June 8, 2010

• Most churches have no idea what to do with spiritually mature men in their 20s

  Quote: "Most churches have no idea what to do with spiritually mature men in their 20s, so they wrongly direct them to seminary or to a ministry with kids, hoping these guys will rub off on the youth and keep them coming to church and out of trouble."

  This is an extremely fascinating and thought-provoking article!  http://online.worldmag.com/2010/06/02/mishandling-twentysomethings/   What are your thoughts on it?

  I have lots of thoughts... too many to categorize.  Here goes an attempt anyway:

  • First, the author (Anthony Bradley) raises lots of good points.
  • Why send men away to seminaries so they can become full time vocational "pastors" (as in a full-time "clergy job") in the first place?  Is this Biblical?
  • If it is necessary to train men for future ministry, why not train them within the church?  Why send them away?
  • The article presupposes that there are "youth groups" (collections of kids whose parents have dropped them off for some form of age-segregated training) that need extra "helpers" to take care of all the kids.  Why would the parents abdicate their own responsibility to spiritually train their own kids?  Why regularly separate the kids from the parents for their weekly teaching/spiritual edification in the first place?  Is this Biblical?
  • Fascinating phrase-quotes from his article: "...church communities were confused about what is normal for men in the church..."  and  "the whispers of church people who confuse spiritual maturity and vibrancy in young men with a “call to ministry.”"   Well said.  The problem is not "ministry" (service) in the literal sense, but in the cultural baggage of the word "ministry" as meaning salaried "clergy" work.   It may not be "normal" in churches for young twenty-something plumbers, electricians, landscapers, and computer technicians to be fervently concerned about the kingdom of Christ and about edifying and teaching their brothers and sisters, but it ought to be normal!   Paul's description of the "normal" church in 1 Corinthians 14 says that "When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation."  Not just the 'professionals.'
  • Quote: "When a younger brother says to me that “he feels called to ministry,” I usually understand that to mean that he craves and needs validation and would like to use the church to make him feel good about himself.   Ha ha.  Understandable.  Reminds me of a graduation charge I once heard.  The speaker got right to the point quickly, saying something like this: "Your parents and friends are all telling you these days how wonderful you are.  One of the most important things you need to learn to do as part of graduating and growing up is to stop believing their compliments."  That is, to have an accurate understanding of oneself, neither too high or too low, and to focus on God's opinion rather than humans' opinion.  Bradley is correct that there is a big danger for young and talented twenty-somethings to experience too much praise and commendation by their church acquaintances, and to become proud.  "craves and needs validation"... yes... don't we all...
    But I think the solution is not to avoid putting young men and women into ministry, but rather to provide more mentoring for them.  For example, Barnabas mentored Mark in the Bible, taking him along with him on their missionary trips.  Mark bailed out once, but Barnabas patiently took him along again on a future trip.  Eventually his patience was rewarded as Mark became a mature and strong Christian man.
    One thing Bradley didn't mention was the all too common experience of a young twenty-something encouraged into "ministry" who ends up falling into public sin, such as fornication or heresy.  The Bible talks so much about this, from the requirement that overseers be "not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil... These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach" (1 Tim. 3)  to the warning to "Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others..." (1 Tim. 5).
    Also, the Bible talks about those who have fallen... and the need to "restore" them!  Don't just write them off.
    In summary as I see it: if you see a new Christian or young Christian who seems to have lots of zeal for God, (1) understanding the depth of human depravity, expect them to be full of latent evil (like King David! and others), (2) by all means put them into service in various ways (like Mark, and like 1 Cor 14 "each one"... no exceptions!), (3) put godly older mentors by their side, constantly probing and asking them and challenging them to grow in Christ and keeping them humble and accountable, (4) don't be surprised if / when they fall into sin and failure, and (5) be ready to continually encourage them back to Christ and back into (appropriate) service afterward....
  • One other reason in favor of having young people get involved in youth work is that sometimes they honestly don't know what their spiritual gifts are, and sometimes putting people in various service roles allows them to 'try out' various things and discover their gifts.  When Bradley talks about people "working in vocations that they originally set out to do before they were misdirected by the whispers of church people", he seems to be warning more about the problem of telling young people who already understand their own gifts to instead go into youth work or seminary/clergical work because of their evinced fervent love for God.  I personally know some people who do not know where God wants them / what gifts He's given them, so for these people, trying out various avenues of ministry might indeed be helpful.   However, as mentioned above, intentional mentoring seems extremely important.

  Your thoughts are welcome.

   

  • 11:01 pm
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