The Journal What Preachers Can do by The Jenkins Institute

Issue 20 * August 2026

TheJenkinsInstitute.com

The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

Building Faith for the Years Ahead

FEATURE ARTICLES TO BECOME PREACHERS WHEN THEY ARE STRUGGLING IN THEIR FAITH WHEN THEY LEAVE HOME

The Preacher’s Influence on Young People

WHEN THEY HAVE DOUBTS

PREACHING TO TEENS

INTRODUCING:

The Last Word, w/Chuck Monan A SPECIAL SIT-DOWN INTERVIEW

The Role of BIG Box Events on Affecting Young People With Roy Johnson, Jerry Elder, Paul Spurlin, Chuck Morris, Jeff Goff, Larry Davenport, Philip Jenkins, Jon Podien, Matt Heupel

Editors’ Note The Journal is very excited about this issue. The resurgence we are seeing brotherhood-wide continues and is surging. But things like this do not “just happen.” While God is both the Author and Conductor of His work, He has enlisted those of us who are merely jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7) as His Ambassadors to plead (5:20) and exhort all to follow Him (Colossians 1:28), to equip and enlist individuals in His body to serve (Ephesians 4:4-16). One of the questions caring leaders bring to us most often is, "What can we do to help keep our young people?" The answer is: MUCH. While nailing it down is at times challenging, there is faithful ministry. Paul told Timothy, "Fulfill your ministry" (2 Timothy 4:5), make it full! When ministers faithfully preach, love, disciple, and invest in people, they influence generations. In this installment of The Journal, we dive into The Preacher’s Influence on Young People. Our writers were curated from hundreds of excellent ministers for this mission. David Shannon encourages young people to preach. Sam McClarty addresses helping those struggling in their faith. Brandon Presnell discusses preaching to them while they are still at home, Brett McKnight examines our continuing influence after they leave home, and Eric Lyons helps us understand how to minister to those wrestling with doubt. THE JOURNAL

EDITORS

Jeff & Dale Jenkins We also have our largest “Around the Table” discussion. This one is long but, WOW! It's been about a generation since these "Big Box" events, as we are styling them, developed. You know Challenge Youth Conference, Evangelism University, Exposure Youth Camp, and camps and Lads are entering their third generation of impact. We believe there is a direct and clear impact of these events in relation to the health and exciting growth we are seeing TODAY. How cool is that? We could have invited a hundred voices, but we were blessed to “sit down with” some of the very best. The full compilation is roughly 20 pages and can be read on our site, but to see the “Reader’s Digest” version, you’ll start on page 25. Thanks to Roy, Larry, Jeff, Matt, Jerry, Chuck, Jon, Paul, and Philip for their time - but more for the kind of leaders they are. Finally, with this edition, we introduce our “back page” editor, Chuck Monan, who will close us out with The Last Word with Chuck Monan. In a style that only Chuck can bring, he’ll wrap things up strong each issue. Dive in with us. We believe this is one of the most practical and important issues we've produced. Thank you for reading, sharing, and helping us encourage those who are serving the Lord.

WHAT PREACHERS CAN DO

To Become Preachers Featured Writer, David Shannon

While traveling with FreedHardeman, a preacher looked across the table during a meal and said, with real emphasis, “It isn’t the responsibility of FreedHardeman to produce the next generation of preachers. It is the church’s responsibility. It always has been and always will be.” He was quick to credit what FHU offers: scholarly instructors who know the original languages, indepth study, and technical training But the local church, he said, is where a in the craft of preaching.

young man should be found, encouraged, and supported while he prepares for ministry. Simply put: it is our responsibility. How many preachers has your congregation developed in the last five to ten years? How many are in full-time ministry today who grew up in your pews? If you can’t name one in the last decade or two, it’s probably time for your church family, led by its elders, to talk honestly about why and what you intend to do about it. It is your congregation’s responsibility to raise up its own next generation of ministers. If we are serious about the Great Commission, someone has to be producing those laborers.

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What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

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What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

I once stood on the conveyor belt inside Franklin Furniture, riding along between a recliner and a love seat, beside the owner, Hassel Franklin, who has since passed. As we rode the belt, Mr. Franklin had something else on his mind. He had offered one of the largest scholarships FHU has ever received, supporting Bible majors. He framed it simply: “I want to grow the Lord’s Kingdom, and I don’t know a better way to do it than to send out more ministers.” Mr. Franklin knew his Bible. Like most of us, he had read Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” We know the verse. The question is whether we believe it enough to act. Have our congregations slid into a consumer mentality, content to wait for a preacher to leave and simply request that someone else produce another one and send him to us? I have lost count of how many times I’ve heard some version of, “What is FHU doing to produce the next generation of preachers?” I side with my friend across that table: it isn’t FHU’s responsibility. FHU will continue to be one of the best resources the Kingdom has for this work, but a resource is only as useful as the congregations willing to use it. The good news is that some churches, families, and individuals are already doing this well. Think of Paul, at the start of his second missionary journey, looking at a teenager named Timothy. Luke tells us, “Paul wanted to have him go on with him” (Acts 16:3). Paul mentored that young man into an effective minister, and at the very end of his life, it was

Timothy whom Paul called for: “Be diligent to come to me quickly” (2 Timothy 4:9). The dividends of that investment were more than evangelistic; it was relational. This genuine relationship gave Paul a son in the faith and a companion to the last. There’s a balance worth striking here, between the minister and the church that raises him up. The minister is nothing special in himself. Paul said it of his own ministry and Apollos’s, two of the finest preachers of that age: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). The cross is the great equalizer. We are all nothing, yet invited into the staggering privilege of becoming “God’s fellow workers” (1 Corinthians 3:9). There is also an honor and a responsibility in supporting financially the one who labors in the Kingdom in place of ordinary work, so his hands are free to carry out the Kingdom’s work (1 Corinthians 9:7-13). When a church understands that and holds up the hands of the one doing it, the whole symphony plays better. The Journal

