Reaching Youth

From his experience as a teacher and pastor, Tim Chaffey has provided these tips for reaching young people with the gospel.

1. Pray: Not only seek the Lord’s guidance but also continually pray for the young person you’re trying to reach. Recruit others to pray with you.
2. Walk the walk: You may have heard the saying, “Practice what you preach.” It’s essential. Your authentic life paves the way for young people to accept what you say.
3. Be genuine: Too many people try to reach junior high students by acting overly goofy and crazy. Don’t try to be somebody you aren’t. Kids can see through the act.
4. Challenge them: While you want your teaching to be age-appropriate, most youth really do want to learn and have the capacity to understand much more than you may assume. You’ll be surprised how much they can grasp.
5. Learn with them: Let them ask questions, and do your best to provide biblical answers. If you don’t know something, just be honest. Take the time to look up the solution—preferably with their help—and discuss it with them.
6. Tell them straight: Never water down the gospel. Share what Christ did for them, but also let them know how the world treats Christians (2 Timothy 3:12). They should know what to expect if they trust in Christ.
7. Act out: For those who are believers, discuss how to take a firm stand on biblical authority in every area of life. Encourage them not only to know what the Bible teaches but also to act on it courageously (James 1:22).