God's Mission to Youths Today

by Dr Leong Tien Fock

What are youths like today? How do they view matters of faith? According to Josh McDowell, Campus Crusade's veteran youth evangelist, "the majority of our young people have become convinced that what is true and relevant is whatever works right now." In other words, what is true is not about what is real but what works. Josh was speaking in the context of America. Is this also true to some extent in Malaysia?

In response to a questionnaire, a youth in a Malaysian church said: "Yes, what is true is what works for me." Hence a youth may become or remain a "Christian" not because he believes that the claims of Christ are true, meaning real, but only because going to church "works for him" for now. What is it about going to church that works for many youths today? As Josh puts it, "kids today place a premium on spiritual things and meaningful relationship." That means youths may become or remain "Christians" just because going to church happens to meet their need for spirituality and community.

In fact "what works for me" may also mean going to church for a benefit that has nothing to do with Christianity. A Malaysian youth once faithfully followed his girlfriend to church. When he wanted to be baptized the church leaders hesitated because this was how he viewed matters of faith: "Christianity also can, Buddhism also can"-as long as it worked for him, in this case got him a girlfriend. According to a Christian youth, for children born in Christian homes, "what works for me" may just mean keeping their parents happy. When asked, "Is it then possible that tomorrow a group of you suddenly decides that Christianity no longer works for you?" the reply was "Yes."

"Successful" youth ministries that cater to the felt needs of youths in ways not based on the central teachings of Christianity are thus building on shifting sand instead of solid rock. It may take years for its true nature to become evident.

Now Christianity is true not because it works. It is true because the Christian hope of eternal life in the New Heavens and the New Earth is real. And Christianity works because it is true. That means Christianity does meet legitimate needs. Let us consider how Christian mission meets the need for spirituality and community in youths today in a way based on the central teachings of Christianity.

Christian mission is primarily the mission of the Triune God. The Father sent the Son to redeem us, and the Spirit to empower us, so that we might form a community that embodies Christian faith, hope and love in this world. Secondarily it is the mission of the Church to help multiply this community. Hence meeting the human need for spirituality and community is actually central to Christian mission.

How then does this mission relate specifically to youths who are convinced that what is true is what works right now? According to Paul, Christian faith springs from Christian hope (Col 1:3-5). This means one becomes a true Christian when he puts his faith in Christ to lay hold of the eternal hope made available through His death, resurrection and ascension. So if one "receives Christ" for any reason other than for the forgiveness of sin to obtain this hope, no matter how well Christianity works for him, he is doing so for the wrong reason. Youths today are more likely to receive Christ for the right reason if they can see how believing in the eternal hope works right now.

This should not be a problem, for Paul also says that Christian love springs from Christian hope. In other words, when the eternal hope becomes real to us through faith in Christ, we are set free from having to put our hopes in this temporal world. Then we can genuinely love, that is, do good deeds without being motivated by temporal gains in return. For otherwise one may even preach the Gospel out of selfish ambition (Phil 1:15-17), or give all of one's possessions to feed the poor and yet not have love (1Cor 13:1- 3).

Hence belief in the Christian hope is indispensable to forming the kind of community human beings, not just youths, long for. No doubt this longing will be perfectly fulfilled only in the New Heavens and the New Earth. But believing in this hope will be seen to work remarkably well in this present world when a Christian community is empowered by the Spirit to seek the things that are eternal rather than temporal, and thus embody Christian love in who they are and what they do. Youths today are likely to be attracted to such a spiritual community.

How then do we form such a Christian community to begin with? Those who minister to youths must first ensure that they embody adequately Christian faith, hope and love. They can then seek out Christian youths who indicate a desire to serve God and explain to them God's mission. To do this well they may need to do further studies on God's mission and how God's people are to participate in its fulfillment. In this brief reflection we can only sow some seed-thoughts.

Having clearly explained God's mission, they can challenge the youths to become pioneers in forming such a community to reach their generation for Christ. No doubt this challenge will be seen as very difficult. In fact without the empowerment of the Spirit it is impossible. But youths are by nature idealistic. They do respond to a hard challenge. We observe how younger people are more likely than older ones to make sacrifices in order to make a difference in this world. What greater difference can they make in this world than helping fulfill God's mission? This is in fact meeting one of their felt needs!

Dr Leong Tien Fock is Research coordinator of Malaysia Campus Crusade for Christ.