What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

At Mt. Juliet Church of Christ, we had a sad day. I’m not being dramatic, it came in the middle of an exciting season. We were planning our largest event of the year as we would celebrate 110 years as a congregation. As the planning committee mapped out the weekend, including meals under a tent, historical displays, a youth reunion, and a time capsule of letters to the future congregation, someone suggested we invite back ministers who had grown up at Mt. Juliet to preach and teach during the celebration. We assumed we would have several to choose from. Then came the question that still echoes in my memory: “Who is in full-time ministry today who grew up in this congregation?” The pause that followed grew heavy. Finally, someone said, “I can’t think of anyone. Let’s ask some of the older members; they’ll know.” I asked one of our most well-connected elders. He paused, and his face fell. “I can’t think of anyone either.” We considered ourselves a strong, faithful congregation, about to celebrate 110 years, and we couldn’t name a single living minister we had produced. We had become consumers instead of producers. That burden sat heavily on our hearts, and it stayed there until it moved us to action. Elders, deacons, and ministers agreed: this was our responsibility, and turning it around would take years, not months, as God’s fellow workers. We reworked our approach, starting as early as second grade. We discovered our high schoolers weren’t engaged in our training program, because as one young man told us honestly, “It’s the same training I’ve been hearing since elementary school.” He had a point. Around that same time, the basketball world was watching LeBron James step straight from his senior year of high school into the NBA. It deepened the

burden. Why couldn’t this important work, impacting eternity, produce a 19-year-old experienced in ministry? So we changed the model. It included instruction, experiences, role models, and support. Why train someone to practice and never let him play? We started Circuit Riders, young men writing lessons, leading singing, preaching, and praying as they led monthly services at smaller churches in the area. We borrowed the HighStep program to train teenagers to teach Bible classes, eventually leading entire classes on their own. We added Chisel, a 48hour immersion where young men met a dozen ministers serving in different ways, built around 1 Peter 4:10: asking them, “God has given each of you a gift. How will you use it now?” Not all our students would become preachers, any more than all our members are preachers, but every one of them had a place to serve, and it was time they started serving rather than simply preparing for someday. We added “Tell ’Em About God,” teaching students to share their faith, which proved invaluable for the summer mission trips that followed. We brought in summer interns, not only to serve our youth, but to be living, breathing role models just a few years older. They were living evidence that faithfulness was possible at their age, when roughly half of their peers were drifting away from the faith. We gave students real leadership: leading singing, speaking, and praying in front of the church, at nursing homes, and on mission trips. Eventually, a deacon asked the elders for a meeting. His point was simple: if we are serious about this, we have to invest in it. Anything worth doing is worth funding. He proposed a scholarship for any of our youth majoring in Bible, along with an annual Scholarship Sunday where the church would hear them speak and surround them with encouragement. The elders committed to meeting personally with each recipient to inquire about their studies, how we can support them, and how we can pray for them. Every one of them knew Mt. Juliet was walking the road with him. The details have shifted over the years, but the model has held: instruction, experience, role models, and support. That is exactly what Paul gave Timothy, including a genuine relationship. Don’t underestimate how much that relationship matters. Timothy went on to serve as a minister, missionary, and trusted partner in Paul’s letters for the rest of his life. We had another homecoming recently. It brought tears to my eyes to see those who grew up at Mt. Juliet, now in full-time ministry, standing up to preach and teach. We had to create opportunities because there were so many. About thirty are committed to full-time ministry and are doing amazing work. Surely we can do Kingdom work better than the NBA does basketball. Can’t we? The Journal

What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

When they are struggling in their faith Sam McClarty

I love country music! However, like a lot of music today, I will be the first to admit that some country music brings toxic and unbiblical messages.

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For example, there is one popular song that speaks to the idea that it’s okay to be young and dumb, to make a lot of mistakes in your early years, because when you’re older, you will just be wiser from the mistakes you made. A piece of the lyrics goes like this, “I’ve gotta do a little wrong, so I know what’s right. I wanna sit out on the porch telling stories about my glory days when I’m pushing 80. How am I ever going to get old and wise if I ain’t ever young and crazy?” The lyrics of songs like this push a subtle message that is broadly accepted… young people are on their own. They are left to their own devices to figure out life. It’s okay if they struggle and make mistakes, because one day, WHEN THEY ARE OLDER, they will be wiser and it will all pan out okay. What this toxic message fails to consider is the consequences and negative life-molding effects these “young and dumb mistakes” can have on young people. Most of the time, the “glory days” are not so glorious.

What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

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What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

Over Struggle

Young people are struggling. As a youth minister, I see it every day. They are struggling in life, with school, with mental health, with sin, and most importantly, with their faith. As they struggle, they were not meant to struggle alone! God does not want our young people to struggle alone and hopefully make it out okay when they are older.

God calls more mature Christians, and especially preachers, to BE THERE for the young people, to hold their hands, and walk them through their struggles. They should not be left to make serious life-altering mistakes just because ‘that is how they get older and wiser.’ The current young Christians are the future leadership and foundational pieces to the church. They should not be left alone to hopefully be ready to lead and be the pillars of the church. They should be taught, guided, and prepared for their future task of holding down the fort. If they are left to figure out life and their faith for themselves, there may not be anyone to hold down the fort down the road. A failure to help the younger generation with their faith is setting up the future of the church for failure. This principle of older, wiser people of God helping younger people of God, the principle of spiritual mentorship, is found throughout the Bible. In Deuteronomy 31, we see Moses preparing Joshua to one day lead the Israelites in his stead. In the book of Ruth, we see that Naomi’s relationship and guidance greatly shaped Ruth’s faith and future. In 1 Kings 19 and 2 Kings 2, we see the intimate and powerful relationship that Elijah had with Elisha as he was his spiritual mentor. Even Jesus intentionally spent 3 years mentoring the ones He knew would take charge of the early church after He ascended to be at the right hand of the Father.

