Being Young Doesn't Matter

Well it has been a great weekend so far and I have enjoyed my time here with all of you this weekend. Of course, anytime we get to pick on Troy is always a good weekend. But in all seriousness, I think we have accomplished a lot this weekend.

In fact, I think that this year we are heading into the Brigade year more prepared than we probably ever have. We have lesson plans prepared, trips planned, and this weekend, rather than planning, we were more focused on fine tuning our lessons for squad time and spending time together growing as a team.

But there is something else that is different about this year’s team. It is actually something that a couple of you have spoken to me about one on one as a major concern for this year. And that is that this year’s leadership team is young. It is true, this year’s team is one of the youngest we have had in the 20 plus years that I have been involved with Brigade. That can be a challenge, it’s true.

Being young can make it hard to reach guys older than you. Though we do not really have that issue this year. Being young can bring self-doubt. “What if I mess up? What if I am not up to this? What if they laugh at me? What if they don’t follow me?” These are the questions and the fears that can tend to rise up inside of us. They are legitimate fears. But what does the Bible say we should do as young leaders?

Let’s look at 1 Timothy 4:11-16

1 Timothy 4:11–16 ESV

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Let us pray.

Let no one despise you for your youth. Now what does that mean exactly? Why would Paul be saying this to Timothy?

In that culture, and very much so in today’s culture, some would look down on someone younger than them trying to instruct them and teach them how to live. But Paul said Timothy should not let that bother him. Instead, what does it say for Timothy to do? It says to set an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.

Now we are going to get into those things a little deeper in a minute but I want to focus on this one verse here, verse 12. Set the example.

Guys we are to be examples to those that we lead. But what is an example? It’s the pattern, a model. We should set the standards that we expect to be met. We should be setting forth what we want to be copied and emulated by the guys in our squads. We should be above reproach and set ourselves to a higher level of living. We need to watch what we say, we need to watch what we do and we need to show love to others and live a life of faith and integrity.

But setting the example in these areas is not the only instruction that Paul gives to Timothy. Look at verse 13.

1 Timothy 4:13 ESV

13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

It says to devote yourselves to these things. Devote, devotion, what does it mean? It means to continue in close attention. To have it at the forefront of your mind. To have the utmost importance in your life. To be occupied by it. This is what it means to be in ministry. It should constantly be on our minds. We should always be seeking to do better. After all, it is ministry that has the lasting impact on eternity. That is not to say that other things are not important, they are, but we are to devote ourselves to the Scriptures and teaching the Scriptures.

I know you guys probably get tired of hearing me go on and on about the topics we study and due dates and assignments and I know for sure Jack is tired of hearing about it. But I don’t just push you guys to get it done for the sake of getting it done. I push you guys because this is what we are to devote ourselves to. This is what it is all about, studying the Scriptures.

And verse 14 is key as well.

1 Timothy 4:14 ESV

14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

You are on this leadership team because the Sr. Leader’s see something in each of you. We have identified each of you as having certain gifts and qualities that make you fit for the positions that we have you in. Don’t neglect your gifts. Use them. Sharpen them. Perfect them.

But how do we keep from neglecting these gifts? How do we utilize them? We practice them. Look at verse 15.

1 Timothy 4:15 ESV

15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

Practice, improve yourself in an area by care or study. Immerse yourself, surround yourself with these things. Have them always about you. Work on them, hone them, use them.

And finally, as leaders, we are to keep our conduct in order. Look at verse 16.

1 Timothy 4:16 ESV

16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Guys, as leaders, we are to live to a higher standard. Earlier in the passage it said that we are to be the example. This is how we are to live. A higher standard. James says that teachers will be held to a greater account. How are you living your life? What are you doing when nobody is around. Are you the same person at home as you are when you are around the Leadership Team? Are you the same person around your “other” friends as you are with your friends in Brigade? Are you the same at school as you are in church?

Keep a close watch on everything we do, and also, everything we teach. That goes back to what I was saying earlier. We need to keep a close watch on our teaching. When we have you guys spend 3-4 weeks in a passage it’s not because we want to put all of this work on you. It is because we want to make sure we get this stuff right. It’s a big responsibility. And the Sr. Leaders are here to help you with that. We are here to be your support system. To help you through it.

And that being said I want to circle back to verse 12.

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

We are going to have a great year. Coit and I have spoken several times over the last year and the last few months that we are very excited about where we are as a leadership team. Are you young? Yes. But at the same time, I feel like this is one of the more dynamic teams, if not the most dynamic team, I have seen since I have been involved with 2733.

So yes, our team is young, yes, that can be intimidating. Yes, you have a big responsibility. Yes, times are different due to Covid-19. Yes, there are a lot of unknowns. Yes, it is ok to be nervous. But also, yes, this is going to be a great year. God has ordained that each one of you be right where you are at this exact time. We are going to follow His plan and walk with integrity and use the gifts that He has given us to teach and disciple the guys that are in our squads.

I’m looking forward to it, the other Sr. Leader’s are looking forward to it, Coit is looking forward to it and I hope that you are too.

So what I want to do now is to just take a time of prayer. We are going to pray for each of the Non-Coms and then we are going to pray over your squads. So what I am going to do is give out the name of one non-com, and we are going to pray for that person, however many people want to pray, and then when I think we are ready I will say the next name. Then we will pray over each squad and then we will be ready to go home.

Let’s pray.