10 Likes

If you have been in ministry for any length of time you have to look for the “wins”.  There are times of great joy and times of huge disappointment.  I have worked with teenagers for 9 years now and have had the chance to experience both.  Teenagers get a bad rap sometimes because they are misunderstood.  Those who work in the trenches and see them and their lives see a different side to the story.  I tell people over and over again if you are not serving in student ministry it is your loss because it is one of the most fulfilling ministries you can be a part of.  Is that biased?  Yes, but it’s my blog.  Feel free to keep reading to understand what I am talking about.  Here are 10 things that I love about teenagers and working with them.

Culture Awareness They understand the culture like nobody else.  They are catered too by marketers and have an incredible power that they may not even realize they have.  They are so up to date with technology and can learn to use and utilize it faster than most.  They have their own style of music but yet still know songs from my generation as well as my parents.  They are diverse in there awareness of fashion and how quickly it changes, always looking for the “next thing”.

Un-ordinary They don’t settle for the regular.  They are fearless and they take chances that sometimes seem unnecessary but for them it is worth the payoff.  They believe they can be the catalyst for change.  They have their own language, style and direction.

Excitement & Passion They are willing to completely sell out to that which is important and will make a difference.  They believe that hard work does pay off.  They create a buzz when they enter a room and they bring a perspective to things that is almost innocent.  They can change the temperature of a room and can rally others to join in.

Teachability They want depth and application.  They want to know who God is and what God wants from their life.  They are not interested in information but transformation.  They are willing to learn from their mistakes.  Sadly it is their mistakes they learn from and not necessarily from others.  Experience is a valuable thing.  They want to know about the world they live in and are hungry to learn how to leave their mark.

Relational They desire deep relationships and push back from superficialness.  They want people they can trust.  They want transparency and genuineness. They want to be accepted and they want to be heard.  They are willing to make friends who are not like them.  They are a master of social networking and have learned how to use that to connect with people who looking to make a difference like them.

Authentic They have a realness and an honesty about them.  They speak their mind and tell you how it is.  That is good but it can also be humbling.  Typically what you see is what you get.  They wear their emotions on their sleave.

Change Em-bracers Teenagers today are curious.  They are willing to take risks.  They adapt easily.  They will jump on board with an idea if they see that it will make a difference.  Change is the theme of President Obama and that is why he connected with today’s culture.

Compassion They have a heart for the poor and for the mistreated.  They have an ability to forgive even though trust takes longer to build after it.  They are huge into missions and have a heart for helping those who are less fortunate.

Endurance They are stronger than we give them credit for.  With the schedule they keep it is amazing they are able to make it day to day. With the pressure on them for summer jobs as they compete with the high unemployment rate, parents struggling to make it, with all the demands on them every day, their endurance is remarkable.

Uniqueness Students are so complicated and unpredictable, and yet they are so diverse, sophisticated and insightful.  They are forced to grow up earlier than previous generations and yet during all this they are able to create their own identity.