The Commitments of Westminster Youth Ministries

I had this in PDF format and linked to it in another now-deleted post. Deleted? Yeah, no one could see it. So I will simply put it here in its entirety as a post for all the world...errr, 5 people to see. Please feel free to suggest corrections

Westminster Youth Ministries

Westminster Youth Ministries exists to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Our Primary Commitments

1. The glorification of God

a. We believe because God’s first commitment is to glorify himself, our first commitment is to glorify Him in this youth ministry. (Isa. 48:9 – 11)

b. We believe we should do this by seeking to see him and his glory in his word week after week through expositional Bible Study, doctrinal studies and discussion of contemporary issues. (Ps. 119:105, Rom. 16:7, Titus 2:1)

c. We believe our biggest problem is that we “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and all other problems are nothing compared to this problem. (Rom. 3:23)

d. We believe the triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the only thing in the Universe that can eternally satisfy our souls longing to be happy. (Ps. 34:8; 70:4, Phil. 1:21)

e. We believe that only a Sovereign God who rules the Universe according to his own pleasure is the only God worthy of worship. (Acts 4:24, Rom. 11:36, Phil. 2:13, 1 Tim. 6:15, Rev. 6:10)

f. We believe only God by the power of his Spirit will satisfy us in the midst of suffering. (Hebrews 10:32-34; Rom. 8)

g. We believe because the cross of Christ Jesus is the centerpiece in history for God’s revelation of His glory, we ought to make the cross of Christ Jesus the centerpiece of all we do. (Gal. 6:14; Phil. 2:8; Heb 12:2)

h. We believe the gospel because it is the message of the “glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. (2 Cor. 4:4 – 6; 1 Peter 3:18)

i. We believe in God’s love for us because he at great cost to himself made it possible for us to see his glory. (John 11: 1-6; Heb. 12:2; Rom. 15:8,9)




2. The good of others.

a. We believe that the most loving thing we can do for others is to do whatever it takes for others to see the glory of God. (2 Cor. 4-6, 13-15)

b. We believe the only thing in the Universe that will satisfy the longings of those we love is God. (Ps. 90:14; 103:1-5)

c. We believe any behavior that gets in the way of others seeing the glory of God cannot be love. (Rom. 1:22-23)

d. We believe God will not be glorified in a youth ministry where youth do not feel safe from gossip, hatred and bigotry. (2 Cor. 12:20; 1 John 4:20; Gal. 3:28)

e. We believe God will not be glorified in a youth ministry where youth are comfortable in their sin. (James 4:4)

f. We believe God will only be glorified in a youth ministry if their comfort in life’s trials is Christ alone. (Phil. 1:21)


g. We believe God is glorified and others are loved when we seek God in prayer on behalf of them. (Romans 15:30)




Secondary Commitments

We believe all of the above because of the testimony to these things in the Old and New Testaments. (Rom. 11:36)

We believe discipleship will only happen if students and their parents are committed to the same. (Luke 11:9, Prov. 22:6)

We believe the doctrines of the Reformation, including the doctrines of grace should not be shied away from but should be exalted over since they glorify God in all he does and they are widely testified to in the Scriptures. (Romans 8:28-9:24, Eph. 1:3-11; 2:4-10; John 6:44; 15:16)

We believe the parents of youth are their primary disciplers; all who work with the youth ministry are aids in Discipleship. (Prov. 1:8; 6:20; 22:6; Deut. 4:9-11)

We believe youth ministry should be characterized by thinking deeply about what God says about himself and his creation in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. (Acts 17:11) 2 Peter 3:15-18)

We believe because the hard texts in the Bible are inspired by God they should never be skipped but instead diligently studied in youth ministry. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 3:15-18))

We believe God in his providence has given youth a capacity to go deep with Christ in Study and prayer. (Luke 1:38; 1 Tim. 4:12)

We believe God in his providence has given provocative texts to get our attention on Christ and these are especially helpful in youth ministry. (Rom. 11: 32-36)

We believe fun is not the litmus test of whether a thing ought to be done in youth ministry; instead God’s glory is. (1 Cor. 10:31)

We believe the ESV is the best translation available today and therefore it is the best translation to use in youth ministry. (Psalm 19:7-14)

We believe that because youth ministry should give youth more of God and since God is the most enjoyable thing in the Universe, youth ministry should be enjoyable. (Psa. 70:4; Rom. 5:11; Phil. 1:18-26)