Our youth group's mission statement states that we exist to build a solid faith in students that impacts their relationships with our church, our community, and our world for Christ. This week we go back to the beginning of that statement and take a look at building a solid faith. This is where the church and family really need to work together to build the faith of the same students that we both work with. How can anyone, church or parent, build someone's faith? First, let's use an analogy. Faith is like a body builder's muscles. In order for muscles to be built, they must be put to the test. When that happens, they tear, repair, and, finally, grow. We took a look at a great example of faith being tested when Peter asked Jesus to tell him to come to him on the water (Matthew 14:22ff). Why does faith need to be tested? James tells us it is in order to develop perseverance (James 1:3). How can anyone's faith grow during difficult circumstances? By keeping their eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Peter took a risk when he stepped out of the boat and onto the lake. There was a storm already happening when he stepped out. But when he took his eyes off Jesus and put them on the storm, he sank. Peter's faith was tested. He failed, but at least he tried. There were 11 other men in the boat who didn't even try. Peter took a few years for his faith to tear and repair. Ultimately his faith grew after Jesus reinstated him and left him to do the work he was called to do. What a great illustration for our lives! We have all kinds of "storms" that will come but if we just keep our eyes on Jesus in the middle of them, he'll carry us through. Now back to my original question: how do we as a church and as parents help build faith in our students? Do we just shove them out of the boat and hope they float, not sink? Well, ultimately it's between them and Jesus. But here's three things we can do to help:
1. Give them opportunities for growth.
There are a couple of examples I can think of where we have given opportunities for students to grow in their faith. One was an annual event we do called the Hunger Experience. The students go for 24 hours without food to experience, on a small level, what it's like to be hungry. First, though, they go around to friends, family, and neighbors to ask for them to financially support them in their endeavor. The money raised goes to buy food for needy families in our community. One particular student set a goal to raise a certain amount of money. She went around once to her neighbors and didn't reach her goal. She prayed about it then went around to her neighborhood again. After she counted up her donations, she realized she reached her goal...to the dollar! Her faith grew that moment.
The other example is a couple of years ago our youth ministry set a goal to share the gospel with 17 people in 2017 collectively. That may not sound like much but when you don't hear about any people sharing their faith, that's a stretch goal. I heard about people sharing Jesus with their dental hygienists while they were in the dentist chair. Unsuspecting people in our youth ministry shared their faith because they were given the opportunity to grow. As far as we can tell we were one person short of our goal, but that doesn't matter. Sixteen people were given the opportunity to receive Jesus as their savior or not because people stepped outside their comfort zone and took a risk to open their mouth. Their faith grew.
2. Lead by example.
We can tell people to have faith until we're blue in the face, but if we don't show that we have faith amidst our own difficult circumstances then it falls on deaf ears. Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks said, "the separation is in the preparation." What he meant by that is those who are good at what they do, work really hard at it. The same is true for out faith. We need to be building it up while times are good, so when our faith gets tested, we are prepared. We need to pray daily. We need to be reading our Bible often. And, we need to show we have faith by what we do as James says.
3. Encourage, encourage, encourage.
When out students show any amount of faith we should take notice and praise them for it. Even if they try and fail. At least they took a risk and tried. Faith doesn't grow until it's tested. And sometimes tests are failed. What matters is that after a failure, they get back up and try again, not give up.
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