Youth Ministry teaching topic of:  Hell

Hell is an essential topic to teach to our youth.

Last Tuesday night, our High School ministry had a conversation about the doctrine of Hell. It was really interesting to hear their perspective on what they think Hell would be like.

I framed this Hell conversation in six parts: 1) Where do we go after we die?, 2) Where is Hell in the Bible?, 3) What will Hell be like?, 4) Who chooses Hell?, 5) Do all non-Christians go to Hell?, 6) How would an all-loving God torture people in an eternal Hell?

I attempted to argue that there is no salvation outside of Jesus. Jesus judges people by their heart. People do not go to Hell by accident. Hell is a very bad place and God does not put people in Hell, people put themselves in Hell. It is not for us to understand it or explain it but rather avoid it.

Also, I outlined the four perspective of Hell.
1) John Walvoord argues that it is a literal place of smoke and flames.

2) William Crockett defends a metaphorical view, punishment but not necessarily literal fire. (This is the view I support. If one takes the literal interpretation of the lakes of fire, darkness, and pits, there is a sense of contradiction. How can Hell be dark while having a lake of eternal fire???)

3) Clark Pinnock presents conditional immortality – punishment but not forever. God puts them out of their misery.

4) Zachary Hayes explains the concept of purgatory.

I left with this thought: If Jesus willingly died for us to avoid Hell, Hell must be one terrifying experience!

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.