Preaching to Youth

by Mark Hayse

"Do You Plan to Preach?"

"I4:30 P.M. . . . It's Wednesday again. . . . What am I going to talk about tonight?"
"Let's see . . . have I read anything lately that would work? Nope, too busy. Hmmm . . . what's been on TV? Anything I could use from Survivor? Nah, no good. C'mon, think. Now where did I put the results from that old interest survey they filled out last year?

"I know--I'll grab something out of my illustrations book. Here's a good one--dating. Wait a minute. I preached on that last month . . . and the month before that . . . (sigh). Maybe I should just drive around until something hits me. What time is it anyway? 4:45 . . ."

Does any part of this sad scene sound familiar? How do you decide what to preach and when to preach it? Are those decisions made out of inspiration, deliberation, perspiration--or panic?

Many of us would agree that the calendar can give good guidance for preaching, but which calendar do we mean? The secular calendar gives occasion to preach on being thankful in November or making resolutions in January. The student calendar might guide us to preach on witnessing at school in August or discerning God's will as graduation draws near. The Christian calendar calls us to remember Jesus' birth as Christmas comes and the cross of Christ as Easter approaches. Which calendar most informs your preaching?

If our preaching to youth is to be most effective, we need to scope out a calendar--one that is informed by all the rest. Following a preaching calendar helps us to proclaim the whole gospel, rather than just a part. It disciplines us to offer a well-balanced spiritual diet to our students, rather than the unhealthy homiletical equivalent of fast food. It helps us to avoid haphazardly skipping from topic to topic each week. A preaching calendar enables us to preach with greater intentionality.

Our preaching calendar must begin with the story of God in Christ. We have but one thing to offer our students that cannot be found elsewhere, and that is Christ. Others may preach mere abstinence, teamwork, or morality--all good things--but we preach Christ! Every year, the church calls us to retell the story of Christ from Advent to Pentecost. Passing along that precious story is our primary task.

Our secondary (but no less important) task is engaging students where they live. Students measure time by the calendars of school, family, and society. Preaching must bring Christ to bear upon these significant events and seasons, or risk irrelevance.
We need to consider these questions in constructing a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month preaching calendar:

1. Does the story of Christ--from birth and ministry to death and resurrection--organize my preaching plan?

2. Will I preach from both the Old and New Testaments?

3. Can I scope and sequence a series or two ahead of time, rather than jumping around topically, week after week?

4. How will I connect the story of Christ with those significant experiences going on in the here and now of my students' lives?

In a world that is saturated with hot topics and addicted to spectacle, may our preaching finally follow the apostle Paul's example at Corinth, resolving "to know nothing . . . except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Mark Hayse is associate pastor of youth at Shawnee Church of the Nazarene, Shawnee, Kansas. He is the author of Vital Connections, a Nazarene catechism for youth.

How to Speak to Youth . . . and Keep Them Awake at the Same Time
Ken Davis
Paperback, 176 pages. Revised edition (August 1996)
Zondervan Publishing House; 031-020-1462

Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks
Wayne Rice, Editor
Paperback, 240 pages (December 1994)
Zondervan Publishing House; 031-040-2611

Everyday Object Lessons for Youth Groups
Helen Musick, Duffy Robbins
Paperback, 112 pages (February 1, 1999)
Zondervan Publishing House; 031-022-652X

Teaching the Bible Creatively
Bill McNabb, Steve Mabry
Paperback, 192 pages (April 1991)
Zondervan Publishing House; 031-052-9212