How To Develop
Christian Character
in Youth (age 19-24)
Youth~ Life Journey with Peers
Youth ~ Self-Discovery &
Meaning Making
Youth ~ Preparing for Adulthood
Remember your Creator …..
Ｂｉｂｌｉｃａｌ Ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ
Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come.
(NRSV, Ｅｃｃｌｅｓｉａｓｔｅｓ １２：１)
Ｂｉｂｌｉｃａｌ Ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ
Let no one despise your youth,
but set the believers
an example in speech and
conduct, in love, in faith,
in purity. (I Timothy 4:11)
Tuesday, July 5 Class One
The Theme
What are some of the Christian
Characters
this age group should manifest?
Christian Character Formation
as the result of Spiritual Growth
Physical
Cognitive
(Mental)
Affective
(Heart)
Spiritual
Growth
Moral
(Moral
Values)
Social
(Relationships)
Stages of Development By Erik Erikson
Stage
Age
Crisis
Virtues to be
attained
1
0-1 years
Trust
VS
Mistrust
2
2-3 yrs
Autonomy
VS Shame & Doubt
WILL
3
4-6 yrs
Initiation
VS
Guilt
PURPOSE
4
7-12 yrs
Industry
VS
Inferiority
COMPENTENCE
5
13-19 yrs Identity
(late
Confusion
teen)
VS
Role
FIDELTY
6
20-34
yrs
(young
adult)
Intimacy
VS
7
35-65 yrs
Generativity
VS
Stagnation
CARE
8
65 +
Integrity
VS
Despair
WISDOM
Isolation
HOPE
LOVE
Characteristics of Youth
*Younger Youth (13-15yrs)
*Older Youth (16-18yrs)
Physical
1)Bodies rapidly changing.
2)Girls reach puberty earlier than
boys.
3) Changing of bodies may be a
source of emotional concern
for some youth.
4) Sometimes can be awkward.
5)Ready to perform tasks with
high level of physical stamina
and energy.
Physical
1) They look like adults.
2) Capable of adult activities.
3) Capable of full sexual and
reproductive activity; yet
not ready for it emotionally
or economically.
4) Outgrowing clumsiness.
5) Eat much.
Younger Youth (13-15)&
Older Youth(16-18)
Mental
1) Creative & inventive.
2) Can think abstractly and
learn difficult concepts.
3) Understand the
consequences of actions.
4) Can think independently
(may rebel against
authority)
5) Can conceptualize time &
space.
6) Enjoy adventures &
discovery.
Mental
1)Capable of critical thinking.
2)Arguing for the sake of it
3) Creative & enjoy solving
problems.
4) Can make & carry out
plan of action.
5) Work for sense of achievement.
6) Decision-making skills
are improving.
Younger Youth & Older Youth
Social
1) Want to belong to a
group of peers.
2) Seek adult status.
3) Desire acceptance of
adults (incl.parents)
4) Want to dress like
friends.
5) Enjoy competition.
6) Usually self-conscious.
Social
1) Can take deliberate
skills in improving
interpersonal skills.
2) Concerned about
relation-ship with the
the opposite sex.
3) Seek adult status.
4) Belong to a social group
of their interests &
needs.
Younger Youth & Older Youth
Emotional
1) Like a roller coaster.
2) May feel misunderstood.
3) Difficulty to express their
feelings.
4) Tend to rebel against
authority.
5) Commit to worthy cause.
6) Developing emotional
independence.
7) Sometimes difficult to
control their emotions.
Emotional
1) Have more ability to
control their emotions.
2) Still have moodiness.
3) Feel intense emotions
(incl. sexual impetus)
4) Likes art, film, music.
5) Need emotional security.
6) Ready to accept their
sexuality.
Younger Youth & Older Youth
Spiritual
1) Idealistic in faith.
2) Can have doubts in faith.
3) Ready for deep personal
encounter with God.
4) Think about death.
5) Appreciate honesty.
6) Want practical Bible study.
7) Capable of serving others
in ministry & missions.
Spiritual
1) Question adult value
systems.
2) Developing a mature
philosophy of life.
3) Emotional & personal faith.
4) Express faith in their own
terms.
5) Capable of making lifelong
commitments of
6) their faith.
7) Want to relate spiritual
truth to everyday life.
8) Capable of meaningful
worship experineces.
How Do Youth Learn? They Learn When...
1) They have adult role models to follow.
2) There is an atmosphere of love, trust, &
acceptance.
3) They make discoveries for themselves.
4) They are actively involved in the learning
process.
5) They explore Biblical truth with their peers.
How Do Youth Learn? They Learn When...
6) The lesson relates to their needs & interests.
7) The activities reflect their abilities.
8) The learning goal has been identified.
9) A variety of learning methods are employed.
10) They are provided with opportunities to take
positive action regarding the lesson.
7 Goals of Youth Ministry～“AFFIRMS”
A
F
F
I
R
M
S
Achievement realized.
Friends gained.
Feeling understood.
Identity established.
Responsibility accepted.
Maturity gained.
Sexuality understood.
Young Adults Need …
Regarding God, Young Adults needs
1) To reverence God, respect His commandments, and
seek to know & do His will as the supreme good.
To grow in understanding of prayer & in ability to pray.
3) To want to do things in ways pleasing to Jesus.
4) To grow in ability to make right choices.
