How do you know if Jesus is changing a person’s life?
How do you know if “your seeds” have landed in “fertile soil?”
How do you know if the faith a high school student exhibits will stick into college and beyond?
How do you know if a student is ready to be a student leader?
We all want something to measure and we tend to measure the easy and obvious stuff.
Confession Time
Most youth workers label behavior modification as spiritual growth. That’s how they measure success. “The kids in my ministry sin less than kids who don’t attend.”
Of course, that’s a load. You’ve probably merely succeeded at making kids religious so that they repress. Which is hardly helpful for development.
If you’re new in youth ministry let me offer you this little fast forward on your growth as a leader. Behavior modification/sin management doesn’t change hearts. Don’t believe me? Just read the Old Testament. Jesus’ incarnation wasn’t to teach us how to manage sin among religious people. Jesus’ ministry gave up on sin management in order to win hearts.
Your youth ministry should be about winning hearts for the long haul– not short term behavior management.
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