And after that, we have the example of Paul being the spiritual mentor to both Timothy and Titus. And not just that, Paul encouraged them to continue this pattern and themselves train others. And not just train them, but train them to also train people after them: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). If this pattern continues as it should, then every generation of young Christians is trained by an older generation of Christians. They are not left alone to figure it out for themselves. The Journal

The why and principle are clear, but what about the how? The need for spiritual mentorship is clear, and the principle in scripture can be easily seen, but how does an older Christian, a preacher, or a youth minister capitalize on the important opportunity at hand? In a world of uncertainty, lies, conspiracies, AI, etc., young people crave, above all else, authenticity and trust. Both can only come from INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIP. If a preacher or youth minister thinks that he can stand in the pulpit and preach to young people and the words will just automatically stick… they are wrong. If young people do not know the one instructing them, in an authentic way, they are probably not even listening.

What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

There is thus a burden of responsibility on the older Christians seeking to preach to and guide the younger ones: THEY MUST BE INTENTIONAL TO GET TO KNOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE. And I mean really know them. This takes time and intentional relationship-building. This takes being involved in their lives outside of the church walls. If the only time a preacher or youth minister ever sees the young people of their congregation is at church, they do not know them. Not the real them; the real them that is struggling with their faith. If the future of the church is going to be strong, the older and wiser Christians MUST take the time to become spiritual mentors to the younger. Satan would love for the older ones to abandon the younger, to leave them to figure out their faith for themselves, with the hope that one day it will all be okay. Satan would love for preachers to “just preach” to the younger. I pray that we do not grant the devil this wish that we don’t leave the future to chance, but that we set up the church's future for success by genuinely mentoring them. Even in the above examples of spiritual mentorship in the Bible, the ones doing the mentoring did not just preach to the younger ones on occasion. They did not just say, “come into my life a couple times a week and listen to what I have to say.” They built intentional, real, authentic relationships with them, where trust and love were mutual, so much that it SHOWED! It showed because when Elijah was taken up, Elisha was truly heartbroken (2 Kings 2:1112). It showed because when Jesus died, His apostles mourned (Mark 16:10) and rejoiced when He appeared to them risen (Luke 24:41). It showed because when Paul was on the eve of his death, the one man he wanted to come see him was Timothy, the one whom he was mentoring (2 Timothy 4:9,21). Does it “show” in your ministry? Whichever preacher or youth minister is reading this, ask yourself these questions, and answer them honestly. If you were to announce you were leaving your congregation, would the young people be sad? If you were going through a hard time and needed support, could you call on the young people in your congregation to come to your aid? Your answer may just depend on the quality job you are doing in investing in the faith of the younger generation.

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What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

Preaching to Teens Brandon Pressnell I remember a man named Hoyt Nelson. Hoyt was a fantastic preacher in Moulton, Alabama. I always knew him as the preacher until one day, and I don’t really recall how it all came about, but he chose youth ministry at the same congregation. This seems a little like a reversal of trend in our brotherhood, but it was especially confounding because Hoyt was in his 70s! I mean, okay. . . but how in the world was a 70-year-old going to relate to teens going through the turmoil of hormone changes, advancing challenges with technology, with such a huge disparity of age and connection? I marveled at the strength of his youth program, the leadership he instilled in those young people, and the joy I saw in everything he did. His youth group loved him, respected him, listened to him, and were willing participants in his ministry. How could this work so beautifully? Connection.

Hoyt was still their “preacher” but his effort in relationship-building made all the difference in how they received what he taught them. This is the overwhelming answer to how we preach to our teens today. We preach to them through our love for them. Hoyt once told me that teens are just “sprouting adults” who need to feel loved, encouraged, and challenged. He also said to me, “Isn’t that what you want?” Well, of course. And there lies the secret that has always been in plain sight. Ministry, caring deeply and investing our love into every person, is the important glue to attach the listening ear of the teenager to the voice of his or her preacher. Allow me to share a few ideas on how to make your preaching matter to the teens in your pews. First, know their names. When you walk by the youth group section of your auditorium, or as you pass each teen, say their names out loud, greet them, inquire about what all they have going on. If they come without their parents, find out about them and remember their names. There’s something special about a preacher who knows virtually every person’s name in the audience. It says, I know you, I care about you, and it is important that you are here. Another aspect of this is to greet them with joy, a hug if appropriate, and follow up on any previous conversations. Saying their name helps them to know that you are not too busy to stop and share a moment with them. It validates your connection with them.

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What Preachers Can Do

Pay attention to social media posts. This is not to say that we need to spend hours of time chasing down all the teen drama in their lives, but observing what they view as important enough to post can be a window into their priorities and their investment in people. Paying attention to this should open opportunities for dialogue and maybe even an opportunity to lovingly guide them to a better way of thinking. Following our teens can be choppy waters at times and so patience and grace must be given to these “sprouting adults.” Remember that they are developing discernment and do not always have it in great quantities. Less judgment, more patience. Support them in their activities. Go to plays, ball games, band concerts. Buy the fundraising cookies if you have the resources (and waistline) to manage it! Keep up with them in small ways and if you miss something, tell them you want to hear all about it! Invest. Gather them in small groups after a gathering and ask them for their help in understanding what they are going through. Ask about their real temptations, the things they see their friends struggling with. Let them know that you value their input and that their insight equips you to be a better preacher. When preaching about sensitive topics, share with the congregation the ways the teens have helped in your preparation. Not only will they be excited that they were a part of your preparation, but they will also listen closely to your discoveries in the scriptures. Build trust among them by taking their thoughts into deep consideration as you present your material.

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What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

Notice that in each of these suggestions, what really matters is the same thing that Hoyt Nelson believed and preached. Love them, invest in them, encourage them, and challenge them. The relationship you build with them will help them to listen in deeper ways and be touched by the message. There will be a time when the message hits their hearts so strongly that you will know it by the way they speak to you afterwards. Because you have a relationship with them, deeper conversations will follow along with more relevant questions that demand a good biblical answer. While conversations will always be more intimate and effective, you will receive new ideas about what to preach on and what questions persist. If they are wrestling with something, we are all likely wrestling with that something. Since the Bible answers so many of our curiosities, turn their challenges into messages that will equip all your church family to be successful in their Christian walk. I am reminded of Paul’s words to a young man he loved, “Timothy, you are a son to me. Be strong in the grace that we have because we belong to Christ Jesus. 2 What you have heard me teach publicly you should teach to others. Share these teachings with people you can trust. Then they will be able to teach others these same things.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2) When we love the young people we preach to and they love us in return, the messages we teach will become some of the very things they share with others as they go through life. Remember them as “powerhouses of faith promotion” and pour into them so much that it overflows from their hearts to others.

