Emily and I love working with teenagers within the local church context. It keeps me up at night and gets me stoked all at the same time. Every week, we hear stories that cause us to laugh and, unfortunately, some that break our hearts. Daily, I think about and pray for our ministry’s teenagers, families, and adult leaders. With that being said, when all is said and done, I have to wrestle with this question, “Is our student ministry causing teenagers to experience Jesus more?” I would want to communicate the following 12 statements (with Scripture references) to a teenager in our student ministry.

1. God knows and loves you. Psalm 139:1-6 and 1 John 4:10.

2. Someone or something is the “Lord” of your life. Matthew 6:19-24 and John 21:15-19.

3. The Bible is more than just a road map. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Psalm 119:15-16.

4. Satan is really good at what He does. Genesis 3:1a and John 8:44. 

5. Your life has a bigger purpose than selfish ambition. Genesis 1:26-27, Psalm 139:13-14, and Acts 20:24.

6. You are a HUGE part of the local church. 1 Timothy 4:12 and Matthew 16:13-20.

7. God desires for your entire family to reflect His glory. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and Psalm 78.

8. Make smart decisions about who you allow to influence your life. Philippians 4:8 and Matthew 5:13-16. 

9. Don’t wait to be a leader…lead now. John 15:12 and Joshua 1:1-9.

10. Your school campus is your mission field. Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19-20.

11. Constantly look for opportunities to serve. 1 Peter 4:10 and Psalm 100:2. 

12. Love Jesus more than you love anything else. Matthew 22:37 and Joshua 22:5.