GUEST POST: Youth Leaders and Alcohol

on August 24th, 2009

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.


View More:

Comments (8)

Nick at 9:05am August 25

These are great questions for any believer to answer with regards to alcohol. I might have to steal them. :)

John at 12:07am August 30

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! :)