One of the mistakes that is often made in the church is the idea of catering to one group of people to the exclusion of others. For years the church has emphasized youth—the importance of reaching out to youth, to the hiring of youth directors or youth ministers—and often other groups are neglected. To compensate for this, we now have involvements ministers (hoping to get all of the members involved) and senior ministers (to meet the needs of our seniors).

However, as we read the New Testament we don’t see the church “breaking down” in these groups. We see young, middle aged, and seniors together, encouraging one another and helping one another get to heaven. We see Paul stressing to Timothy not to despise his youth (1 Timothy 4:12); but we also see Paul teaching Titus that the aged women are to teach the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). Older men are to be responsible in the way they lived their lives (Titus 2:2) as are younger men (Titus 2:6).

In the Jewish economy, we find that the older were to teach the younger. Parents were to teach their children what God required of them (Deuteronomy 4 and 6). Children were to be restrained by parents (1 Samuel 2-3 and the sad story of Eli); and disciplined by their parents (Proverbs 22:6). All groups were needed to bring up the children and help them to understand their responsibilities to God, to the home and to society at large.

At South Cobb we are beginning a Lads to Leaders Program that will help all of us to get involved with one another’s life, and to encourage our young people as they prepare for what they can do for the church. It is our hope that you will get involved and encourage our young people, as they encourage us, by serving the Lord.

There are some questions and concerns about the Lads to Leaders program that we want to address.

Is Lads to Leaders the only way we can encourage our young people in their walk with the Lord? NO! We can and should be encouraging our young people, and they us, in every aspect of our Christian walk. Many years ago one brother had a young men’s training class, and some of the young men in that class have grown up to be deacons and preachers. This is as it should be. But we have to be honest about the fact that we do not have anything like that going on now. Nor is there anything to encourage our younger women, with the possible exception of the Ladies Bible class on Tuesday mornings (and this is mainly for those who are older, though some younger women are always encouraged to come). Lads to Leaders has a proven track record of encouraging our children as they begin the 4th grade until they graduate.

“I am concerned about the competition that seems to exist in the Lads to Leaders program. We should not be in competition with one another – we should do all for the glory of God.” To this, I AGREE 110%. It is all done for the glory of God, and nothing should ever be done that does not keep this foremost in mind. Sometimes, however, being human beings, we have a tendency to lose sight of our goals, and what life is all about. This is true of adults as well as children. As we teach our children about serving the Lord and speaking in public ways, we MUST ALWAYS STRESS that it is all about God, and not about us.

Competitiveness is a double edged sword. First, competitiveness will encourage me to be better, rather than mediocre, in my service to God. God deserves the best we have to offer, and many of us are settling with less than the best. Let us “provoke one another” to greater love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). Second, competitiveness can be harmful, in that it can become all about the competition and winning the competition, and not giving the glory to God. Let it be clearly stated that as long as we constantly, consistently and clearly set the goal that it is all about God and his glory, then the competitiveness that sometimes exists can be used to better the Christians as they serve God.

We need you to get involved and help make sure this program works in the way it can.