticize or force anyone to accept HIm. He was so loving, and understanding, and forgiving and willing to teach and humble. He adjusted his teaching methods to reach the people. He had services outside at times, he gave lessons via parable/real time stories or examples, He entertained with miracles, He adjusted his Sabbath worship structure and did interesting things that made some officials of those days raise their eyebrows, but still kept the Sabbath Holy. He is down right COOL!

Because He did it this way, people naturally liked Him and followed Him. They felt as though this man really understood them, liked them and accepted them as imperfect as they were. Many leaders are called leaders because of these qualities they possess. They come across as understanding, helpful, accepting people who you can depend on and want to hang around. That's why Obama is so popular and gang leaders are so well at recruiting and some people who you know personally to be down right evil, have a whole lot of people who don't know their real bad qualities, following them. There is a T-Shirt being advertised on this site with a logo that says "just be like Jesus". If we ALL can only do that simple, humble thing, what a wonderful world it would be!!!!! It's obviously just as hard for the older generation to be just like Jesus, as it is for the younger generation. If it was easy, the older generation would have been better leaders just like Jesus. Jesus is Humble, Caring, Forgiving, and Understanding to name a few. People with caring, forgiving, understanding etc. qualities don't criticize, discourage, or destroy God's creations. They would have found ways to nurture these growing souls for Christ.

Some of these older folks in the church are like the pharisees, scribes etc. from in the Bible days. They thought that they were so self-righteous, that they just went around pointing fingers,criticizing. and discouraging some of us back then also. Its true that we have to bear in mind that maintaining Bible principles and Bible laws are of uttermost importance, as well as having certain rules in place to maintain separation from a secular lifestyle, but I do believe ( just like Robbie mentioned above), that with a little imagination, and genuine love and interest and involvment of our church leaders of tomorrow, we can have creative modern day programs that stay within the spiritual realm of our denominational and Biblical beliefs and facts.

Note to the OLDER generation..... Do you realize that you are just as afraid of changes, the way the older generation were afraid of changes when you all were young and on the church board or some committee trying to plan certain programs? Services in your younger days were certainly not the same as services in your parent's generation, neither can it be the same in this generation as it was in your younger days. Some of your parents and some older folks in the church back then, thought that your services or things you did were wrong or too secular at the time, but yet here you are today still in church allowing yourselves to be a discouragement to the younger ones. The point is, you are still in church. The secular things that you were accused of doing back in the days didn't deter you from following God's callings. If changes in some programs mean they are better enjoyed by our future generation, but still stay within the boundries biblical principles, are they wrong? So an unbaptized member wants to usher, what's wrong? Were Matthew, Peter, and other disciples baptised before Jesus called unto them to drop their fisher nets and follow HIm? So the youths want to meet in the back of the church on a Friday (Sabbath) night and play only Bible games, listen to gospel music and exchange songs, or do some Bible challenges, or talk about things that happened during the week that they need guidance on, is this against the Sabbath? They all glorify God and edify their spiritual improvement, are they wrong?

Well this really turned out to be longer than I expected and Yes!, I strayed off into a preaching repetitious tangent.

I heard a pastor say that each adult should try to reach out to at least one youth, and that adult should look to themselves to be the first to do so. Well maybe in reverse, each youth should RESPECTFULLY reach out to one adult, letting them know how much they the youth do love God and are striving to make it to Heaven just like that adult and all they are asking for is a little help to do so, because they travel the same rough road that the adult is travelling on.

[mark dave bermudez simyunn]

Thanks Robbie for that great points. It surely is allways an eye opener to adults a bold comment from a brilliant young man like you. your opinions shows that you have a great interest in the issues facing our youth today, so just keep it going for I know that you're on the right track. let us always remember that we are only here for a time and Gods grace is suffecient for those who have walk on the right path, those people who strongly strive to oppose the way and the trend of the world, the world is walking towards its destruction and we all know that, thats why we should try to live and lead others who are giving-up to the convenience of this world most especially the youth...

[shelley-ann thompson]

How about involving them in the planning of Sabbath programs, both morning and afternoon? for the Sabbath School dept. use the artistic ones to help the Superintendent to plan and make the decorations for the Sabbath School theme of the day.

include the mature ones in church board meetings by having them take the minutes on their laptops, lay out the printed agenda, plan and serve refreshments, aks their opinion on how their age group may be affected by or can contribute to the Board's decisions and problem solving.

Ask them for advice on tech stuff, social issues, church tasks from any of its departments. these kids are bright and energetic, make them feel respected and needed. always congratulate them whenever they do something right, in that way they would practice it more and reject the wrong things in life. dont assume they know nothing, don't be shocked by anything frank they have to say to you. listen, look into their eyes and read between the lines. if they cannot see you as a trusted confidant with good self-control, they will seek secular society to listen to them. share your failures and your victories, let them see that you can actually feel bad too. Most teens don't think adults are fully human but cold humans who have forgotten what its like to feel unsure about oneself. if they critisize you, ponder it, acknowledge it and change. then thank them for their observation. remember we are ALL sinners young and old, christian or not. dont fool yourself and be self-righteous, admit your mistakes with them and ask them how did you offend them and how can you mend it with their help. I can say more but i think you get the point. Bless

[Kim Shay]

They need something else to do to replace the activities that are not spiritual.
They don't want to sit any more; they want to do. And they need a leader who is doing also.

[Ms. Congeniality]

I can only speak from experience....I was born and raised in the Adventist church, and iIremember at one point we had Friday night services which addressed daily issues that teenagers go through. The problem was, the adults in the church got upset, and it was removed. So then we had a church full of youths and nothing to do, so little by little, one by one, they left. If we were to bring back some of those programs, then the youth would be able to come back and serve only one master, Jesus Christ. This then increases involvement in the church, and everyone is happy. That's just my opinion