Teaching Controversial Passages at Youth Group
How can youth workers deal with “controversial” issues related to Scripture, theology, church governance, etc.? There are plenty of disagreements inside our denominations, so it’s important to remain faithful to the Scriptures while acknowledging existing disagreements. How do we ensure we are not getting our students sidetracked by secondary or tertiary issues? I think there are some important points the Apostle Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 that will provide some insight into how we should (and should not) approach teaching these kinds of subjects in our ministries:
What Paul does here is a master class in articulating what we must teach to be faithful stewards of the Word of God. He presents three truths that direct the way we address controversial passages and topics.
What the Hope Is
In response to the growing quarrels at Corinth, Paul says several statements about the nature of the Christian hope: the gospel of Christ. What specifically does He mention?
First, the cross, where Jesus was crucified for their salvation. As he says in 2 Cor. 5:21, “God made Him to be sin who knew no sin, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Second, the baptism of believers into the name of Christ. As he writes in Rom. 6:4, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Notice that this is a very short reminder. There are two things, both related to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and through the grave/resurrection.
The hope of the gospel is that God has made us for a relationship with Him. Our sin separated us from God, causing us to need redemption. The only way for us to be fully redeemed and welcomed into God’s presence was for Jesus to come in human flesh, live a perfect life, die in our place, rise from the dead, and ascend back to the Father to send the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Those who are saved are adopted into God’s family, permanently sealed until the day Christ returns, when they will be glorified, rise victorious over evil, and enter an eternal inheritance with the Triune God.
Beyond this, we must be careful how much importance we place on particular interpretations of these various elements (Who will be saved? What does it mean Jesus took our place? When do we receive the Spirit? When will Jesus return?). These are important subjects, but they are not the gospel message. Our interpretations of the texts, as well as the theological systems connected to them, while good to discuss, should not be elevated to equal standing with the story of Christ. Our own views do not carry the power of the gospel. We need to remember that.
Who the Hope is In
Some of the divisions in the Corinthian church were started over various teachers. Some claimed to follow Paul, others Peter (Cephas), Apollos, and Christ. Now you probably caught the problem already: only one of these people worked salvation on behalf of believers: Jesus. So what were the arguments over? Preferences.
Did Peter or Paul or Apollos preach a different gospel than Jesus did? Absolutely not. The people had made divisions in the church, even though they held the same beliefs, because they allowed their preferences over teachers to take precedence over the message itself. This would be the equivalent of saying, “I follow Tim Keller, I follow Paul David Tripp, I follow J.I. Packer, I follow Jesus.”
Our hope is not in our favorite teacher, nor in their theological system. When we are teaching our students, we need to make sure that our preferences are not the priority. We are not called to make Calvinists or Old-Earth Creationists or Dispensationalists. We are called to make disciples of Christ, through teaching the gospel of Christ, for the glory of Christ.
What the Hope Does
Finally, what do we see Paul stress? The power of the gospel, which unites the people of God under the banner of Christ. There not be divisions because we have all received the same grace, bought by the same blood, for the same purpose. Our identity is the same. Our mission is the same. Our destination is the same. The gospel of Christ is a unifying story.
How Do We Avoid Divisions Over Preferences?
How do you go about teaching “preference-neutral?” Here are some pointers:
Say What the Text Says
Don’t come at me, let me explain. I know the problem with these issues is usually the question, “What does the text MEAN?” I am saying that we need to say what it says. Read the verses, and clearly explain Scripture’s words in a way your students can understand what it teaches.
Don’t Say What it Doesn’t Say
Here is the “come at me” moment. Out of a commitment to teaching God’s Word, it is enough to simply teach what God’s Word teaches. Therefore, you don’t need to read every theological implication in the passage. For example, Baptists don’t need to read baptism into every text, nor do Calvinists need to explain away passages that talk about freewill.
Explain Options When Asked
In closing, how do you respond to a question like this one, “Are you a Calvinist?” or “How did Jesus’s death atone for sin?”
I have had these asked a lot. Here is what I usually do:
Present Orthodox Alternatives: “You can believe these and still be Christian…”
Communicate Core Commitments of Each: “If you want to be Calvinist, that’s fine, but know you will have to wrestle with…”
Present What You Believe and Why: “This is where I lean, and the main reasons are…”
Let Them Work Through It Themselves
These secondary and tertiary issues are beneficial to discuss in the right context and with the right posture. But remember, students and parents are trusting you to teach Scripture, not a particular theological system. This is why it’s important to find a denomination and church where there will not be a constant seed of division between yourself and the church’s statement of faith.
Your role as a Bible teacher is not to help students and leaders understand only what you think the implications of verse are for your broader theological framework. It is to help them learn how to approach the passage in context, see the threads of the gospel woven throughout, and to leave knowing they encountered God in a way that shapes them moving forward. Don’t just prove your point; lead them to “…gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4).