You try and try to get your youth group to listen, pay attention, and hopefully learn something.  Sometimes, you don’t know if you are even achieving anything.  And then something goes wrong; you’re presented with a challenge, and your teenagers don’t just rise to the occasion, they quote you as they act (or preferably, they quote Jesus)!

Recently, one of the young people in my group stopped attending anything and everything.  I must admit I was worried about him.  Even his family weren’t coming on Sunday mornings.  We never saw him anywhere, we never heard from him; you know there is a problem when a teenager disappears from Facebook as well.

The teenagers rose to the occasion.  I had started sending him encouraging messages, but I soon found out that all of the other teenagers were worried and trying to do something.  They left phone messages, sent him text messages, sent him Facebook messages…they were truly worried.  And they tried to do something about it.

In the end, the assistant pastor at the church where I’m placed was able to council and talk to the family in parts and as a whole.  They went through a rough time.  My youth were able to at least offer their moral support, but mostly the fact that they cared enough to continue to pursue him, despite his avoidance.  And that encourages me more than them quoting an entire sermon back at me!

Written by Dominic Tuttle