11/20/22 - BBQ, prayer, and thinking harder about what it means to follow Jesus

This past week in youth group the high schoolers ate some BBQ (thank you Ritsema fam!), played some Mario Kart, prayed, and kind of finished our conversation on whether or not Jesus is the only way to heaven!

After some delicious food, we took prayer requests, prayed for one another, and then jumped back into our “Can I Ask That” books!

As the students and I continue to feel each other out and get to know one another, it's been clear that our group is mostly made up of lifelong Christians who almost exclusively hang out with other Christians. This is both a huge blessing and a subtle curse. Growing up in a Christian culture with Christian friends is certainly a good thing and students who grow up in the church typically have a ton of “head knowledge” when it comes to the Bible, but those cultures can also breed complacency or comfortability.

When we first started asking this question, I think students felt like it was a little silly - of course Jesus is the only way to heaven! The deeper goal is making sure our students can articulate why they believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, biblically, and with grace. They will inevitably leave this place and encounter people who do not think or believe the way we do, and their ability to process why they believe that the Bible is true, Jesus is lord, and the only way to heaven will be crucial.

More than anything, I want our high schoolers to fall in love with Jesus, know how to make disciples, feel comfortable reading the Bible, and prioritizing the things that really matter.

I’m so encouraged though by their willingness to engage in these kinds of conversations and talk about the things that truly matter. I’m even more excited to see where we are a year from now, and the kinds of things that come about as we establish ourselves as a healthy community centered on Christ!

Next week there is no youth group, because we get to meet instead! The following week we will be choosing a new topic to dive into in the new year!

Thanks for stopping by!