Pointing People To The Bible
by Chris Sasser
I don’t know about you, but I can sometimes get a little discouraged in ministry. I’m often not sure how much of what I am doing really resonates with the teens and parents that I have the opportunity to lead. They are so busy running in the rat race of life, and it seems like many of them have a hard time slowing down and really embracing the life that God has for them. They get caught up in the pressures of school and sports, get distracted by technology and social media, and fail to set aside the time and space they need to nurture a faith that will support the struggles of life. OK, if I’m honest, I’m one of these parents I’m talking about, and something needs to change.
As I think about what we all need the most, I keep landing on something that is pretty simple, and it’s something that has been around for a long time. Sure, I need to slow down and set aside time for God, but what I really need is to focus that time on His Word. I’m pretty good at finding ways to listen to other people talk about God and what they think about what He says, but I’m not always great at digging deeper into the Bible myself for the sake of growing in my faith. I often have to spend time in the Scriptures to prepare a message or build a lesson, but how often do I spend time in the Word just for me? Am I good at setting aside time for my own spiritual growth and reflection? Am I building my own relationship with God so that I can be His disciple, not just so I can encourage others to do the same? These are all questions we need to grapple with.
The Bible is obviously at the center of our faith and what we teach. As we seek to lead teenagers and their parents to embrace their own true faith, we have to push them toward the Bible. We don’t just need to become experts at telling them about the Bible and the stories in it; we have to encourage them to explore the Bible themselves and wrestle with what it means to them. When we read through the Scriptures, we encounter a God who loves us and longs for a relationship with us. We meet a God who is holy yet forgiving. We get to see a savior who sacrifices for his children and has a future for them. These are all things we are hoping that people will come to believe and follow, and the best way to compel them to trust God is to lead them to meet him through His Word.
As you think about how you can build a ministry that will compel people to read the Bible, here are a few ideas for you. First, use scripture to encourage parents and help them go deeper into the Bible. When you communicate to parents, frequently add a verse or passage and encourage them to read it themselves. Maybe just “tease” part of a passage and tell them there is more for them to learn. If you can get parents to be more comfortable reading and studying God’s Word, it will trickle down to their children.
Next, make sure you are pointing teens and parents to resources that will lead them to spend time in God’s Word. There are devotionals, journals, and Bible studies that will help teens and parents have a plan and a guide as they seek to read and grow. A new resource from YM360 called the 12-Month Discipleship Journal by Joel Lusz is a great tool to share. Regularly send parents links to resources that will not just tell them about God but get them into His Word to learn for themselves.
Finally, provide opportunities for teens and possibly parents to study God’s Word together. This could be through youth group or Sunday school or through other venues in your church. When people have the chance to simply read the Bible and talk about what it means, they not only grow closer to God, but they grow closer together. Their community is strengthened.
Understanding the Bible and learning to let faith in Jesus guide your path is a life-long process. As people progress along their spiritual journey, they need to have the skills and confidence to rely on the Bible for guidance. As a ministry leader, you have the opportunity not just to tell stories and teach principles but also to give people a real gift if you help them develop the discipline of reading and studying the Bible. God’s Word is powerful, so let’s spend more time pointing people towards it.