 Okay, good morning and welcome once again guys. Thank you all for joining and thank you for waiting and being patient Sorry about the late start. We had a technical issue What so welcome for the youth ministry course? I hope you had a good time learning children ministry The past is set in now and so we are now transitioning into youth ministry this is going to be one of the most Short courses of subjects that you will cover in this In this degree. Okay, so we will finish the most part of the content Pretty fast and so it's a shot. So everybody's here amen All right, cool, so Let's get started right youth ministry and I want to start off by just addressing the first question from the first chapter Now why is youth ministry important? Why is youth ministry important and who are the youth and so if you can if you don't mind Such sharing Who according to you or how would you define? Youth who are the youth according to you guys Feel free to unmute and speak. Yes. Oh So the the youth Could be Let me say depending on where you are Sometimes they're referred to as young adults and then sometimes they refer to youth mostly from the ages of 17 All the way to 33 33 they're about 30 33. So that's kind of the age bracket of the group we call youths Most of them are usually in the highest attrition universities colleges and young professionals Mostly When we talk about youths or young adults in a church ministry We're basically looking at students who are young adult young professionals like I said who are singles And are maturing into adult food So it's kind of like an upgrade of their teenage years Teenage their teenage years now they're coming into they're in between They're about to just enter into the adult food But a phase of their life where they have to discover themselves fully Find out purpose find themselves basically In god and in life That's basically young adults or youths Basically awesome. Yeah, thank you say Thank you. Thank you. Yeah All right, uh, can be any age between 10 to 30. Okay. All right Okay, anything else anyone else? Who are you? No, so we are starting this whole thing asking this question not for the sake of asking this question because In every area of ministry, whichever ministry that you are leading One of the key things will will be to identify your audience And so we'll talk about that in a later chapter, but then I'm just getting you all to start thinking about For us to know our audience, right? Okay. They are the future pillars. Okay Anybody else Asha There you shall be 18 to 35. All right Okay In here in India after 25 youth getting married So they become adult Okay But who are the I didn't ask why now they're getting married Okay future leaders. All right. Yes, Christopher Yeah, Christopher. I see you've raised your hand go ahead, please Yeah, this is most enthusiastic and energetic section of society. Yeah Oh Problem with Mike. Okay All right, guys. Yeah, but thank you for answering this question Right. So if you look at the notes, there are some definitions that I took from different parts You know Of those who understand you very differently. So if you look it says the united nations For statistical purposes define youth as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 With a prejudice to other definitions by member states. This is the united nations. Okay United nations general assembly defines youth as You know as taisha said somewhere between 15 and 24 The world bank uses this term between 15 and 25 common wealth youth program refers to young people as again between 15 and 29 most of the bishops You know conferences refer to youth as youngsters Between 18 of 30 or 35 somewhere in that bracket, right? But I think I like what I've been also has mentioned most enthusiastic and energetic section of the society So I think beyond Beyond the age itself when you for me, especially when you say youth I think of them as vibrant energetic, you know, they are into sports and media technology Like all this full of life For me, I would define youth as like energy and that's I think there's a reason why we say age is just a number, you know Isn't it age is just a number of so it's it's someone who you know You if you look at an individual see who's so full of life and so full of energy and an enthusiasm Is it a hey, wow that you know, even if that person is a little elderly you say, okay that You know, he's he acts like a young person, right? You know what I'm saying So and I think it's it's it's safe enough to say that youth is not just an age Or for us to look at it as not just an age but a state of mind and an attitude Okay, a state of mind as an and an attitude right But so the world of the youth today, this is how the society has labeled the youth as well Multitasking they want 36 hours a day. Now all of these are from research that's done by people They define the young youth as you know multitasking They want 36 hour day or they they do things that is that seems as long as For 36 hours a day. I don't know how they manage that but then yeah five minute attention span Right and there are so much so many expressions that describe the youth of today But yeah having said all of that when we there's a report by dr. G c manna Who's the who was the