We have a question from Sebastian. He writes, "I am a youth group leader from Switzerland. What are the core values from the Bible to pass on to my youth group, or what are the really important things we should give our youth today?" Obviously a youth pastor can't develop a full systematic theology in the minds of his young people.

He's got to choose some really key things to drive home. Pastor John, what would you put at the top of the list of your priorities for Sebastian? I would probably put at the top, or maybe it would be better to say at the bottom, as foundation, a true Bible.

Help these young people be rock-solid and thrilled that they have a book in which the Creator of the universe has spoken the truth to them about Himself and about them and about the world. This is just stunning when you think about it. If this is true, if the Bible is inspired by God, we have a book in which our Maker, our Creator, and the Sustainer, and the One who runs the universe has spoken to us the truth.

There just can't be anything more significant for a young person's life than to have a book in his hand. This book, this book tells me where I came from. This book tells me the meaning of life. This book tells me how to live and what my future can be.

So that's number one. Build every week, every time you get together, use the Bible in such a way as to communicate. We have a book here that's foundational truth for living. Number two, I'd say a great God. So true Bible and a great God. Just constantly lift the sights of young people higher than they would go without your leadership, and higher means a greater and greater and greater view of God.

Don't sink down to assume that they've got the level at which you should address them. So many people are so eager for relevance that they let the young people dictate all the agenda, and the young people don't realize that the way you solve their agenda usually is by creating in their hearts a space for a massive God that reorients the whole agenda, and they see everything differently.

So I would say number two is build into them a great God. Number three, I'd say teach them that life is hard and suffering is coming, and that's an essential part of the Christian life. And number four, I'd say show them that the Christian life gives them the deepest meaning possible.

That even though life is hard, it is richer and deeper and more satisfying to have a significant life in Christ than any other any other way. And maybe one other thing, two other things come to mind. Give them an absolutely certain, confident, glorious future that no matter what happens, they have eternal life.

Everything's going to work together for their good. They're going to have a new heavens and a new earth. Every wrong will be made right. God will be exalted, and they will have everlasting joy no matter what they have to sacrifice in this world on the way there. And the last thing, in, under, and around that, weave the gospel, the cross of Christ, that Christ has covered all their sins and has provided all their righteousness as they trust in Him.

Those are the radicals that I would build if I were leading some youth. Thank you, Pastor John, and thank you for listening to this podcast. If you have a question for Pastor John, please send it to us via email at askpastorjohn@desiringgod.org. Please include your first name and your hometown.

You can find thousands of other free resources from John Piper online at desiringgod.org. I'm your host Tony Ranke, thanks for listening.