Mission Statement

Evangelism - Jesus Is The Only Way? The following is what our Youth Ministry will look like and the path we will follow to spread the true word of Jesus Christ as true disciples of the way the truth and the light. It’s encouraging to hear Youth excitement at the prospect of serving the Lord on the mission field. We’re sure God rejoices to see that desire in their heart. It’s also a strong indication of the maturity of your faith that you realize that your enthusiasm is not enough. Youth need God’s direction. Even within the field of missions, there are hundreds of different ways youth can serve God. Youth can be confident that God will honor their desire to be directed. He does not intend that His will be something that we struggle to discover. Our struggle is more often in our wills. God’s will often becomes instantly clear when we come to the point where our heart is committed to following it, regardless of what it is. Let God direct youth one step at a time. You did not share with us the steps you’ve already taken. However, if you feel that God is calling you to youth ministry, there are three things you should be doing. First, be willing to serve God in any way that He chooses—even if it is not in missions. Let Him make the choice for you. Second, if you haven’t done so already, get involved in missions. There are many opportunities for short-term missions work. Investigate those opportunities. The following organizations afford young people the opportunities of short-term mission work in various areas of the world finally, study your Bible thoroughly. Go to a Bible college, if possible, or enroll in a Bible correspondence course. The message that you want to share is contained in the Bible, and you must know the message. Talk with your parents, your pastor and any other mature Christians who know you. Invite them to be honest with you about both your strengths, and your weaknesses. Then work to develop a plan to go toward your goal. As you follow these guidelines, God will reveal to you whether this is your particular calling. God has made you for a purpose, and He will make that clear to you as you daily seek Him. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). We join with Paul as he says in Ephesians 1:18: “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share”. Teaching our youth to Share God's truth with youth can be intimidating, especially youth you don’t know very well. And it’s almost impossible to say that one method is the most effective. But your desire to share your faith is really great. Many Christians don't have boldness in their witness for Christ, and you’re taking the first step toward spiritual growth by wanting to share your faith. The Bible teaches us that true believers want to share with others what God has done for them (read John 4:28-30, John 4:39-42 and 1 John 1:1-4).

Whether you’re sharing with youth you know or with total strangers, you need to live a consistent, Christ-centered life. Nothing will kill your testimony faster than talking about Jesus with your lips and then denying Him with your actions. Simple consistency can sometimes do more than a three-point sermon: you may not have an opportunity to tell the youth in the community about Jesus, but if you’re polite and show some simple love and decency, the youth will notice. You’ll stand out from the other youth who bark their orders and don’t even mumble "thanks." Just being pleasant is often enough to make people scratch their heads and ask why. Then you have an open door to tell them what Jesus has done for you. Evangelism is often about simply being a friend. A lot of people in this world need love and compassion. Our youth will show love and compassion in our neighborhoods. Young people today have tough days: failing tests, fighting parents, and crashing relationships. They could use a friend and a good listener. Jesus often spent time just being with people and listening to them. Follow Christ’s loving example. Love is not arrogant and preachy. It's not rude and demanding. Love is compassionate and caring. Its patient and kind (read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Above all, remember to pray. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you opportunities to tell others about Christ. Pray that the Holy Spirit will let others see your Christ-like example, even when you don’t say a word (read John 16:7-11). Our Youth will pray daily for friends and family that need Christ, as well as people you don’t know very well, and even pray for passing strangers. Asking God for wisdom to share the most important thing in your life with these people (read James 1:5 and James 3:17). Our Youth will learn more about sharing faith effectively, and “How to Give Away Your Faith” using the preaching and teaching of Jesus Christ. Our Youth did a great job stating their desire to show their friends the truth. One of the best ways to show that you know the truth is to live a lifestyle of love. A radically changed life lived for Christ will do more to persuade those who do not have strong faith than many arguments. Your friend may think you're close-minded, but won't be able to challenge the confidence and love displayed in your life. "Religious pluralism," a term that means that all religions are pretty much equal, has been around for a long time. Some people today may think of religion like a "spiritual salad bar" where they can pick and choose whatever appeals to them. It's especially popular to appear open-minded and accepting of the views and lifestyles of others, but very few people have really explored what different faiths believe, especially the claims of Christ. When youth begin to really look at the central beliefs of the various religions, you find that there is little agreement between them. In his book "A Search for the Spiritual", James Emery White makes the following point that treating all religions as the same is not really possible: "Somebody is right and somebody is wrong, or everybody is wrong, but you can't say that everybody believes about the same thing. That would be