director of? The central statistic office Of indian government right dr. He was the director of general director general and this is what he had to say regarding the youth a report of 2017 Right and another one has not come out yet But I'll look out for that but then this is what he had to say Youth is the most valuable segment of the population The human resource potential of individuals Not only gain maximum, but also reaches its peak during period and that's a very important line guys I just want to read this quote of what he's saying But then there's so much depth and profoundness to what he's saying saying human resource potential of individuals Not only gain maximum, but also reaches its peak during this period Youth in reality represent the present of a country Right young ones when nourished properly can grow like a huge redwood tree, but if not controlled Or neglected can erupt like a volcano No country can afford to ignore its youth Okay, if you want to highlight that you can highlight it it says no country can afford to ignore its youth And india is a youth mission in the sense that Share of its youth in the population in 2011 stands to 34.8. Now. This is 2011 And 2011 it was 34.8 today. It's doubled that number If you look at the report For 2021 actually It's doubled. It's almost 75 percent Just so we know I'm talking on behalf of in india because i'm an indian India is the youngest country in the world It's the youngest country in the world. That means just to see the population of the youth Is more than any other country in the world Right. So the youth of the nation are the trustees of prosperity Youth is a huge reservoir of energy Which need to be tapped and harnessed intelligently for the development of the society Are the changing demographic profile of the world has thrown a window of opportunity favoring india presently India has the largest share of youth population in the world and will continue to hold so for the next 20 years Um I mean, that's that's quite fascinating Exciting scary everything at once right and so It's the most beautiful face, uh, you know of time. So, um I mean most of us are Are going through that stage of just gone through but if I were to ask you, uh, one single memory of your youthful days What would that be the most memorable one? Yeah, so you go it My most memorable days as a youth. Um, according to our definition of who you was was a time when I was playing a volleyball In the Where I was living basically just with our neighbors over the fence. It was just a very memorable event and I still hold in my mind till today. Yeah, it's awesome. Yeah. Thanks for sharing that anybody else guys I just want to go to share just dig a little deeper Well, some of us don't have to dig deeper nightouts I think you can't do nightouts today now What is stopping you from doing nightouts now? I was a trouble me during sports. Okay Yeah, the truths are all coming out now. Come on. Come on bachelor's party That's the party. Okay. Okay. Come on speak up Uh at this stage of my life I feel breaking the rules is so much fun because if parents have told you not to do it and you just Do it with the fear of being caught and yet not being caught See, there's so much of a sense of victory Like You're caught and you're in trouble. But yes, even parents draw a line and you're always keen to you know break that Line and go and do things and explore and just find out your own way Yeah, though we did not have much of opportunities than being in a small city We were often being caught. We didn't have much of you know, uh liberty But still we tried everything that we could do in our own capacity to you know, enjoy it and you know We could just get out of it. Yeah It's quite thrilling, isn't it? Everything about those days can be very thrilling. Yeah, Taisya. Go ahead Good morning fast on everyone. Okay. I think a sense of freedom when you remember, you know No responsibility no kids and all of that. So you tend to want to do what you want to do You're all just seem like you you are endless opportunity While it's different with responsibilities You know, you have a rare pick when you're older, but you just seem like you have a freedom Um to do all that you can do and endless possibilities when you're Yeah, thanks. Thanks for sharing that. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah learning new skills despite the risks. Yeah I mean, that's that's that's where I'm getting at. Isn't it? Yeah, right. So it's it's a stage of life where you're you're just so many of your habits are still being formed and you're learning so many things because And like Asha here who's not done with her youth days yet, but Playing soccer was the best memory of my youth being mischief and just having fun. You still play soccer, right Asha? Soccer it seems football. Okay, so It's football football. Okay, India Okay Yeah, sorry. She's sitting right here. So But I mean there's something about it. Uh It can bring a lot of memories back. All right, it can be good bad, but and whatnot. Um as in Uh, but it's it's a stage an age in life where a lot of things are being formed. Uh, you're learning so many things and you feel like Uh, you're on top of the world. You're full of life full