Youth Owned Ministry (Part 2)

Youth-owned ministry was the big reason I came into Christian fellowship. Indeed, I came to the church on a midweek evening service and there were around 10 people present that evening. The message that night I have long since forgotten along with who the speaker was. What stood out though was that most of those who were present and part of the service were young people. Some gave their testimonies and they all shook my hand as the program came to a close. One young person who couldn’t be a few years older than I said “I hope you would return.” That was the start. I attended that service week after week and to my amazement it was indeed the young people who were in charge of not just that service but other ministries I had only before seen adults in charge of. Later I finally became a part of the church, but the vast portion of my time was spent with the youth group. I had found a place to belong.

Here are some insights from my ministry:
Youth-owned ministry starts when the leaders take the dreams of the young seriously. If you are a youth leader, you should be the initiator for this. Take a moment and think of the young people you have right now. Do you know what they hope the youth group could be? Or what their dreams are for the ministry? Talk to them about it and you may be surprised at their ideas and thoughts.

Secondly, youth-owned ministry entrusts the youth with servant leadership. In an environment of love and acceptance from adult leaders who truly believe in their youth’s capacity to lead, young people will engage in ministry quite naturally. Eagerly too. Joel Van Dyke’s experience in his ministry shows an example of this:

The previous adult-centered philosophy that we had always ministered from began changing to a much more effective youth-owned strategy. The idea for a community youth center was birthed and after much prayer an old store was purchased across the street from the church and rehabilitated in large part by the youth of the church. One young lady organized 12 of her peers around a burden she had for reaching out to the homeless. She and some of the girls cooked arroz con pollo and brownies and we went down to the city center once a month to feed and share the gospel with the homeless. Some other youth who liked computers started a monthly newsletter that they published complete with special articles, a birthday list, an advice column and upcoming events section. Two others were instrumental in developing a weight-lifting gym across the street from the church and another young man sought help with his idea to open up a gym in a neighborhood school to play pick-up basketball in the winter. Most recently, six young adults who eight years ago piloted the One Way music ministry team, have now established a digital recording studio in the church and have dreams of seeing that someday grow into a full scale Christian Arts & Media Center.

Here are some ideas, from Joel, on how this can be done:

1. Give kids active roles in your church services every month. This gives your young people a sense of ownership in the church as well as their youth group. If we give kids significant family responsibilities, why can’t we give them responsibility in the church?
2. Challenge your kids to start Bible studies or Christian clubs at their schools. Laws don’t stop your kids from starting their own interest groups in public schools. Often kids don’t think of doing creative ministry in their schools because they simply haven’t thought it is possible. It is.
3. Get kids involved in career internships. We’ve discovered that hospitals, mental health clinics, neighborhood agencies, and nursing homes love taking on motivated youth as interns or assistants. Your quick phone call can open up a world of opportunity for an eager teenager.
4. Contact newspapers, magazines, and TV or radio stations to get some public recognition for what your kids are doing.
5. Give teenagers responsibility for planning evangelistic events for their peers. When you unleash their creativity and unlock the door of opportunity you’ll be amazed at the effectiveness of youth reaching out to other youth. Helping to facilitate these types of events as an adult also creates incredible discipling opportunities.

As your ministry explodes, here are some dangers to avoid:
1.    Don’t leave the young leader alone in his ministry – This is the time that the young person needs the youth leader more than ever. The people in the leadership team do not lose their jobs now that the youth are involved in the ministry. Certainly there will come a time that the young people can handle more and more responsibility by themselves. But this does not happen automatically. Those youth who’ve taken on leadership and ministry roles will experience great pressure from their peers, and greater expectations from parents or church members. Also, although a youth is in the position of leadership there will be times that the young person will fail in her duties, will disappoint you, or may commit grievous errors. Even for the successful servant leader there is the danger of pride at the success of the ministry. All the more does the young person need the leader to guide him in the ways of Jesus.

2. Don’t let the youth’s whole world be the youth ministry. A major portion of the youth’s time may be in the church ministry but it is not the only priority. There will be the responsibility of the teens in their family and the obligation toward his/her education among other things. Make sure that your ministry allows the youth time for these. If anything, as a youth excels in the ministry he or she should also have a good testimony in other areas. In line with this, even within the youth ministry don’t get so busy that all you do is service, ministry and meetings. Have time for a day with your team at the beach. Celebrate life together.

Last but most importantly: The success of a youth-owned ministry ultimately rests in God’s hands. This is not to devalue all that has been stated here for all that we’ve talked about are crucial elements. If the ministry were a plant, then what we’ve been discussing are the acts of planting and watering the youth ministry. But I make this point to state that when all is said and done, at the end of the day, our Lord will be the one who will see through the success of the ministry. Paraphrasing the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7: “You may have planted the seeds of the ministry, and the young people may have watered them, but it is God who made them sprout and grow. What matters isn’t those who planted or watered, but God who made them grow.”

May your ministry grow in Him who owns all ministries,

Alvan Victor Tauli
GYMN Asia

Reflection and Action Items:

1. Take time to listen to the youth leaders and youth on what God has “put in their hearts to do for their Jerusalem.”
2. Make a list of people in your youth group who could be leaders but are not. What could be hindering them from becoming leaders?
3. What are some ways you can cultivate an environment of love and acceptance in your youth group as an individual? As a leadership team?
4. Read through the items on page 1 on moving youth into servant leadership. Is there one you find applicable to your youth group? Are there some things not listed that you think can help? Set some specific goals with target dates.
5. What could be some consequences of failing to guard against the two dangers of developing servant leaders stated in the article?  (1-Leaving the young leader alone in his ministry. & 2-Letting the ministry take up all the youth’s time.)
6. How will knowing that the ministry ultimately rests in God’s hands change the way you do your ministry?

This post is part of a collection of articles sent as a follow-up to GYMN trainings.