My Dilemma

I set here at my computer with a dilemma. This is nothing new for me for I have found this to be a common occurrence for the last couple of weeks. I am a youth minister in Topeka, Kansas. Just recently I graduated from Ozark Christian College (by recently I mean last May) with a degree in Old Testament. I got a degree in Old Testament because I wanted something with a little more substance than a degree in youth ministry. This is not bashing youth ministry by any means, but I just like getting reverence from those surrounding me when I tell them I have a degree in Old Testament Theology. I have not always wanted to do youth ministry. I wanted to avoid the problem of giving the same talk on respecting your parents and loving your friends that youth ministers are forced to deal with.

In my attempt a avoiding these talks, I have vowed that I will take the youth group at Central Park, to another level in our weekly discussions and try to tackle some real doctrinal issues. This is where my dilemma comes in to play. We have been going through 1 Timothy 4.12 and challenging them to set an example in their speech, life, love, faith and purity. Last week I told myself that we were going to get down and dirty and define faith. They would leave with a solid definition of exactly what faith is and how it comes to play in daily life.

After a week of study, and longer than that of thinking about it…I came to the conclusion that I was unable to adequately define faith, let alone in terms that Jr. High students could grasp. I thought about Hebrews 11.1 (quite possibly the best definition of faith in scripture): “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Simple enough, but I try to run my lessons in front of a couple youngsters prior to youth group and after ward they shot me some confused glances. So we scratched that one. I though of Bill Hybles definition: “Faith is not belief in spite of evidence, but obedience in spite of consequence.” Ummm…yeah. He is much smarter than I. By the end of the week I had nothing.

This week is fine, setting an example in purity…no problem there. Got a good (check that decent) lesson. For a guy who has struggled in the past…and even currently, purity lessons come fairly easy. What I am really worried about is the following week.

WORSHIP

So many people don’t have this one figured out. I certainly don’t. What is worship, and how do you define it to Middle School students?

David Erickson: “Worship is being called to a place you don’t belong, by a host you are to shallow to comprehend, to receive a honor you do not deserve.”

Jack Hayford: “Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped.”

C.S. Lewis: “It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men.”

Ummm…if I was to say that I still didn’t understand what worship is, would it look bad on C.S. Lewis? I have so many questions:

(1) What is worship?
(2) What role does spontaneity play in worship?
(3) How do you plan spontaneity?
(4) How important is the skill of the worship leader(s)?
(5) Are there any parameters to what worship is and what is not? Is basketball worship? Is watching basketball worship?
(6) Can one truly worship alone?
(7) If worship is a chance for God to meet us…how can we allow God to meet everyone on Sunday morning as opposed to just the ones who like singing?
(8) Does God still meet people with Organ music?
(9) Does it cheapen worship if it comes from a fabricated experience?
(10) I am going to a Third Day concert tomorrow, they sing worship songs. Am I going to a worship service or a concert?

I have a lot more questions…but these will suffice for now.
Any response would be helpful.