Parents are the primary evangelist and disciplers of the youth

Here’s an interesting article that definitely hits on what I believe should be true — parents have the primary role of evangelizing and discipling thier children, not the youth ministry.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/08/11/family-first-in-youth-discipleship-and-evangelism/

Even in our youth ministry’s vision statement we say, “…In our discipleship of the youth, we hope to partner with parents to model the Gospel and develop future leaders of the church who put their faith, hope and assurance solely in the doing and dying of Christ….” We are part of a covenant family, so I think there is a need for different voices to speak into the lives of our teenagers, just as we have a need as adults to live and learn in community. However, the youth leaders should never be the primary voice in the lives of the youth. That’s the parents role.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“…parents should never presume that the church will do the work that is primarily theirs. Relying on a youth pastor or church mentor to serve as the primary gospel-shaping force in the lives of our children will actually almost guarantee the failure in that task for even the most gifted and godly youth leader. How can a youth pastor realistically encourage a high school boy to read and study the Bible if that boy has never seen his Christian father doing the same? In the context of the local church, the effective youth pastor seeking gospel growth in the lives of students reinforces, strengthens, and bolsters a gospel work that has sprung out of—and been nourished already within—the context of a Christ-centered home. While parents should see their evangelism and discipleship of their children as primary, they should not be hesitant to involve other mature Christians in these activities in the lives of their children in order to further the work they have started…”


Feel free to shoot me an email or talk to me in person about how the youth ministry can better partner with parents and equip them for the work of raising their children. Youth years are hard, and I want to be there as  a resource to all the parents. Let’s work together for the glory and exultation of the name of Jesus Christ.