week 8 PHILOSOPHY OF YOUTH MINISTRY PAPER

In today’s society teenagers are constantly seeking approval, attention, and answers. If they do not have godly, biblical influences in their lives then they are likely to choose the opposite to meet their needs. Also, some teens feel inadequate and not important. However Scripture says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Tim. 4:12). God has historically used young people to spark a movement of spiritual awakening. Alvin Reid stated, “When God begins a new movement of His Spirit, He often uses young people at the heart of it.”[footnoteRef:1] Ministering to youth and discipling them will help them change lives by sharing Jesus with others. Teens have to understand that following Jesus is something that is done daily. In every aspect of life believers must remain faithful and seek the Lord. The intent of this paper is to outline a philosophy of youth ministry that seeks to be intentional in helping students grow strong in their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. [1: Alvin L. Reid, Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2004), 39.]

Spiritual maturity and relationships are the two primary words that define my philosophy of youth ministry based off of the information that I have learned through this course. Both of these are fundamental in creating a youth ministry that is effective in the lives of students. They also play vital roles in developing students into young adults who are active in their local church.

Relationships matter because it says to the student that someone cares about them. Relationships make a student feel important and like they matter. Parents, leaders, and ministers should seek to build intentional relationships with their students. Teens also need someone who they can trust. Today’s society encompasses a lot of change and often times teens are being lied to or led astray by important figures in their lives. Creating trust is vital. They need authentic relationships that they can learn from and grow through. Also, the most important relationship of all is the one that a student has with Jesus Christ. Jesus focused on close relationships with the disciples. Student ministry should have a vision and strategic plan for discipleship. We have been created to live in community. Relationships can create and sustain accountability, encouragement, rebuke, and growth. Teens do not just need to reach salvation, but they need to be discipled in order to grow in their faith and then go and make disciples themselves to fulfill the Great Commission.

Teenagers have multiple needs. Stier stated, “The teenage years are a transitional phase of life that is exciting, confusing, depressing, and exhilarating.”[footnoteRef:2] An effective youth ministry operates as a team effort. Parents, volunteers, leaders, ministers, and pastors must all be aligned to the same vision. Each has a unique role. For example, many people assume that the youth minister does all of the work to develop a teenager spiritually. This is not true. The minister equips the saints for the work of the ministry. Therefore, the youth minister equips parents to lead their children at home. Reid argued, “According to God’s Word, the primary place of spiritual training is not the church but the home!”[footnoteRef:3] Parents are primarily responsible for raising their children. [2: Greg Stier, Outbreak: Creating a Contagious Youth Ministry Through Viral Evangelism (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2006), 80. ] [3: Alvin L. Read, Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium, 255.]

Spiritual maturity can actually be developed through relationships. This process applies to those students who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. They have to move on to the next stage. Students cannot be expected to fully comprehend on their own what is expected of them as a new follower of Christ. The process of discipleship assists in teaching them these things. However, these students do not only need to learn more about Christ and what God commands of believers. They also need to know how to live it out. What good is a great deal of biblical knowledge if it is not applied and lived out in the daily life of the student?

Aaron Gaston stated, “A strategy is a specific goal, inspired, and an informed plan with the end in mind. Where do you want to take your students?”[footnoteRef:4] Taking this into consideration, I dwelled upon two primary areas that need improvement. One area I need to improve in is discipleship. Geiger and Borton stated, “Many ministries claim to be big on discipleship; however, the disciples being produced seldom look like the disciples Jesus produced.”[footnoteRef:5] I have not been intentional enough in creating a disciple making plan which invests in teens and trains them up to be leaders of others. [4: Aaron Gaston, “Creating Synergy in Youth Ministry” (lecture, Liberty University School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA, May 11, 1017). ] [5: Eric Geiger and Jeff Borton, Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process for Strategic Youth Discipleship (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2009), 13.]

This is a very important aspect of the Christian life that I have not done very well to show the importance of it to students. I could also improve in evangelism. In fact, evangelism can lead to discipleship opportunities. I have been witnessing to others at church and through events, but I need to do more to get into the surrounding community. The gospel has no boundaries and needs to be taken to the nations. We can begin sharing Jesus with others through acts of servant evangelism throughout our community. This is an excellent way to lead others to Jesus and invite them to church.

Core values include intimacy with Jesus, biblical truth, intentional hospitality, ministry excellence, and city renewal. These values encompass why we do what we do which is love God, love people, share Jesus, and make disciples. Our strategy to accomplish this is to encourage students to weekly attend worship, connect through small groups, and serve in through the church in a way that uses their spiritual gifts. Also, we want students to be regularly be equipped and growing spiritually. Developing their spiritual gifts is important. They can also serve out in the community to put what has been taught inside of church walls and at home to use publicly.

One way parents can become involved is by volunteering. The youth minister cannot do all of the work alone. Help is needed. Having parents volunteer is a great benefit not only for the work of the ministry, but for the students as well. Gaston stated, “How do we get to the point where parents are being intentional with their children? How do we get to the point where they take the initiative?”[footnoteRef:6] Parents should also be actively engaged in their lives outside of church walls as well. Unfortunately, in many homes this is not the case. Timothy Paul Jones stated, “Few parents are actively involved in their children’s spiritual development. Even fewer can be said to function as primary faith trainers in their children’s lives.”[footnoteRef:7] They should be praying with students, having family devotional and worship times, asking them about what they learned at church, following up, and teaching them to be young Christ followers. Parents are to disciple their children. It is their first and foremost ministry. “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Pr. 22:6). [6: Aaron Gaston, “Creating Synergy in Youth Ministry” (lecture, Liberty University School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA, May 11, 1017). ] [7: Timothy Paul Jones, Family Ministry Field Guide: How the Church Can Equip Parents to Make Disciples. (Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2011), 16.]

I have personally been challenged by the material in this course to get active and be the change that I wish to see. Several things have been brought to my attention that I was not previously aware of which really grabbed my heart. I have been challenged to be more intentional with youth and parents. Investing in the families of our ministry and equipping the parents to lead their children is the biggest thing that has struck me by far. Effectively fulfilling the needs of this area has several positive benefits.

It is critical to not neglect your family. This is especially true when doing so would be hypocritical if we are asking those in our ministry to invest in theirs. Balancing ministry with the demand of family can be difficult at times. However, one way to overcome this is by serving with your family. It creates a great way to show the kids how to love and serve others. It is a wonderful teaching opportunity. It also benefits the families we are ministering to in providing an example that we are actually living out what we are teaching.

A philosophy of youth ministry should be built on biblical principles and geared towards effectively developing students in their walks with Christ. Relationships are also very important. Through the investment received from parents, leaders, volunteers, and ministers, teens can have godly influences in their lives that encourage spiritual growth. The process of discipleship should be part of the vision of the ministry. Teens need to be equipped to be young men and women of God. Parents play the biggest role in the lives of teens. They should be equipped to teach their children how to live out their faith in Christ daily. Ministering to youth and discipling them will help them change lives by sharing Jesus with others.

Bibliography

Gaston, Aaron. “Creating Synergy in Student Ministry.” Lecture, Liberty University School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA, May 11, 1017.

Gaston, Aaron. “Creating Synergy in Student Ministry.” Lecture, Liberty University School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA, May 11, 1017.

Geiger, Eric and Jeff Borton. Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process for Strategic Youth Discipleship. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2009.

Jones, Timothy Paul. Family Ministry Field Guide: How the Church Can Equip Parents to Make Disciples. Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing Group, 2011.

Stier, Greg. Outbreak: Creating a Contagious Youth Ministry Through Viral Evangelism. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2006.

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