How important is Jesus in our work?

[James]

Something i have been wondering, often we take our inspiration from the incarnation, ie we be vulnerable and in the world of the young people, but is that as far as it needs to go for us to 'follow' Jesus in our youthwork? If we make ourselves accessible to young people akin the incarnation, how do we make Jesus as accessible to them in the same way, and i am not talking about having glitzy powerpoint or louder music, i am wondering how we get young people connected and journeying with Jesus in an authentic long term relational way, and whether it is more important that we imitate more of Jesus in our youthwork, modeling his methods of communication, education, philosophizing and allowing young people to journey with us....

[Allan Clyne]

Hi James
Interesting question, which prompted in me a couple of interesting thoughts. (Interesting to me anyway!)
The first being, are we making assumptions in focusing on Jesus is always as the first, and most significant point of contact with the God head?
The second is are we as Christian Youth Workers saying being a Christian is about Journeying with Jesus or reconciliation with God?
Thirdly, is Incarnational living the be-and -end -all of our approach?

While incarnational living is important to the way we live and work, reflecting The Character of Jesus into the community in which we serve, however I think there needs to be more. Might we require a profounder question. “How important is the Trinity to our youth work?” surely the significance of the incarnation is only recognised in the context of the Trinity

PHP 2:6ff
“Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.”

The concept of Trinitarian youth work raises some. I think, interesting challenges, to which I have not a lot of answers. But it does I think bring us back to the importance of the Church. Trinitarian Youth Work should be ecclesiological youth work. For it is the Church and not the youth worker or the youth club that is the bride of Christ

I’m not quite sure how all this fits together, it would be good to get some others thoughts and perspectives.