Two Views on Devices at Youth Retreats: A Case for Allowing Phones
Jesus came to set us free from the things we depend on that have no power to save us.
Jesus came to set us free from the things we depend on that have no power to save us.
An extended period without devices, coupled with a consistent focus on God’s Word, can help students learn to abide in God’s truth.
Our teens receive our love most easily when they feel loved and valued as people, apart from whatever problems they are facing.
In light of the gospel, there’s no shame or condemnation for those in Christ (Rom. 8:1), and the Lord opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
Of course, in one sense you aren’t the mountain leader, university professor, or party host. These roles are God’s—it’s his Spirit alone who can teach us the truth.
We can help teenagers do the holy work of living in the Light—of calling broken things broken, of acknowledging sin and our need for help, and of praying for the Lord’s redemption.
You will not leave your youth ministry perfectly. But when we are in Christ, goodbyes are only “see you laters.”
Our students not only need to hear the gospel; they need to experience and receive it.
What if, instead of setting short-lived fires, we made it our mission to plant seeds that, by God’s grace, will grow and bear fruit over the next 50 to 60 years?