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The purpose of Youth@Grace
As
per Colossians 1 (and Eph 4:13-16, 1 Cor 3:9)
Our foundational starting point
is:
The word of truth, the
gospel, namely that God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom
we have redemption through
his blood, namely the forgiveness of sins. Once we were alienated from God and
were enemies in our minds because of our evil behavior. But He has reconciled
us by Christ's physical body through death to present us holy in his sight,
without blemish and free from accusation. This has become ours by faith in
Christ.
We want to ensure that our
youth hear, understand and know this gospel in all its fullness and with all
its implications, so that:
- Those who do not belong to Christ can be led to salvation
- Our young brothers and sisters in Christ can be sanctified and
grow in faith and Christ likeness (as further expanded below)
It is all God’s work, by his grace
and through his Spirit. But we were given the privilege to be servants and
fellow workers of God. As such, we will endeavor to lead, serve, facilitate,
teach, pray for, minister to and encourage our youth so that they may:
- Understand
God's grace in all its truth.
- Grow in
the knowledge of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and be filled with the
knowledge of His will, with spiritual wisdom and understanding.
-
Live a life worthy of the Lord, be holy, pleasing Him in every way
by bearing fruit in every good work.
- Be
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that they may
have great endurance and patience.
- Continue
in their faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
- Always and joyfully give thanks
to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Have love in the Spirit for each other
and all their fellow Christians.
- Know their inheritance in the kingdom of light, and have hope for what is stored up for them in
heaven.
-
Become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
- Be presented perfect in
Christ.
Then (they) will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by
the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the
cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking
the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that
is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work.” (Eph. 4:14-16)
As leaders, we will therefore:
- Always thank God for their faith in Jesus Christ and for their
love among each other.
-
Not stop praying for them.
- Be teachers in word and by example.
- Faithfully minister to them.
-
Serve them.
- Present them with the word of God in all its fullness.
- Make known to them the glorious riches of the gospel mystery,
which is Christ in us, the hope of glory.
- Proclaim Christ, admonishing and teaching them with all wisdom.
- Labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works
in us.
Grace and peace to our youth
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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