Youth Ministry Must be INCARNATIONAL

Jesus, God who became man, is the example for all ministry. His ministry was INCARNATIONAL!

Without giving up His divine qualities, He nevertheless became fully immersed within the culture of the people to whom He brought Good News. He was part of the culture, yet transcended it. He lived happily within the culture, yet was an agent of transformation. He was one of us, but challenged us to look beyond ourselves and our situation to a God that could do the impossible.

The incarnation is a challenge to understand and live within the world of youth culture. We must become immersed in youth culture but be above it both ethically and morally. We must live to higher standards knowing the more is "Caught" than "Taught." But that does not mean we are aloof in any means of the word. We must have the greatest humility, we must personally feel the hurts, experience the pains, understand the struggles, recognize their needs, and love youth in spite of their flaws. We must look beyond those faults to the transformation that God's love can make in the hearts of every sinner. We must become God's love incarnate. We must invite youth to a deeper understanding and love relationship with God, not only with words, but with our lives.

We must make the Good News culturally relevant to young people, and take it into their world. The church must be inviting and welcoming, but if we are to really reach out to the world of youth, we must join them in the walkways and the byways of their life. We must gently step down into their world with love and a message of redemption and forgiveness -- with a promise of a hope and a future. Going before them to prepare the way and inviting them to follow. We reach down to life them up!

When we become the message, there is nothing more powerful. When we become God's vessel, even when broken, he can use us to draw the lost to himself. Maybe even more so when broken. Christ, our incarnational example became the greatest sacrifice when broken for our sins!