5) To develop in ability to help make his/her home happy.
2)
6) To have an increasing love for all people which will
be expressed in friendliness & cooperation.
Young Adults Need …
1) To seek & use opportunities to invest their talents
& skills in Christian service.
2) To witness consistently to the truth & power of
Christian faith & to seek to win others to Christ.
3) To work faithfully for the building up of their
church & to serve sacrificially in & thru their
church.
4) To give money from worthy motives & according to
Biblical teaching for the support of their church &
its work.
Young Adults Need …
5) To show compassion for people in need & to do
deeds of helpfulness in daily life.
6) To find God’s will for their lives, to prepare
adequately for the vocation to which they are called,
and to enter that vocation with a sense of dedication
to Christian service.
7) To serve effectively as a member of a team & to
serve without desire for self-glory.
Young Adults Need …
8) To dedicate their total personality & resources to
world missions as the means of carrying forward the
redemptive undertaking of Jesus Christ
9) To join with others in cooperative action for
improvement of social conditions, the creation of a
more Christian society,
& the realization of God’s purpose for humankind
Wednesday, July 6 Class Two
The Theme
How To Build
Such Christian Characters
in Their Lives?
God As the Master Builder
“I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the growth.
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters
is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
The one who plants and the one waters have a
common purpose, and will receive wages
according to the labor of each.
For we are God’s servants, working together;
You are God’s field, God’s building.”
(NRSV, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9)
…. God is calling you to be God’s co-worker for Youth!
As Leaders/Teachers for
Youth/Young Adults…
As a co-worker of God, you need to help them!
*To help them read the Bible, and know the Bible
*To help them pray every day
*To help them faithfully attend Worship Service
*To help them give to God (money, time, talents,
etc)
*To help them witness to friends
(generally leader should be of the same sex as
the youth. Boy for boys, girl for girls)
As Leaders/Teachers for
Youth/Young Adults…
As a co-worker of God, you need to
help them!
*To listen to them carefully
*To help them share their problems
*To guide them to make good decisions
*To be with them to share their joys & sorrows
*To help them trust God in every way
As a Youth/Young Adult Leader,
you need…
*To know the Bible well
*To have basic skills in counseling (attentive
listening)
*To know their circumstances well(about their
family, school life, personalities, strength &
weaknesses)
*To accept them with patience & prayer
*To share the church life together
*To walk with them in their journey of life
Thursday, July 6
Class Three
The Theme
What should we, as the church,
do to minister to them?
What should we do, as the church, to help
them grow and mature?
Character
Formation
& Spiritual
Growth
Christian
Training
Developmental
Task
Ｂｉｂｌｉｃａｌ Ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ
“FORMATION & BUILDING”
Galatians 4:19(Christ being formed
in the believer)
Colossians 3:16~17(let the word of
Christ dwell in you)
Ephesians 4:11~17 (growing in love
as unity in the Body of Christ)
Think About It
A) Select a Bible story of your choice that you think
fits to the spiritual needs of Young Adult.
B) Select a topic of Bible Study for Young Adult and
develop a simple study outline.
(Example) Vocational Life, Love & Marriage,
Becoming an effective witness for the Lord, etc.
*Think about it~ (A) or (B)~
and share it on Thursday, July 7.
Biblical References
In case of Joseph
Genesis 37:1~36 Joseph 17 yrs old with his brothers
loved by father, envied & hated by his brothers
Genesis 39:1~41:36 Joseph’s hardship in Egypt
Joseph living alone in a foreign land
Joseph tempted by Potiphar’s wife, &
misunderstood, sent to jail
Genesis 41:37~46 Joseph interprets dreams
Joseph as prime minister at age 30
Biblical References
In case of Esther
Esther 2:5~18 Hadassah becoming Esther the Queen
Esther 4:1~17 Esther facing crisis of a lifetime
Esther 5:1~9:19 Jews in Persia saved
Esther 9:20~32 Esther ordaining Purim Festival
Youth Learn Through Many Activities!
Art Drama Music
Visual Techniques
Games
Pencil & Paper Sports
Eating Meeting
Fun Activities
Christian Fellowship
As the Church,
Youth/Young Adult Leader Will …
• Pray for them & put prayer into action
(e.g.: communication thru notebooks)
• To share their spiritual needs at the Teachers/Leaders
Meeting
• To share their spiritual needs with Pastor
• To have communication with their family
• To plan retreats/camps/seminars/eating meetings &
fellowship/watching videos/sport games, etc,
for them & with them
・ To help them do volunteer works at church
• To minister to them as a team
• To let them participate in regional camps/retreats
Youth & Young Adults
 Worship & Praise
 Bible Study
 Prayer & Devotions
 Christian Stewardship of Giving
 Christian Living & Testimony
 Christian Attitudes & Service
Youth& Young Adults
Ｂｉｂｌｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ
Charles A. Tidwell, The Educational Ministry of
A Church: A Comprehensive Model for Students
and Ministers, Revised & Expanded, 1996.
Bruce P. Powers, ed., Christian Education Handbook:
A Revised & Completely Updated Edition, 1996.
Daryl Eldridge, ed., The Teaching Ministry of the
Church:Integrating Biblical Truth with
Contemporary Application, 1995.
*Above 3 books are all from Broadman & Holman Publishers, USA.