Comments on: Decision Making in Youth Ministry http://www.reyouthpastor.com/student-ministry-skills/leadership/decision-making-in-youth-ministry/ Running Experiments For Youth Pastors Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:27:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeremy Zach http://www.reyouthpastor.com/student-ministry-skills/leadership/decision-making-in-youth-ministry/comment-page-1/#comment-1589 Jeremy Zach Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:48:47 +0000 http://www.reyouthpastor.com/?p=4054#comment-1589 @Ray- you raise a pretty good point of "we must question everything (1 Thess 5.21)". Although this point of "seek God" simply may be semantics problem. When I use the statement of Seek God, my assumption is that everyone has a working knowledge of what that means. I think (like you suggested) it is very healthy to question one's assumptions and assertions. It is important that our questions lead us to a great place and not simply deconstruct everything. Let's be honest, deconstructing is very easy to do, look at Nietzsche-- he deconstructed all modern paradigms and God. He basically blow up everything and didn't clean up the mess. To seek God has both a theological and practical understanding. Unfortunately, Satan is lord of the land here on earth (Luke 4). We are subject under his rule, principalities, and dominion (Ephesians 6). So as Jesus following people we have to work extra hard to to be strong in the Lord and also have a strong pursuit for God. God never got lost, his creatures just need to be really intentional in going after Him. Having a relationship with God is not natural for humans. NIV Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. Now for the practical side. As youth workers we really really have to work hard to be with Jesus. I would consider this "seeking or desiring". Seeking includes practicing the spiritual disciplines. At some level, we have to desire God. Basically we need to love hanging out with Him. Thankfully he gave all of us an option so our our affection for God would be real. Following Jesus is difficult. We get lost a lot and it requires a lot of work on our part to re-orientate ourselves back to the cross. @Ray- you raise a pretty good point of “we must question everything (1 Thess 5.21)”. Although this point of “seek God” simply may be semantics problem. When I use the statement of Seek God, my assumption is that everyone has a working knowledge of what that means. I think (like you suggested) it is very healthy to question one’s assumptions and assertions. It is important that our questions lead us to a great place and not simply deconstruct everything. Let’s be honest, deconstructing is very easy to do, look at Nietzsche– he deconstructed all modern paradigms and God. He basically blow up everything and didn’t clean up the mess.

To seek God has both a theological and practical understanding. Unfortunately, Satan is lord of the land here on earth (Luke 4). We are subject under his rule, principalities, and dominion (Ephesians 6). So as Jesus following people we have to work extra hard to to be strong in the Lord and also have a strong pursuit for God. God never got lost, his creatures just need to be really intentional in going after Him. Having a relationship with God is not natural for humans. NIV Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Now for the practical side. As youth workers we really really have to work hard to be with Jesus. I would consider this “seeking or desiring”. Seeking includes practicing the spiritual disciplines. At some level, we have to desire God. Basically we need to love hanging out with Him. Thankfully he gave all of us an option so our our affection for God would be real. Following Jesus is difficult. We get lost a lot and it requires a lot of work on our part to re-orientate ourselves back to the cross.

]]> By: RayDeck3 http://www.reyouthpastor.com/student-ministry-skills/leadership/decision-making-in-youth-ministry/comment-page-1/#comment-1588 RayDeck3 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:09:10 +0000 http://www.reyouthpastor.com/?p=4054#comment-1588 I feel like the term "seek God" or others like it are over-used and under-explained. What does it mean to "seek God"? What does that look like? How did God get lost? I think questions like that fall into the category of things-everybody-wonders-but-nobody-asks-cause-they-don't-wanna-sound-dumb. We have to answer those questions anyway... even if nobody is asking them. I feel like the term “seek God” or others like it are over-used and under-explained.

What does it mean to “seek God”? What does that look like?

How did God get lost?

I think questions like that fall into the category of things-everybody-wonders-but-nobody-asks-cause-they-don’t-wanna-sound-dumb.

We have to answer those questions anyway… even if nobody is asking them.

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