At the core of our youth philosophy is responsibility. That doesn't sound like much fun but stick with me.

Their Responsibility

I've searched and searched to find where the Bible says youth get a special pass to sow their wild oats. Or a special window of time, from about 13 years old to around 19 to experiment with everything they will have to give up when they become "mature".

Hmmmmm. It's not in there. Instead I find a call to model Christ regardless of age.

"Let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires." Romans 13:14 NLT

That means the youth have the same mandate to serve Christ with a heart of passion as I do. They are just as responsible before God as I am for their attitudes and motives and actions.

Funny thing. Over the years I've found that when young people love each other, their parents and their brothers and sisters they have far more fun in life. When they don't carry around the weight of guilt from anger, jealousy, bitterness and lust they are far more fun to be around. When they desire to bring their life into line with the plumb line of God's Word they are, well, doing what they were designed to do.