Basics: You Can Thrive in Your Wilderness (Overcoming Excuses)

By: Jack Redmond

Youth Ministry is a Tough Business – It Just Is!

Different activities carry different levels of risk and hazard.  I often tell stressed out people: “If you need to relax and just enjoy life, you should come hang out and do youth ministry!”  Amazingly, that line hasn’t gotten me any additional help!

I have been working with teens since 1995 and understand both the joy and pain of working with God’s wonderful creations that we call teenagers.  It is tough – but it is where the action is at.  It is hard work – but it is where the best fruit is!  If you want to get the best fruit – you have to go out on the edge of the limb!

Now that we’ve had a minute to work through our emotions, let’s get ready to reach a generation and change the world!

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.  Isaiah 43:19-20 NIV

God Specializes in Doing Impossible Things in Tough Places

Whether you are frustrated because you have not seen the lives changed or your ministry steadily grow or if you are just hungry for God to do more, God is able!  I have spent my youth ministry career seeing God do things that people said were impossible or don’t just happen!  I have seen youth ministries unify from all different denominations, cultures and worship styles without compromising God’s Word!  I have seen thousands of teens saved at local youth events with little or no budgets with no well known ministers!

If God can make a way where there is no way and make water flow in a desert, He can move powerfully right where you are.  This is not theory to me, it is reality.  I have spent countless Friday and Saturday nights preaching to teens who passionately listened to God’s Word.  Teens are hungry for God’s power and Word; we must give it to them.  Sound impossible?  God can make teens hungry for His Word even on Friday nights!

No More Excuses!

I have offended more than one youth leader by challenging their thoughts and low expectations!  I serve a big God who is in the process of bringing His good news to the entire planet!  You’d be amazed by the number of youth leaders who introduce themselves to me with the following words, “Hi, I’m Minister So-and-So and I come from a small church and we only have a few kids.”  Listen, we all started with a few kids, but why do so many people introduce themselves with statements like that?  Without anyone asking them anything?

There is actually a culture of low expectations with many youth leaders and it begins with how you think and what is in your heart.

⁷For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he  Proverbs 23:7 KJV

Raise Your Expectations – Don’t Lower Your Standards!

One of my favorite sayings is: Don’t water down the Bible to match your experiences, but pray to God to lift up your experiences to match the Bible!  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!  If God can use a bunch of rag tag folks like the apostles, He can use people like you and me!  God has spent 2000 years reaching some of the hardest people through Jesus Christ; He will do the same in our towns and cities today.

God has called you and created you to succeed in youth ministry.  That means He has already planned your success, you just have to walk it out.

Never Stop Growing

The more you grow in your faith, the more you will see God move!  The more you learn about leadership, the stronger your team of leaders will be!   The stronger your team, the more teens you can reach and disciple.

It is not easy, but it is worth it.  There will be bumps in the road, but many glorious victories along the way.  God has created you for success.  Let’s not be satisfied with where we are.  God wants to do great things.  God wants to do the impossible.  You are His hands and feet and mouth.  God is doing new things all the time, we must perceive these things and walk in them.  We owe that to this generation.

Jack Redmond is the Co-Chairman of the Greater New York BATTLECRY and local Youth Pastor at Christ Church in Montclair, NJ.  To stay connected for ongoing youth events, leadership training and networking, he can be reached through www.4thgen.org or 973-954-4227.