Last night, we had our kick-off informational meeting for a
cooperative 4-UMC youth group. As we started the meeting, I asked the tables to
discuss this question:
Why is youth ministry important?
They had some great answers. I would like to share some of my
answers to that question as well. So here it goes…
5.
Research has connected youth ministries as a
driver of congregational health. Healthy
churches have youth programs.
3.
I have seen teens change the attitude of
congregations. They have a way to bring joy and hope into a congregation. They
also often are those who shift an activity from “something we always do” to “something
God calls us to do.”
2.
As a Methodist, youth ministry is often the
closest match to Wesley’s class system within our churches. It creates a community of accountability and
encouragement. It provides opportunities
for mission engagement. It creates new leadership within very quickly. It has
to, because youth are continually aging out of it.
The most important reason for me that trumps all these other
good reasons above is this:
1.
I was called by God to be a pastor as a junior
high student. Youth gave me an opportunity to provide leadership when the
pastor and church didn’t quite know what to do with me. To this day, when
ministry gets hard and I think about quitting, I think about the kid I was then
and how God used youth group to give me my first taste of leadership in the
church. Youth ministry didn’t just help me to respond to God’s call, it
continues to empower me to follow that call.
As we form this new group, I am excited to see how God uses
this small group to influence all his disciples and to build his kingdom. I am
excited to see how our churches become healthier, how young lives are
transformed, and to see a new generation of pastors receive their calling.
No comments:
Post a Comment