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What Preachers Can Do...

When They Leave Home Brett McKnight

I knew it was a poor decision as soon as I made it, because of the immediate consequences. However, it was an easy habit to slip into, as I had done it several times before and suffered no issues. There was rarely ever any traffic at this intersection in the residential area of my small, rural hometown, “so why stop at a yield sign,” I reasoned. Thankfully nobody was injured, but the damage had been done, leaving both vehicles involved undrivable. I was a senior in high school, headed home from practice, soon to go off to college, and I had just messed up big time!I asked a friend who happened to come by to call my parents, as this was 44 years ago and before cell phones. In a few minutes, my dad arrived and with him was our new preacher, Bob Anderson, who had just been hired the previous week. My dad’s presence was comforting, as he always knew what to do, but our new preacher? His presence was totally unexpected, somewhat awkward and a little embarrassing, because of my obvious mistake. I’m

not even sure that I had been formally introduced to Bob, so this was clearly not a good first impression and that would be difficult to overcome! Yet what I received from these two men, in that moment of unrest was something that has stayed with me these The Journal

What Preachers Can Do...

many years. Instead of the criticism, evaluation and blame that I undoubtedly deserved; I was shown kindness, care and mercy. Their reassurance made all the difference in the world in helping me to move forward in a positive direction. This new minister took the appropriate steps to build a healthy, influential relationship that encouraged an impressionable teen to continually walk with God. As a minister, this scenario can be useful in helping those who have left home for the first time. The first step to inspire a university student or young adult in this situation is to build a relationship on a foundation of trust. This can be a true challenge since their time may be limited at the home congregation, but it can be accomplished if a concerted effort is generated. Begin by demonstrating love and kindness to them regardless of their location. These students and young adults entering the workforce need to know that you genuinely care for their soul, spiritual growth and general well-being. Take the time to engage them when they come home to visit and are present in the assembly. Take an interest in them personally and ask about their events, activities or work. Consider sending a brief text or email, letting them know that you are thinking of them or that something reminded you of them. Maybe a gift card or care package would be appropriate to send to those at the university. Continually ask yourself, “How can I show the love of Christ to these students or those entering the adult world?”

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What Preachers Can Do to Encourage Young People

Second, be proactive in assisting them to make connections in a new congregation. Ministers often have a network of fellow Christians in other communities. These contacts can be used to guide them in adapting to their new situation. Call the church in their location and ask them to be on the lookout for their visit. This could help with both their physical and spiritual needs. Third, seek an opportunity to encourage them to serve and be actively involved in the church. It is so easy for students and those transitioning to the workforce to become less involved in their service to the Lord and His church. More independence can lead to this tendency. Remind them that they are a talented Christian who needs to be using their gifts for the work of the church. Put your arm around them and say, “Tell me some areas where you have been involved and are spending your time in the church.” Perhaps suggest some ministries where they can use their talents to encourage their involvement. Sometimes young Christians need a little direction in meaningful ways they can serve. You may even see avenues in the church they can pursue that they never realized. Small encouragements can make a tremendous difference in the life of any Christian and you never know where that seed will lead! Fourth, and most important, pray for them! Pray specifically for their positive, Christian influence on others, their success as a student or employee and their faithfulness to the Lord. Be sure to communicate that you prayed for them and also relay the specifics of your prayer on their behalf. If possible, schedule a time for lunch or coffee, so you can pray together. It is a great comfort to know that other Christians who care are praying for you, especially in times of stress at school or work. Prayer is such a powerful tool that affects others in many ways that cannot be measured! I miss Bob Anderson. He may not be here physically, but I assure you his influence is still present in many today. I learned so much from this faithful minister of the gospel! He was my mentor and amazing example in ministry to others as we worked together for over 12 years at the Highland Church of Christ in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. I am so glad he took the time to care enough to encourage me at a difficult and vulnerable time. I sincerely hope that I will follow his example and do the same for others.

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What Preachers Can Do...

When They Have Doubts Eric Lyons Like most of you reading this article, I am completely convinced by the evidence that God exists, the Bible is His Word, Jesus Christ is His Son, and being a genuine, faithful, God-glorifying follower of Christ is the most important thing in the world (and the only thing that ultimately matters). By the grace of God and through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, I—a sinner redeemed by the Savior—have a real and thrilling expectation of living with God and all the faithful one day for eternity (1 John 5:13). Knowing Jesus is the most liberating, soulsatisfying truth imaginable. And yet, many young people to whom we preach—and some of their parents—do not know such peace because doubts fill their hearts.

HOW CAN WE HELP? If coming to know and trust Jesus is the greatest conceivable truth, then nothing is more important for us to do than try to help those in our sphere of influence move from doubt to faith. To that end, I would humbly share the following three suggestions for your consideration: #1—Live the Truth Though truth is truth whether you and I live according to it or not, today’s youth (who can smell a hypocrite a mile away) will be much more likely to benefit from your leadership and counsel when it comes from a genuinely faithful life (albeit admittedly imperfect—1 John 1:5-10). What effect did the hypocritical lives of the Old Testament priests Hophni and Phinehas have on the people of Israel? Their hypocrisy resulted in Israel treating “the offering of the Lord with contempt” (1 Samuel 2:17, RSV). “All the people” knew of their “evil dealings” and tragically “despised” going to the tabernacle to offer to the Lord (2:23; 2:17). May God help His preachers today follow Jesus and not the Pharisees, who “outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy…” (Matthew 23:28). Perhaps nothing is a bigger barrier to Truth than public teachers of Truth living a lie.

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What Preachers Can Do...

