HOW TO HELP TEENS CONNECT FAITH TO THEIR FUTURE
Updated: Oct 15
I’ve been in church most of my life, but there’s one message I rarely hear…
And it’s an important one.
Your work matters to God.
You typically only hear this message applied to those working in church ministry, people who share the gospel at work, or those who give financially.
But it almost never applies to regular, everyday jobs, like an engineer or police officer.
So, what’s the result?
Most people can’t see how their work connects to their faith. They think what they do day-to-day holds no spiritual value or meaning in God’s Kingdom.
For them, a job is just that…a "job."
This mindset is especially damaging to young people.
I’ve had students tell me things like:
“I want to go into law enforcement, but that has nothing to do with sharing the gospel, so I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.”
These young people are being taught to love and follow Jesus (Amen!).
But they’re rarely shown how to live out their faith in the area where they’ll spend most of their lives, their work.
And young people are searching for this.
According to Barna, 75% of young followers of Christ are looking for a way to connect their faith to the real world.
If they don’t find it, faith stops being relevant.
One of the clearest ways to close this gap is to teach the biblical truth that all work matters to God.
And yes, I do mean ALL WORK.
All work matters because…
…it’s the first thing God blessed us to do in Genesis 1:28 when he commissioned everyone to work creation in his image.
..God made us in his image FOR the work he prepared us to do. (Eph 2:10)
..it’s one of our biggest opportunities to love and follow Jesus!
Whether someone works in a shop or a sales office, all work done for the glory of God and the good of others is a chance to love and serve Jesus.
It’s essential that young people understand how their interests in the marketplace aren’t separate from God’s purpose — they are part of it.
Their work needs to matter.
And the good news is, to God, it already does.
