I’m planning on producing a youth ministry training paper most Wednesday’s throughout the year. These papers will be discussed at our Soulies weekly leaders meeting. Anyone is welcome to interact in the comments. Click here to access archive.
At the end of year 10, during those bludgey months after you’ve finished the school certificate, we participated in a few weeks of “Modelling and Deportment” classes. They were helpful for gaining confidence, learning job-interview skills and gaining tips on how to strut your stuff on a catwalk!! During those weeks I probably gained too much confidence and started thinking that I could be a catwalk model. Aside from abnormally large calf muscles, I really didn’t have the stereotypical traits required for modelling. I was a bit deluded in my self-confidence and vanity!
Often it’s the vain who want to be models: girls who spend a lot of time falling in love with themselves while looking in the mirror; or guys who spend a lot of time at the gym looking in the mirror and repeatedly kissing their biceps!
But, believe it or not, if you put your hand up to be a youth leader you are also raising your hand to say that you are willing to be a model. But this isn’t in a vain type of I-love-myself way. It’s all about modelling to others what it means to follow Jesus. Like it or not if you are already involved in leadership you ARE a model! What model are you asking people to follow? What type of example of a Christian are you?
I read a number of years ago about a Northern Beaches youth leader who dragged a dead possum behind his car. That was a pretty dumb model! But I’ve also witnessed many great youth leaders who have been models worth following.
1 Corinthians gives us a great picture of following an example. Paul says: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (11:1) That’s a big call! He’s calling the church in Corinth to look to the example of his conduct among them, and be like him. But ultimately, it’s not about about following Paul for the sake of following Paul, it’s about following Paul for the sake of following Jesus.
1 Thessalonians has a great example of modelling. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
- How did the church in Thessalonica follow a model?
- How did the church in Thessalonica become a model?
Read 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 5:3; Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; Titus 2:7
- What is the expectation upon the Christian leader from these passages?
KEEP IT REAL:
What type of model will you be? The teenagers are watching you. One way or another, they’ll copy you. What habits are you modelling to them? Godly or ungodly? Wise or foolish? Measured or accidental? As we follow Jesus we are called to have others follow us. This doesn’t mean we will be the perfect model, only Jesus is the perfect model. But it does mean we will be honest when we make mistakes, confess our sins and keep clinging to Jesus.
In what ways do you need to take more seriously the call to be a model?
Hey Dave,
Great post mate. I’ve been challenged by this topic recently.
I heard D.A. Carson tell a story about this. He was just a young uni student, and had started an evangelistic bible study. When fifteen non-Christians showed up, he was out of his depth. He took two non Christians to see a friend who has a Seminary Student, named Dave Ward.
The first friend said he was interested in Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions and that he saw this an opportunity to learn about Christianity. Dave responded saying, “Don’t waste my time. We’re both busy students. You’re not interested in Christianity – just an academic lesson.”
Dave turned to the second student, “Why are you here?”
The second student, a little shaken replied, “I come from a church you would probably call liberal. I was brought up there, and don’t really believe that the bible is historically accurate or is important to my life. My question is, what difference does it make?”
Dave replied, “Watch me. There are three more month in the semester, move into my apartment. Go to your classes, and spend every other waking moment with me. Then you’ll see the difference my faith makes.”
The student didn’t move in with Dave, but did start to hang out with him lots, and Dave’s life witness helped bring this man to faith.
That is an amazing story. Dave (Miers), you are right: we need to be able to say to the youth, and others, around us, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”
Hey thanks ben. That’s a really cool story. Thanks for sharing.
Al Stewart (Pastor in Sydney) tells the story of being impressed by the Christian life modelled by Bryson Smith (Pastor in Dubbo) on campus during uni that it encouraged him to investigate Jesus. The rest is history… Praise God!
Thanks again, I hope cornhill is going well! What church you part of there? Keep trusting, preaching and modeling Jesus, Dave.
Hey Dave,
Thanks for the encouragement!
Cornhill is absolutely fantastic. It’s better than I imagined. The only problem is that I am sounder more and more like a Brit!
Church here is St Helen’s North Kensington. It’s often confused with St Helen’s Bishopsgate, which is the evangelical “flagship” church. I get great responses telling people I am the youth minister at St Helen’s….
God has already humbled me greatly here. The youth ministry is hard, but God is very great.
Heard that you’ve made your way into a new group! I pray that God uses you mightily for his kingdom!
Col 1:28.
stoked that cornhill is going so well! unlucky with the accent… but hey if you end up coming to aus after cornhill, you can go back to normal (we are the only country without accents!)
glad that you’re part of a good church. just prayed for you now with your work in the youth ministry.
yep – our new church is great. really solid youth community with a great team of leaders. good to be back on the horse after doing itinerant preaching for 3 years!
peace.
In response to:
In what ways do you need to take more seriously the call to be a model?
I need to be more deliberate. Ie intentionally seeking to make the most of being an example of following Jesus. Often I’m lazy and perhaps accidental.
I freakin’ love your calf muscles.
My calf muscles freakin love you!
Thanks dave, I get alot out of these blogs. You mentioned vanity in your blog about FB some months ago. The word Narcissism was used, thanks to my thesaurus (geek score), goes along with other words like conceited, condescending and self important. Id like to also throw in shallow or superficial. As a leader and as a christian in general, walking in Gods favor and blessings, vanity is a tool of the devil and a sickness of our sociaty that must be delt with by the individual believer. Its something id like to hear and learn more about. Perhaps in time the church will lead the way of modesty, humility, selflessness and serventhood in a twisted sociaty.
hey wade – thanks for the encouragement brother.
really good thoughts you’ve got there…
i think i know of an article or two that might help you think through this stuff further.
stay tuned!
hope you’re well mate.
dave