Are You Up For A Challenge?

Romans 10:14-15 tells us:
^"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"

Paul writes these words in Romans almost two thousand years ago, and they still ring true today. But lately I've been thinking about it in terms of how to apply this truth to high school students. Yes, students need to hear the gospel that Christ came and paid the price for their sins so that they can go to heaven. And yes, we need to tell them about this amazing truth. But to a high school student, is that enough? In my opinion, I don't think so.

The longer I am in student ministry the more I realize how much students need to see a living example of what following Jesus looks like. They need to see their parents and other adults they respect eager to attend church each weekend, passionate about inviting their friends, hungry to spend time with God daily outside of church, and committed to living their lives for Jesus before these students will truly understand what following Him means for their lives. "How can they hear about him unless someone tells them" can more accurately relate to high school students when put "how will they know He means something to them unless you show them that He means something to you?"

Students need to see that Jesus should invade our entire lives... our families, our jobs, our finances, our hobbies, our language, everything. It will only be then that students will begin to see that God means something to them in their lives.

So, are you up for a challenge? I want us all to take a little inventory, myself included, and ask ourselves these questions:

_How often are topics of God and faith discussed in my family?

_When was the last time I asked someone how I can pray for them?

_When was the last time I spent time with God outside of church (and is this a consistent thing)?

_With the exception of church on Sunday, would my life be any different without Jesus?

Chances are, if we can't confidently answer these questions, our students can't either. As adults, let's set an example for our students to follow. Let us be able to tell our students what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:1 which says "follow me as I follow Christ." Students are looking for someone to show them that God means something to them. Will you be that person?

Challenge extended. Will you accept?