What I Love About Christchurch Youth
"A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother" (Proverbs 15:20). This past week, we took the young people to The Youth Congress in Powell, Tennessee. When you take a trip with the youth, you get to know them a little better. We had a great time and some life-changing decisions were made. In The Pastor’s Word this week I would like to share with you four characteristics of the Christchurch youth that I love:
1. They know how to rejoice.
"Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth..." (Ecclesiastes 11:9). "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians). "Rejoice evermore" (I Thessalonians 5:16). Just saying the word rejoice makes you smile. Rejoice means to thrive exult and be glad. Knowing Christ alone would be enough to make us happy in the Lord, but how often we need the reminder to stay happy in the Lord.
As we traveled late in the night and early in the morning and afternoon, it was not unusual for our kids to break out in song and laughter. As I heard their joy expressed, it blessed me beyond my ability to express in these few lines. Even as I was writing, the kids came in from supper with the biggest smiles. What a sweet spirit they possessed. Out of all the kids here, the Christchurch kids appear to be the happiest!
2. They respond to the first command.
Whenever any of our chaperones spoke to them, there was a respectful compliance. This Christ-like spirit of our youth is most welcome! Jesus said His yoke was easy and His burden was light (Matthew 11:30). The Bible says, “Let no man despise thy youth…” (I Timothy 4:12). This week I have witnessed the fulfillment of true godly yoke bearing in the lives of our youth. A young person who bears the yoke of our Lord obeys authority on the first command. "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth" (Lamentations 3:27).
3. They are sensitive to God’s voice.
"...He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 4:9). What a joy to see our young people come forward in the invitation, determined to hear and do the will of God for their lives!
4. There exists a spiritual bond between us.
I was noticing something much more than a compatibility between us. There is a spiritual bond. I could hardly look into the faces of our youth without seeing their parents. I thought about the mountaintops we’ve experienced together as well as the valleys. The youth of Christchurch are my brothers and sisters. I am honored that they along with the parents have allowed me to be their pastor. The world would call it chemistry; the Bible calls it “Church”. And we as a Church have followed God’s Command and adhered to the principle of God’s love, "...put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness" (Colossians 3:14).
- Pastor Pope -