Our own hope and faith is built on the firm foundation of Christ Jesus our Savior. I use this to carry over to youth ministry. A foundation is huge! And best if its made out of sturdy material…. I choose the BRICK. Instead of a pearl of wisdom…I present a BRICK of wisdom.
B- Big! Think Big! Try something new. Try something different. Host a concert, bring a speaker in, try a Seder dinner. Think outside the box. The worst that could happen is that it flops, but the best that could happen is that its a huge success and you end up doing it every year (or maybe every other year, depending on how taxing it is on yourself and your youth).
R- Round ’em up! Gather a team of people! Form a youth ministry team that can plan events together or a team that rotates leading Bible Study. If you have a parent who is really amazing at leading organized activities put him/her in charge of game night or craft night. If you have a parent who is a talented cook/baker…bring them in to soup supper or snack making. Round up “your people”…you’ll be surprised at how much fun youth ministry can be.
I- Include everything. Have a focus for each event/activity you do. Outreach, service, fellowship, education (bible study). Try to make sure you have an even amount of these activities. Not just all fellowship oriented, not just all bible study. Include everything.
C- Change things up! Most of the change comes from talking with your youth. What do they want more of? Are they comfortable leading a devotion? Are they comfortable leading music at youth night? Do they want a separate Bible study outside of youth night? Including your youth on format of youth events is huge! If they want change…change it up! See how God works….
K- Keep God your number one. Make sure you’re spending enough time with God. There’s no way you can run a ministry without keeping God first and foremost. If your own spiritual life is a mess…imagine how that will reflect to your youth. If you’re feeling overwhelmed…take one whole day for God and you. Take 20 minutes a day just to talk with God. And then listen! With God on your side, who can be against you?
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22
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