I was talking with someone the other day who said her church didn’t have any youth.
To be sure, many churches post-covid (and even before) may not have as many adolescents in the pews on Sunday mornings.
However, here’s a thought that might rock your world- even if you “don’t have any youth” – you can still have a youth ministry!
What?
The old school model of youth ministry as a Sunday evening activity, for many churches, is over. If this model still works for you, GREAT! I celebrate your ministry! But for many families, Sunday evening is not an ideal time. Even Sunday morning is a struggle for many reasons, and – stop your judging here – this is not a horrible thing. Sports are good. *gasp* Dance competitions and family time and even sleeping in…is good. There are SO many GOOD things out there to choose from as to how to spend our money, time, and energy. Instead of being so quick to judge how people choose, what if we stepped into their shoes for a minute. What if we considered what others are going through. And, turning it back to ministry – what if we stopped and considered how we might adapt our ministry to these ever-changing times and the reality of youth and families today.
My churches’ primary children’s ministry for the past eight years has been on Wednesdays after school. These same kids don’t come on Sundays, or if they do, rarely. Some aren’t even engaged with a Sunday-morning-church at all. But if you’ve ever been to a Wednesday Church or a Kids for Christ – in all ways, it is church. Worship, learning, play, service; leadership development; connection with God and with one another – CHURCH!
So here’s a quick option for you to consider – what if your youth ministry was on a week day after school instead of on Sunday?
But beyond that – if your church doesn’t have any youth – I bet your community does.
What’s going on within three miles or ten minutes of your church building (adapt for a wider range if serving a rural area) that involves youth? Sports? Dance? Karate? Recreation? a park? a school? a library? a community service agency that serves families? How might you engage with these places in ministry? How might you open your church building for community use? There are so many helpful questions to discern how God might be calling you to be in ministry with youth in your community.
to break it down:
>>youth ministry is simply ministry with youth
>>ministry is our active and faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. it is using our God-given time, energy, and resources to participate in God’s mission in the world. it is to be vessels of God’s unconditional love and abundant grace for every.one.
so, unpack (and maybe let go of) the old mindset of “youth ministry” – and remember:
-youth do not have to be members of your church in order to be in ministry with them.
-youth do not have to come with two parental figures who give money.
-youth do not have to show up on a Sunday morning in order to “count.”
-youth are eager for a sense of belonging and acceptance and purpose.
-we are all called to be in ministry with youth.
i now release you into the world, beyond your church walls, to go be an active and faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ…with youth.
Contact me if you are interested in exploring these discernment questions about ministry with youth. I love helping people explore their church’s strengths and potential for community partnerships.
Deacon Shannon 