I recently came across this video after my worship guy recommended it to me. I don’t know the back story of the author (Bob Sorge), but I do know this video makes some great points. Would love to hear your thoughts!
1. “Worship has now become an industry.”
2. “Jesus is not an entrepreneur building a business, He is a bridegroom who is after a bride and He is so jealous for her.”
3. “The last thing you want to do is approach ministry like a business. It’s not business. It’s personal.”
4. “It is possible to preach Jesus and proclaim myself.”
5. “After I have finished serving the Bride, is she talking about me or Him?
Questions:
1. Do we approach Youth Ministry as an industry?
2. Have we made it a “business?” Is that wrong?
3. Where do we draw the line between business and ministry?
I want to hear from you! Comment below!
That’s powerful stuff right there.
Bob Sorge and I attended the same bible school. He’s an amazing author and lover of Jesus.
I think so often we get wrapped in the practicalities, the programs and the “hype” that we forget that we don’t need to wrap Jesus in some pretty wrapping. He’s enough. Big enough to meet the kids in the midst of it all. Of course, we want to do things well and be good stewards of our gifts and such. But in the end, its only and always about Him anyway. That’s the type of focus we should be passing on to our youth.
Great thoughts Holly! Totally agree. I think we make a lot of youth ministry about the packaging or the branding and feel like we have to fancify (add that to Webster) Jesus so that students will respond to Him. HE is enough. What do you think about youth ministry as business? (i.e. selling youth ministry)
Kinda reminds me of the old school FIF song “All of the hype that money can buy”.
Let me ask you this: If the teens are coming to your youth group because of the amazing lights, the fog machines, the charismatic “sermon”….are they getting Jesus? Those are the things that sell businesses. The lights, the cameras, etc. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying using those are bad, but are we luring kids into a concert or asking them to enter into a relationship with Jesus.
I’m not here to SELL Jesus. He’s got the goods and all He asks me to do is present Him. And are we doing Him a disservice by the WAY we present Him. Like He’s a GOOD to sell. If so, shame on us.
And to answer the fancify question, I feel like that is somehow trying to make Jesus look more appealing. Not to get all Jesus jukey on this, but that’s anti-Scriptural type thinking. The stuff Jesus taught about actually caused people to leave Him! (John 6:66) He wasn’t “seeker sensitive” and He certainly wasn’t in it for popularity (I mean look at the dudes he took around with Him and the people He hung out with).
Totally agree Holly! The Gospel is offensive. But we do everything we can to get people though a door based on a preacher’s personality or what a church has to offer. For some reason, these are the things churches use to lure people in, not the pursuit of Jesus. Which takes me back to this quote: “After I have finished serving the Bride, is she talking about me or Him?”
Exactly. That quote got me too. Who are we putting the spotlight on? Is it my funny presentation? The fact that we have the yummiest snacks? The most epic worship team? Or do I put the spotlight on Jesus alone.
One of things I keep coming back to– is if my teens see a genuine relationship between me and Jesus. If they see the way I adore Him, or worship Him, or serve Him, etc. maybe that will be the thing that causes them to hunger. I can’t offer them anything better than Jesus. No prize for winning the carpetball tourney can match Him.