For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Find Out About and Biblically Support the work towards the Youth.
I could have easily said support the church’s youth group. But I also know some of my readers don’t believe in “youth groups.” For our church our youths are a part of the main service. But outside of that we also have a youth group and children’s ministry. But it isn’t the sterotypical youth group where it marked more by entertainment and shallow theology. It is a Bible study and theology teaching ministry when it officially meets and also a biblical counseling, encouragement and prayer ministry when it isn’t assembled as a group. It is also not an autonomous youth group but one that also tries to keep it as a partnership with the parents.
With everything going on in 2020-2021 I think it is even more profoundly important to disciple our youths before they become adults.
This Sunday find out what your church is doing with the youth. Then ask yourself and those in leadership with the youth group how you can be involved. It doesn’t required to be committed to something every week and sometimes the church already have things in place but still there are ways you can be creative to find out what you can do.
It can be for instance praying for specific youths, organizing a prayer team for the youths and workers with the youth. It can be showing appreciation with something tangible to the volunteers. It can be offering to be a substitute teacher, a regular committed teacher, someone that purchase spiritual gifts and books to the kids, and being the extra outreach arms of the youth ministry. Or you can see if you can be a reinforcement by being tasked to contact families and youths that hasn’t been to church in a while and see if you can see what’s going on, and invite them back. Still another way to help is maybe being who can contact families that use to attend church with their youths, and you contact them, see how they are, share the Gospel to them if they are not saved, encouraged them to attend church if they are not going to any church presently, etc. Or it can be administrative behind-the-scene such as typing up prayer requests and emailing it, emailing the youth as the designated prayer coordinator, running the social media platforms the youths are on and also being the church “guidance counselors” for that and even being the bridge between parents and youth ministry.
What other ideas can you think of?
The Domain for Truth 
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I really like your approach to “youth groups”. Sounds like God is doing some great work among them. Your suggestions for how to help are right on target.
Blessings.
The work in individual groups in the church is as important as the message to the whole fellowship. Each group have their own needs which need to be addressed; men, women, young parents, children and of course youth come to mind. God’s Word and Spirit have a ministry to each, our God is a diverse Creator. If I were in a church I would be keen to see young people (and men) getting bespoke Bible and prayer services to tackle their unique life challenges.
Praise God. You do youth ministry correctly. There are many good ideas in this post.
Youth are so important! I love what you guys are doing with the youth! I have nothing to add but to keep doing what y’all are doing! God is forming your youth in and through y’all! Love and blessings to you, Nancy and kiddos this Lord’s Day!
Reblogged this on a simple man of God and commented:
Our youth group (I am the Youth Pastor) does meet outside of main service (it was one of my conditions!) so that they are with family and heart the main message. I occasionally remember to have a game, but if anything we usually do a small ice breaker. The entire focus during our meetings is “What does the Bible say, and how can we understand it and live it out?” Apologetics is a major element, as well. We see too many people today saying things like “no one talked about … had answers to …”
Further, they are involved in ministry in and through the church. 4 or 5 even get to read the weekly passage before the Sunday morning message! (It’s still a little weird to me that I can say “4 or 5” having started with 3.)
It also helps that almost all of the parents do ministry, too.
Daniel
Oh, and I have had parents, college [aged] people, and others want to come to youth. We do not hold back, and I teach big words and ideas, for 6th-12th, but so many have not heard some of it before.
Youth growing up need adults that gain credibility in their lives and help shape them. The magic number of significant adults needed for a well balanced youth is 7 adults (a number probably not recognized by most youth). This used to be a standard number recognized by school counselors and various types of youth workers. Parents, teachers, coaches, grandma, a neighbor and camp counselors were often cited as their role models. So yes, intentionally pray for and find ways to interact with youth.
And please…make sure your leaders are sound.
Thanks for the good exhortation! Oftentimes the youth are taken for granted and “slip through the cracks” when they get out into the world as teens and young adults.
It’s important to reach them yet at the same time not entertain them as our chief end. Yet what we share should be applicable to their context. I think we need God’s grace to walk that balance, don’t we? How is your shift going so far? Last day for the week!
Hey Jimmy and Tom! I absolutely agree! I also think youth today need authenticity, transparency (wisdom needed here) and accountability from adults today. In a day in age when everything can be photoshopped, changed, best view of you youth need to know what’s real. Society is placing more and more emphasis on the cult of celebrity, even in Christian circles. We need to hold ourselves accountable in front of youth so that we don’t lead them astray like Ravi and other such folk. Love and blessings to y’all and your families!
RE: entertainment
So many mega-churches have gone the seeker mode for adults, their youth services must be so shallow.
Thanks! So ready for the couch and bed! Hope you’re having a good day!
This is where the Seed in Sown.
These are great ideas!
Our church has a youth group that meet every Friday. This is the only ministry they have on a regular basis. We (the oldies 😌…) contribute by keeping them in prayer.
That is good to hear you guys pray for them! That is Sooo important!! I imagine you guys pray for them during prayer meeting??
Bible study and prayer Wednesday night. Our pastor hasn’t been there long and with COVID in the mix he is just starting to have things happening. We don’t have many ministries at the moment,
Your dynamic, Gospel-fueled youth ministry is filled with much love and life. I like the value of connecting with parents, especially those who seldom attend Sunday worship.
As a youth leader thanks this. I wish more would recognize the importance of youth ministry.
[…] few weeks ago I posted “Find Out About and Biblically Support the work towards the Youth.” In that post I emphasized more about what you can be involved with, and what you can […]
[…] know I have several posts concerning youths on Sunday such as Find Out About and Biblically Support the work towards the Youth, Ask how youth workers are doing and Pray for someone’s decision of which college to attend […]