1 Thessalonians 2:7-12(NIV)
7 Instead, we were like young children[a] among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
Definition of ‘nurturing‘
- To help (something or someone) to grow, develop, or succeed. :
- care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing.
- encourage the development of someone or something
- cherish (a hope, belief)
- to take care of (someone or something that is growing or developing) by providing food, protection, a place to live, etc.
Nurturing in Christianity means helping a person to grow and develop his or her gifting or talent to populate the church
Who is A Youth?
A youth is a period between childhood and maturity usually between 18-30
MINISTRY
Ministry means service to an office
ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith, the prototype being the Great Commission.
WHAT IS YOUTH MINISTRY
Youth ministry, is an age-specific religious ministry of faith group, usually from ages 12 to 30
WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE YOUTH MINISTRY
Its mission is to involve and engage with young people who attend their places of meeting(church or club), or who live in their community.
Christian youth ministry usually it deals /covers one or more of the following:
- encouraging young people to learn more about a given faith in Jesus and
- to become more involved in spiritual life
- providing open youth clubs or other activities for the common good of the young people
IN WHAT WAYS CAN WE NATURE THE YOUTH FOR EFFECTIVE MINSTRY?
The youth CAN BE nurtured in four ways
- In
- Up
- Down
- Out
- We nurture them IN:
- Through the Community and the church, we assist youths as they reach in to experience the love, and a sense of belonging found within the community of faith, the church.
- We make them understand that we have a better, upgraded or updated version of the love they find within the community.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1 John 4:16)
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9
- We should let the youth understand what Love really is.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
- By nurturing them through the love of our Lord and Master Jesus the Christ.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:4
I’m sick and tired of seeing the youth in the state of perplexity because his boyfriend or girlfriend left them.
I get heart broken when I see a youth commit suicide because his or her lover Has left them.
- We nurture them UP:
- Through Adoration, we assist them as they reach up to express to God
- We must show a sence of gratefulness and trust to them. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
- During the process of nurturing all corrections must not suppress or tannish the image of the youth.
- We must not forget that nurturing also needs staking; (support).
- We the youth must show submission during this process
Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
- Elders never give up on us during this process ..
Galatians 4:19, NLT: “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.”
We are stuborn but please don’t give up on us
We are indiscipline but please don’t give up on us
We are too knowing but don’t give up on us
We bring you pain and grief but please don’t give up on us
We have bad attitudes but please don’t give up on us
We are proud but please don’t give up on us
- We nurture them DOWN:
- This where we assist youth to receive the nurture that comes to them from God, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
- Through this nurture, young believers receive God’s guidance for being and building disciples of Jesus.
Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
- We nurture them OUT:Assisting young believers as they reach out to Share God’s love with people outside the group.
Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
In conclusion I wish that we consider these:
A powerful youth is a nurtured youth
A multipurpose youth is a nurtured youth
An extraordinary youth is a nurtured youth
A spiritually empowered youth is a nurtured youth
A God-fearing youth is a nurtured youth
GOD BLESS US ALL ….AMEN