We Can Do Nothing

In chapter 11 of Family-Based Youth Ministry, Mark DeVries reminds us of something really important for youth ministry: by ourselves, we can do nothing. It is very humbling and hard to hear, but it is the truth. We are not the ones who make youth turn to God, we just give them the opportunity and let God work in them. We do not make them learn, we give them the opportunity to learn. This is something that I have going to have to remind myself of everyday. I love to fix things. I love to troubleshoot. Being able to make something work better or predict how something will act is fun and relaxing to me. But I cannot use this attitude toward youth ministry, for it is not me who is working in them. It is God who works in them and we are just along for the ride. We must remember that we can do nothing on our own.