By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

 In 1945, 70%+ of the population in Great Britain attended church regularly—today it is about 7%. What happened?  Church historians say that the church in Great Britain, as well as most of Europe, missed just one generation of young people and their families. The result a deathblow to the church.  Today – culture watchers report more than 80% of HS students who attend church will not attend one year after they graduate

 In the ICOC, the overwhelming majority of those baptized as teens (kingdom kids and non kingdom kids) have left the church.  Even in the “glory days” of teen ministries (sharp, cool, young teen minister; many young, motivated, and spiritual teen workers; big budgets; great events) most of those kids left either in later years in HS or in the few years following.  Impact on families and entire ministries are still being felt.

 There are those who built with costly stones.  A number of those children have entered fulltime ministry.  Those parents took responsibility and fought for their families.

 We are not simply a Book of Acts church, or New Testament Church.  We are a fulfillment of all that God has put in motion.  Biblical Themes: Covenant, Priesthood, Temple, Kingdom, Family.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

 The most often quoted scripture in the Bible.  Every morning & evening, everyday the Orthodox Jews recite this important section of the Torah.  It is written on door frames of Orthodox Jewish homes.  It is conceivably the first scripture Jesus would have learned as a child.

 God and Family  40 years wandering. They had nothing, no military, no real gov’t structure.  Even today, practicing Jews say this is the foundation of their religion: God and Family

 In Biblical days the people of Israel had a great understanding of their role as parents and family.  Parents knew their most important calling was to impress upon their children the Word of God.  They were to talk about it and daily live out their faith as a family unit.

 Jesus focused on God and Family  End to divorce practices  Elevated women and children  Marriage a covenant  Emphasized the church as family  Taught the Fatherhood of God

 The Sh’ma passage should be the very cornerstone of a youth and family ministry.  Family Based Youth Ministry is a mind-set, not a program  Our Youth Ministry’s programs, structures, events, staff, volunteer workers will come and go. Family is the constant.  Spiritual Principles OVER Spiritual Programs

 Luke 6:43-44 Trees will bear their own fruit (of their own kind)  Apples to Apples, Oranges to Oranges  Campus to College Students  Families to Families

 In youth ministry, success cannot be measured by today’s baptisms. True success will be measured years from now and beyond. We are building for the future. Youth Ministry success hinges on making sure the next generation becomes faithful adult Christians who change the world.

 Yes there is a crucial role  We need career Youth Ministers  We need more money budgeted for Youth Ministry  We need committed volunteer youth leaders  We need devoted youth mentors  We great events, camps, rallies, retreats, devotionals, Bible Talks, etc.  Yes reaching out to non-church kids is a crucial mission to both families and the youth ministry. We must be an outward focused ministry.

 Parents must take primary responsibility for the spiritual and faith formation of their children and teens.  The Youth Ministry should serve as a powerful extended family to aid and support this endeavor.  Parents and Youth Ministry should be a great partnership

“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” -”Rick” Humphrey Bogart to “Captain Renault” at the end of Casablanca