is it nothing?

not too long ago i met a lady and after the usual small talk introductions, we started talking about ministry. i told her that i recently became the jr. high intern at my church and how i was excited about it. she smiled and said something to the effect of "good, kids need someone to teach them good morals." she went on to talk about her ministry to college students and i listened and thought it sounded awesome.

this interaction, however has continually popped back into my head since i talked with this woman. and i keep thinking about how people generally view youth ministry. they see "youth" as a stage when people either go the "right way" in life or the "wrong way." (this is not necessarily the entirety of the view of this woman i talked with, but she got me thinking...) Since youth are so vulnerable and they will choose what type of life they lead at this time, they need someone to guide them, so that they can become good people and productive in society. youth group is a place where kids can learn the good way to live.

honestly, it breaks my heart that some people think this way. i don't work with jr. highers because i want them to be good people. that will never work. i work with them now, and will continue to work with them for the rest of my life because they need Jesus. for youth group to be merely a "moral compass" for the rest of the students' lives is absurd. a youth group that teaches morality is just a hang-out in a church building. the only way to live is through Jesus! so when i teach, i am not teaching them to be good people. i want to teach them to understand that they are bad people, but there is a good God. a God who loves them and forgives them and who sent His Son to die for them.

that is what youth ministry is all about. not teaching morals. telling the story of Jesus.