By Debbie Townsend
BIG SANDY, Texas--The Big Sandy youth ministry was host for a True Love Waits worship service May 23.
During the service the parents and congregation committed themselves to supporting the teens in their promise to remain sexually pure until marriage.
It began with a commitment to godly courtship the young people made at an Acquire the Fire Convention in March.
True Love Waits is an international campaign designed to challenge teens and college students to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. The campaign was created April 1993 and continues to be coordinated by the Baptist Sunday School Board.
Forty-two denominations and various Christian student organizations are actively carrying the True Love Waits challenge to students.
Many valuable resources are available to assist in implementing a True Love Waits program. The family worship plan was laid out for the parents in an easy to understand fashion, so even if they had not conducted family worship they could be successful.
In an effort to bolster them in this endeavor, the youth ministry led the teens through a six-week study using a book by Lane Powell titled Holding Out for True Love.
Each week the youths read a chapter in the book, then went through group learning activities the following Saturday to reemphasize the key points of the chapter.
The book, a service of the Baptist Sunday School Board, takes the students through the process of understanding how important they are to God and his plan for their relationships with the opposite sex.
The theme for the course was set in the first chapter with the good news that, "You are a person of worth created in the image of God to love and be loved."
Dr. Powell spent the rest of the book convincing the youths of that fact and encouraging them to use the power God gave them over their feelings. The main scripture used throughout the lessons was 2 Timothy 1:7, "For the spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, His Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control" (Good News Bible).
At the end of the book, the youths are encouraged to interview their parents to learn more about them and their teen years.
As a continuation of this theme, the parents were encouraged to conduct a True Love Waits family worship in their homes.
The True Love Waits worship service gave the teens a chance to share what they were doing with the entire congregation.
Two teens gave testimonials on why they felt a program like this is important. Brandee Kennebeck said the lessons helped her deal with the pressure to have a boyfriend.
She told the congregation: "At school everyone thinks you are weird if you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend. This program helped me feel complete and secure without being attached to someone of the opposite sex."
Michael Ritsema shared how he had been strengthened in his commitment to sexual abstinence by the reminder that he is doing it so he can receive "the blessings God has for us if we wait."
The congregation stood and recited a litany showing their support for the youths in the commitment they had made and promising to support them in their walk.
Sharon Gutierrez set the stage for the commitment ceremony by sharing with the congregation the Jaci Velasquez song, "I Promise."
Then Bill Kelley, a youth ministry leader, called the youths and their parents to the stage for the ring ceremony.
Parents and youths recited commitments together while parents placed plain gold wedding bands on the teens' left ring fingers.
Fifteen youths pledged: "Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate and my future children to be sexually abstinent from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship."
Since that day, another six youths have made this commitment at home with their families. The youths were encouraged to wear this ring until they take it off to put on their wedding ring. Mr. Kelley suggested they give the commitment ring to their spouse as a symbol of their faithfulness.
After services, the congregation shared in a cake and punch reception at which many of them showed their individual support for the young people.
Next year the youths plan to take the True Love Waits challenge to their peers at high school and college campuses. The national True Love Waits campaign culminates around Valentine's Day each year. To find out more about getting involved with this program call 1-800-LUV-WAIT.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998