Is Student Ministry Biblical? (Part Two)

How often does something have to be mentioned in the Bible to be considered Biblical? Any informed person knows that the answer is one. The question that follows is, "How many times is student ministry mentioned, alluded to, hinted at, etc. in the Bible? Well, the answer is none.

In His book entitled, The Myth of Adolescence, Dr. David Allan Black writes...

What, then, do the Scriptures say about adolescence? The answer is: Absolutely nothing! In the Bible, people went directly from childhood to adulthood. Moses, for example, is never referred to as an adolescent. In Exodus 2 he is called a “child” in verse 10, and by verse 11 he had “grown up.” Here we might have expected to find a reference to a period between childhood and adulthood, but no such reference is to be found.

Dr. Black expounds further on this subject in a blog article entitled, Want To Reform Your Youth Ministry? Reject Adolescence!,

One thing is clear. According to the Bible, the teen era is not a “time-out” between childhood and adulthood. It is not primarily a time of horseplay, of parties, of sports, of games. It is not a period of temporary insanity. The Bible treats teens as responsible young adults, and so should we. Paul told Timothy, a young man, to “be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity” (1 Tim 4:12). Though still young, Timothy was to speak, act, love, believe, and relate to the opposite sex in such a way that others would look at his life and want to be just like him.

So if there is no basis for adolescence as a sub-culture of the church, then what is the basis for ministry to a sub-culture with no Biblical basis? While I am not rushing to church to obliterate my student ministry, I think that Dr. Black is asking some provocative questions that deserve candid introspection. What say you?

Football and Faith

In the latest edition of Christianity Today, there is an article that piqued my interest quite a bit. The article is all about our culture's fascination with football and specifically pro football in this piece.

I will admit that this article convicted the mess out of me. As I have written here and elsewhere, I have an extreme love for football, specifically as it relates to my beloved Crimson Tide. Anyone who knows me well would be well within their right to say that it borders on idolatry at best, but in actuality travels way past full blown levels.

I appreciate the writer of this article because he too is an over zealous fan. He can relate so readily to the one addiction I will probably never conquer and that made his words all that more difficult to take. Read the article and you'll understand what I am saying. This article wasn't bashing having a love for things like football, it was just a necessary reminder to keep things in perspective. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Another interesting part of the article was the writer's childhood fascination with Joe Namath, or Joe Willie as he was referred to in my house. I am an Alabama fan because of my dad. I don't remember what age I was, but very early on in my life, his passion for Alabama football became mine, and so far the family curse is continuing with both mine and my brother's little boy's. I could set and listen for hours, still can, to Dad tell stories about him and his dad going to games when he was little. He was able to see Joe Namath as he led Alabama to victory upon victory. Because those stories were real to him, they became real to me and I feel like I experienced them personally.

Although my idoloatry is a curse, it is one that I am proud to share with my Dad, and I wouldn't go back and trade the memories I have of he and I sharing all those Saturday afternoon's together for nothing.

Is Student Ministry Biblical? (Part One)

Just yesterday this blog was reviewed by an independent third party. One of the criticisms we received was that our format is too much like a lecture instead of a dialog. To a certain extent, I agree with the reviewer and so we are going to make a concerted effort to be more Socratic in our writing. Therefore, I start with a simple question: "Is Student Ministry Biblical?"

If the stats that we hear are true and 75% of our students are graduating from student ministry and are leaving the church, then obviously something is not right. So what is the problem? Is it youth pastors? Is it the curriculum we use? Maybe we don't have enough activities or big enough bands coming to play for us? If you asked 100 different youth pastors you would probably get 100 different answers. Still, I'm very curious as to what those answers might be. What is going on in student ministry? Is it Biblical? Is it effective? I want to know what you think. Don't be shy. Here is your chance to anonymously vent. Take advantage of it.

Bad Girls Come From Bad Dad's

I have always struggled with why some young ladies (and women in general) act the way they do. Why is it that some young ladies have confidence, are polite, well-spoken, chaste, and virtuous while others live lives that could pass for a Jerry Springer episode? The older I get, the more I believe that bad girls come from bad fathers.

A stable fatherly presence in the home is not just crucial for young men, it is crucial for young ladies too. Fathers are the classroom where a young girl learns how to relate to other men. If a young lady has had a loving, supportive, and affectionate dad, she is more likely to be confident, loving, nurturing, and supportive. I have even come to the point where I can tell in about 10 to 15 minutes if the lady I am speaking to had a good relationship with her father. It's very telling.

There are other societal indicators that demonstrate the importance of a father to the well-being of a daughter. One study commissioned by the National PTA found...

• Girls who lived with their biological fathers throughout their lives, and whose fathers spent more time caring for them during the their first five years of life, had later onset of puberty by the seventh grade.
• In contrast, daughters from homes where fathers were either absent or dysfunctional experienced puberty relatively early.
• Other research shows it is likely for girls with highly involved, present-in-the-home fathers to begin sex and dating at a later age

There are no two ways about it, fathers set the tone for the future happiness of their daughters. They also are one of the greatest factors in what type of man a daughter will date and marry. A father who teaches gentleness and character to his daughter sets her up to find a man who will treat her as good or better than he did.

On a more practical note, as a single man, I find it more difficult than ever to make acquaintances with women who have a healthy disposition towards members of the opposite sex. They are out there but rare, and the wise Christian, single, man will snatch them up quickly. I am so disappointed when I am introduced to an attractive young lady who within minutes begins to smoke, or use improper language or who just has no grace or gentleness. I don't know if God will ever bless me with a daughter, but if He does I pray that I will do everything I can to set her and her future husband up for success. It is my prayer that more dads will endeavor to do the same with the precious daughters that God has given them.

Weekend Update: It's Football Time Again!

I hope that I don't alienate any of our readership by dedicating this post to the last, real, only American sport: College Football. Think about it. Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Golf and a myriad of other sports are played professionally and privately around the globe. Even football is played professionally in Europe. College football, however, remains the last great American sport.

Now if you know anything about college football, you know that top to bottom the SEC is the dominant football conference. If USC or Ohio State had to play the schedules that most SEC teams have to play they would be lucky in some years to even see the post-season. My team however is not a member of the SEC. I am an NC State fan which is in the ACC. Granted we have a long way to go to match the level of competition in the SEC but we are making great strides. I am optimistic with improved play by teams like Virginia Tech, Miami, and Florida State that the luster that wore-off last season might come back just a bit.

I am also very excited that my team (the Wolfpack of NC State) are taking the field lead by Coach Tom O'Brien (a former Marine Major) and Quarterback Daniel Evans. Daniel, incidentally, is an outspoken believer in Christ. He has shared his faith numerous times and huddles the team after the games to praise God win or lose. He is a member of my church here in Raleigh and win or lose I am proud to call him a brother in Christ above calling him a fellow Wolfpacker.

Also, if you know anything about college sports in North Carolina, you know that NC State fans are passionate about their team and do not like the University of North Carolina at all. Of course if most UNC fans spent a half hour in Chapel Hill they would no longer be UNC fans anyway. Here is a couple of video clips filmed by The Christian Comedy Duo, Rhett and Link. (who incidentally both graduated from NC State) Watching these two clips will help you understand how passionate Wolfpack fans really are. Enjoy!

Clip 1:





Clip 2:

Click on this link