The Minister and the Youth Problem

The youth problem of the church will be to a large degree answered when we as min­isters discharge our full duty toward our young people.

By Louis K. Dickson

The youth problem of the church will be to a large degree answered when we as min­isters discharge our full duty toward our young people. Much of the perplexity along this line is due to the lack of adequate understanding, interest, and effort on the part of the pastor of the church. No group with which the minister is called upon to labor is more responsive to personal interest and understanding than the youth of our churches. But this responsiveness cannot be effected by proxy. It will come only as the minister demonstrates to the young peo­ple that he is worthy of their full confidence as a counselor and friend.

As one gets close to our young people, it is not difficult to discover that a large number of them feel very much alone with their temp­tations, trials, and questions. The tender years through which they are passing somehow make them very sensitive to the atmosphere sur­rounding the lives of those who should be their helpers. Like delicately constructed organ­isms, they send forth feelers which, as they come in contact with unsympathetic surround­ings, cause them to fold up within themselves, and they become noncommittal, unexpressive, and rigidly unresponsive.

They should not be judged too harshly for this. For regardless of whether they are thought right or wrong in so doing, we face the fact that this is the way they are made. Our responsibility is to discover such a natural approach to them on the basis of a kinship of spirit that the barriers they ordinarily throw up in their reticence and embarrassment, will be melted by our friendly and understanding attitude.

Many a young person in our churches is long­ing to pour out his soul's anxieties and perplex­ities, but he is not sure enough of his ground with us as ministers to know that he will find an understanding and sympathetic heart. One of the greatest mistakes which we are likely to make is that of thinking we do not have time to listen to the problems of our youth. In some of our large churches, especially, we hurry on so quickly, as we meet these strug­gling lives, that they feel it would be wrong to bother us with their troubles.

The minister thus deprives himself of one of the greatest assets which he has in the suc­cessful work of the church, his own personal success, and the upbuilding of many young lives about to be broken irretrievably by Satan.

Never should it be forgotten that in all ages of the work of God and in every crisis of the church, the youth have stood in the breach and carried the banner of Prince Immanuel, on to new heights. The progress of the church in all the past has been largely an advance of youth.

It is a mistake to judge youth as having a shallow experience in the Lord just because of their seeming unresponsiveness, when that at­titude has very often been created by the woe­ful lack of personal, sympathetic interest on the part of ministers and workers. While not overlooking the fact that every year many of our youth are apostatizing and going out of this movement forever, we should not fail to recognize that they are not alone in this drift­ing away. There are just as deeply and truly spiritual, just as consecrated and self-sacrific­ing lives among the hosts of our youth today as in any day in the history of the church, and without doubt there is just as high a percent­age of devotion among them as among the older members of our churches.

It cannot be denied and should never be for­gotten that the youth of this movement, who are now on the scene of action, are destined by God to lead His people to the last great triumph, and that speedily,—yes, more speed­ily than any movement has ever reached its final objectives. To them is to be given the last call to service that will ever be given to labor in behalf of sinners. It will doubtless be a call to greater sacrifice and devotion than God has ever found necessary to send forth in all the ages past. They must stand for God in the midst of the furies of Satan and his emis­saries as they are unleashed with "all power" by the withdrawal of the restraining hand of God. With deceivers and tempters to evil on every side clothed with full power from Satan, the youth of the advent movement must march on to the front of the battle line and to victory.

This call is now due. It must be given to them through the ambassadors of Christ. It is our responsibility as ministers to co-operate with God in giving them the vision of their part in the final crusade against sin and Satan. They must be won, to their place in the line—they cannot be bemoaned or driven. Your responsibility and mine is to discover that method by which the youth, who face us in our ministry continually, may be inoculated with the spirit which was manifest when Jesus said, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is clay: the night cometh, when no man can work." That great "I must" which was found so often upon the lips of our youthful Saviour, will erelong be breathed into the lives of the young men and women of this movement around the world; and God is de­pending upon us who today stand in the sacred desk to stand close also to the lives and inter­ests of our youth, that we may be instrumental in influencing their lives toward this great program for the finishing of the work.

The mobilizing of youth is the aim of every great movement in the earth today. God for­bid that His ministers should underestimate the importance of their attitude and influence toward such mobilization in His cause, and should fail to suggest in a winsome way the logical response which the youth should now make to His urgent and final call to action. The sluggishness and lethargy of the church now needs the leadership of that youthful zeal and devotion which God intends shall be seen in the lives of our young people. If we as min­isters, by careful friendship, by confidential sympathy, and with a kindred spirit, will guide and influence the young people of our congre­gations, we will save many lives to God and His kingdom and greatly reduce the problems of both church and home. By our failure in this important responsibility we will find blood-guiltiness at our door, and God's purposes and plans will be greatly hindered. Let us earnestly endeavor to harness the strength of the youth in God's great cause.

Orlando, Fla.


Ministry reserves the right to approve, disapprove, and delete comments at our discretion and will not be able to respond to inquiries about these comments. Please ensure that your words are respectful, courteous, and relevant.

comments powered by Disqus

By Louis K. Dickson

February 1934

Download PDF
Ministry Cover

More Articles In This Issue

Let Them Not be Ashamed for My Sake

Here is a lesson worthy of thoughtful con­sideration by everyone who bears the name of Christ,—that his daily life, not for his own sake alone, but on account of all who love the Lord, shall be such that none who seek God will be put to shame by anything that he may do. This means that the Christian must guard everything that he says and does.

Our Advance Conditioned on Love

God's ambassador is a lover of human­ity. All men appeal to him. While he takes naturally to some people more than to others, yet the servant of Christ does not love any one the less because certain others are of a more kindred spirit.

Let Us Use the Newspapers

When Jesus said to His disciples, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations," He in­tended that they should teach by every means at their command,—by voice and by pen, on the platform and over the radio, in the magazines and in the newspapers,—as opportunity affords.

High Pressure Delivery

Surely it is unwise for us to adopt extreme ways of presenting the truth at any time. It is a mistaken idea that loudness gives strength, or that a frenzied, hurried presentation proves more effective.

Sound Preaching Principles

Painstaking consideration should be given to our manner of presenting God's truth, that we may secure maximum results in connection with our evangelistic efforts.

Editorial Keynotes

The Formation of the New Testament Canon No. 2

The Abiding Presence of the Spirit

This control of our lives by the Spirit is the secret of joyous, loving, peaceful, victorious Christianity and Christian ministry.

Standard Authorities in Church History

Resources for the study of church history.

Unity and Cooperation Imperative

There is no body of men and women on earth whom God desires to see united in whole-hearted co-operation more than those whom we classify as workers in our cause.

Editorial Postscripts

From the Ministry back page.

View All Issue Contents

Digital delivery

If you're a print subscriber, we'll complement your print copy of Ministry with an electronic version.

Sign up
Advertisement - SermonView - Medium Rect (300x250)

Recent issues

See All