Incarnation-Driven Youth Ministry

All Stages and Ages of Human Maturation, Duly Noted, Come Under the Saving Life of Jesus Christ

One argument for the church to maintain her stance in naming teens, teens; or to address them, treat them and seize upon ministry to them as youths, rests on the fact that, Jesus, in assuming a human body and living out His own life, came to accomplish His saving work specifically for them.

Adolescents are touched by His own adolescence.

We may abuse the realities and matters of the identification of the stages of human maturation, as seen in infants, children and youths, on up to young adulthood, and so on, even up to aged folk, but the reality of Christ’s own physical, social and intellectual development reminds us that there’s import about each stage of life, and that merits attention of ministry aimed at the varied physical stages of specific persons and groups.

Listen in to the old Princeton theology professor Benjamin Warfield as he dovetails commentary with the early churchman, Irenaeus:

“In this perfect development of Jesus there has been given to the world a model for every age, whose allurement has revolutionized life. He did not, as Irenaeus reminds us, despise or evade the humanity he had assumed; or set aside in his own person the law that governs it: on the contrary, he sanctified every age in turn by himself living his perfect life in its conditions. “He came to save all by means of himself,” continues Irenaeus, “all, I say, who through him are born again unto God—infants and children, boys, and youths...He therefore passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, thus sanctifying infants; a child for children, thus sanctifying those who are of this age, being at the same time made to them an example of piety, righteousness, and submission; a youth for youths, becoming an example to youths, and thus sanctifying them for the Lord.”

Ministry in various forms to children, youths, collegians, young marrieds, older singles, etc., etc. is life and ministry according to the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Warfield finishes: “During the course of his life begun with this ideal childhood, Jesus came into contact with every stage of youth development, and manifested the tenderness of his feeling for each and his power and willingness to confer blessings upon all.”

We refer to them in varied ways: students, adolescents, youths, or young people. Ministry to, with and by them—the church’s teens—helps to preserve and promote the person and work of Jesus Christ and His saving life.

G. Mark Sumpter