Remember that before Peter ever wrote to “be ready always to give an answer,” he said to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15). And earlier in that same chapter, he commended the wife, who, “without a word,” wins over her husband to the Lord by her sincere, godly conduct (3:1-5). #2—Help Create a Question-Friendly Environment, Not a Cancel-Culture As servants of the sovereign Savior, we must never compromise His all-authoritative, soulsaving Truth (Matthew 28:18; Galatians 1:8-9), but that doesn’t mean we stifle questions, discussions, and critical thinking. For far too long in too many churches, some members— and especially young people—have hidden their questions and concerns out of fear of the church’s reaction (or retaliation): “What will they think?” “What will they assume?” “What will they do to me if I ask about…?” Such hidden questions often lead to deep-seated doubts over time, especially when conversation seems stifled in congregations that are perceived as being more cultish than Christ-like. Truth has nothing to fear. Rather than shutting down conversations like some kind of secret society with something to hide, let’s encourage questions and sincere investigations of them. We are certainly not trying to raise up skeptics and agnostics (who “major” in endless questions). Yet, ironically, this is precisely what we will do if we create a cancel culture rather than an open atmosphere of investigation into Truth—whether about God’s existence, angelic activity, or human sexuality. We must learn to listen from a heart of love and Christ-like confidence rather than hastily react and shut down conversation out of fear and anxiety (cf. 1 John 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). Let’s listen, pray, and be patient like our heavenly Father. The Journal

What Preachers Can Do...

#3—Offer the Evidence God has never wanted thoughtless, foolish followers. Even when God came to Earth and put on flesh (John 1:1-5,14), He did not expect people to follow Him blindly. Jesus did not expect people to believe He was God simply because He said He was God. In fact, in John 10, while speaking to His enemies who were seeking to kill Him, Jesus said, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him” (John 10:37-38). Jesus was serious about offering evidence. On another occasion, when Jesus was speaking to a group of hostile Jews about God the Father and Jesus’ equality with Him (John 5:17-30), He said, “If I bear witness of Myself” [without offering any evidence], “My witness is not true” (5:31). That is, merely claiming something to be true doesn’t make it so; real evidence must be offered (which He did; see John 5:32-47). If we want to live and preach like Jesus, we will do what He did and lovingly and patiently offer souls the evidence. With that said, we must also keep in mind that we cannot make anyone believe, nor should we. After all, God is allpowerful, yet He doesn’t override the free will of anyone—even those who break His heart by rejecting Him. (We must never use the pulpit to bully or intimidate anyone into “belief.”) Jesus was the greatest, most powerful Teacher Who ever lived, but He neither convinced everyone of the Truth—not even His own brothers while He was alive (John 7:5)—nor bullied anyone into “believing” it. Our job is not to compel compliance to Christ, but to offer the compelling evidence for pure New Testament Christianity. CONCLUSION When the young people in our congregations are struggling with doubt, we must not panic or pressure. We must recognize the power of a positive, genuine Christian example. We must listen from a heart of love. And we must patiently (possibly over a period of years) offer the evidence and teach the Truth that, prayerfully, will one day penetrate their softened hearts. May God bless you as you do the most important work in the world—allowing God to use you to turn hearts of uncertainty (however so gradually) into convicted followers of Christ.

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What Preachers Can Do...

THE JOURNAL ON PREACHING & MINISTRY

The role of major youth events in shaping young people

17,000

VOICES

QUESTIONS

LADS TO LEADERS

15,000

3,000+

1,000+

AROUND THE TABLE

Roy Johnson

Paul Spurlin

Larry Davenport

President, Lads to Leaders — 17,000+ participants.

President of the Board, Exposure Youth Camp (Huntsville, AL) — 3,000+ teens.

Executive Director, Challenge Youth Conference (Pigeon Forge, TN) — ~15,000.

Jeﬀ Goﬀ

Philip Jenkins

Chuck Morris

Camp Administrator, Maywood Christian Camp — thousands each year.

Chairman of the Board, Evangelism University (Savannah, TN) — 1,000+ teens.

Founder, Evangelism University; past CYC emcee; frequent youth-event speaker.

Jon Podein

Jerry Elder

Matt Heupel

Special Assistant to the President, Lads to Leaders; song leader (CYC, EYC); Exposure board.

Youth Minister, Spring Meadows Church of Christ; a patriarch of youth ministry.

Founding board member, Challenge Youth Conference (CYC).

Rather than a traditional interview, we sent this group of friends a series of questions and blended their answers together — so it reads like a few brothers sitting around a table, sharing the collective wisdom of a lifetime of youth events. This is a curated selection. The complete conversation — all nine contributors on every one of the ﬁfteen questions — is available online (see the end of this piece). Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

1What is the ﬁrst youth event you remember attending, and what stands out about it today? JERRY My ﬁrst was probably when I was sixteen — a

one-day youth rally at a congregation just outside Atlanta, Georgia. The speaker that day was Dick Weber, a noted youth speaker back then, and he entered by ﬁring a gun in front of everybody! It made an impact, I’ll tell you that. ROY The ﬁrst youth event I remember was a youth

weekend at the Warner Robins, Georgia, church in 1968, when Lads to Leaders was an idea being shared but not yet organized. The theme was “Prevent Disaster,” and I still remember a ﬁlm about the dangers of alcohol that showed an autopsy where brains were compared and weighed — those of alcoholics were damaged and actually lighter on the scales. That strong lesson has stayed with me all my life. PAUL That takes me back, Roy. I was fourteen; it was

a youth rally at the Memorial Parkway Church of Christ — and, ironically, I ended up working as a youth minister there about twenty years later. Lonnie Jones was the youth minister at the time, and he spoke both there and at the Arab Church of Christ youth rally later that year. The way he broke down Scripture and shared the story of the Roman soldier versus the Christian armor in Ephesians 6 has stuck with me. Lonnie also demonstrated the importance of a sword that is used and well practiced — how it moves smooth in its sheath — correlating that with always using your Bible every day of your life, keeping your equipment strong, healthy, and ready. LARRY I’ve actually got two “ﬁrsts,” brothers — one as