of energy You're always right can be one of the things. Uh, isn't it and And I absolutely agree with the director when he says, you know If we are not if the youth is not contained or controlled or No guided or stewarded well um, they can just get up like a volcano. Um, and And if they are guided well if they are stewarded well, they can grow like this huge redwood trees Redwood trees redwood forest in california, you know, just huge huge gigantic trees, right? So, uh, yeah, I mean I just Lot of good memories comes back to each and every one of us nightouts hanging out. I just you know, deciding to Take off whenever you feel like taking off, uh, you know bike rides or whatever Now I have to ask permission from my wife and whatnot, which is a good thing. It's okay, but Get what I'm saying. Okay. So whether that's the beauty of uh youth and you know, we've seen why it's important to focus on the youth because uh, especially from the context of india Once again, I apologize for you know, just talking in the context of india based on this report As he said presently india has the largest share of youth population in the world And will continue to hold so for the next 20 years Uh, I mean that should excite the church of india and the church of the world as well all over Is to just find pockets find ways to Equip our young people to get hold of them and to see how we can get hold of them right, so that's Why focus on the youth and but Let me let me ask you another question. Uh, and now we'll bring it down to the church focus why We need youth ministry. Why do we need youth ministry? Do you think we need youth ministry? Yes, sir So with my personal experience since I've joined apc and I've you know, experienced that personally that you know Being uh, you know At this age, I mean I see them work how how to energy how to channelize them is a skill and I think apc is buzzing with that apc all over you see that there is so much of youth and they are So much engaged in serving the lord and that itself is a best way to keep them out from all the other things that can You know be misusing their energy So, uh, their enthusiasm their love for lord their service itself Helps them to keep themselves focused and be more fruitful in their way and walk And you know, we do the best what they can do for the kingdom of god and that is what I I'm learning from them personally. I'm learning from them I'm really being encouraged looking at them the way they work the energy they put in Yeah, sometimes it's toll taking on us because We are on a different level of physical energy different level of mental energy But you know, they have this what you said 36 hours. Yes So, uh, I am personally very encouraged and I see that Happening in my church, which I'm learning. I'm being equipped to understand how to channelize them How we can use them and also raising our daughter who's 21 years old I find it better way to deal with her So I I feel this is so important and this is so beautiful to see these young ones standing for the lord and Proclaiming the word of god and doing all they can do through their lives Knowing the lord in a young age is the best blessing We came late Anyways, that's not something But yes, we feel sometimes a little envious that why didn't we know the lord in such a That it's beautiful. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you for sharing Yeah, uh, anybody else, uh, why do we need youth ministry in churches? Why is it important? Oh guys Not to me One small example past if you would allow you give like have It's like fire, you know, you can use the fire to cook to do so many good things and it's like fire which can burn away the entire Forest Bring so much of devastation. So, you know, it's when we say youth ministry is important It's like we have the fire, but how we use it for Uh, better things for good things. That's true. Yeah, thanks of me. Thank you What else guys come on talk to me. Why do we need youth ministry in our churches? Why is it important? What will happen if we don't have youth ministry in our churches? Yes, Rupa. Go ahead. Go ahead Rupa So you've raised your hand Okay, uh Now generation you said youths so this is the time to reach out to them and not only that They're going through a lot of problems in their in this generation We are creating a place we can then where they can open open and we can Just so into their lives share with their problems and So many people children young people when I minister to them They cannot Share it with their parents. They go through a lot of Depression even while ministering in the church. They have other side of their lives Where they're going through a lot of tensions and peer pressure and so many things So we can help them there and connect them with the Lord to strengthen them and nurture them there Yeah, thank you sir. Thank you Rupa. Thank you Yeah, um, all right see some I do make them understand the trap of the enemy against them. Yeah second generation leadership. Yeah Yeah, yeah, thank you for sharing Okay, let's see Come says to reach out to them in their level in their way of understanding their their experiences They are the future leaders and also when we reach out to them we can stir their passion towards