Youth Ministries that Last

There are so many ideas of what youth ministry is suppose to be.  For some people youth ministry is a stepping stone for their ministry career.  For some people its just a matter of helping the church out by hanging with the teenagers because no one else will.  For others youth ministry is a passion and a way of life.  I believe that anyone in life, regardless of what you do and what you believe, wants to be a part of building something that will last longer than themselves.  Youth ministry really should be no different.  If you are involved in youth ministry of any kind, I want to encourage you to be passionate about what you are doing and strive to build something that will last.  Being successful is much more than just being about having a great week with a great message and great attendance.  Success in youth ministry is determined by lasting fruit…more importantly, lasting good fruit.

The key in building Youth Ministries that Last is to build a solid foundation.  This is true in building anything from homes to families to organizations.  There are other aspects of building strong youth ministries such as cultivating fertile soil, saturation principle of prayer, presence driven worship, discipleship through small groups, and more.  But unless the foundation is poured correctly and with quality materials, then what is built will not last.  The foundation is God’s Word. It is the only way to build a solid Youth Ministry (or anything for that matter) that Last.

Building on a Solid Foundation

²⁴ “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. ²⁵ Though the rain comes in torrents and the flood waters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. ²⁶ But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. ²⁷ When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

There are too many youth ministries that are being build on entertainment, secular music, compromise, shallow preaching, and events.  Those groups may have high peaks but will crash quickly because they are not build to last.  Solid youth ministries that last are never “add water and watch it grow.”  The key is faithfulness to teaching the truths of God’s word, preaching the truths of God’s Word, ministering the truths of God’s Word, and discipling the truths of God’s Word.  This is the foundation.  Build it deep and build it wide.  Once you establish this in your Youth Ministry you can add all the extras.  I believe in lights, fog, bumpin’ sound, games, events, pizza, coffee, video game nights, make-over nights (for the ladies )…but unless you have that foundation built the rest will simply fade away.

1. 

   Seth Schipinski says:

   April 4, 2009 at 8:10 PM

   PC, what is wrong with GUYS’ makeover-umm-I mean-you’re exactly right!!
   I think that there should also be some responsibility on people to go to church, even if they are not guaranteed all of the fun stuff and goodies like pizza and games and bumpin music. I think people are too quick to leave a church because it lacks some goodies, without realizing how much effort people like YOU and Cara put into worship music alone-much less entire services!! i agree with everything you said!!
2. 

   Anna says:

   April 4, 2009 at 8:14 PM

   Great post, Pastor Craig! Having the right heart and foundation are so important in youth ministry (and in life in general). Thanks for the encouragement and words of wisdom
3. 

   Jayne Lloyd says:

   April 7, 2009 at 9:21 AM

   I’m …not a youth leader, or a pastor…but I know truth when I see it. There are so many rich investments from my “youth years” made by the youth group I attended and there happened to be pretty close to “no extras” offered that I remember. Probably due more to their budget -I don’t believe the youth pastor was a paid position even. But I remember knowing without even being saved yet that I was involved in something solid and foundational. There was a strong pull there and this wasn’t something that was reinforced in my home. I don’t believe any of those “fluff” functions are wrong by any means, while it’s not the focus. I had a really great admiration for my peers that also attended because they were committed to something that wasn’t just a social outlet. Wow… all those years ago! Now, let me just ask one thing… Is ‘bumpin’ a synonym for ‘sweet’? = cool? Is that what I’m gettin here?