Building our Youth from the Inside Out

What do you see
if you look inside the minds and thoughts
of today's youth and young adults?
What are the daily issues they face?
What drives their conduct?

We live in a world of elastic morality.
A culture of diminished responsibility
and inconsequential habits.
A culture that takes young people to
places that their parents and grandparents
would find unfamiliar
and uncomfortable.

Acceptance
approval, recognition,
hunger for sanction
are drivers for many young people.
No matter the gender, age, church affiliation

As acceptance works it's way into their lives
beliefs can take a hit.
They daily wake up to
Morals unlike their own.
And, silently wonder if it would be easier
to go against their Maker,
To decidedly drift from their family.
To secretly imitate the culture.
And, not have to feel alone in this world.

But, that doesn't feel like home.

How can we help them navigate
through their world with purpose and courage,
and still be open to diversity?
Living a life of robust faith.
Being confident and sure of consequential faith.
Resisting judgement,
holding to their own
and saying with confidence:
"What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6)

We can't fully understand the currents of their world
by just watching from the shoreline
We have to engage them into the adventure
that God is calling them to.
And, lead them towards living a tangible faith.

 Many people know the Bible verse from Romans 12:2. 

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will." 

The version from The Message was used as the theme verse for All Ontario Youth Convention, and I have been contemplating this verse over the week.

"Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." 

Agreeing or disagreeing with the ways of the world in which we live is not the point. Understanding it's diversity and mystery is how we can effectively draw young people to the love of God. Without judging, try to look at the world that young Christians are growing up in. Wade into the world of youth culture. Get a picture of the hearts and minds of today's young people and respond to them in concrete ways.

Check out our church youth group and their AOYC experience that I think leads to intentionally living out faith.

Highlights from AOYC 2012 - Victoria Day Weekend.

- ♥ - Sonya