Guest Post: Theresa

Name: Theresa Mazza
Vocation: Artist, Writer, Youth Programming Consultant 
Current Location: Colorado

Questions are just part of the process and journey to honest and meaningful living. I believe that God wants us to live, truly live, with meaning and purpose. It all starts with the questions we are willing to ask. The answers come with experience. And the honesty continues even after we’ve discovered a meaningful response or answer to a question. So here’s my take on three great questions from my awesome friend, Leigh. 

How do you think teens experience the Holy Spirit as they begin a walk with Christ?

Teens begin experiencing the Holy Spirit as they identify with a triune God. One of my first priorities in the discipleship of teens is teaching them the attributes and characteristics of God. When teens learn through the word and by the example set by spiritual leaders, that God is grace, God is forgiving, God is kind, God is just, God is love, experiences that mirror these attributes and characteristics Identify teens with the significance of being one with the Holy Spirit. They begin to “CONNECT” through the presence of Gods Spirit. I’ve often scene teens experience or identify with the Holy Spirit, when I travel with teens to serve in a foreign country or even when we serve at home. Students, who are taught that God is merciful,or that God is provider, will experience the Holy Spirit or IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST, when he has the opportunity to become mercy or become provision for someone else or when someone becomes mercy or provides for him. Often during mission trips teens will report that they feel so close to God because these people who have nothing in their eyes are willing to give up an entire years wages to provide one meal for them. They are experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit because someone made provision for them. And this humbles them and breaks them. This is why I believe service is so important in ministry with and to teens. Teach teens the attributes and characteristics of God and they begin experiencing the Holy Spirit in their everyday life.

What is one important piece of information you wish all parents would share with their kids?

The information is only half of the equation here, how it’s shared is the other half. I wish all parents would share this information on a daily, hourly basis: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART. There are dozens of amazing ways to share that information. Many teens are left wanting or searching because the above information hasn’t been shared enough. The child who only hears this information also needs to see it demonstrated. The child who see’s this information demonstrated must also hear it verbalized.


What are three lessons the church should learn from teenagers? 

1.UNITY. Segregating teens in the body of Christ (or local church), works no better in the family of God than it would in their biological families. Imagine parents going on with their life, but then requiring there teens to live under their roof but always in another room. That would not be life together, any more than teens only serving with teens, or adults’ only worshiping with adults is life together. When teens are fully engaged in Christian community they excel and the kingdom of God excels.

Theresa with Michael W. Smith @ Rocketown, FL

2. PASSION. Nothing can match the beauty and power of a teen that has passion for Christ. The church needs to learn to embrace that passion and let it loose. When we recognize a teens passion for Christ, we get to see world changers and influencers in the making, present and future. Teens who are in love with God do not hold back. They Worship hard, they serve hard, and they play hard and embrace fellowship and community. I want that kind of passion. I once witnessed two middle school students raise over $4,000 dollars for a homeless shelter after being challenged to serve their community, that’s passion. I’ve seen teens wash so many cars their fingers were falling off, as they raised money to build a house in Mexico for a family in need, that’s passion. When’s the last time we made efforts like that to share the love of Christ with the world around us?

3. INCLUSIVITY. Teens have schooled me in this area. I’ve learned to be inclusive because of the amazing teens in my life. Adults are good at excluding, and teens are taught to exclude by adults. But we need to be taught to include by teens. Teens who are given the freedom to include will. And when they do, it will school you too.


PLUS Y'ALL, Check out more thoughts from Theresa (That Youth Lady) on her website: theresamazza.com