Make Your Youth Ministry Intentional
These days, youth ministry competes with many other activities for busy students' time. So what is your youth ministry doing to make sure each encounter with students is deliberate and intentional? If we are going to plan a youth ministry calendar, the elements on the calendar should have some sort of purpose or strategy to tie them all together.
In our postmodern economy of "anything goes" spirituality, a strategic plan must intentionally bring pre-Christian students into an environment where they can hear and see the gospel and be cultivated in the faith. The aim of strategic planning is that youth be led to a relationship with Jesus Christ and subsequently nourished in their discipleship journey.
Rethinking Strategic Planning
Through talking with youth leaders at a Centrifuge track time I led, I wanted to find out how much strategic planning was going on in youth ministries. I asked these adults to describe the intentionality of their youth ministries. I also asked them to describe the design flow of a ministry - from the identification of unsaved students, through the relational evangelism that brings those friends into the Kingdom, and ultimately through the assimilation of those students into the ministry.
The consensus each week was similar. Though it was acknowledged that the strategy described was the ideal, and that every element does not apply to every church, the groups did have the following suggestions:
Create a Climate of Awareness
Lead youth and adults in your church to ask, "Do we really want unsaved kids to come to our youth group, or do we really want to socialize with the 'holy huddle'?" Core students may need to be reminded constantly of the opportunity and their responsibility to be aware of pre-Christian students at school.
Be Alert to "God Cues"
God is sovereign and will provide opportunities to get into conversations about His work. Students in junior and senior high schools today are under enormous stress about family, school and life. If core students are listening for the hurt or need in conversations with people at school, opportunities for sharing a kind word and eventually the gospel will occur.
Open a Front Door to the Youth Ministry
Youth ministry planning teams need to identify the program, event or activity that is most visited by unsaved teenagers. That becomes the starting point for strategic planning. If a core student is alert to God cues, and the pre-Christian student shows some interest, it is necessary for the core student to know what is the best program, event or activity to bring a friend to first. Beginning with the front door, envision unsaved students coming to know Jesus and moving toward maturity in discipleship. Getting names, addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers are vital components of a front door. Sunday School is a front door for many ministries, and Wednesday night Bible study is becoming more popular as a gathering place.
Follow-Up
If a pre-Christian student comes to a front-door activity and there is no follow-up by youth, youth minister or youth workers, a valuable opportunity is lost. When an unsaved youth comes to Sunday School, the Wednesday night youth program, a retreat or other activity, it is imperative for him or her to receive a card, visit, call or invitation that recognizes his or her visit. Only through follow-up will a student be able to ask questions that, if answered in the context of relationships, will lead to a relationship with Jesus.
Transition Into Weekly Bible Study and Worship
The study of God's Word and an opportunity to worship with God's people are the next steps as (most likely now a new Christian) student is nurtured in his or her discipleship journey. Ministers on a church staff should determine if their Sunday morning program is friendly toward new folks. If a student is followed up after he or she visits the youth group, will this student find the same level of warmth when visiting other areas of the church? Are adults and youth available to welcome and help the student find his or her way around the church? Do Sunday School workers understand that they are a link in the chain of strategic planning?
Encourage Core Students in Discipleship and Vision Casting
The next step is a time each week when core students who are believers can be instructed in the deeper things of the faith. Strategic planning means that a student who is plugged in to growth and maturity has a place where the teaching and worship are on a different level, the topics are more advanced, and the challenge to multiply is constant. If unsaved students have been cultivated through relationships, front-door events, weekly Bible study and worship, then they are ready to join other core students in being challenged to share the purpose of Kingdom and of the youth ministry with others as they grow themselves.
Help Youth Identify and Use Their Gifts
I told my group all summer that "discipleship is not complete until the discipled become the disciplemakers." Students are incredibly able to discover and utilize their gifts to advance the Kingdom. The tremendous interest in mission activity and even in learning about persons who have sacrificed for the faith is testimony to the willingness of students to be key players in the strategic planning process.
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