Philippians 2:20-22, 1 & 2 Timothy, Mark 6:8

Steve Gambill

Have you ever wondered what if? Early on in my leadership I wasted a lot of time and energy by asking myself what if. What if I had an unlimited budget to reach this generation? What if I didn't have an American accent when I spoke in the schools of Bradford? What if I had a youth facility? What if I don't have what it takes? What if, what if, what if. It's from this context that I wanted to write this article.

I think too many young leaders are struggling with doubts and uncertainties. I wonder what would happen if every leader could move past their doubts and unbelief and into action? For too long I have heard and seen a terrible destructive lie effect youth ministries around the globe. This lie is bought into at a subconscious level and accepted as the norm in many places and churches today. This lie is, 'young people are the future of the church'.

What if young people were not the future of the church? What if young people could be the church right now?

Can you imagine what would happen if every young person realised that their role in church was just as important as the adults? Can you imagine if every young person was involved in serving in the life of church?

In Ad 64 Paul the great Apostle wrote his first letter to an individual, Timothy. Up to that point all the letters were to churches such as Ephesus, Philippi, Galatia, etc. But here we have his first letter to a person and it's a young person just starting out in his leadership. What made Paul single out Timothy in his writing?

Even though Timothy was young, Paul was greatly impacted by him. In Philippians 2:20-22 Paul writes, 'I have no one else like him. Who takes a genuine interest in your welfare? For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel'.

Timothy proved himself when he was a son. He wasn't waiting to become the church; he was part of the church and had a massive role to play!

What if Paul, the great Apostle wrote a personal letter to you today to help you in your leadership? What if he gave you specific help about your weakness and helped you identify your strengths?

I have recently re-read 1 and 2 Timothy with that in mind and come to these conclusions.

What if you stop waiting for the future and start today?

Too many young people have been conditioned to wait. They are told to wait until they graduate before getting a job. They are told to wait until they learn how to drive. They are told to wait to vote.

Waiting isn't all bad and I know that there are reasons why we should wait. I have a four year old boy and there are many things he cannot and should not do. He can't and should not try to drive a vehicle. One day he will be old enough to reach the pedals, but for now he is satisfied to sit behind the wheel of a parked car and pretend to drive.

The problem is that we have countless young people pretending to be the church without actually doing anything within the church. Literally they are sitting on the drive way of church life but they aren't going anywhere. They sit on the pews of church life every week, but wouldn't dare join the band, ask to speak to the church or lead a project. Yet many of these same young people have jobs that carry responsibility, or have positions of importance on the football pitch, or great influence amongst their peers. But in church stay silent, waiting for some kind of ethereal ask from 'someone in leadership' to give them permission to be involved.

Paul commanded Timothy to not look down on himself because he was young and to not let anyone else look down upon him because he was young, but to set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love in faith and in purity.