a kid and one as a youth minister. I was maybe eleven

or twelve for the first youth rally I remember. I know we sang and listened to speakers, but I can’t remember anything from the event itself. What I remember is the housing overnight. About forty boys were taken to an insurance office with our pillows and sleeping bags. A food order was taken and the door was locked — I don’t think there were chaperones. In the back, the “older” teen boys were camped out, and one particular ringleader led them in a recurring chorus of “Great Balls of Fire” and had an aerosol can of something that stank really bad. As for where all of us boys wound up, I have no idea — but I do know that the “ringleader” became a gospel preacher! The first youth event I took teens to as a youth minister, three teens showed up. One parent said, “Well, I guess no one’s coming, we should just go on home.” That didn’t happen. We went with three and had a great day. We chose to be consistent and persistent with the planned activities and refused to base success on the number of teens who came. Over time we had to purchase a thirty-eight-passenger bus, and we’d fill it and a fifteen-passenger van. God finds a way to bless in everything. MATT Mine goes back to our monthly Bible Bowl cram

session at the Atlas Church of Christ on a Sunday night after church; I must have been about eleven or twelve. We were a pretty large congregation but didn’t have a youth minister, so one of our deacons, Jackie Glover, ran the program. Honestly, the main reason I remember it is the food — my ﬁrst taste of “devotional food,” ham-and-cheese sandwiches and cheese dip, and Francis Glover’s cake-mix chocolate chip cookies.

2When did you ﬁrst realize events like these could have a signiﬁcant spiritual impact on young people? JON Whether it was camp or an event, I recognized as

a teenager how massively these events can impact the lives of young people. Watching someone my age decide to follow Christ and be baptized — or even just ask for prayers to handle things in life — pushed me to change my major in college and jump into youth ministry. PHILIP For me, it was probably Horizons at Freed-

Hardeman that ﬁrst showed me the impact a largescale event could have. I remember lots of responses during the singing of invitation songs — that was also the ﬁrst time I can remember singing invitation

songs, plural! Because so many people were coming forward, we had to keep singing. I wasn’t sure what to do with that, or if I even liked it. Of course, my heart changed as I began to think about things like how many invitation songs it would have taken to handle all the responses on the day of Pentecost. CHUCK For me it was a speciﬁc moment. I was in the

balcony at a youth event at Harding University in my later teen years when, during the invitation, a speaker looked up and said something like, “You may be far away from this front row tonight, but we’re here for you — we’re willing to wait if it means you making

Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

things right with the Lord.” I went forward that night, knowing things in my life needed to change. That’s the moment I realized the magnitude of an invitation

given to a room full of tender hearts longing to be shaped, molded, and drawn near to the Lord.

3What led you to become involved in helping organize or lead one of these events? LARRY For us, Challenge Youth Conference was born

out of a need and a desire for a sound, spiritually focused weekend — after a lot of discussions with church leaders and youth ministers, and a lot of prayer and soul-searching. PHILIP When I took the youth ministry job at

Savannah, I got invited to become part of the process of planning EU. It felt like a dream come true being asked to be part of something so special. CHUCK That’s where I come in, Philip — I actually

helped start Evangelism University. But the ﬁrst large event I worked with was Horizons summer youth camp at Freed-Hardeman in 1995, where I taught classes, spoke, and led worship. Two things connected with my heart: teaching classes that spoke directly to

the everyday struggles in these students’ lives, and being part of extending Christ’s invitation and watching so many young people come to the Lord. Evangelism University, in Savannah, we started in 1999–2000. It was born out of a desire to create something more than a youth rally — an event that moved young people into action, speciﬁcally sharing their faith with other young people. We’d seen the power of large events to stir students up for a weekend, but we wanted something with a longerterm, kingdom-building eﬀect. That’s how it came to be. JEFF I sort of stumbled into camp work, myself.

Maywood had never had an administrator, and I had a love for this camp speciﬁcally and for camp work in general.

“We shouldn’t be so afraid of emotional responses. When the people in Acts 2 heard Peter, they PHILIP JENKINS

4What blessings have you personally witnessed as a result of youth events? JEFF For me, it’s the people. It’s sobering to think of

the friends and encouragers I have who would have never crossed my path if not for this work at Maywood. PAUL I’ve noticed that young people, when they come

together — whether in a small group or a large one — seem to want to share their struggles and needs among their peers more than they would in a regular church auditorium. These events become mountaintop experiences for young people. MATT One blessing for me is the relationships you

build with each other — it almost seemed like you’d go to certain events just to see certain people you wouldn’t otherwise cross paths with, and a lot of those relationships I still have today. But that’s icing

on the cake next to the greatest blessing: watching someone empty themselves and let Christ rule in their life. We’ve lost members over the years, but the majority of those still faithful became Christians during those formative years while they attended youth events. CHUCK I could point to relationships, but if I had to

name just one, it’d be spiritual growth. Honestly, I’ve seen too many blessings through the years to count — relationships deepening within youth groups, students building friendships across state lines, adult chaperones growing in their own faith and coming to love these events as much as the students they bring. But watching students grow in their faith in these spaces has been one of the greatest joys of my life.

5Why do you think these events often have such a powerful inﬂuence on faith development? Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

JON Because these events are for THEM! I ﬁrmly

believe you can’t take away the role of the local church in the faith development of youth. But I’m afraid that in some instances, youth feel like the local church isn’t completely for them, or they struggle to ﬁnd their place in it. These events give them the chance to experience worship, study, and God with others who share their same life experiences. LARRY I don’t think the three-day event alone makes

for the powerful inﬂuence. It’s the van or bus ride, the interaction with the youth minister, elders, and chaperones during the trip, the group devotionals in the evening, the post-weekend talks, using video class material during the year. And one of the strengths of CYC, Lads to Leaders, EYC, EU, and events like this is

that the goal is not to entertain the teens — there’s a focus on teaching. The speakers don’t talk down to them. I often hear adults say they get as much from the weekend as the teens do. The teaching is practical, and the teens get to see thousands of others participating and sharing the experience. ROY For me a big piece of it is peer pressure. Positive

peer pressure can be just as strong as negative peer pressure. Seeing others share their faith can help you not be ashamed to verbalize and show your own. JERRY For me it’s the intentional planning to share

the love and truth of the Good News — not sugarcoating the message, but approaching each student right where they are in life.

