Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6, KJV

43 years ago, my wife and I graduated from college and moved to Casper, Wyoming. We worshipped at a small church there, and is the case in most small congregations, everyone's help was needed somewhere. In our particular situation it was in teaching, with my wife working with the nursery and toddlers, and me getting put with the teenagers.

Now I have to admit that I was probably not the greatest teacher that these teens could have had, but I was the closest to their age and could relate to some of the things they were going through, having had gone through these same challenges in the recent past. In addition to that, these teen and college aged students were pleasant and easy to get along with, so it is not surprising that I enjoyed the task of teaching them on a weekly basis.

Within a few months, I was the official "youth group leader" and we began to have regular devotionals and numerous outings, from sporting activities to campouts. For over thirteen years, I was the primary teacher for this age group and probably averaged a Bible class a week teaching this group during that span.

It was this interaction with kids whose largest percentage were genuinely interested in learning more about what God wanted of their lives, and who seemed intent upon doing the things that they learned were pleasing to Him, that sparked me into deciding to become a full-time minister. This led me to Happy, Texas, where I had the privilege of preaching, as well as working with the teens for another thirty years. It has been one of the most satisfying works that I can imagine anyone having the opportunity to take part in, and it is one that I rarely tired of. 

Still, the body and the mind get a little older every year, and this year I realized that it is time to step down and let someone else get to experience this very pleasant work. So, as of this last Monday night when the teens gathered for one last mowing (they take care of our widow's lawns during the summertime) before getting ready to go back to school, I, too, took part in that one final activity with the kids after 43 years of work.

I have to admit that at the age of 65 it is time for a younger man to take over... but I also have to admit that I am a bit wistful at the thought of this four decade plus area of service coming to an end.

Unless you have had a similar opportunity to work with teens, it is probably a little difficult to grasp the enormity of the privilege, as well as the large responsibility that goes along with working with teens. There can be a temptation to merely entertain this particular group of young men and women, but this is a temptation that must be avoided at all costs. It's not that entertainment does not have its place, but the primary responsibility of any teacher - including those who work with teens - is to teach them what God expects of their lives, and to show them the benefits of doing so.

Much of what we have focused on has been the instructions that God's Word provides in how we are expected to live our lives. This means that we don't get drunk or take drugs. It means that we do not have sex outside of marriage. It means that we accurately define Bible marriage as only between a man and a woman. (For those who are confused on this matter, it means marriage only between someone with XX chromosomes and XY chromosomes.) It means that we pass along God's teachings on honesty, courage, and faithfulness. 

It means we teach these young men and women to read the Bible for themselves, because, tragically, there are so many youth workers in our modern-day church environment who believe in doing your own thing and teaching our precious children that God will accept them whether they are obedient to His instruction or not. It also means that we portray God as He really is - a loving Father who is willing to forgive us of any past transgression, but only on His terms.

There are far too many people hired to take care of our kids who don't even know what the Bible teaches or, worse still, who have decided that what the Bible teaches just doesn't matter. Such youth group workers are to be viewed for what they truly are: dangerous! They are dangerous to the church, and particularly dangerous to our kids. Church leaders have a duty to make sure they are aware of who they are hiring to work with our kids as well as what they are teaching. This is not a glorified babysitting job for adolescents, it is a sacred trust that must not be broken.

But for those workers who understand their duty to God and the kids they have been entrusted with, they can genuinely have a meaningful impact on the lives of those they serve. Speaking from years of experience in this area, I can tell you that it is one of the greatest privileges that a person could ever be given. I didn't fully appreciate this fact when I started 43 years ago, and I'm not sure that I understand to this day the full importance of this task. But I do know this: It is a privilege and an honor. Anyway, it has been so for me, and I am going to miss it.

But I am excited for the next generation to carry on this vital work. I can hardly wait to see the successes and the impact that they will have on this next generation of kids!