“Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:11).
The lens is one of the most impactful inventions in human history. Lenses have enabled people to see great distances—even into the farthest regions of space and time—but lenses also have enabled us to see into the infinite cosmos of the small. Lenses can help us see out…or they can help us see in. We can look at things from a distance, or we can dissect them in parts by viewing them close up.
Faith is often this way, too.
So often, we speak of youth ministry in terms of the big picture, which is important. We need to have a vision, goals, a north star toward which we are stretching and reaching. We need to remember the big picture of what we are trying to accomplish in the lives of our teenagers—helping them grow up in faith, learn to serve, to be Christians in word and deed.
It is equally important that we take a step closer from time to time and look at our ministry under a microscope. What are the intricate and intimate aspects of the ministry? What is happening under the surface? Is the big picture helping teenagers make the many small decisions they are required to make each day? Is there enough information, enough instruction, support?
Ministry needs the telescope and the microscope approach. Utilizing only one lens makes any ministry too one-dimensional. We need the big and the small pictures to gain a clear sense of what God is doing, and what we are doing well, in order to move forward.
So…consider how you can begin utilizing both sets of lenses this week.
