Sept. 17: Thrive Youth is Coming Soon!

If someone were to ask me which period in Israel's history was the most devastating, I would certainly point to the time of Daniel. When the southern kingdom of Judah was conquered by the Babylonian Empire, King Nebuchadnezzar implemented a policy to assimilate Israel's talented youth into Babylonian culture. In 605 B.C., Babylon attacked Israel, and the first group of captives taken to the royal palace in Babylon included Daniel. At the time, Daniel was just 14 years old, a young teenage boy. Imagine the emotional turmoil he must have experienced as his country was conquered, pagan gods were introduced, and the ability to worship the God of Israel was stripped away.

In Babylon, Daniel was taught the language, culture, and gods of the Babylonians, all in an attempt to force him to worship and revere them. However, Daniel did not forsake his faith in God. While the Babylonian empire could compel him to worship other gods and abandon his faith, they could not change his heart. Daniel 1:8 tells us, "Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way." The Hebrew word for "resolve" is "Lev לֵב," meaning more than just a simple decision—it means "heart." Daniel set his heart on God, directing his mind and will toward the One who truly deserved his worship.

Today, our world resembles a spiritual Babylon that seeks to corrupt the hearts of our children with false ideologies, moral confusion, and spiritual deception. Just as Daniel lived in such a time and made a firm resolution to worship only God, I pray that our children will do the same—standing firm in the truth, rejecting sin, and turning away from lies. In this age of spiritual blindness, we as parents must remain spiritually vigilant. Education doesn't begin in schools; it begins at home. Parents are mirrors to their children, and they will learn from us, so we must remain spiritually awake.

With this in mind, we have been praying about the importance of youth ministry at Thrive Church. Starting Sunday, October 6th, we will launch our youth ministry, focusing on middle and high school students. I urge you not to think of them as someone else’s children, but as our own. When you adopt this mindset, you will begin to ask, "How can I help, even in the smallest way?" Our church’s youth are my children, my flock. I don't expect someone else to do this work; I must, you must, and we must take this responsibility. Let’s help them stand on the truth of God’s Word. I pray for more volunteers to show interest and help in this ministry. As we announce this over the next couple of weeks, I encourage you to pray and consider how you can participate. More details will be shared in the bulletin and during Sunday announcements, but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact the church.

Thank you, and God bless you!

With Faith and Commitment to Christ Alone!

Rev. Dr. Won Kim

The Lead Pastor of Thrive Church