This Sunday the youth are hosting their first “Guest Sunday.” Two weeks ago the youth team distributed invitations to all youth and encouraged them to invite their friends to come to youth group on Sunday, March 1st to hear an evangelistic message that answers the question, “What Is Christianity All About?”Youth & Mission
I love how Pastor Salvati is building mission and evangelism into the youth of CrossWay. He is helping them see that they are not just the youth group – some appendage to our life as a church - but they are an integral part of our local church and therefore part of our mission as church. Just like their believing parents, they should be reaching their friends for Christ.
Successful Obedience
Pastor Salvati has helped our youth see that successful obedience in evangelism is not measured by having their friends attend on Sunday evening, but by their boldness to invite, and their willingness to speak of Christ, and their faithfulness to extend invitations. I read this from Mark’s gospel this morning,
And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” -Mark 8:34-38Not Ashamed of Christ
What does it look like for youth to take up their cross and follow Christ in this part of their life? It looks like not being ashamed of Christ or his words. It means a willingness to lose their image, or status, or popularity for the sake of Christ. It doesn’t mean being obnoxious about your faith, but it definitely means that your friends know you are a Christian, that you are not afraid to speak of your faith in Jesus Christ, and that you live distinctively for Christ in your local setting.
For Parents
If you are a parent of youth, let me encourage you to use this moment to train your son or daughter in the way they should go. Ask them if they’ve invited their friends? Ask them who they have invited? If they haven’t invited anyone, ask them why? Is it because they don’t know any non-Christians? Is it because they are ashamed of Christ? Is it because they fear what their friends will think? What a great opportunity for parenting.
For Youth
If you are part of the youth group, let me encourage you to invite your friends Sunday night. Let me encourage you to not be ashamed of Christ. Let me encourage you to see yourself not primarily as a student, or a musician, or an athlete, but primarily as a follower of Christ. If you have not yet driven a stake in the ground and let your friends know that you follow Christ, do it now. Let me encourage you to be a leader, and make a difference, and start living for Christ now!
For Everyone
Can I invite everyone to encourage our youth in what they are doing? Can I invite everyone to pray for Sunday night?
- Pray that many invitations would be extended.
- Pray that many guests would come on Sunday night.
- Pray that all guests would feel welcomed into the youth group.
- Pray that there would be a clear and relevant presentation of the gospel.
- Pray that God would give understanding and open hearts.
- Pray that some would repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
- Pray that many would come back to be part of the youth group.
- Pray that in everything God would be glorified.
