Things They Don’t Teach You in Seminary

By |Published On: April 22, 2020|Categories: For the Church|

There is only one gospel, but more than one way to share it.

As ministers of the gospel, it’s our role to “preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

2 Timothy 4:2

Youth ministry prepares you well for all these things. Out of sheer necessity, you learn to adapt your sermon style, stories, and speech patterns to communicate the gospel in a way your students can understand and connect with. Youth ministry is a microcosm of what Paul meant when he wrote,

“I have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means I might save some.”

I Corinthians 9:22

When working with students, “becoming all things” can take a lot of forms. It means slowing down to come alongside the “quiet kid.” It means befriending and including the “loner.” It means being willing to lose at H.O.R.S.E. to the basketball team who attend youth group together. And for the kids with special needs, it means being willing to ask the right questions.

I had one student who, among other things, dealt with a sensory processing disorder. During worship he would occasionally start bouncing up and down, which was usually the prelude to shrieking at a volume and pitch that would have cracked wine glasses. This was, to say the least, startling to most people. But after asking his parents, we tried noise-cancelling headphones. This, coupled with a more understanding volunteer staff who would check in to make sure he wasn’t becoming overwhelmed, suddenly made worship accessible. It wasn’t that he’d been incapable of staying calm during worship, it was just that we hadn’t asked the right questions.

Worship was now taken care of, but we still had a small problem during times of teaching. Our youth group would usually have a short sermon given to all the kids, and then break up into age and gender specific groups. It was during the second part of the lesson that my friend would often become agitated. At first, I tried asking him to settle down. I used the strategies I’d talked about with his parents. I used positive and negative reinforcements. I asked if he needed a break outside. But he didn’t want any of these things. Eventually—and I don’t know why this wasn’t my first instinct—I asked him what was wrong.

He pointed behind me at the whiteboard I used during our breakout sessions.

“None of your people have noses!”

I looked back at the stick figures populating my sermon illustration. True enough, they all had two eyes and a mouth, but nary a nose between them. I drew a triangle in the middle of each face and looked back at him, only to find he had already calmed down. From that day forward, you better believe every stick figure I drew had a nose.

They didn’t teach me this stuff in seminary.

Sharing the gospel is worth moving heaven and earth. It’s why the Bible has been translated into so many languages. It’s why people are martyred for their faith. But sometimes, effectively sharing the gospel just means drawing a nose on a stick man’s face.

Ask questions when someone isn’t fitting in to your Sunday School, youth group, or church gathering. The solution might be simpler than you think.

A young Joni and Friends voltuneer hugging a young girl with down-syndrome as they both smile at the camera.

Do You Have Questions?

Contact us at [email protected] or call (818) 707-5664. We’re here for you. Your ministry’s success is our highest priority!

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