Last week, we experienced the loss of our Teen Impact Ministry leader, Joe Marton. Joe was a faithful layman, and member of Kitwe Church. In late 2023, Joe accepted the responsibility to lead our Teen Impact Ministry team.
The teens gather monthly for fellowship, games, and most importantly the Bible study. This year Joe selected a series of lessons on Developing a Biblical Worldview. He also organized for the church to buy a copy of the book by John Piper, “Don’t Waste Your Life” that he wanted to give to each teen this year on their birthday.
A week ago Friday he led the monthly teen gathering. On Monday, after playing squash, Joe experienced a heart issue and at 52yrs old, was promoted to the presence of the Savior he loved and served. He will be greatly missed!
You can watch Joe Marton’s Memorial Service held on March 25, 2025, here on the Kitwe Church YouTube channel.
TEEN IMPACT
In honor of Joe, I would like to share with you the purpose and philosophy behind the ministry to teens at Kitwe Church, I pray it will encourate you in your own ministry to the young people of your church.
Helping teens develop a heart for God!
“And we proclaim him, admonishing every man, and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Colossians 1:28
Teen Impact exists to help teens develop a heart for God. This journey begins with a teen coming to Christ in saving faith. Salvation is just the beginning of this journey, then begins the process of Sanctification. It is the purpose of Teen Impact to also lead teens toward living a life of sanctification.
THE GOAL
The goal of the Teen Impact youth ministry at Kitwe Church is to glorify God through producing mature Christian youth. We will do this by emphasizing six areas of spiritual training:
1) SALVATION (Rom 3:23)
Our teen ministry is concerned with leading teens to saving faith in Jesus Christ. We therefore are intentional with the verbal proclamation of the gospel, and seek to equip and challenge teens to have a burden for their lost friends.
2) FELLOWSHIP (Acts 2:44, Heb 10:24-25)
Our ministry provides fellowship for Christian teens in a safe environment. “Fellowship happens in youth ministry when students are known, cared for, held accountable, and encouraged in their spiritual journey.” (Doug Fields, Purpose Driven Youth Ministry: 9 Essential Foundations for Healthy Growth, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998, 137)
In a society overrun with false worldviews and blatant sin, a youth ministry can provide a teenager with a place of comfort and safety, as well as providing a place of positive peer-pressure. Here, teens are able to meet other teens that share in an excitement for God’s Word.
3) CONSECRATION TO GOD (Phil 3:10, 2 Cor 6:17)
Another goal for our youth ministry is to challenge teens to consecrate their lives to God. This involves submission to God, His Word and His will for their life. It includes separating to God and from sinful habits, lifestyles and the value system of the world around them.
4) LONGING FOR GOD’S WORD (2 Pet 3:18)
One main purpose of youth ministry is to teach young people the foundational truths of God’s Word. This is done through the preaching and teaching of the Bible. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
5) BURDEN FOR THE LOST (Mat 9:37-38)
A youth ministry is place for outreach to the lost. It is important for the youth to see the importance of having a ministry to the unsaved, with a constant realization of the sobering reality that people are dying and going to hell today.
6) DISCIPLESHIP OF NEW CHRISTIANS (2 Tim 2:2)
Most importantly, youth work provides a way to teach young people how to have a deeper relationship with Christ. Whether by friendship, love, or family, teens are dependent on relationships. All too often though, teenagers depend on human relationships, rather than on their relationship with Christ. A key to this deepening relationship is that the teen is encouraged to disciple other newly saved teens.
The plan to achieve this goal is three-fold:
- EVANGELISM (Dan 12:3)
- CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT (1 Tim 4:7)
- BIBLE KNOWLEDGE (2 Tim 3:16-17)
PHILOSOPHY DRIVES METHODS
It is important to remember that we will keep teens at Kitwe Church with the same things we use to get them here. Since spiritual activities are the only way to build teens spiritually, the emphasis of the program should be to make corporate worship, bringing people to Christ, and weekly Impact Bible Study Group an exciting part of the young person’s life. Our goal should be for teens not to miss these essential elements and only come to activities. The group should not have a “let’s have fun” mentality. We want them to learn the real joy of service. Activities and recreation play a part in the teens development, but only as they fit into the plan and ultimately help fulfill the goal of developing a heart for God. (1 Thes 5:22; Ecc 9:10). (Sourced and Adapted from statements from Kaysville Bible Church & First Baptist Church, Troy, MI)
IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS
Parents play a vital role in youth work. The youth pastor is a “parent-helper.” The responsibility for “training up a child in the way he should go” is the responsibility of parents. Therefore we recognize that regular communication with the parents is a vital part of success in youth ministry. This communication is helpful for the youth leaders, but essential for the parents. Effective youth work must have parental support (Deut 5 & 6). In some cases our teens do not have Christian parents, it vital that we do our best to engage those parents for purpose of relationship building and evangelism.
IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH WORKERS
As the pastors and the youth leaders lead the youth ministry they must remember the necessity of a continual healthy growth in the knowledge of and relationship with Christ. As the leaders of the church strive to glorify God they must remember that God has a purpose for the teenagers in the youth group. It is the leaders’ responsibility to help those teenagers see their need of a sincere love for God. Teens need adults in their lives that they can look up to, adults who serve as humble role models that they can emulate.
“A heart for God is the ultimate goal for teens.”
(Paul David Tripp, Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, P&R Publishing, 1997, 185)
Zambia Hunt 
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