Ain't Nobody Mad But The Devil...

Summer has been in full swing for me for 7 solid weeks already! As a youth pastor my summer is filled with awesome stuff like:
- Movie Nights
- Camps
- Pizza
- Afternoon group building times
- Outreach
- Sports tournaments
- Pizza
- And so much more.

One of the things I have noticed this summer is that Summer is Satan's least favorite season. While we could argue that it's is favorite (since it's so hot) I think there are 3 very specific reasons why summer gets Satan so heated...



1.) Teens are spending more time at Church/Youth.

When this summer is all said and done the majority of our teens will have spend approximately 171 hours of their summer either at the Church or on Church trips. 171 hours! I don't know about you but, during the school year we see our students maybe about 5 hours a week. If you feel like Satan is coming after you this summer, he is. For obvious reasons we are creating an environment where our students are constantly where the Love of Jesus is & I love it! So even if it seems like its too simple to be effective, do it! Some of the best times of our summer is what we call our "Team Build Tuesday." Every Tuesday from 2-4 teens come to the church and we spend the next 2 hours playing games, laughing, joking, encouraging, making new friends & being the Church.


2.) Teens are building friendships with other Christians.

I don't say that to mean that youth don't seek and carry out Christian friendships throughout the school year but, there is just something special about what happens in the summer. I specifically plan our Summer Camp for the second week of June. The one BIG reason why is that once we return from camp, the relationships that are built there, FLOURISH! At camp and ALL summer long I see students become friends and build relationships with people who I never would have imagined! The great thing about it is, it challenges our teens in new ways. They are getting out of their comfort zone. They are getting to know new people & in the process growing as a young person. Within those new friendships your teens begin to see Christ through the lens of their friends and it helps them all grow.


3.) Teens are getting more serious about their relationship with Christ.

Everyone knows about the dreaded "Mountain Top Experience." Your teens go to camp, they encounter Jesus, their life is changed! Then, they come back home and suddenly jobs, sports, social calendars and snap chat get in the way. If there is one thing I have found to be true in my ministry it is this. If you give your teens constant encouragement, resources and opportunities to grow in their relationship with Christ, they will! (This has to come from Pastors & parents)I truly believe that the teens of this generation want something more than what they see at school and TV. But, if we as the Church aren't there to show them that Jesus wants so much more for their lives than the world, they will falter. Thats another reason I love summer, students regularly stop by, text or FB me questions, good questions about the next step in their faith. No, wonder Satan is mad.


I recently heard a song where the lyrics simply say this, "Ain't nobody mad but the devil." I think that is the greatest!

It's my prayer that the things youth ministries across the world do this summer make the devil so mad! I pray that lives are changed, the love of Jesus is shared and all Satan can do is sit in the corner & pout! Let's make this summer the best & do everything in our power to make sure that its Satan's least favorite season.