While up here at Hume Lake this week I’ve been giving some thought to my ministry to our high school girls. I have the privilege of heading up some structured things for them and I enjoy encouraging them and challenging them to walk closer with the Lord. The Lord has put on my heart a desire to help young women grow in their faith as they mature in their walk with Christ. I am not alone in this desire. There are dozens upon dozens of speakers and books available for young women today, all designed to “help” them. Though I’m not sure that is what they are really doing.

They often seem so focused on being trendy or relevant that they lose any spiritual depth as they end up being simply a pat on the back instead of a way to inspire them to be more like Christ. I remember a few years back when one of my small group girls showed me a new magazine. It took me a minute to realize what it actually was—the New Testament in magazine form complete with dating pointers, beauty tips, and sections about what guys think about girls and personality quizzes. The publishers thought this magazine-Bible would be more user-friendly because then a teenage girl wouldn’t be embarrassed to read her Bible at school or Starbucks, or even show it to a friend. I feel that this is completely missing the point of ministry to young Christian women today. We should be encouraging them with 1 Timothy 1:7 that says,

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,
but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

Instead of helping teen girls walk more boldly we tell them its okay to adapt their faith to a form that is more comfortable.

I was in the camp’s Christian bookstore today looking for a book I could read with some of my new high school girls. I found one that said:

Deep down every girl wants to be admired,
respected and honored, and that’s what God wants too.
He knows that when a girl holds her head high
And walks with dignity, she is much happier
and more confident as a person.

This is the popular mantra of Christian girls books today—“You have intrinsic worth” and “God wants to fulfill your dreams.” We have replaced God’s Word with our opinion, experience or stereotype studies. We have replaced our need for a new life and obedience by teaching instead on the power of self-esteem and how to be better in tune with your (felt) needs.

As I read through these books or magazines I almost wouldn’t know they were “Christian.” They closely resemble a Seventeen magazine featuring a “5 tips to help you be a happier girl” section. That may seem harsh, but this is the reality of most youth ministry to Christian girls today. I really wish that it mattered more to people that Christian girls be taught the truth of the value, not of themselves, but of their relationship with God. I wish more youth pastor’s wives or women leaders would do Bible studies instead of book studies. We need to teach our girls to be spiritually disciplined, servants, using their gifts, and walking with God.

Today’s young Christian girl doesn’t need to esteem herself more, be convinced of her inner mystery, claim her beauty or demand respect. What do Christian girls need? Christian girls need to be transformed into the likeness of their Savior.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
Romans 12:2

To be continued…