the right thing. Absolutely We youth may astray slowly from following The truths and slide away slowly Due to the pleasures of the world and also the entertainment of this world One reason is that we can get back on track of following christ and And also help us realize that we should not despise our young age Let no one despise our youth and be an example to billions in poor in conduct and love and faith. Yeah, thanks Thank you Yeah, you know, I just want to simply say this. Why is it important because? um I think I've said this many times with you all in the previous classes Is I was born into a christian family, but just because I was born into a christian family. I was not a christian all of you know But it was I gave my life in a youth camp You know and and I heard the gods calls for ministry in a youth camp in november of 2004 And so if a church did not think that youth ministry is necessary I would not have gone for the youth camp And if a church did not have a youth camp youth ministry or youth camp, I would not have gone Sure, I might have encountered the lord somewhere differently Uh, you know in his grace and in his mercy, but then for me to say that I He encountered me. I met the lord in a youth camp is something so very special to me and and dear to my heart, right? and and yeah By we need youth ministry and I mean just look at from the bible perspective From say the hebrews the jews From the time The you know from as a as a children from the age of four to five They send them to a synagogue And they're like what we call it is a kg u kg They have beth safer But it simply means they go to the synagogue and their rabbi starts to teach them at that young age and by the age of eight or ten They would have memorized the entire Torah. That's the old testament By the time that they are eight or ten guys They will know the whole old testament by heart Okay So get them young is It's not just a saying because everybody knew knows, okay It's so easy to form their thinking the way their ways You know, and when you look at some of these Terrorist groups, right that we've seen over the news. We see how they brainwash young children And you know how they are taught to hate a certain race of people or etc etc, right? Why do they do that because they know it's a very easy to shape their thinking To brainwash them to you know to do whatever you want to do with them if you get them young And just think about it of our young people and the ways that we can shape their heart Their minds by just discipling them is releasing the word of God into their lives And I think youth ministry Is important to say the least right for to establish the kingdom of God here on earth and In a bunch of scriptures says in Ecclesiastes 12 1 remember also your creator the days of your youth before the days Evil days come and the years drawn near of which you would say I have no pleasure in them. I remember that verse because My grandmother used to say that to me all the time quote that verse all the time all the time and she would do that in Tamil by yeah And there's another bunch of reasons that I've shared in this chapter as to Why and I asked some of our young people some of our youth leaders as to why they think we need youth ministry And it's all mentioned in the notes in this chapter So I will encourage you to go through it and it's just some answers But I want to leave this session with one verse that encouraged me that You know In my early days of leading youth ministry in general was from numbers chapter 14 verse 31 Numbers 14 31 Okay, should I say that again numbers chapter 14 verse 31 Um It says As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected right as Your children, uh, sorry as for your children that you said would be taken as plunder now, uh, you know I want As a society We have labeled uh this generation of young people in so many things as millennials as generation x generation y generation z Blah blah blah, you know so many things that they are The they work for 36 hours and short, you know short attention span Uh, they're always on their phones and this and that we've labeled them with so many labels It's a young people of this day in age Uh, but what stood out was okay This young people that we've that we've given them so many labels It's like god is saying okay. Hey all your children that you have that you are calling them so and so in your society They have a destiny they have a promise and i'm going to bring them in And uh, and it's very exciting to me and I want to be in line with how god sees at them and say Use me as that vessel to bring them into the destiny that you have to pay for them Uh, right. It's uh, that's beautiful, isn't it so Okay, um Right, so I will stop uh with that this session and we'll meet again on wednesday and continue from there. Okay Uh, well, thank you all for joining in uh, and I've shared your Final assignment in the stream as well. This is for those online Um, so any questions feel free to ask. It's fairly simple. Okay. Thank you all for joining again Good to see you all all the family faces after a while Uh, you guys take care and see you all around Okay, bye Thank you, sir. Thank you. We love you. We love you pastor Love you too, Charles