Low Expectations About Youth

This culture has developed low expectations when it comes to how youth contribute to the church. Specifically, on the ROLE of the teen in the church.  In the book, Do Hard Things, Alex and Brett Harris state “It’s clear that God does not hold two standards one, for young adults and one for adults. He has high expectations for both. Where some might look down on or excuse young adults, God calls us to be examples. Where our culture might expect little, God expects great things.”(Harris) So what exactly does the bible say about adolescence? The answer is that it doesn’t.  There is no biblical category for teenagers. It addresses either children or adults. We are young adults so we should act as adults. II Timothy 4:12 says “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”(Holy Bible)  Paul told Timothy that being a youth does not excuse a person from exercising his gifts by serving the church.  Crowe in the book, This Changes Everything says,“It’s almost like teenaged Jesus-followers are led to believe that we’re not really part of the church; we’re just served by it. But if our whole purpose of going to church is to get our needs met, we have a big problem. The truth is, if we’re part of the body, we have a responsibility to the entire body. If teenagers love Jesus, we should be committed to his whole church. God doesn’t call young people to attend as spectators; he calls us to invest.”  

There are many ways you can serve your Church. Maybe it volunteering to serve in the Children Ministry, and/or the Hospitality Team, helping set up and tear down after events. Or perhaps, it’s talking to an elderly man who sits alone, asking a mom about her week, or just introducing yourself to someone new. But maybe the easiest way you can love the church, is simply by showing up. It sounds easy, but most of us have no idea what just being there means to those around us. Your church family is genuinely encouraged by your presence. That’s why it’s so important to go to church and encourage the older people in your congregation that there are still young people who care. Age doesn’t divide. We are all the church. That means these are responsibilities we all have. In conclusion, Harris says,“The teen years are not a vacation from responsibility. … They are the training ground of future leaders who dare to be responsible now”. (Harris) All Christians no matter the age, are called to serve with, be taught by, and be accountable to their local church. If we don’t have that freedom to do so, it could be detrimental for our faith.

So I urge you, fellow teenagers, to never have low expectations on how teens can and should serve!  I exhort you to go above and beyond what’s required and expected by the world! Set a new higher expectation! Dare to raise the status quo, to the glory of God alone!