Teenagers are hard. They are not complex; they are just hard. You can anticipate mood swings, an incredible amount of energy, an incredible lack of energy, an envious amount of eating, and the on-again-off-again relationships that come with high school. Adults know this because they’ve gone through those years, experiences and feelings. What a number of people fail to realize is the youth culture always is changing. It is vastly different from the youth culture of 20 years ago—or five years ago. It is time to accept that our youth are changing, and we need to flex with those changes. The traditional expounding of Scripture is not as powerful anymore, rarely sparking revivals. Instead, this method fosters boredom.

There is a balance to reaching youth. Some churches incorporate games; others bring in food as a lure to gather more attendees. However, the games will end; the food will be gone; and the teenagers who came for the enticements leave when nothing else interests them. It’s just you. You are the entertainment who has to look at faces all declaring boredom, or the face that says, “I’m actually looking at that cute blonde in the front row,” or the one that locks eyes with you and declares rebellion in her expression. These faces, despite their obstinance, have captured your heart. You are looking directly at God’s mission, and the devil’s instruments are staring right back at you.

How do you counteract that? How does one effectively communicate a message to an disengaged crowd?

Tell a story.

We live in a culture that thrives on stories, fiction and nonfiction. Teens and adults flock to movies to watch a story unfold before their eyes. It is entertaining, engaging; and for a couple hours we forget our own lives and invest in someone else’s. I generally avoided youth group as a teenager, but if I heard someone was sharing a testimony then that would interest me enough to go. I felt as if I was getting a peek into his or her life, learning the dirty stuff and the good stuff. When missionaries would return and tell stories about their time overseas, I would be spellbound. If youth respond to stories, then let us meet them where they are.

Testimonies are powerful and teach the fundamentals of Christianity. It shows our failure, but also proclaims God’s wondrous works. One of my teachers shared his testimony on the first day of class, and his message was that God can use anything. He provided an example by confessing that he sold drugs for six years, and then God got hold of his heart. He quit selling drugs and used that money to buy himself a car and pay for the first year of school in full. His drug money paid for Bible college. Not everyone’s testimony is the same. One student shared a “boring testimony,” the “I grew up in church, youth group, and a Christian school,” failing to recognize the power behind that. The power of a testimony is that the teller is saved from death and has been given a new life.

God is not just found in the Bible. He is everywhere, doing incredible things. Teach your students to look for God in the here and now. Show them the power of simplicity. Sometimes it’s a big thing; other times, it’s a small thing that turns your day around. Regardless, do not limit God only to the Bible.