Paraphrased for youth workers

Though I lecture with eloquence and use big words, but have not love, I am a discordant sound whom youth will not hear.

If I am extremely wise and have an answer for each youth’s problems, but do not listen, I am of little help.

If I give all I possess to aid the youth group and use varied learning techniques, yet do not give of myself or my time, I am nothing.

Love for youth is patient; it allows a youth to grow at his own pace. Love for youth is kind, it remembers the frailty of young self-esteem. It does not envy — another worker’s popularity or that of a youth leader. It does not boast of spirituality, but is consistent in its practice. It is not proud of accomplishments, but ever seeks to learn better ways to reach youth and better methods to teach youth.

It is not rude; it does not interrupt when a youth is sharing. It is not self-seeking; it does not want to be noticed or praised for a job well done. It is not easily angered when youth do not sit down or settle down to study. It keeps no record of the times youth say and do things to hurt, or of times youth stray.

Love does not delight when youth gossip about another, or get into trouble, but rejoices when a youth grasps the meaning of a lesson being taught.

Love always trusts the youth with assignments given and truths revealed. Love always hopes for the potential to be reached in youth. Love always perseveres even when working with youth is hard and seemingly fruitless.

Love for youth never fails; if it does, it was not fed by God’s unconditional love. Remember all our teaching will cease, our activities will be stilled, our knowledge will pass away.

We are incomplete in our abilities as workers with youth; but when Christ comes, we will all be complete.

When I was a child, I acted childishly and needed guidance. When I became an adult I put away childish behavior and chose to guide youth.

Now we are clouded in our attempts of leadership, nor do we always see results, but one day we will see, face to face, the one who called us, and the fruit of our labors. And we shall know our youth as we cannot know them now.

Of all we do for youth–teaching, guiding, loving; it is the love they will remember.

Sharon Gresham – Source Unknown

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss Spirit’s blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?

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Pastor Joe Wright of Kansas was asked to lead the Kansas State Senate in prayer.

They were expecting the usual formal prayer to open the session but that is not what happened. The pastor used the moment as a confessional and prophetic opportunity. As he prayed there were some senators who got up and walked out but Paul Harvey got a hold of the prayer and read it on his program; he got more requests for copies of it than any other thing he had ever done. Here¹s what he prayed:

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good,” but that’s exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that: We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism. We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism. We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it a choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it political savvy. We have coveted our neighbor¹s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the airwaves with profanity and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state. Grant them Your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will… Amen.”

While not word for word accurate, this is a good transcript of the actual sermon delivered before the Kansas House of Representatives by Central Christian Church Pastor Joe Wright on January 23, 1996. It has circulated continuously on the Internet ever since.

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