intellectually dishonest in light of the facts. If God exists—unless he is some senile, confused, muddled, schizophrenic, unbalanced being who isn't sure what he stands for— there is religious truth and religious falsehood among the competing views. And the areas of disagreement among those views are not trivial in nature." Youth may want to encourage their friends to look more deeply into the differences between Christianity and other faiths. Although most major religions believe in a higher power, in life after death, and the need for spiritual teaching, when it comes to having a personal relationship with God, only Jesus Christ offers that through taking away the sin that separates us from God. There are many resources available to help youth and their friends understand the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the Bible better. Your friends may already be a Christians, but has started drifting away from the Lord. Help them to grow spiritually by encouraging them to read the Bible, pray, and spend time with other strong Christians. As they grow in understanding of faith, they may discover there is more to Christ than Him being just another "faith option." Good Youth missionary is being concerned about the salvation of even the worst kid you know. This shows that God is working in you! The best thing you can do for neighbor is to pray for them; only God can show people that He loves them and that they need Jesus to forgive them. Remember that the way we live often affects people more than our words—especially for someone who knows us well. You might want to ask God for opportunities to interact in a positive way. Be friendly and caring, just as Jesus would be. Remember, not everyone is saved and are ignorantly living in spiritual darkness. They just don’t know any better, and doesn't have the power to change bad thoughts or behavior. They need Jesus' help, but they don’t know that—yet. Your goal as youth leaders would be to share Scripture. Not in a stuffy way, but as it comes up naturally. A simple explanation of the Gospel can be all that is necessary in some cases, read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. You may need to earn the right to share the Gospel. Does this person see the love, patience, and joy of Jesus in you? Remember Jesus' words: "Let your light shine in front of others. That they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Pray that God will help you by ready to speak when the time is right; that is, if you are to say anything at all. As the Bible says, "There is a time for everything...a time to be silent and a time to speak." (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7; New International Version) If you do have the opportunity to speak, don't come on too strong. You don't want people to feel that you are claiming to be better than them or that you are condemning them. They need to know that you honestly care, and are not simply trying to talk them into something. "Let the words you speak always be full of grace. Season them with salt. Then you will know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6).

Often people who are angry and rebellious are actually hurting and lonely. Remember, Jesus spent time with people who were disliked in order to help them. One example is Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-10. People criticized Jesus for this, but He loves everybody, no matter how bad or dirty or unpopular they are. If we are Christians, God wants us to love everyone; Jesus said in John 15:12, "Here is my command. Love each other, just as I have loved you." If you haven't done so already, we encourage you to talk with your Sunday school teacher, your youth pastor, or another Christian adult for some specific ideas. Be sure to partner with them, or a Christian friend to pray, and when you do, remember that nothing is too hard for God. (Jeremiah 32:17). We as youth missionaries need to have respect for those who have religious beliefs other than our own, but this does not mean that we have to agree with those beliefs—and it certainly does not mean that we cannot share our faith in Jesus with them. However, our increasingly pluralistic society would tell us otherwise. "The main thing in witnessing and soul-winning is to live such a victorious life in Christ that people will be drawn to Him through us, just like a magnet. If a student needs help in one way or another, we should be there to assist in any way possible...By your so doing, that person will be interested in what makes you concerned about him...Remember, it is the way you live that often means a great deal more than what you say." Others may be offended by your beliefs, but the Bible tells us that this will happen. It is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of others, and we're glad that you are. It is most important that what we say and do as believers is directed by the Holy Spirit, because only He can reach into another person's heart. We should also pray before we witness, so that the heart and mind of the individual will be prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word of God. Continuing to pray for that person is also crucial. If we purpose to have an attitude of love, our witnessing will be much more effective. Sometimes it may not be possible to say anything to a certain individual, but you might have the opportunity to do a kind deed or share some literature with them. As Christians, we must have an attitude and way of daily living distinct from the world. Some may think you are being "close-minded" or "judgmental" because you believe in absolute truth. Don't let this disturb you because just as many others will secretly admire you for your stand. Be sure you don't assume a self-righteous attitude; always remember a Christian is only a sinner saved by grace and has no cause for boasting. If you accept persecution by jokes and being misunderstood, God can use it to help you win some of your friends. Radiate the joy that life in Christ can bring. Pray daily that God will give you the grace to witness for Him and live your life fully for Jesus. Remember Philippians 2:14-15 says: "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."