Asking questions is a good thing. Questions have a way of amplifying weaknesses and clarifying priorities. Perhaps that’s why Jesus asked so many questions in his earthly ministry. Did you know that there are almost 300 recorded times that Jesus asked questions of some sort in the Gospels? He used questions as a spotlight into peoples’ souls. Sometimes the result was them repenting (woman at the well.) Other times the result was them rejecting (Pharisees). One time the result was his crucifixion.
Turning the spotlight of questions on can be a dangerous thing. What is illuminated can be painful to see. This is especially true when we turn the spotlight of good questions into our own souls. This blinding light can help us identify areas we need to tighten up, activities we need to cut out, and disciplines we need to add.
With this as a backdrop, here are 10 questions I believe that youth leaders should be asking themselves on a somewhat regular basis …
1. Am I spending enough time in intercessory prayer for my teenagers and the teens in my community?
2. What areas of my personal life need shoring up so that as I pray and minister, I’m doing so with clean hands and a pure heart?
3. Do I spend enough time prayerfully identifying the needs of my teenagers and seeking God for the right material to teach them, or am I just mindlessly buying the latest youth curriculum that looks somewhat interesting?
4. What can I do to improve my relationships with the church leadership and the parents of my teenagers so that we are all fully aligned in our spiritual goals for these teens?
5. How is my marriage, really?
6. Have I recruited the right volunteers, and am I equipping them to lead well?
7. Is evangelism a part of our culture or just a word in our mission statement? (Click here for help.)
8. Has porn gotten a toehold, foothold or stronghold in my personal life?
9. Have I identified other like-minded youth leaders in my community to meet together for encouragement/camaraderie, gut-level honesty about challenges, intercessory prayer for our community, and strategizing for the advancement of the gospel?
10. Am I reaching out with the gospel in my own sphere of influence as I challenge my teenagers to do the same with their classmates, teammates and friends?
By the way, we will be tackling some of these issues at our “Built for Boldness” free youth leader training events in the fall. I’d love to meet you there. Click here for information on how to sign up for this free event coming to a city near you.
