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Considering the goals and purposes of a student
ministry, there are 3 different levels or tiers to a balanced
youth program. The tiers increase in the degree of commitment
level they require and by a desire for a deeper walk with Christ.
Understanding them helps us effectively reach out and grow!
Tier
#1: Entry Level Events - No Commitment Required
An entry level event in this philosophy is one that is centered in
a desire to evangelize and create fellowship. It is a fun social
activity that creates a fun atmosphere non-threatening to a
seeker, non-believer. Entry level events are geared in a way that
teens can feel comfortable inviting any of their friends to attend
without the fear of awkward moments and preachy events. Preaching
and teaching is crucial in ministry but that is a part of higher
tiered events.
Entry level is simply what it implies. It is a beginning point to
building relationships with teenagers. It is the chance for
someone to set foot inside the church or find friendship and
community amongst a group of teens and leaders that offer
something different than they find in a worldly setting. It is a
form of friendship evangelism that is not focused directly on a
teaching or preaching ministry. These events are key in a
teenager’s life. Teens are incredibly social people who desire
friendship, love and acceptance beyond many other needs. They
sometimes need opportunities to build relationships in a fun easy
going atmosphere. Entry level events provide that opportunity.
These events often lead to teachable moments and most importantly
give youth leaders the opportunity to just plain get to know
students. Nothing beats hanging out in restaurant or hotel after
a day of skiing or swimming. The social interaction that takes
place in these easy going events is irreplaceable.
Some of the things that make entry level events successful are the
organization and planning to create a stress free event with
adequate supervision and attention to detail. Some examples of
entry level events done in the past are: Ski weekends, pool
parties, movie nights, crazy games nights, gym nights, white water
rafting trips, and much more.
Tier
#2: Rally Events - A Growing Commitment
The second tier involves a step beyond entry level and is the
center focus and balancing point of youth ministry. This is the
main youth rally, held weekly, that gives teens opportunity for
worship, teaching and or preaching, community and fellowship,
evangelism, and discipleship. It’s an all in one package.
The rally event is the central part of youth ministry because it
can accomplish each of the 5 purposes on a regular basis.
Teenagers need consistency in all of those areas. Let’s take a
few moments to talk about the method of promoting each purpose
into the rally event.
First consider this typical rally evening approximately 2-3 hours
long: Teens arrive around 7pm to a comfortable room with
character that promotes belonging. They “hang out” with each
other while checking out the announcements running on a video
screen interspersed with fun pictures of last weeks rally. The
youth leaders mingle about showing genuine interest in individual
students and asking about their day. At about 15 to 20 after, the
teens are called to attention and we go over the announcements and
they are given a calendar of events going on that they can also
check out online on our youth website. Announcements are given
clearly because communication of times and places is crucial to
the success of other events. Once announcements are over we may
play a silly game or maybe a bigger more active event outside
depending on weather and timing. This can take anywhere from
20-45 minutes. Once that is over we gather again to spend time in
worship. Using whatever talent is available and helping to
develop new talent in the teens. A worship team leads in music
and praise for about 30 minutes. The worship may begin with
some fun upbeat praise and worship followed by a more intimate
reflective time to lead into a meaningful prayer time. After
prayer we may sing one more song followed by a message or
teaching. Following the message the students are encouraged to
spend some more time socializing, or praying, depending on the
nature of the service, until their parents arrive to pick them
up.
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Worship: (Surrender in Worship)
Musical Worship:
There are
several ways we worship God on a rally night. First and most
obvious is the music. Musical worship is a very important part
of a worship experience for teenagers. It has been my
experience, through studies I have done, that teenagers listen
to music on average about 17 hours per week. Music is a massive
part of their culture and life. Using that tool to teach about
worship and to connect teens to God is very important.
Worship in Prayer: Teaching
teenagers to take the time to consider the needs of those around
them and to praise God in prayer is also very important. This
is also a strong focus of my youth ministry philosophy.
Student’s need adequate teaching and time given to serious
prayer.
Worship in Bible Study: It is an act
of worship to subject ourselves to the teaching of God’s word
and to listen to His teaching. Teenagers deserve solid and
biblical teaching as well as adults. A message given at a youth
rally should be as good and well prepared as a Sunday morning
message to the adult congregation. The youth rally is not a
chance for small effortless devotionals. Leaders must use every
opportunity given to share the truth of God’s Word with boldness
and authority.
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Ministry (Embody in Service)
The
opportunity for service and for ministry may not be as obvious
in a youth rally event, but it is there. Teens need to be
involved in ministry and take ownership of the youth program by
participation. The teens who are Christians are challenged to
be involved in many ways during the youth event. Through
prayer, greeting, making new people feel welcome, announcements,
singing or playing a musical instrument, and even sometimes
teaching.
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Evangelism (Gracious in Outreach)
The
evangelistic side of a youth rally encompasses the entire
event. Through the social interaction, worship music, preaching
and teaching, and fun we hope to show the love of God to
teenagers and offer them an alternative to the worldly example
of life they see all around them. Specifically though, the
preaching or teaching, will often be challenging and calling for
a commitment to either accept Christ or go deeper in your
relationship with Him.
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Discipleship (Respond in Devotion)
Discipleship
aspects of the youth rally are to teach basic Christian
beliefs. It is important to give teenagers basic Bible
knowledge as well as teach the complete scope of scripture. One
of my life verses is John 8 [31]b Jesus said, "If you
hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you
will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
These rallies offer the basic Bible knowledge and truth that
will hopefully increase their hunger to go deeper into the Word
and to step up into our third tier of events.
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Fellowship (Unite in Community)
Fellowship
takes place at all events but the youth rally is an important part
of teaching what real fellowship is. The experience of worshiping
God together, growing together, and learning together is crucial.
The social interaction that takes place in a comfortable safe
environment will help students feel connected and accepted. A
large part of the fellowship method involves creating a place of
unique ownership to the teens. The room and facilities are an
important part of creating fellowship. Simply put… atmosphere
matters. NOTE: A lot of fellowship takes place outside of the
church, at community events such as; sporting events teens are
involved in, school, home, and more. Those opportunities are very
important for the youth pastor to attend whenever possible.
Tier #3:
Discipleship Events - Deep Commitment
1Timothy 4:11 Command and teach these things. [12] Don't let
anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example
for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in
purity. [13] Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading
of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. [14] Do not neglect
your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when
the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Discipleship events are those crucial events in our life that take
us to the point of surrender. They are the small groups, mountain
top rallies, summer camps, weekend retreats, Bible studies,
mission trips, acts of service, Sunday school, prayer meetings,
and sometimes just spur of the moment meetings to praise God. It
often takes place in ministry events like, vbs, puppet ministries,
drama ministries, worship team practices and more. When teens
take the step into active ministry roles there is a deepening of
their faith that takes place. Discipleship must be consistent and
an ongoing group of some type is extremely important to a balanced
approach to youth ministry.
Students will often not typically attend these events until they
have reached a place in their walk with Christ that they decide to
take the next step past average Christianity. It is very exciting
when teens reach this place and their growth becomes exponential.
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