“ Because these events are for THEM! JON PODEIN

6What role do friendships formed at these events play in spiritual growth? JERRY They follow each other from their camps to the

other events. Personally, I’ve had lifelong friendships from these events for over forty years. Kids look for their friends and meet up with them — just stop at a Buc-ee’s and spot another youth group’s bus, and you’re going to end up talking with them. You can’t wait to get there! LARRY Are we talking teen-to-teen or teen-to-adult?

As a parent, I always wanted my daughters to develop relationships with Christian adults. I knew there would come a time when they’d decide Mom and Dad

were pretty archaic and didn’t really know what we were talking about — so I wanted adults in their life they could talk to, adults who would say the same thing JJ and I would tell them, but all of a sudden it would be a nugget of wisdom because it didn’t come from us. JON This is huge for me. Many young people meet

others from all over the country and carry those relationships with them through college and life — some even meet their spouse. JEFF Those are my people — we do life together.

7How important is it for young people to realize they are part of something bigger than their local congregation? JERRY We often talk about how small the world is. My

reply is, “No — see how BIG the church is!” Don’t be fooled; the young people know it. They see it every time they’re at one of these events. Imagine those of us who’ve watched these programs grow from their base camps — from fewer than a hundred to the thousands we see each year. Our young people are very much aware of how important these trips are to their spiritual life. JON I’d call it vital, especially today, when social

media brings the global experience to their ﬁngertips. Realizing they’re part of something much bigger than their local church enables them to take Christ into

places adults would struggle to reach — and they do it without even thinking. It’s part of their DNA. PAUL Young people understanding the Great

Commission allows them to take the message of God out of the teen room, the youth room, their home congregation, and into the world. It gives them the opportunity to know they can make an impact sharing God’s message with people outside their own comfort zone. That’s the key — learning and developing a talent for sharing God’s message all over the world. PHILIP This is important for us to remember as adults

too, brothers. Your experience at a church is not everyone’s experience. Your congregation may be

Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

healthy and thriving numerically, but that’s not everybody’s experience. Your experience in the youth group is not everybody’s — you may have had a good youth minister, but not everybody does. Something I never considered until I became a youth minister was

the impact youth events have on adults. It’s amazing how many adults have had their minds changed about teens, and about the kingdom and its future, simply by attending a youth event and spending time around students. I suppose that’s the way we learn, isn’t it?

“We talk about how small the world is. My reply is, ‘No — see how BIG the church is!’ JERRY ELDER

8Do you believe the church is seeing long-term beneﬁts from these events? In what ways? ROY Yes — and I saw it ﬁrsthand. I attended a church

CHUCK I do believe we’re seeing long-term beneﬁts.

a few weeks ago that was without a preacher. The young man serving in the preacher role until the elders hired someone said he’d been at Lads to Leaders all his life, and then Freed-Hardeman — so he was prepared and ready to do whatever the congregation needed.

Seeing youth ministers who grew up attending these events now bring their own kids back — and step into leadership roles on the boards guiding the future of these events — is evidence of their impact. Watching that love carried forward by students who are now leaders is powerful proof.

PAUL Yes and no, honestly. It really depends on

MATT For me, the answer depends on the

whether the leadership of the local congregation recognizes the work that goes into these events and how their young people are aﬀected by them. Where they do, you see growth in leadership and inﬂuence on others — their age and even older. Kids start showing interest in things they don’t usually do, like putting together lessons or creating a podcast to share God’s word.

congregation. Some see the beneﬁt in events and in emphasizing their youth; others avoid it like it’s babysitting or entertainment. The proof is in the pudding. Congregations with an active youth group — or at least an active Bible class — tend to see the importance. Others don’t, and honestly those are the ones wasting away, without much hope of a next generation to take on the congregation’s responsibilities.

9What are some common misconceptions people have about large youth events? ROY The one I run into is that these events are a

waste of church funds — an excuse to get the church to fund a trip to a vacation destination. They see pictures of groups at expensive restaurants and hear about all the free time at some events. JEFF The big one I hear is that they’re just there for

the “fun part,” or that the organizers of the event or camp have something up their sleeve.

a watered-down version of the gospel.” On the contrary. The speakers I’ve witnessed, the singing I’ve heard, the lives that have been changed — that’s nothing but the gospel being spread, and not just across a small part of our country but around the world. Think of where L2L is now, not only in the United States but in foreign countries like India, where, through the help of Ricky Gootam, thousands of young people are being brought together.

JERRY I hear two: “They’re too big — how can so

many be reached in an audience that large?” and “It’s

“ All of a sudden it would be a nugget of wisdom — because it didn’t come from us. LARRY DAVENPORT

Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

10What dangers or pitfalls should organizers be careful to avoid? ROY The big one for me is vetting. Vetting needs to be

done of all leaders at youth events. What are their beliefs on controversial issues? Where do they worship? Are they faithful? What other events do they attend or lead? Do your homework before you put anyone in a leadership role — by being leaders, they are role models. JERRY Be careful listening to people who want to

change the program. My granddaddy used to say, if you’ve got a set of tires that work real good on a car,

keep that set on there; you only change it when one goes ﬂat. Avoid the naysayers, the ones critical of everything. When something at an event is a matter of opinion and it works well, keep it working. JEFF In my opinion, some “dumb it down” for young

people in the message they present at certain events or camps. Teens can handle — and are looking for — truth and direction from a real source. They can handle deep and sometimes heavy subjects. We shouldn’t take their thoughtfulness for granted.

11How have youth events changed since you ﬁrst became involved? ROY They’ve become much larger, and they’ve also

divided into two categories: conservative/mainstream and progressive/liberal. Some are held in the same towns, only on diﬀerent weekends. Others try to have similar names, to imply they’re the same as a conservative event when they’re actually vastly diﬀerent doctrinally. JON Technology has probably been the biggest

change I’ve seen. Many youth are visual learners, and technology enhances that experience at these events. What also impresses me is the biblical depth of the messages; organizers aren’t shying away from relevant, deep topics. PHILIP I don’t see this as a negative — the market has

just become more saturated. More events means more opportunities for people to attend, depending on where you live, and that’s a good thing. But budgets are tight, both for families and for youth ministries, so

people have to make decisions based on what their budgets allow. So some events may get smaller. CHUCK Philip’s right that some may get smaller, and I

want to speak up for that. One thing I’ve seen is an explosion in size at many of the great events today. I love that they’re growing, but I also remember being deeply impacted by events with just six hundred or a thousand kids. I want to encourage younger youth ministers to look at the opportunities right where they are and envision new ways to disciple students, even at a smaller scale. I’d also give a shout-out to two events in Mississippi hosted on college campuses — by the campus ministries at Mississippi State and the University of Southern Mississippi. Both put on excellent youth events that also point Christian young people toward campus ministry if they attend those schools. I’ve been tremendously impressed by that model, born out of a passion to see young people continue their faith after high school.

