Morals and Ethics... and Youth Ministry

I got to present a minor lesson at my Life Group last night. I talked about worldviews and their subsequent values. I asked everyone to give me the values of American society. They listed the normal ones: money, success, health, our land, power, individual freedom, and individualism. So, I asked what that means the American worldview is... Ego. I am my own maker. I am the most important. I am the top. Typical American values spawn from an egocentric view of the world. And, being an American, I can say that the culture tempts me to follow that route of selfishness.

But, there is another way...

In Philippians, Paul advocates a number of changes. He asks for a change of mindset, of commitment, of attitude, and in the first two chapters he advocates for a change in worldview. If America's (and Rome's) worldview was centered on Ego, the Christian worldview is centered on the Cross. From the view of the Cross, we can say, "To live is Christ; to die is gain." Our values are those of love, sacrifice, service, and humility.

As one of the people in the Life Group said, "They are the exact opposite of one another!"

However, I want to ask, "Which of these two worldviews (Ego or Cross) do we model our churches after?"

Do you focus on numbers and success rates of baptism? Do you serve for the sake of serving (and not to add someone to the church?) Do you sacrifice for people who cannot and could not pay you back? Would you be willing to take the fall for something you did not do? Would you be willing to allow someone else to take the credit for something you did? Do you love with an agenda? Or, do you love because that is your worldview? Do you serve because you do it by instinct?

Maybe we need to take to action what Jesus said, "If you do good to those who do good to you, what good is it? Do not even the tax collectors do that? If you love those who love you, what good is it? Don't even the sinners do that? No, I tell you. Love those who hate you, and do good to those who persecute you." If your worldview is the Cross, this is your heart.