Youth Service

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. (1 Timothy 4:12-14)

Leaders in the early church were called elders, which reflects the value placed on the wisdom and authority of those who were older in the faith and older chronologically. And yet in his letter, Paul did not communicate to younger Timothy that he carried less authority, nor did he tell him to put up with those who treated him disrespectfully because he was younger. Instead, he was not allowed to let anyone look down on him because he was young. His confidence and authority was not to be established by any aggressive leadership style, his charismatic personality, his natural talents as a communicator, or by self-righteous posturing. Instead, it was to be established by the following:

• His own example: people would respect him when they saw him living out his faith

• Gospel teaching: lives would be changed not by his own wisdom and understanding, but by the teachings of Jesus and others passed down to him

• Spiritual gift imparted through the church: his authority was established by God’s gift given to him when the ‘older ones’ prayed and prophesied over him.