It’s what you want every message to have isn’t it?
Movement.
To get teens to take what we talk about on a youth night beyond the four walls of the church and walk with it.
Connie Jakab talks about being a brave leader but has noticed people who usually don’t see themselves as leaders: people like parents (even though you’re only raising the next generation), teachers (who only have influenced everyone you see today), and entrepreneurs (who bring new ideas to solve problems and lead change in our world). Here’s how she moved past fear.
What changes are you planning in the future? Don’t stay where you are. Keep moving forward. Make sure that as you change, you navigate through some of these challenges in a healthy way. Whenever we implement change, we can either underestimate or overestimate how complicated it can be.
How can you reach more families with young children? Many churches struggle with this question as they find that they are an older congregation or they think they don’t have the volunteer capacity to reach out to families. Here are some simple ways you can reach families with young children that won’t cost you a lot of money and utilize a lot of volunteers.
How many hours a week are you in your community? I encourage pastors to allocate 5 hours a week to be in their community, connecting with non-believers and building bridges of connection to people not a part of the church. Here are some ways to get out of your office and into your community.
Are you a solution provider in your community? Churches often see themselves as "providers of religious goods and services" in the place where they are located. They relegate themselves to society's "faith and religion" aspects and do their best to stay in their lane. However, the Church of Jesus Christ is called to make an impact on the world it is a part of.
We so desperately need to build a youth ministry that goes beyond ourselves. We are called to make disciples who make disciples. It can’t end with us, or with them. The day of spoon-feeding is over, now it’s time to rally your students and develop them to lead in your youth ministry. It’s time to develop Student Leaders.
I believe your greatest potential for qualitative and quantitative growth in your youth ministry, won’t be found in your next best sermon series, or your next biggest event, or in the charisma you feel you bring or don’t bring as a leader.
I believe a huge part of it will be found in how you are engaging the Next Generation. Are you calling them into the game to help move the puck down the ice? Or are they watching, disengaged in the stands?