Confession: There are some parts of youth ministry I do not always enjoy. I’m not talking about the late-night phone calls, the trials of recruiting volunteers or feeling the pressure of keeping students and their parents happy at any given moment. That stuff does not bother me. More than anything, I struggle to enjoy the stuff most people consider standard in youth ministry such as goofy games or silly icebreakers. I am not saying these things do not ever have a place in our ministry; but for me, the number one thing I enjoy in ministry, the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is preaching. Knowing that I have the opportunity each week to preach God’s Word to students keeps me going in youth ministry.

Let’s be really honest for a moment and admit that sometimes we downplay or perhaps neglect the purpose and power of preaching within youth ministry. If we take the Bible seriously, however, we see preaching has been God’s way of proclaiming truth and changing hearts since the beginning. God speaks His message and calls us to do the same.

I realized the real implications for this a few years ago when I took a giant risk and led a series of messages I never had seen in any curriculum or on anyone’s youth ministry website before. I led a series through the Book of Leviticus, word-for-word, every single verse. The series didn’t have a lot of flashy elements (although I used a plush lamb to illustrate sacrifice). We kicked off our shoes, and I preached the Word of God. What started as an idea scribbled on a dry-erase board actually revealed to me the importance of preaching, how putting first things first can have a significant impact on youth ministry.

I chose Leviticus not because it’s the hip, emergent thing for young ministry leaders to do; I chose Leviticus because it was the most overlooked book by those in my ministry. It was impossible for me to prepare a message in 15 minutes and hope it stuck with the high school students. I had to spend a considerable amount of time reading, praying and studying. Before I uttered a single word of this series to the students, God began doing some radical work on my heart related to regaining an understanding of the storyline of redemption throughout Scripture and my place in that story. My life is so broken because of sin, yet His grace has been so incredibly consistent.

The Purpose of God’s Word
The apostle Paul reminds us what it means to put first things first: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). Understanding the purpose of God’s Word begins with making God’s Word a priority in our personal lives and ministries. At the risk of offending someone, youth ministry leaders must place a higher value on biblical and theological understanding. Youth ministry shouldn’t be the place for people who think commentary is just the voice-over you can add when watching a DVD. Is it possible to practice careful instruction if we’re only half-aware of it ourselves?

Paul challenges us to understand the purpose of God’s Word elsewhere by reminding us “all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). Preaching to students should utilize all of the biblical narrative, not just the parts that connect easily to a television show plot or can be taught in five minutes before the game starts each week.

The Power of God’s Word
We cannot overlook the power of God’s Word. Can we echo Paul’s words in Romans and remember the Bible is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”? The more I learn to rely on the entirety of God’s Word rather than the easily digested parts, the more I see God’s work in our ministry. I do not believe this is merely coincidence. The more we rely on the power of God’s Word within youth ministry and the preaching of all of Scripture, the more we will see God working through the same means He has been using for thousands of years. We cannot avoid preaching the parts of Scripture that are confusing or difficult. Will our students engage with the text on their own if we are not setting the example and putting first things first?

Several years later, students still remember this series on Leviticus. Some of them didn’t care for it, but others took a lot away from it. Preaching can take on a lot of different forms. We must not try to imitate our favorite preachers, but the content must be consistent and present a full understanding of who God is. As we come to understand the big story of the Bible, we will see repeatedly that God uses the preaching of His commands (directly or through prophets) to bring people to Him, to speak against sin and to soften hearts toward Him.

Do you want to see more students surrender their lives to Christ? Do you want to see more students let go of sinful habits or choices? Do you want more students to feel encouraged and reminded that God is for them and not against them? Use the methods God has been using since the beginning of time!