Activating the Whole Church

Last November, I was reflecting back on my story. When I was in High School, I didn’t know this life would be possible for me. I didn’t even know women could even be in ministry. I had no confidence in my writing, and no money to travel. 

That is, until I went to TEC, Teens Encountering Christ. I met people who taught me context, and how many, many women were empowered by Jesus and the early church to be leaders. I was given the opportunity to speak and to lead a small group of my peers. In the next couple of years, I started getting invited to speak at other churches, schools, camps and retreats. 

This was all many years ago now, but it was completely formative in what I am doing with my life today. So, I wanted to say thank you to the place where it all started for me. 

 Last weekend, at this time I was jumping around with 120 teens, and a few dozen other brave adults. Again, I was reminded at what a powerful weekend TEC is.  The gospel is preached, believers are born, and disciples are created. It’s not a bunch of stuffy adults who get up and preach, but teens. They are proof that there is no Junior Holy Spirit and God isn’t afraid to move powerfully through them. 

To know me is to know that student leadership is dear to my heart. I was 19 when God highlighted Jeremiah 1:4-7 to me. I was being told I was “too young” by people I greatly respected, and I was crushed. 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew  you,    before you were born I set you apart;    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.”

 Our teens are not tomorrow’s leaders. They are todays. They are not called to make a difference in there city someday, but they are called to make a difference in their city NOW. We get to equip them. We get to send them out. We get to believe in them.  When is the last time you told a teen your life YES. Yes, that they COULD do it. Yes, that they SHOULD go for it. 

 Our teens don’t need our doubts. The millennials don’t need our doubts. They need our support. They need us to link arms with them and say, “You are not too young, you do not have to be afraid of them.” They need to know that God is with them. How will they know if we do not tell them, if we do not show them? 

 This is what a parent does. A parent says, “Here are my shoulders, stand on them.” A parent says, “Go further than me. Take all my resources, my wisdom, my connections and go share the gospel.” 

 Andy Byrd commissioned a group of young adults by explaining, “Revival is not rocket science. It is an activated Church.” Adults, we are not the whole church. If we want to see the gospel shared around the world then we must activate the WHOLE church. We must activate our students. 

Not every adult will travel the world ministering to teens. Not every adult will volunteer at a student lead retreat. Not every adult will become a teacher, or a youth leader. However, every adult is called to the children. Every adult can participate in equipping and sending out our young people. Prayer, finances, encouragement, coffee dates, and substitute parent hugs are our responsibility.  

Youth are not our problem; they are not America’s problem. They are our answer for seeing the gospel go further than we could take it in our lifetime. However, they are not going to know that unless we start telling them.