Caution Construction In Progress

There is a lot of talk going around in the youth ministry community about changing what youth ministry looks like in today's culture. There are countless youth workers including myself that are frustrasted with they way we are currently tyring to minister to the teens in our local area. The fact is that teens are leaving the church at an alarming rate. Hence the programs/events we are using to reach students are not creating firm followers of Christ but only giving them one more thing to do in their already busy schedule. Leaving them with no spirtual habits or disciplines that they can take upon leaving the youth program.

Let's face it this mindset is only creating an atomosphere of hiding Jesus behind fun, snacks, games, and so called "relationship building times" that just scream I am only interested in you so that I can tell you about Jesus. I am not saying all these things are bad and that we should throw them out but they should not be the main medium for reaching out to teens. We need to stop waiting around for some mega-church to write a book that tells us all how to make youth ministry happen or grow in numbers. Their context of ministry is more than likely different than mine or yours therefore every church should mold a ministry that fits it's own environment.

Educational Reconstruction

As a fairly new full-time Youth Director I must confess it is easy to get sucked into believing that cool events and programs of high energy and fun are the way to go. When I came to my church the youth program was and still is called AMP Student Ministries. The only thing that I could think about was how can I make this program more "Amped Up?" How can I create a fun place that my students will not be afraid to bring their friends to. This model has been the youth ministry "norm" it is what I've been taught that you do and I just graduated last May with a degree in Youth Ministry.

Out of the two or so months that I have been working in full-time ministry this way of thinking is my greatest failure. What we need to "AMP Up" is offering a ministry where teenagers can connect, experience, and encounter God. Of course all students do this differently so having another program/event night that offers a little bit of everything to make sure I cover the whole group is not the answer.

Instead I need to live in God's presence so that I can discern how he is moving in the students lives around me but also for my own personal growth. As youth workers lets immerse ourselves into youth culture by walking down the stairs to their underground world, so authentic relationships can begin to take place.

It's time that we start teaching a new song of youth ministry that allows youth leaders to do ministry in their context. That allows unforced community to take place without a sign-up sheet for a particular event. That allows real relationships to be made without any hidden agendas. That allows the whole group to come together under the common goal of sharing God's story with others.

The Future

A few weeks ago I had my students write down anything they wanted to learn about life, Bible, theology, or any issue they could possible think of. The responses varied from each student and were typical things that teenagers want to know and or struggle with. But one answer in particualar caugt my eye of a Junior in my group. The only thing that he wrote down was and I quote "I want to learn anything that helps me make sense of the world we live in."

I think that response speaks volumes in several ways, but in the context of reconstructing youth ministry I think that it is the voice of youth culture craving for something different.

Are the programs and events that we are running offering any sense of the world we live in? Teenagers pretty much have all the fun and technology they want at their finger tips, why should the church try to compete with that? Let's offer them something that created this world, that transcends this world, that loves everyone in this world. Let's offer a journey of relational missional community that experiences the absolute truths of God, because they are craving for it whether they know it or not. That is what makes sense in this world!

In many ways I don't want to step outside the comfortablity of youth ministry as I know it, due to the fear of uncertainty of how to exactly reconstruct youth ministry within my context. Or the thought that maybe students, parents, or my church won't like it. But I don't have a choice if I want to fulfill my calling ministering to teenagers in the present time.

As a youth worker I am stepping out in faith to change youth ministry. I know it won't always be pretty and that more than likely I will make some mistakes. But I believe those periods of brokeness are necessary to remind you that God is in control of what is going within your context.