Pastor's Pen: The Future of Youth Ministry

In the gospel of Luke, we are introduced to Jesus first as a baby and then as a twelve-year-old boy in the Temple in Jerusalem. Luke then uses a phrase to serve as a transition from Jesus in his youth to the beginning of his ministry as an adult.

“...Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people” (Luke 2:52).

This language is not a bad summary of our hope for youth ministry. We want our young people to learn and apply knowledge — to grow in wisdom. We want them to be healthy and well-adjusted — to grow in stature. We want our youth to have a healthy relationship with God — to grow in favor with God. We want them to make a positive impact on our community — to grow in favor with people. As we consider the future of youth ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Norwalk, Ohio, these goals must remain at the forefront in our minds. The real question is, “How do we realize these goals for our youth?”

First, we must recognize that the responsibility for youth ministry belongs to the church as a whole. At the baptism of our children, the entire congregation makes a vow to raise them in the faith. When we hire a Youth Director, we do not delegate that duty to that person. Instead, we are looking for someone to help equip us, as a church, to fulfill that promise.

Second, the faith we share is not new with us. Our parents gave this faith to us, and we pass it on to the next generation. We take seriously the church’s disciplines, such as studying the Scriptures, prayer, fellowship, and mission. Our Youth Director will draw on these practices as he or she shares the faith with our youth. Likewise, we will need to recommit ourselves to these disciplines. Our youth can detect hypocrisy. If we aren’t living the faith, they won’t either.

Third, we do not want any of our young people to be left out or left behind. A quick survey of our youth reveals diverse personalities, talents, and interests. God can meet our youth in their particularities and use their diversities to draw them closer to Jesus. A good Youth Director knows that there is no “one-size-fits-all” ministry. That director will use the congregation's full resources, including its membership, to introduce our young people to Jesus Christ.

Finally, we cannot do youth ministry in isolation. Our youth have relationships and friendships beyond First Presbyterian Church. We must love all the youth of Norwalk. Now is not the time to build walls and hide our youth behind them. Instead, we build bridges to share the love of Christ with this new generation. To achieve this end, we are partnering with Young Life, a Christian parachurch organization that disciples young people. Our new Youth Director will also be an employee of Young Life, reaching the youth of Norwalk for Jesus Christ. We believe that this joint ministry will benefit both our congregation and Young Life.

Frankly, I am excited about the new direction of our youth ministry. I hope you will be, too. We have already begun receiving applications, and the Search Team has begun the hard task of evaluating the candidates. Still, we want to hear from you. There will be a Town Hall Meeting on January 10, 2021, in the Great Room at noon to hear your questions and comments. Please keep our youth and this ministry in your prayers. God has great things in mind for our congregation.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor James Hodsden