Churches can't simply put young men and women in front of crowds and expect them to lead. The church itself must set before its young people great heavenly visions. In youth groups today all across the world, teenagers are being confronted with a holy purpose for their lives.
...it takes a number of different voices to really declare the gospel so we can hear it. Teenagers need to hear it from someone who knows how to hang out.
God did not simply throw holy words down to us from heaven but allowed the Word to become incarnate, to become flesh, in Jesus Christ. So also do we mold the lives of young leaders, not just with our many right words, but by being God's incarnational witness to them. We spend time, and even waste time with them. We confront them, in their coming and going, with our own commitment to Jesus and His living water, the Holy Spirit. We cannot make them believe, but we can at least make it clear that we believe.
As they come to believe, and continue struggling with unbelief, ever so slowly a holy purpose begins to shape their character. It takes their lives, and they know deep down that they were created for sacred purposes. Then, someday, they will lead us close to God's hopeful future.
Frankly, I think this applies to more than just reaching teenagers. I know there have been Christians in my adult life that have hung out with me and that have encouraged my belief. And these have been the same age as me and older than me and younger than me. God certainly isn't limited to using ANY ONE of ANY AGE in my life.
