Four Important Points

I was reading a book about youth ministry called "Starting Right: Thinking Theologically about Youth Ministry" edited by Kenda Creasy Dean, Chap Clark, and Dave Rahn. There is no disguising this book. It is a textbook. It looks like a textbook. It reads like a textbook. I feels like a textbook. It came from a class in Seminary, so really that's no surprise. There is an exercise that asks you to list the most important thing that you would want students to hear you say, or that they should learn from you about God. I decided to start that list.

1. God is for all people, but works to expose the oppression and injustice in this world with love and peace. Although I sympathize with Liberation Theologies, I cannot say that God is only for the oppressed. God is for all people, but it is the oppressed who God reaches out to most. God calls us to engage in society to point out oppression and injustice to bring about God's kingdom here on earth. "Thy kingdom come!"
2. God is always with you! There is no way to get away from God. God is always with you, caring for you, loving you, calling you. God is not passive in your lives, but you have to choose to listen to God's calling for you. This means that you have to spend time immersing yourself in God's very being, which is always around you. "In whom I live and move and have my being." Submerse yourself in this ever present love of God and know and grow in this relationship. Be intentional about diving into God and coming out reflecting God's image to all you meet!
3. Jesus is God incarnate! This has several implication. First, God has been completely human while maintaining Godliness. God has faced everything you will face, temptation, disappointment, pain, suffering, celebration, joy, happiness, anger, etc. God understands what you are going through. Second, your bodies are important. If God cared enough for humanity to actually put on flesh, then your bodies have to be important. Jesus' resurrection was bodily. God didn't leave behind the body. Treat your bodies with care, and love the body type you have. Societal pressures about your body is not true. Be healthy not damaging to your body. Listen to your body. Rest.
4. Through the Holy Spirit, God has uniquely gifted you to make this world a better place. You are called to be in ministry in the world, and you are gifted to do just that. Notice what things come easy to you, and do ministry using those abilities. You can do something others cannot do, so develop those gifts and impact this world in which you live! You can be the difference that this world needs!

This the start of my list. What's yours?

mark