Bad Evangelism

[holysoldier5000]

This past weekend upset me greatly. It was at my church’s annual Strawberry Festival and all the members of the church came together to give the community a wonderful day of fun, fellowship, and strawberries! Everything went well except for one thing. Some of the teenagers, my Sunday school students, were misbehaving. They were supposed to help out with the festival, but instead they connived their way out of work by tricking my little sister, and others, into doing their jobs for them. Now my little sister has a wonderful servant mentality when it comes to the church she is more then willing to help out in anyway she can. (Even if it means doing more then her share of the work.) But what was worse was they were doing this with many people. Teens from the community, which my students had invited, were doing the work, which my students should have been doing.

I applaud those who came from outside the church and were willing to help, and I applaud those inside the church who did more then their share. But there are a few I am very upset with. And why am I upset? Not just because my students tricked other people into doing their jobs for them, but because of the examples they were setting.

As Christians we are to [I]“follow the example of Christâ€

[ChristianKitsune]

Wow... that was an awesome point!! I hope I do...I try... at least...thanks for that...I believe you are absolutly right Holysolder!!

That was really encouraging...I think I am going to look at helping out my church/activities in a different light....

[Sesshoumaru]

Me too as well.

[waffo_chick1]

it is amazing sometimes as Christian youth we forget that we are Christs ambassadors. More kids are hurt in youth group than we can even imagine by comments and attitudes.

[ShiroiHikari]

Ergh, that upsets me. But you're absolutely right. We should be an example to people....>.<

waffo_chick...sadly, you're right about youth groups :\ I've been hurt in youth groups several times, and finally gave up on trying to find one because when I went, it was more like going to school and getting looked at funny than going to church and being ministered to.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

cause some people are just rude... meh...

good message man

[waffo_chick1]

I know I've been hurt by some girls that go to my church, but then I wonder how many people I have hurt with out even thinking. it is a depressing thought and makes me want to due my younger years over some times

[Mr. SmartyPants]

i know what you mean waffo... but you learn from your mistakes ^^ and ya learn to look before you leap

[waffo_chick1]

very true, I've deffinatly learned to think before I speak, which is a quality that is very useful from time to time;)

[Uriah]

This is assuming your students are convicted Christians in the first place? Youth group attendance doesn't really mean too much these days..

There are other ways to spoil your witness as well, such as perhaps... Ranting about how evil or wrong other people are?(What the teenagers in question did was wrong, I agree.)
I soppose I have no right to say this about you, because this is a very mild case and I'v only seen you do it once. But some "christians" can really get out there.. Like *cough* John Hagey *cough*.. It's like all that man does is rebuke people...

[holysoldier5000]

Being that I am their youth minister it makes me sad when my students do the wrong thing. It makes me feel like a failure as a teacher. Now I realize that I am only responsible for what I teach, and they are responsible for their own actions, but it does get me so to see them misbehaving. And it makes me wonder… “I’m I really cut out for this job?â€