Teen Q & A
Summer 2022
A teen asks, “I’m an older teenager. Should I join my church?”
Church membership is an important decision for anyone to make, especially a young person. Assuming that you are walking with the Lord and have either already been baptized or plan to be baptized at the same time you join the church, and assuming that you are in support and agreement with the various policies of our denomination, let me give you two reasons why I think it is important for you to apply for church membership even as a teenager. First, church membership is important for your spiritual submission and accountability. As a teenager, you are already under the spiritual oversight of your parents, but in church membership you are further declaring your submission to Christ through the oversight He has established in your local church. The elders of your church have the responsibility to care for your soul and are your spiritual overseers – Read Acts 20:28 and Hebrews 13:17. In church membership you are submitting to that God-given authority. A second reason is that church membership demonstrates a level of responsibility and commitment on your part. Joining your church is a demonstration of the fact that you are putting your hand to the plow and truly desire the advancement of the work of God in your local church. So many today want only to serve their own agenda and rarely work for anything bigger or more important than they are. Serving the Lord as a member of your church shows that you desire and want something bigger and greater than your own will. It is an outward way of proving your commitment to the Lord’s work.
A teen asks, “How can I overcome inconsistency in my Christian life?”
This question is one that does not apply only to teenagers. I think sometimes teens have the wrong idea that the older you get the easier it is to live as a Christian. If you talk openly to your parents and even your pastor about this question, they will tell you that they struggle with being consistent themselves. Spiritual consistency does not come with age; it comes with spiritual maturity and discernment. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to make you more consistent, but let me give you three practical things that will help you. First, be filled with God’s Word. Lack of daily Bible reading might be part of the inconsistency you are asking about. Don’t get discouraged and beat yourself up for missing a day. If you miss a day, try not to miss the next day. Reading large portions of Scripture is always good, but sometimes quality is better than quantity. Meditate on one verse or one central truth from what you have read and ask the Lord to help you incorporate that into your life and daily routine. Second, go to church! Make up your mind that if the doors are open, you are going to be there. Even if your friends don’t go on Sunday night or attend prayer meeting, decide that you are going to go anyway. God has promised to bless His people when they gather together. A third suggestion is to surround yourself with godly influences. Part of spiritual maturity and discernment includes separation from ungodly influences. I wrote about this in “Part One” of the article on discernment. Ungodly friends will pull you down and not help you be consistent in your walk with the Lord. With the Lord’s help you can grow in Christ as He enables you to “die” to sin and live to righteousness. Consistency will follow.