For all of our youth leaders, we have an expectation that they don’t consume alcohol at any time until they have satisfactorily answered the 6 questions below.
Why? Alcohol abuse is a huge issue in Australia, and particularly on the Gold Coast. As a youth ministry we don’t want to condone this abuse, or be seen to conform to it. Additionally, we want to protect our youth leaders from accusations by youth or their parents, even if they’re entirely in the clear. We understand that drinking alcohol is a personal decision to be made by each person, but until they have a mature answer for their decision, we ask them to abstain.
But… We have 6 questions that we ask each youth leader to consider, work through, and provide a written and verbal answer for. If they can satisfactorily answer these questions, then we encourage them to exercise their mature freedom and drink if they choose to. These questions provide protection for our youth leaders, protection for the ministry, and protection for the name of Jesus that we carry. It also allows the leaders to have an answer when their friends, youth, or parents of youth question them about their decision to drink or to abstain.
The questions are:
1. Why do I drink alcohol?
2. Do I know when and how to stop?
3. Do I know the situation of those around me?
4. Is this the best way for me to present Jesus?
5. Am I acting in love towards my brother?
6. Can I explain my personal conviction from scripture?
Geoff Snook is an Australian youth worker who blogs at http://reflectionsofasnook.blogspot.com.
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Josh Griffin has been in youth ministry for 16+ years in a small church and a big church. He currently serves as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. [
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Geoff Stewart serves the Jr / Sr High School Pastor at Peace Portal Alliance Church in Surrey B.C.
Chris Wesley serves as the Director of Student Ministry at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland.
Colton Harker serves with Josh at Saddleback Church. He is currently in his second year in youth ministry.
These are great questions for any believer to answer with regards to alcohol. I might have to steal them.
Is Q#4. Is this the best way for me to present Jesus?
Just a loaded question? One that you expect people to get hung up on and trap them?
not sure i agree, at least in our context where alcohol abuse is not an issue.
healthy demonstration is not a bad testimony either.
Yeah I agree with Chris, Q4 is a loaded question, but also I think Q5 is too! I understand having your leaders think through the other questions, but I really think the whole alcohol issue is a weaker brother issue. It seems like these questions would put someone on the defensive and trying to lead them to the “correct” answer (or at least correct according to the person who wrote the questions) I hope this is not your intent, but seems like it could easily lead to legalism.
I think the best approach is to obstain…what’s the point anyway. If you have to put someone through a “series of questions” then it’s probably something to avoid anyway. Just my opinion.
Billy, I don’t think we should be afraid to ask questions. Just because it’s a hard issue doesn’t mean we should avoid it. Engaging the issue is a much better option. The actual questions the author gives aside, we should look at all issues with such thoughtfulness.
I see questions 4 and 5 both being loaded questions. I see them as also being biblical questions. God wants us to prefer others. God also wants us to represent Christ as best we can. So they are good loaded questions. If it’s a weaker brother issue, who is the weaker brother? If it’s the one who drinks, then we know how to respond when they drink. If it’s the one who abstains from drinking, then the one who drinks shouldn’t do it around the weaker brother. What do you think?
By “loaded questions” I mean it seems they expect a certain answer. Like me saying, “You believe in God, Right?” In the asking it seems like the answer should say, “Ok I won’t drink.” not very biblical.
By weaker brother, i mean the one talked about in 1 Cor 8. The weaker brother in this case would be the one who can’t drink. Maybe it’s for a good reason like he knows if he does drink than he WILL get drunk. Then for him it is good to abstain. I would totally agree with you that one should not do something around the weaker brother, making a stumbling block for him. Yet when one is not around the weaker brother and do not have convictions about it, then go for it!