I just finished working on a project articulating my overall thoughts on youth ministry. It's been a while since I thought in these terms, and it was a fun exercise. I'd love to hear your thoughts -- what am I missing? what (if anything) do you like?
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In it's simplest form, youth ministry should welcome all students (regardless of anything), give them a safe place to figure out what they believe about Jesus, and offer opportunities for them to work out their place in God's Kingdom.
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In it's simplest form, youth ministry should welcome all students (regardless of anything), give them a safe place to figure out what they believe about Jesus, and offer opportunities for them to work out their place in God's Kingdom.
- I believe healthy youth ministry exists to help students grow in their trust in God.
- a strategy rooted in Ephesians 4:11-14, recognizing the role students play in the coming of the Kingdom of God on school campuses
- a clear plan for helping students move from disinterested pre-Christian to seeker to new Christ-follower to committed Christ-follower
- balance growth in understanding (head), compassion (heart), and service (hands)
- I believe healthy youth ministry challenges students to live and reveal the Kingdom of God.
- The Kingdom of God is God's plan for creation – life as God intends us to live.
- As Christ-followers pursue the life Jesus called us to live (which is the best way to live) our lives prompt others to ask us why our lives are different.
- We reveal God's Kingdom first with our lives, then with our words.
- I believe healthy youth ministry is highly relational. Every program or event in youth ministry should be designed to deepen relationships.
- relationships with God
- begins by trusting Jesus
- nurtured by developing healthy habits
- appropriate nudging of all students to take next steps in their relationship with God
- relationships among students
- safe environment for students to seek Jesus at all “stages” of trust
- space for students to deepen their friendships with other students
- consistent opportunities for students to learn about and practice serving others
- occasional times to connect with other students from other places
- relationships with healthy adults
- modeling healthy community among the youth staff and in the larger church
- healthy adults who become significant influences in students' lives
- adults have as much to learn from students as students have to learn from adults
- relationships in the home
- foster healthy connections with students and their parents and siblings
- I believe the following core values should guide everything we do:
- acceptance
- authenticity
- creativity
- expectancy
- family
- fun and laughter
- growth
- intimacy
- Jesus-centered
- mystery
- purpose
- relationships
- risk
- shared leadership
What do you think?
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