etc.........
I am young. Most likely I will be the youngest person on staff at a church. I have so much more to learn from them. But I know that in order for God to be glorified I can’t just focus on working with only those younger them me. I have to minister first to the parents and volunteers. I have to be willing to provide resources and help to those who already know more them me. It’s a challenge, but it is what God has called me to do.
-By his Power
Student Ministries
Where do I start. Nowadays there are a lot of great books on youth ministry. In fact you can find a countless number of theories and philosophies on the best way to do youth ministry. In fact, it is not uncommon for a church to discover that with-in their own youth group two, three maybe even four different approaches are needed in order for the group to function. A good student ministry is geared to always ask the question,”How do we develop a Godly faith in the teenagers God has called to our community?” Then they fight for them!
A Uncommon Student Ministry
A common mistake ministers make when they arrive at a new church is they start changing things. From a developmental perspective these changes threaten any pre-existing understandings that a teenager, parent or even a volunteer might have about the youth group. So right off the bat its important to understand that even if I have a major dislike about a certain thing or event I wont change it unless their is a major Biblical issue. Trust, is the most important thing a youth minster can have and that can only be gained with time. Me coming in, starting to re-brand, re-build, re-do only benefits me; it does little to nothing to grow the ministry. I take youth ministry serious, to me their is no next step, only finding where God is calling me. As a student minister I don’t start being effective until I have been at a church for a couple years, so I plan on the long haul.
Every church looks different; as does every Christian. I can not tell you what events or approaches will best serve your church, but I can lay out some fundamental elements that have to exist in order to produce a life long Godly faith in teenagers.
This is a statement of worldview. I choose the truth in the Christian Worldview. A belief that is supported and demonstrated through the teaching of the Bible. We must use the truth of the cross to be the motivation behind everything. If the Gospel is not present, we have no truth.
A effective student ministry has to be a place where Student, parents and volunteers are safe. It has to be a environment where safely is considered with every choice. It has to be a place where anyone can come for help, or come to give help and be safe from harm or judgement.
One theory of ministry is to get them in the door, then you can try to get them hooked on faith. The problem is how you get them in the door, regulates what they expect in order to keep them there. So, if you entertain, thats what you have to do to keep them. The Gospel is the only bait you should use...everything else is noise.
God designed the family to be the fundamental place to form the physical, emotion and spiritual development of children. No church or ministry can ever replace the parent. We can and must do everything to stand besides and empower a Family Driven Faith.
You name it, they are trying to win over your kids. Billions of dollars and hours are spent to gain the attention of your child. We can not hide from it, but we can walk with our teenagers teaching, mentoring, guiding them into understanding what’s has importance and what’s worthless.
What does your family do on purpose to reinforce that your child is a valued member of your family? What does your church do to reinforce that they are a child of God and belong to your church community? Teenagers want to fit in and belong. They are wanting for someone to give them value.
The divine father knows the number of hairs on my head. I am a child of God. We need to be sure to seek our identity out in God’s love. Sports, talents, abilities, family, money, the things you own or what you can do, should not be what defines you. Being washed in God’s grace is your Identity.
You can be a good person and still not be a Christian. You can call yourself a Christian, yet that doesn’t make you a Godly person. Our only aim in ministry is to grow teenagers into a lifestyle that actively seeks God’s will in everything. It happens in a lifetime, and it means you will loose your life.
The role of a minister is to plan, organize, support, train, guide, listen, help, love, invest, take the blame, re-learn everything, ask questions, answer questions, serve, teach, hold your hand, move you forward, be authentic, annoying, etc... for the Church, Parents and the Teenagers.
