What do teenagers need to grow in their faith during some of the most malleable times of their life? What can you as a youth pastor do to help students take steps in growing in their faith? There are things you probably are doing right now that are helping them out. Lets take it one step farther and be intentional with the effort you are already putting forth. Teach about what it takes to have a thriving, growing faith! There are things that you are doing right now that are helping. Lets identify 4 things that teenagers need to foster a growing faith. Belonging Every student needs a place to belong. Your church and your youth ministry should be about a bunch of people coming together to do something that you cannot do on your own. Those nights are about teenagers knowing that they are not alone. Those nights are to give them an easy opportunity to get their friends there that need to know about Jesus. Those nights are where they make their love for God known along with their peers. This place of belonging is a safe place to explore, doubt, wrestle and grow. Being with Your faith journey actually started well before you knew God. He has known you since before you were conceived and has loved you. He sent the Holy Spirit to be with you when you placed your faith in Christ as your Savior to help you, to give you strength and to help mold you into who He wants you to become. The Holy Spirit is the one that does the life change. Teenagers need to know that their journey is more about being with Jesus, than doing things for Jesus. They need to know that they are never alone, no matter what they go through. Being Known Being in a life group, small group, D group or whatever your church calls it, is a critical part of a teenagers faith journey. It is essential to a growing faith. This group is where they can be known on an intimate level. This is where they can get real with who they are, their flaws, their pain, their joy and a place to celebrate their wins. This is where they find encouragement, correction, community & real friendship. To be known in a small group is to have a group of people that have their back at all times. Being Strong What good is a journey without a friend. The bible is clear that iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another so its important that teenagers have someone on our journey that can keep them on point and make us stronger. Learning about accountability is so important for them, and honestly for adults too. Teenagers need to understand that being transparent with someone is important. It is also important to have a relationship with a friend that pushes each other towards being more like Jesus. Being open to being corrected and challenged is part of the journey. Teenagers who embrace accountability will take leaps and bounds in their faith journey. Obviously there are more than just 4 but start their and see what happens! If you would like a free 4 week sermon series called "Journey", you can download it HERE. Keep investing in this generation, it is so worth it!
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