“ They won’t always be in youth group — but they’ll always be family. MATT HEUPEL

12What is one thing today’s youth leaders are doing particularly well? LARRY Loving the kids. They chase the kids — and by

that I mean they’re involved in the things that interest them, going to their ball games, art performances, and the like. They show genuine interest and develop the relationships that cause the kids to trust them. When they trust their youth minister, they tend to listen to him and trust him on the spiritual matters too. CHUCK I’d add that many of today’s youth ministers

are focusing on genuine spiritual formation in the

lives of their students. Historically our focus may have leaned more toward holy living — doing the right things and avoiding the wrong ones — without always connecting those behaviors back to their root: a desire to please God. Today’s leaders are doing well at restoring that connection. MATT One thing I think youth ministers are doing well

is making their youth ministry their own. They still attend the big events and the community projects, but they’re localizing it, adapting to the resources they

Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry

have. They don’t seem to be comparing themselves to other churches or other youth leaders as much. PHILIP It seems like fewer and fewer guys are using

the pulpit, and are treating it more like a career. I think that’s a good thing — more guys devoting more consistent years to the job.

youth ministry as a “placeholder” or stepping stone to

13If you were starting a youth event from scratch today, what would you emphasize most? LARRY Tough question, because I’m twenty-seven

years invested in CYC. I would emphasize being creative in presenting God’s word without compromising truth. Pay attention to how kids absorb information today — it changes from generation to generation. ROY I’d keep it simple: a clear mission statement,

based on God’s word, and staying out of the ditches. PAUL First and foremost, I’d emphasize the leadership

of the event. Make sure you have enough people with diﬀerent talents to put it on and promote it — people

with the experience and understanding to make it successful. JERRY For me, I’d make sure the event has an

atmosphere that’s open to every person who attends. Our young people and their families come from many diﬀerent backgrounds — some young in the faith, some mature. I’d want a program where everyone understands that we all need to know who God is, to know His Son, and to know His love and salvation, and that all of it is available to everyone — no matter your past, no matter your present road. There’s an open door for you and an open seat at the table next to a brother or sister who loves Jesus.

“ Invest your time and money in them, or lose them. ROY JOHNSON

14What do you see as the future of youth events within the church? PHILIP This one may be a little obvious — it’s more an

CHUCK I see these events continuing to be extremely

observation than a prediction. For years churches felt like they needed to host their own youth rallies. I think we’ve moved away from that, replacing the yearly congregational rally with annual larger-scale events like CYC. I think that’s a healthy change — maybe the youth ministry equivalent of what gospel meetings used to be.

popular. My concern is that many students in smaller churches are missing out because of the expense some of these events carry for smaller congregations. That’s why I hope more regional opportunities keep being born in diﬀerent areas — bringing these same blessings within closer, more aﬀordable reach for students nearby.

JON Interesting, Philip — I’m actually beginning to

MATT For me, the future of youth ministry is bright!

see a revival of the one-day youth rally, the local youth event. I think it’s letting young people reconnect with their local congregations and spread the gospel through their messages and service in their own communities.

We’ve gotten better at training our youth leaders — better education, better resources, more opportunities to serve. My prayer is that things like this round table, and the wisdom represented here, get shared and built upon, so others can learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of the past.

15If you could speak directly to every parent and church leader reading this journal, what would you want them to know about investing in youth events? ROY For me it’s Ecclesiastes 12:1 — “Remember thy

Creator in the days of thy youth.” We need to be evangelistic across all ages; however, your future

song leaders, teachers, and preachers come from these youth. The future leaders of the church are your

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youth. Invest your time and money in them, or lose them. LARRY Here’s my practical take: youth ministers come

and go, so parents and church leaders need to be invested in what the young people are doing. That way, when a new youth minister is hired, he gets mentored by the parents and leaders about the core events they want the kids at — for example: we support and attend area-wide youth assemblies; at the end of December we go to EYC; in January we attend EU; in February we go to CYC; Easter weekend is Lads to Leaders; we attend the third week of Christian camp in the summer; we support a summer mission trip. Let there be a standing plan of what your congregation is involved in as a baseline, and then support the other things the youth minister incorporates into the monthly schedule. MATT I’d encourage them to be their kids’ biggest

cheerleader, advocate, and role model — and let the youth minister be the facilitator. These events are great; they do so much for our kids’ spiritual development, but they can’t take the place of the home. Take advantage of what’s planned for your kids at church: attend some yourself, host a few, become a

chaperone, and let these events supplement what you’re doing at home spiritually. They won’t always be in youth group — but they’ll always be family. JERRY After forty-ﬁve years in many of these events,

I’d tell every parent: this is an investment in your child — an eternal one, in the eternity of your child’s soul. Why not feed it the things that will lead them to God? We’ll spend thousands upon thousands on sports, music, and education because we want the best for our children — so why would we want anything less than the best for their spiritual life? To church leaderships: thank you. Many of you invest a lot in your young people, and you should; it shows you love them and want them where they’ll see the love of Jesus and the truth of God’s own word. But one thing I’d ask — please be involved in their lives. Go with them to these events. Ask them what they learned. Don’t look at the dollar ﬁgure spent; look at the souls that will be saved, not just now but in the future — because the one child you bring to the Lord today might bring their whole family, for generations to come. All because you made it possible for them to have access to some beautiful events that enriched their soul.

READ THE FULL ROUNDTABLE This feature is a curated selection. The complete conversation — every one of the nine contributors, on all ﬁfteen questions — is worth the read. Find it online at [HERE].

Around the Table • The Journal on Preaching & Ministry